I stayed here at the end of a 2 month trip around the whole of Thailand, it was a wind down and also my 30th birthday treat. Throughout my trip i stayed in various standards of accommodation from basic backpacker to 5*. Of all the islands and places i stayed Koh Samui wasnt my favourite, the general prices of food and accommodation on the island are double the price of anywhere else in Thailand. Ban Kao is in the middle of nowhere down a dirt track, you are cut off and need transport or a taxi, the hotel taxi service is reasonably priced but still expensive. We booked the villa with own pool the room and pool were really nice so i cant knock that but for the 2000 bhat a night it cost us to stay there we could of got a similar place to stay a hell of a lot cheaper. We ate in the restaurant had steak which was pretty standard, again the staff didnt speak much english so trying to order a medium rare was difficult. We only stayed for 2 nights and were intending to stay a whole week. If you are the sort of couple who wish to lock themselves away in their room with pool for a week then this place is fine but if you want to get out and about its not for you being far away from it all. Personally i think Chaweng Beach is much better or even one of the better islands Koh Lanta, Koh Samet etc.

What no picture can explain is the terrible smell that is in these rooms and the absolute rudeness that we were shown by management and reception staff. We are very calm people and do not look for any trouble and had been enjoying a 3 week trip around Thailand. This utterly ruined our holiday and I am determined that anyone who is considering staying in this terrible terrible place be warned by voicing this complaint on as many mediums as possible.
My husband and I travel quite alot-luckily we have been on 2-3 holidays per year for the past number of years around the world. In all the places we have stayed this is by far the absolute WORST ever. Where can I start?
Despite emailing in advance as instructed our driver was at the wrong pier to collect us and we had to wait 50 minutes for him to collect us (after being told 10 minutes on the phone!) Upon check in, we were told we must pay in advance BEFORE being shown to our room. I was worried about this as 11,000 THB for 4 nights was quite expensive compared to other accommodation providers in the area. All the same I stupidly paid. We were led to our room in a shaded garden and were met by the worst smell I ever got in any hotel room anywhere in the world. We had a room that was utterly rotting with dampness. Please see pictures that I have also included. What was even more disappointing is that I noticed it was the very room that is advertised on their website. I later found out from a staff member that is because it is the only "Superior double" room in the resort.
We asked the assistant manager to show us alternative rooms as I was far from satisfied with the air quality as a result of this terrible stench. She told us that she herself, had stayed in this very room "only last week and found absolutely nothing wrong with it" I felt I was being told to shut up ! However she did concede that the room was not sufficient and did infact smell of dampness but blamed the recent wet weather and offered NO apology. We were shown to alternative rooms (inc a private villa) which were also overbearingly smelly and one which was still under construction !
The worst is yet to come ! As our stay was over New Year (and our wedding anniversary) we wanted a memorable few days in Koh Samui- we got it but for the wrong reasons. We were the only English speaking guests in the resort and were at no time made feel welcome at the resort. The interior of the dining room was full of people (perhaps friends & family) speaking back and forth to each other and leaving no seating but outside in the garden for us most nights. We therefore decide to visit Lamai beach for dinner each evening. This was a problem for the management apparently as I was called aside by the assistant manager (whilst using public IT access as WIFI does not work despite claims that it is available at a charge -80 THB per hour) to be told that the New Years Eve Gala dinner @ 7,000THB was not optional as described in the email issued to me upon booking but now "Compulsory" She told me that I would be charged for this anyway so she suggested that I "just attend" I politely and calmly explained that my booking did not state compulsory and I had no intention of paying for a meal that I did not want nor at any time book or agree to. I was told that the manager would speak to me the following day and that she expected him to be "not happy". The attitude and threat extended to me, succeeded in upsetting me to tears. When I asked reception 2 hours later at 6pm to call us a taxi to go to Lamai, they REFUSED and said they had no taxi numbers. As we had rented a vehicle for our stay until then, it was our first time needing a taxi since our arrival. When they refused to look up information online for me I contacted a restaurant we had visited the previous night in Lamai (phone number found in Lonley Planet book) and asked them to send a taxi to collect us, which they did without delay.
Upon our return that night (New Years Eve) we found the path -the only route to our room blocked by stacked chairs-see picture. These were still there the following morning when we checked out and had to take our cases through muddy grass to get out.
Other problems not already mentioned-no lounge chairs around the miniscule pool as displayed in the pictures. Breakfast terrible-cold coffee and warm bread called toast. No information except a price list for the spa when asked at reception and at the bar-no staff in spa on 3 visits. Eventually confirmed by male receptionist that only one masseuse available at a time. Treatments were very overpriced in comparison with 5 star spa that I visited in both Lamai and Chaweng. Only one seat outside our room to sit in garden and that was rotten also-see picture.
I believe money is too hard earned to spend on thankless people who should not be in business when customer service so far down on their agenda. I have emailed my complaint to the "hotel" and also to the customer service department of the website that I booked through.