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Zazen is a stylish true Boutique Resort located on the beautiful Bophut Beach. Perfect for a relaxing holiday and a romantic honeymoon. Zazen offers 26 stylish villas, and one of the most popular restaurant on the island, The Club by Zazen with traditional Thai cuisine and Mediterranean dining. Le Spa Zen will help you find the deepest levels of relaxation. Welcome to Zazen!
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Boutique
Quaint
Languages Spoken
English, French, German, Thai
Location
177 Moo 1 Bophut Beach, Bophut 84320 Thailand
Name/address in local language
Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa Koh Samui
1,620 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
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The Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa in Koh Samui offers a stylish and beautiful retreat, with guests frequently complimenting its well-decorated bungalows and pool area. While the spacious and aesthetically pleasing rooms are appreciated, some guests have pointed out cleanliness and maintenance concerns. Opinions on value vary, with certain travelers feeling the cost is high, particularly during renovation periods.
Service generally receives high marks for friendliness and attentiveness, although it can be inconsistent. Cleanliness is upheld in most areas, with commendations for neat rooms and pools, though there was an isolated algae complaint. The amenities, including the pool and restaurant, are often highlighted positively, despite occasional reports of temporary closures.
Atmosphere
Stylish
Rooms
Unkempt
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Outstanding
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Detailed Reviews
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14 day vacation (February 15-March 3, 2024) in Thailand Ko Samui in the Hotel Zasen Boutique Resort & Spa including breakfast buffet. We discovered the hotel on Bookingcom and booked it for our group (6 people/3 couples) without any problems. Contact with the hotel for the airport transfer to the hotel went smoothly. We chose the bungalow by the sea (Beachfront Suite), which is simply fantastic. A variety of other accommodations such as: Garden Villa, Seaview Tropical Suite or Tropical Suite are also offered. The hotel offers yoga, fitness room and wellness/spa (this will reopen in March 2024). The welcome here on site was very warm and we were guided through the entire complex after a welcome drink. Very good quality towels and enough loungers with thick cushions are available. Requests for drinks or food are dealt with immediately by the friendly staff. Communication here on site is in: English, French or Thai. With the free Google Translate, there are no problems at all. Our accommodation was thoroughly cleaned every day and consumables were replaced or replenished (fresh towels daily). The surrounding area (shops, exchange offices) around the hotel can be reached on foot in 10-20 minutes. The hotel is always able to order a taxi (waiting time <10 minutes). The transfer (fixed price) with this is absolutely fine and is paid for using the room number. Whether lying on the beach or by the pool, the attentive staff always fulfills every guest's wishes with a smile. The breakfast, lunch and dinner are of very high quality (personal wishes are implemented). The breakfast (buffet) which was included in the price is good, but unfortunately there is a little lack of variety. (Food, drinks such as sparkling wine, fresh juices, fresh fruit, bread, toast, croissants, etc.) are constantly replenished. All of the staff, from the gardener to the manager, are always courteous and friendly. At the bar, Max always surprised us with his cocktails. All drinks are prepared and served with love. At breakfast, the employees Ice, Tuktik, Am and Jane spoiled us every day. You made friends with the employees on vacation. Hot and freshly squeezed juices were available at all times. The coffee and cappuccino (delicious) were freshly prepared on a high-quality high-pressure coffee machine. We always felt full here. Frank and Michaela from NRW
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Just spent 12 nights at Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa.We were a bit hesitant before booking as we know the hotel was being refurbished. But our stay totally exceeded our expectations! The hotel is one of the most beautiful boutique hotels we’ve ever stayed at.
The pool and restaurant area are absolutely stunning. The bungalows are set in beautiful gardens, they're beautifully designed, stylish. really spacious with huge bathrooms, minimalist design but functional and everything was always spotlessly clean. Facilities at the hotel are fantastic including a well equipped gym.
The location is perfect as it’s set slightly away from the hustle and bustle of Fisherman’s village but close enough to walk which takes about 20 mins.
But what really makes Zazen special is the staff. They are genuinely friendly and go out of their way to be helpful. We had couple of issues with our room as the resort has just recently been refurbished so there were some teething problems. The staff were fantastic and sorted the issues out immediately, couldn't do enough for us.
Well done Zazen for creating such a special place, an oasis of calm and tranquility on Koh Samui, fabulous! Can't recommend this hotel highly enough!
Martin and Jack.
