Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort — Attraction in Ko Samui

A Dream Wedding in Paradise – Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Went Above and Beyond

We recently had our wedding at the Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort and words almost fall short in describing just how magical and flawless everything was. From the very beginning of the planning process to the final dance under the stars, the experience was nothing short of spectacular. If you are considering a destination wedding or simply a luxurious and relaxing stay in Koh Samui, look no further. This resort is everything you could hope for and more.

Our ceremony took place right on the beach with the sea as our backdrop, a setting so naturally beautiful it could have come straight from a postcard. The moment we stepped onto the sand we knew it was going to be unforgettable. But what truly made the day so special was not only the location but the people. The entire team at Anantara looked after every detail with such care and professionalism that we were able to completely relax and enjoy every single moment of our special day.

After the ceremony we moved to the immaculate lawn by the lily pond for cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. This space was perfect for an elegant outdoor celebration and the atmosphere they created with lighting, flowers and décor was absolutely breathtaking. Every element reflected our vision and somehow they made it even more beautiful than we imagined.

We must give a heartfelt and very special mention to Yui, our wedding planner, who was an absolute hero from start to finish. From our first communication to the final moments of the evening, Yui was calm, kind, endlessly organised and completely invested in making everything perfect. She took care of every single detail, no matter how small, and did it all with such warmth and dedication that we felt like we had a trusted friend by our side. Yui’s professionalism and passion made our day run so smoothly and we are beyond grateful for her.

In the days leading up to the wedding, the hotel staff made us feel truly special. They were always one step ahead, making sure we had everything we needed whether it was last minute arrangements, lovely little touches in our room or simply making our guests feel welcome and relaxed. Every member of staff we encountered was polite, friendly and attentive and that made a huge difference in creating such a memorable experience.

The food was outstanding, from the cocktail canapés to the dinner and the late night snacks. Our guests are still talking about how delicious everything was. It was clear that the chefs took great pride in the food and it really showed.

If you are thinking about having your wedding or a special event at Anantara Bophut, do not hesitate. The location is stunning but it is the people, especially Yui, who truly make it an unforgettable experience. This was not just a wedding venue, it was the setting for the most beautiful and joyful day of our lives and we will forever treasure the memories we made there. We hope to return one day to relive just a little bit...

I think the fairest review I can give here is 3 stars. We had a week there and the first 3 days I’d of given it a 1 or 2 star review. However after we provided feedback to Anantara via en email survey the food/drink manager was swift to respond to improve our experience.

Our initial feedback was:

The service around the pool is terribly slow. We ask the staff to chase where our orders were but given zero communication to update us. It took +40 minutes to bring me a bottle of beer. The pool area is messy and not kept clean. Old glasses/plates left everywhere. Birds eating food off tables. No attention to details. Took around an hour for food to arrive, then another hour for bill. Tried to order at another time - later when less busy, still took an hour for bowl of fries. When I ask staff I can’t tell if it’s just slow or forgotten entirely. Having just come from Anantara lawarna service much better and resort kept tidy around pool with staff helping with towels. Does not feel like a 5 star hotel. I have also now decided I will not be ordering food on site as slow and when food arrived not good. Not enough towels provided the pool. The shelf where they keep towels is empty. Other guests playing their music loudly on portable speakers - staff do nothing. No one replacing the products in the room eg shampoo.

We actually got so annoyed by the above that I got a taxi to another hotel to see if it was worth booking at and moving.

After being given the above feedback the manager did come and find us straight away. To be fair to him I think he really tried to change our experience. We could tell that the pool was kept tidier for example. We started going to the beach and there was 1 staff member called Johnny who provided much closer to 5 star service by coming over to offer drinks service, tidying our towels during the day and bringing us cold facial towels. The drinks and food service speed also improved so it was normal!

So basically the 2nd half was much improved. However it was interesting to see as this great service we were being given by Johnny didn’t actually seem to be being provided to everyone. I came to this conclusion by observing myself but also talking to other guests. Also, if Johnny had to go work somewhere else there was absolutely no service on the beach. So I felt that potentially the manager had spoken to Johnny to ensure we were spoilt however it’s not actually the baseline standard of the hotel.

My overall view of this hotel is that it’s in a really good location. The grounds are beautiful! However, Anantara don’t provide 5 star service to back up the rating/price tag, particularly around the beach/pool area. My feeling is there’s not enough staff to provide the standard as staff always we’re working super hard but just can’t keep up with the quantity of residents. The other hotel I consider moving to was at least half the size and had at least...

If u know the brand Anantara u know u won’t be disappointed. The resort itself is so rich with mature tropical vegetation, full fledge wellness spa resort with massages, yoga, Thai boxing and water sports activities on the beach. The room is nice, spacious, well design and every room comes with balcony with seating area. Buffet Breakfast is included, we enjoy the spread BUT it’s not the best one we have seen and tried compared to other hotel brands in the same category, I think there’s definitely room for improvement. Service can be a hit or miss, we had a morning where staffs were a bit lost and running around. There is a happy hour by the bar in the pool area, BOGO free classic cocktail. They get slammed from 5-7pm due to high demand. We didn’t have a good experience as we had to wait 30 mins for a drink, with about 4 staffs behind the bar, another 4-5 running the drinks. And the bar counter ended up with all dirty glasses piling up on one side and while drinks are being made. They could use some additional anticipation knowing that the happy hour attracts high demand, while waiting for our drinks we were approached more than 5 times if we ordered, just a little lack of communication between themselves IMO. One star removed for this… sorry. Other than that, staffs are always sweet, smiley, humble, doing their best to deliver. One of the highlight of our 4 nights stay is the morning sessions we have with their in house Yoga & Thai Boxing instructor Chai. They have a complimentary 30 mins program every morning, alternating between Yoga & Thai boxing. Classes are held at their spa area, quiet, private and luxurious feel. Instructor Chai is very calm, professional, friendly and helpful in correcting yoga poses and also very patient in teaching Thai boxing. Hubby did a private lesson with him as well, so worth it at 1000 Baht for an hour. The beach area has individual cabanas, and lounge chaises, and a small protected area in the water for paddle boarders and swimmers. The sand is NOT powdery nor white, it is very coarse and not comfortable stepping on with barefoot. Almost felt like a little artificial man made beach. Every cabana has a call button if u need svc, nice touch. There is a ping-pong table in the pool area which is great! There is also a tennis court, hopefully will have a chance to try. Overall, I believe the resort is at partial occupancy which is nice for us. There are many families with small children, if u are looking for a more quiet resort to escape for romance, u might find it a bit annoying. We also ventured out of the resort to eat at some local small businesses run by locals, great food, amazing culture and hospitality. The resort also donates to local charities to support the well being of the community, nice touch, pls keep it going. We enjoyed the resort and created some good memories. Thank u all for the...