We always prefer the bungalows to standard hotel rooms, but Marina Villa was the best value for money in central Lamai. The location is really what makes it a good place to stay, with restaurants, night market, shops, massage salons - all in a short walking distance.
The rooms are quite average, however the beds are comfortable, the mattresses and pillows are not too hard, the linen and towels are clean and changed daily.
That said, now about negatives:
- the hotel is shaped as two parallel 3-storeyd long buildings with balconies facing each other, hence no privacy and a lot of noise
- the shower in the bathroom is not separated in any way, no glass wall or curtain - so everything inside the bathroom is guaranteed to get wet
- the sunbeds are very old and falling apart, no umbrellas - thus no shade on the beach
- the hotel restaurant is not worth using, there are lot of better and cheaper places around (both on the beach and in town). Recommend to try Will Wait bakery and restaurant nearby.
- very strict policy regarding late check out (they charge full daily rate, plus 3% supplement for credit cards payments). Most hotels in Thailand let us use the rooms until actual departure, if they were not fully booked.

best of both worlds beach on one side and the town on the other as much peace or bustle as you need lovely pools and clean tidy rooms all you need

We stayed at the Marina Villa for only one night as we had arrived in Samui a day earlier than expected. We had another reservation booked at the Weekender Resort. We took one of the mini vans to get from the airport to the hotel. It cost 150 Baht per person for one of the shared vans versus 700 Baht for a taxi.

The hotel is located on the beach and about a 5 minute walk to the center where the evening food stalls are. I found some of the best food I had in Samui from the food stalls at the night market. Most meals are about 40-50 Baht.

The hotel is quite basic but it’s priced quite a bit cheaper than the neighbouring hotels. The room I had was clean and simple with a nice balcony, a safe and free wifi. The shower is a bit odd. There is no shower stall for say it's just the whole bathroom that is your shower. Breakfast is not included but it’s easy to find breakfast options nearby. Lamai Beach is much quieter than Chaweng but has just enough of everything that you would need for a peaceful holiday.

This is my 2nd time staying at this hotel. The hotel is near to the beach for the kids to have fun. Grocery store is just in front of the hotel. All the basic necessities are near. Would recommend this place for family.