Big Tree Resort — Hotel in Ko Samet

I believe the reviewer "Isiltarion" is saying the exact same thing I am about to say, too bad I don't perfectly understand what it is they are saying, else I might have taken it a little more to heart. For those English speakers out there. This is my experience.||||My friend and I got to our area, and found out that where we thought we had reservations, technically we did not… This is after we wired the money to the person’s account a couple weeks in advance, while having my Thai co-teacher speak to the “owner” on multiple occasions, on the phone, and even the day before to make sure everything was set to go. Our resort, apparently, has two parts that are owned by different family members. I gathered that it use to be owned as a whole, but something happened, and now it was in two pieces. Family rivalry, falling out, feud, you choose. Nobody was at our part of the resort, except what I presumed to be the grounds keeper. Surprise. He showed us a shack up in this sticky, smelly, wooded area, way away from the beach, that was a mosquito breeding ground. This was nothing…nothing… like the pictures. As he unlocked the padlock on the rickety door, and stepped in, I got a huge whiff of urine. He proceeded to brush junk off the bed that had stains all over it and the place looked like it hadn’t seen a night of occupants in a couple years. The ceiling fan, over the bed, which was literally a desk fan, bolted to the rafter, had a drape of bug remnants at least a few inches thick hanging from it. When I undid the yarn that kept the bathroom door shut, I found a pool of foul smelling stuff in the corner, and I could see outside through the half of the ceiling that was missing. Yes, half of the ceiling was literally gone, ripped away. Lovely, a skylight to look out of, when you answer nature’s call. That’s if you could turn a blind eye to the lizards, spiders and whatever else crawling in through the huge vacancy. One look at my friend and I realized we both were thinking the same thing. What the hell kind of joke was this. We paid 2400Baht for a POS joint to stay two nights in. By this time, the guy had left us to ourselves. All we wanted was a clean, safe place to put our things, and get to the beach. Within 5min of standing in that shack and changing into our swimsuits, we were COVERED in mosquito bites. We were literally smacking and hitting ourselves, everywhere, in an attempt to not be eaten alive. We opted to make camp on the beach with our things and call the owner, demanding an explanation. They said their guy was on the mainland and was planning on being there in an hour and a half on a ferry. He would help us out and give us our options. Fours hours later, after enjoying the beach in monsoon downpour, he showed up, with no answers to this joke. He ends up telling us the woman owner is a bit of a nutcase, and that he has been trying to sell the property for her, for a few years. He sympathized with us, though, and said that if we find a different place on that beach, he would refund our money. Well wonderful! We’ll take it! We found a place and then was told he could only give back 1800baht, because the lady said she supposedly had someone else willing to stay in that shack that weekend. So since there was a “demand” for it, she was able to rob us like that with the excuse of a cancellation charge. What a piece of work. We got our place at the REAL Candlelight Beach resort, and it was lovely. Just don't book ahead by wiring any money over to "hold" your rooms. It might be for the wrong part of the resort. I really hope this helps. I would hate to have someone else go through what we had...

Abbiamo avuto la malaugurata idea di prenotare a scatola chiusa un Bungalow sull'isola di Koh Samet (Thailandia), basandoci solo sui pochi dettagli forniti dalla Lonley Planet.||La ricerca per un Bungalow libero è stata assai ardua perchè ci trovavamo a Bangkok proprio il 31 Dicembre e volevamo trovare un posticino su quelI'isola per i due giorni successivi.||Dopo svariati tentativi, risponde al telefono una signora dall'inglese maccheronico, che ci conferma un Bungalow disponibile per le date da noi desiderate, ovvero 1 e 2 gennaio, al prezzo di 1500 Baht, moneta locale (quindi non proprio economicissimo per lo standard thai).||La struttura in questione si chiama "Candlelight Beach" (da NON confondere con il Candlelight RESORT, sul lato opposto della stessa spiaggia e di tutt'altro livello!) e si trova sulla baia di Ao Thian, sull'Isola di Koh Samet. La parola "candlelight" ricorre spesso in quella spiaggia, perchè è il significato del nome thai.||||Quando arriviamo alla struttura era sera tardi e ci riceve un ragazzo dall'inglese stranamente fluente che non sembrava essere al corrente del nostro arrivo e che ci mostra svogliatamente il Bungalow a noi destinato.||La terrazza di legno che circondava il bungalow era rotta e si erano formati due grossi buchi proprio attorno ai tavolini e alle sedie, che quindi erano inagibili.||All'interno c'erano due stanze grandi ma piuttosto fatiscenti, con letti dalle coperte sporche, bagni senza carta igienica e dalle finestre rotte (e quindi accessibili dall'esterno).||Non mancavano insetti di ogni tipo (incluso dei vermi sulle pareti del bagno).||I bagni erano due in realtà, ma entrambi in condizioni pessime: muffe sulle pareti, incrostazioni sui lavandini, ragni e altri insetti in tutti gli angoli.||||Sebbene scioccati da tanto squallore, la stanchezza ha preso il sopravvento e abbiamo deciso di dormire solo una notte (anzichè due) in quel posto.||Il ragazzo-gestore ha preteso i soldi in contanti subito e cosi abbiamo pagato solo una notte, dicendo che eravamo incerti sulla notte successiva.||I suoi modi sono stati molto sgarbati: non ha avuto voglia di portarci la carta igienica (che mancava e che ci siamo dovuti comprare per la serata!) nè riparare almeno la chiusura delle finestre del bagno, che erano perennemente aperte.||Non ha preso i nostri documenti nè registrato il nostro arrivo.||||La mattina seguente abbiamo comunicato la decisione di volercene andare e dopo aver riconsegnato le chiavi abbiamo fatto un giro attorno al nostro Bungalow: l'intera struttura è in malora, ci sono i resti di un vecchio ristorante sul mare e di un vecchio punto informazioni.||Sporcizia e detriti invadono ogni angolo.||L'impressione è stata quella di un posto che un tempo doveva essere carino e ben tenuto ma che senza mantenimento è andato completamente in malora.||||Abbiamo girato sull'isola e chiesto agli altri Resort de avevano stanze libere e tutti confermavano prezzi medi al di sotto dei 1300 Baht e con strutture decisamente migliori e accoglienti.||Ironia della sorte ha voluto che trovassimo un posto proprio al "Candlelight Resort", sul lato opposto della spiaggia. Nome simile, servizio ben diverso.||||Che sfortuna, la baia di Ao Thian è bellissima ed è un peccato trovare una gestione tanto trasandata!!||||Comunque abbiamo anche ipotizzato che la recensione disponibile sulla Lonley Planet 2010 sia stata erroneamente dai redattori, i quali si siano sbagliati con il Candlelight RESORT, dove alla fine abbiamo comodamente soggiornato.||Candlelight...

Stayed here for 2 nights in July.|On arrival baht-bus dropped us at entrance which is a building site and not very attractive but once through this the resort is beautiful.|The Tarn Tawan bungalow was compact but enough room for 3 people with a verandah. The bungalow fronted onto a path so no great view but didn't come to resort to spend time in room other than sleep. The restaurant on site Kin Lom Cham Talay closed early so there was no noise at night so sleep quality very good.|Breakfast included was good with anything from eggs and bacon to thai food. Food quality at restaurant is good and is not expensive.|The beach is beautiful as is nearby Ao Wong Duan and Ao Tubtim both of which are within walking distance. Ao Cho and Tubtim are very quiet and peaceful compared to other resorts, come here to relax not party.|Tarn Tawan is mid price on Koh Samed and good value. I would...