We were on Koh Samui for 4 days and wanted to have a little bit of beach time and some peaceful unwinding time as well. Our first three nights were booked at Jungle Club (they had a 3 night minimum to achieve an online booking when we were trying to book) but due to availability restrictions we actually had to move rooms from a lodge to a deluxe lodge after the first night. the bonus for Trip Advisor is that we can review two rooms with one stay ;-)
The location of the Jungle Lodge creates a number of inconveniences. Due to the private shuttle you need to take from the resort to the main road (a paid service privately operated by jungle club) and then a bit of a taxi hike to get into town, you either have to inconvenience yourself a fair bit to get out, or you just stay on the grounds. They do offer complimentary shuttles at 10:30 and 6:00 PM to the beach...but any other time you are on your own. From that point of view they sort of have you for all meals and although the music is nice, if you are interested in evening time entertainment, this is not the place for you. The pool is beautiful, and if you are an early riser you can see the sun come up every morning over the mountain sitting next to the pool.
As for the food, we found it to be adequate at best. The Malay sauce on one of the dishes was EXCELLENT, but the green curry was soupy and bland, the Pad Thai was very ordinary, and the other meals that we had...clearly forgettable since i can't remember what they were ;-)
The Lodge (#2) had the best view in on the entire grounds and we spent hours sitting in front of our room on the deck looking out over the ocean and watching and listening to the birds flying and landing in the little trees just below us. The room was simple with a concrete floor and a 4-poster bed to support the mosquito net in case we needed it. There were fans provided and we enjoyed a peaceful sleep before venturing out to an all day snorkeling tour the next morning. While we were gone, they moved our bags for us to the Deluxe lodge so that it was a seamless transition when we returned.
The Deluxe lodge (not sure of the number...sorry) had a few extra amenities including an open air shower stall, a private outdoor gazebo area to sit and read, or eat ance a private hammock. The room was a small step up (my favorite extra was the hammock, but there are others on the grounds if you get there first). The tv was of better quality to watch a movie (they provide a large library of pirated dvds for your viewing pleasure) and the room was a bit larger. The view was still very nice as it is from anywhere near the edge of the property overlooking the beach.
So...do your shopping and know what you are getting. Koh Samui is a very expensive island and this place was a relative bargain with an incredible view...but you are isolated. If you are looking for an escape and serenity...this place will provide, if you are looking for beaches, entertainment and restaurant variety...keep shopping.
- Jungle Hotel Chaweng
