We stayed at Panviman for 5 nights at the end of October.. We had only booked 4 nights, but for various reasons ended up on Ko Phangan a day earlier than planned. When we arrived, the staff at reception were very polite and were fine with us staying the extra night. We had booked a 'Superior Room', but were told we had been given a free upgrade to a 'Deluxe Hotel Room'. I think this was actually because the room type we had orginally booked was no longer offered due to the resort being upgraded, rather than out of pure goodwill, but it was still nicer than we'd expected so I won't knock it!
The room was lovely - King sized bed, big bath, lovely balcony with a view of the ocean and the decor of the room and bathroom was very nice too. The pool was very nice too and also has a nice ocean view. The staff are very nice here and make you feel very welcome.
A downside to the place is how isolated it is - it takes about 45 minutes to get to Thong Sala or Had Rin because the roads around Panviman are unpaved and very steep in places (some previous comments moaned about this journey, but we found it to be quite an adventure each time we did it), so if you are after somewhere with lots going on then this isn't the place for you. Also, as we went during low season, there was only one restaurant open out of the three restaurants on site. However, the restaurant that was open offered all 3 menus, so there was still plenty to choose from, and the food was delicious. In the evening, there was a singer and guitarist duo that played nice songs while you had your meal which was a nice touch and really added to the experience - they were a very talented and also very friendly.

All in all, I would say that 5 days is probably a touch too long to stay here in the low season, as you will start to get bored because you are pretty much confined to the resort (there is a village just outside the resort, but it was like a ghost town as there was hardly anyone staying there due to the time of year), and if it starts raining then there is not a lot you can do except go to your room for shelter.Also, if it gets really windy + rainy the power can be knocked out for about 5 minutes at a time, which can be a nuisance if you are watching a film or trying to read at night. Having said this, the views, magnificent grounds and the excellent staff more than make up for these minus points, plus if you are planning a trip in the low season, you can't blame anyone for bad weather so we knew what we were potentially letting ourselves in for.

In conclusion, I would defintely go back, although I would probably wait for mid or high season to begin!

we arrived in koh phangan with great expectations - many friends have advised us that many of the best beaches in the world lie in koh phangan. this may be the case but as far as hotels are concerned this is quite possibly the most average 5* hotel that we have ever stayed in. we've stayed previously in the sila evason which i will comment about later but lets just say if there was an award for 10 stars this would be first. this particular hotel is about 45mins from the port on an extremely dangerous and unpleastant drive. the staff that greeted us were extremely unhelpful and unpleasant. there was no information on where we were, how long it took to get to the hotel, or nearby shops/restaurants etc. we abruptly arrived at the hotel which from the outside looked like a common village, a very steep drive towards the reception, where we were asked to check in. upon checking in we were informed that 2 out of the 3 restaurants were unavailable. the bar/pool restaurant was average at best. it rained heavily, and the screens to protect us from the rain were covered in insects. our room was distinctly average, there was no room service, although the view was fantastic. the air con was only on when present in the room. So when we arrived it was totally roasting and didnt set a good example at all. The room was that off an average hotel, no mosquito net, no bath, actually there was a bath but it was on the roof top and it was riddled with bugs and leaves. The beach was not that easy to get to, a very steep walk down where you had to walk across a knee deep stream to reach the main areas to eat in . The village or so called village was very daunting, do not go there between 12-5, there is nothing open at all.....even at night, the restaurants are nice but there are far to many dogs running free. watching you as you eat, plus the constant power cuts are not impressive at all. Sorry if this is a rant, but we only came to this hotel based on the reviews give on this site also the fact we had been told to visit the island. This is a rotten hotel, windows, where covered in bugs and it simply was not 5 star. Avoid at all costs, the view, granted was outstanding but other than that there was nothing else positive to take from the area, location, hotel or staff.......

My husband and I stayed here for 8 nights from September 12th. We had booked a Deluxe Cottage with a hotel directly and got a good discount for a long-term stay.

We were promptly collected from Samui airport by car and brought to Panviman by a speedboat. It was expensive but lots of fun and rather quick.

The Deluxe Cottages come in various shapes and some have lovely big terraces but some don't. They are also very close to one another. Most, however, have great views over the bay. We were lucky to get a cottage on a lower level and didn't have to hike up or down that funky hill all that much.

Overall, we loved the location, the friendly staff and that lovely Thai food at the Stone Beach restaurant and BBQ. The pool is out of this world and the beach is pretty private, too.

Panviman is really special. There are fewer and fewer places in Koh Phangan so quiet, relaxing and beautiful. The staff were very chilled out and quickly put us at easy.

We rented a kayak once or twice to explore the area and went on a snorkelling tour. Also, we tried a massage in the Spa and loved it.

There is a tiny village nearby and we used to buy some beer and snacks in the shops. There were ATM machines there, too. There were other restaurants there and we stopped once or twice in the evenings during the happy hour for some cocktails. Highly recommended. But the food was disappointing and afterwards we only ate at the hotel's restaurant. Here the portions were enormous and delicious.

Afterwards, we spent few days in a 5 star hotel in Koh Samui, Bophut Resort & Spa, but it wasn't as relaxing as Panviman. We would be happy to return in the future !!

I can say nothing bad about this resort!! I really loved every minute. We were staying in a beautiful wooden cottage, with a bath tub on the roof terrace. With a amazing view over the bay. The swimming pool is great, also try the Spa! Lovely, I really felt in paradise, drinking my cup of tea after a wonderful massage. I dont understand the moaners... Its paradise!