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â The walk along the main road (beach is not possible) to Fisherman's village is about 20 mins,...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from General Manager Zazen, Other at Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa Koh Samui
Responded 5 Mar 2024
Good Day Martin and Jack, We are very happy to hear you had a great experience at Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa Koh Samui. Your review made our day! Our whole team works very hard to maintain high standards, but we can only do it thanks to amazing guests like you. Thanks again and we hope to see you in the near future. With best regards, New
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We are currently spending our last evening at Zazen and it was wonderful here. We had a beach front villa with a fantastic view of the sea, the service is wonderfully accommodating in the restaurant, which is very good by the way, by the pool and in front of the bungalow. The spa is not yet open, no surprise after three years of closure due to COVID. The team around Chef Alexander is making a great effort and we will be back next year. Promised! The only downside, and it's not the hotel's fault, is that lots of speedboats and jet skis land in front of the hotel on the beach in the morning and the whole beach is not particularly inviting for swimming as the water is notoriously murky. There are better spots on the island, but if you've done your research beforehand you'll know that. Our highlight was always walking to the Fisherman's Village on the beach in the evening. The food there is delicious, we can highly recommend the Happy Elephant Restaurant, and then back again.
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Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We were really looking forward to staying at Zazen - looks like paradise. We booked on Booking.com and we thought that was that. Last week we got an email from the reception saying they had made an error, that an additional fee of 4,000THB per person (£92pp) should have been added to the week's rate for a COMPULSORY Christmas Gala dinner, and that we would need to pay it. When I said we didn't want to come to an expense gala dinner they told us they would cancel our booking as attendance was COMPULSORY leaving us with no accommodation for this peak period in Koh Samui.
Have you ever been to a holiday resort where they INSIST you come to a dinner that costs 10x more than any other meal you can get in Thailand? And also wouldn't you expect a hotel to fix their own errors and not blackmail guests into paying for an expensive?
Disgraceful really - can any future guest be sure the price on booking is what they will actually land up paying. I emailed the owner - he couldn't be bothered to reply!
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Don't go!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Resort Manager Zazen Resort, Other at Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa Koh Samui
Responded 25 Oct 2024
Dear Mr. Glasstone, Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. At Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa, we are dedicated to creating exceptional experiences for our guests, and we value the opportunity to clarify our approach to the festive season. Each year, during Christmas and New Year, we proudly host gala dinners that capture the warmth and joy of these special occasions. This tradition is shared by many distinguished hotels on Koh Samui and throughout Thailand, allowing us to create an unforgettable holiday atmosphere for our guests. At Zazen, we spare no effort in delivering a high-end experience, from the meticulous decorations throughout the resort to the live entertainment, including a talented band from Chiang Mai and a celebrated DJ. The evening is further enhanced by festive touches like gift-giving for children, all of which contribute to the magic of the season. Our commitment to excellence is evident in every event we organize. We invest significantly in creating a unique, luxurious atmosphere, and we invite you to explore our social media channels to see the attention to detail and quality that define our celebrations. Each event at Zazen is crafted to be memorable, ensuring that guests leave with cherished memories. With kind regards, Zazen Team
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The garden villa we booked was newly renovated, nicely furnished and clean. The hotel is still being renovated, the SPA, for example, was not open, which was not apparent when booking. We were warmly welcomed at reception and the rest of the staff were also very friendly and accommodating everywhere. The restaurant offers a great view of the sea. The rather small breakfast buffet offers everything you need and additional dishes could be ordered from the menu (e.g. Eggs Benedict, Fried Eggs, etc.). The waiting times were sometimes a bit long, the eggs were sometimes already cold or didn't come at all. The beach at the hotel with the loungers was very small and the water didn't seem particularly inviting. In addition, up to 10 parked boats occasionally blocked the view. The relatively small pool without a sea view was not a real alternative. The beach was nicer a few 100 meters further from the hotel, just without sun loungers. The environment outside the hotel was not particularly inspiring. However, about 5 minutes away by taxi is the Fisherman's Village with the night market and the many restaurants and boutiques. Unfortunately, my wife suffered quite an injury caused by an incorrectly fixed parasol, which came flying. While the staff tried very nicely, no one from management showed up. On the last day I happened to meet the receptionist who, as compensation, wanted to offer us a drink in the restaurant fifteen minutes before departure. Of course that was too late. In general, I got the impression that they were quite happy about our departure so that we could get on with the agenda. Very disappointing reaction.
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This a story in two parts: a really very nice hotel; and a destination that can't quite make up its mind who it's aimed at. Koh Samui is developed. So creating something that feels special is hard unless you're the Four Seasons. But then you'd have to charge silly money. The Zazen succeeds admirably. It's tucked in between other resorts on the north of the island. Cleverly landscaped to create a sense of a lush tropical hideaway it's stylishly decorated in white and pale colours, wicker chairs and artfully placed lanterns. The garden villas are spacious and a bet than the seaview ones which sit on a small stretch of beach used by local speedboat and jet ski operators. The staff are charming. The food - especially the Thai dishes - is excellent. The steamed sea bass with coriander, fish sauce and chillies cooked to perfection. The whole place has a sort of elegant, Mediterranean feel to it but resolutely Thai. Its confusion lies in the owner's insistence on putting on shows with loud hip hop music and exotic dancers two or three nights a week aimed apparently at a clientele that doesn't really exist: young, hip partygoers. Its client base is nicely balanced between tourists, expats and Thais. It consists mainly of families, couples in their 30s and 40s and older people. They come because, well: the clue is in the name: Zazen. The owners might wish it catered to the young, hip Samui crowd. But that's not its strength and besides the island is full of beach party places. But that's my only quibble.
