Samui Hotel - Poppies or Tongsai or Le Meridien Baan Taling
 

This will be our first trip to Thailand at the end of Sept. All these hotels seem to be about the same price. Has anyone stayed there and which one would you recommend? (We are interested in something nice,on the beach, but not too far from restaurants and things to do, but not too crowded. A nice spa nearby would be a plus)

the only thing i would say about the meridien is that it is out in the middle of no where...no town too near...it looks lovely however....

take a look at peace resort...we stayed there and loved it...right on the beach with a good reasonable restaurant and beautiful pool....15 minues to chawaeng beach town.....5 minute walk to bophut beach town---lots of bars and decent restaurants...

we had beachfront bungalow #204 which was perfect...50 feet to beach...

family run---one of the last in samui

Poppies, no doubt!
I just returned from Samui and Poppies is located in the best strech of Chaweng beach. Very peaceful, yet outside you have everything you need , restaurants, shops, bars. I already answered you in my post. I had dinner at Poppies (food was fabulous) and had a look around and it's awsome, best location you could have. If you can afford it, go for it!

The Meridien is too far from everything, in the middle of nowhere really.
The tongsai is also a bit isolated and sincerely, after I did a trip around the island I was glad I didn't stay in Bophut or Maenam. There is nothing to do around.
I recommend you the Living Senses Spa, wonderful. It's near the Poppies, same road, in the building of the McDonalds.See the answer I gave you and Shaneuk in my post.
Have a nice trip:)

i personally felt that poppies was too crowded together and that the site in the honky-tonk town to be a turn off....but i can see for some who might want to be in town that it would be good...it is quite a bit more expensive...i'm surprised at the posters comments about bophut, because in fact the town has a few shops, some nice restaurants (maybe 10) and some bars....what more could you ask for and it is not honky-tonk and full of drunks from OZ and elsewhere....

Living Senses Spa....will definitely check it out. Thank you both for your suggestions! It is an enormous help!