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Date of stay: January 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A real pleasure small hotel very welcome We had a villa overlooking the sea To walk along the beach the top We had rented scooters in 10 minutes we were close to the CENTE DE KOH SAMUI with its passages its small restaurants besides a lot of French settled there Breakfast at the hotel excellent Small structure the top
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Date of stay: January 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed for 8 nights at Zazen, we had an ok stay, the staff are extremely friendly and polite, the pool is small but wasn’t too busy so was not a problem and the new decor is nice in the restaurant area. The views were beautiful and breakfast was good. Location is ok, about 20 mins walk to the main area which can be an issue when it is hot during the day.
The room was disappointing, there was stains on the floor and the walls, and the shower was dirty. The bugs were a big issue, the bathroom was swarming with mosquitos and despite speaking with the staff the issue could not be resolved due to poor design. This led to a monumental amount of bites making the stay a bit uncomfortable. There is a lot of stagnant water around which does not help with the insect problem. The beach is a bit disappointing as it is next to a tour company and therefore busy with boats close to beach and tidal action means very small amount of beach area in front of hotel.
The place is still on a ‘soft launch’ which meant that the menu was very limited and few options for vegetarian. The pool bar is still not open as well. The price paid to stay doesn’t represent the current quality.
Overall was a nice experience and amazing staff maybe when the soft launch is over it will be better.
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Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Bring a strong bug spray!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Resort Maanger Zazen, Other at Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa Koh Samui
Responded 21 Apr 2024
Dear Alicia, We are deeply sorry for the disappointing experience you had at Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa Koh Samui. Your feedback is crucial, and we sincerely apologize for the room and shower. We are addressing these issues promptly to ensure they do not reoccur. Your experience does not reflect the standards we aim to uphold, and we appreciate your patience as we work to improve. We hope to have the chance to regain your trust on a future visit. Best regards,
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We stayed for dinner in 3, place undoubtedly very nice and well cared for, friendly and helpful staff. But when the price goes up like this in Thailand I expect the quality of what is served to be very high and I regret to say that it was not. The cocktails we took (over 10 euros each) were not well made, neither the Mojito nor the Bloody Mary. The squid was overcooked in batter, there could be any fish in it and you would not recognize or appreciate the freshness. The Vietnamese rolls with shrimp were bland and overflowing with coriander (which we had explicitly asked to avoid). The baby's pasta was good but very little, while of our main Thai dishes the pad thai was saved (and make it hurt too...) while the red curry with Duck was unacceptable: overflowing with fruit (not indicated in the ingredients), not very tasty and with the duck substantially boiled, ruined on the plate. To close two balls of ice cream on which I spread a pitiful veil, especially on the pistachio (??). Final bill the equivalent of 85 euros. You have to do better for that price.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We recently sold our villa in Koh Samui so decided to book Zazen. Over the years we had frequented the restaurant as it has always had great food, but we had never stayed at the hotel. We were very impressed with everything about the hotel. We had a perfect view of the sea from our beach front room. The food is great. And most importantly, the staff are fantastic. Professional and friendly. There are many hotel options in Samui. We could have stayed at a top international hotel & paid international prices, or opt to stay at this lovely family owned hotel for a fraction of the price while enjoying superior service. We made the correct decision. I would highly recommend Zazen and we will return.
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Resort Maanger Zazen, Other at Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa Koh Samui
Responded 22 May 2024
Dear Khun David, Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear you had a wonderful stay in the Beachfront Suite. Your appreciation for our resort, our service, and the thoughtful staff, means a lot to us. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future! Best regards,
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Dear Charlotte,
Thank you for your message.
Zazen is currently closed for the renovation. We are scheduled to reopen in December this year.
Hope to see you among our guests at that moment!
Best regards,
Yulia
Dear Tracey,
Good day and I'm happy to hear that you are coming to stay with us.
We provide, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, toothbrush, razor, hairdryer. They are very good and lemongrass smell. However, if you have a specific brand you prefer then I'd kindly advise you to bring your own.
Regarding Zazen Restaurant, a reservation is not mandatory, however if you wish to secure a good table by the sea view, for example, I would advise you to reserve. Allow me to inform you that on Thursdays and Sunday's we have a Traditional Thai Dance Show performance during the dinner period, from 8 pm-9 pm.
If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at rm@samuizazencom
Kind regards,
Maria
There are more places to choose from in the Bophut area.
PRICE RANGE
AU$277 - AU$473 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
zazen boutique hotel bophut, zazen boutique resort and spa
LOCATION
ThailandSurat Thani ProvinceKo SamuiBophut
NUMBER OF ROOMS
26
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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