The Emerald Cove Koh Chang — a Klong Prao beachfront resort reborn under IHG
Picture this: a long, gently curving three-storey building running parallel to a white-sand beach, with a 50-metre lap pool stretching through gardens between the building and the shore — The Emerald Cove Koh Chang has been a fixture on Klong Prao Beach, on the western side of Koh Chang, for years, once run by the Amari chain. One thing to be clear about up front: the resort closed for a major renovation and has reopened as Dinso Resort & Villas Ko Chang, Vignette Collection by IHG. Klong Prao is still the quiet, family-friendly 3-kilometre stretch of white sand it always was. Rooms start from around ฿3,200/night.
First, the thing that directly affects your booking: the name The Emerald Cove Koh Chang that many people know closed for a major renovation in early 2023 and reopened in late 2024 as Dinso Resort & Villas Ko Chang, Vignette Collection by IHG. In practice that means if you search for it in a booking app today, the old Emerald Cove listing will point you to the hotel's new name. The building and its Klong Prao beachfront location are the same, but it has been renovated and rebranded into the IHG family.
What kept this resort a Klong Prao landmark for so long is that it sits right on the beach. The building is a long, curving three-storey block running parallel to the shore, every room with a balcony — one side looks west over the sea, the other onto green hills. Klong Prao is a white-sand beach roughly 3 kilometres long, quieter than White Sand Beach to the north, and the stretch where several family-oriented resorts have chosen to set up.
"From the room it's a stroll along a long pool and a few more steps onto the sand. In the evening you can sit and watch the sun drop straight into the sea — a beachfront spot like this isn't easy to find on Koh Chang."
The star of the common areas is a 50-metre lap pool set in wide gardens between the building and the beach. It's a pool you can actually swim laps in, not a small plunge pool, and there's a separate kids' pool for families. Around it are lawns and shady gardens with sun loungers lining the edge. There's also a spa, a fitness centre, and several restaurants and bars — a main seafront dining room, a Thai restaurant, an Italian one, and a pool bar.
On rooms, there are roughly 165–168 rooms and villas, from deluxe and deluxe ocean-facing to grand deluxe ocean-facing rooms, suites and renovated pool villas. What guests mention most often since the reopening is the design that blends aged wood with modern comfort, the semi-outdoor bathrooms, and pool villas with a large private pool. Back in the Emerald Cove days the styling leaned plain and corporate — practical rather than boutique — which is exactly what the renovation set out to change.
Food and service have drawn consistent praise both before and after the rebrand. Staff are friendly, attentive and flexible with special requests — something many reviews rate highly. The seafront restaurant serves both Thai and international dishes, and breakfast by the beach is a favourite. That said, dining inside the resort costs more than the restaurants in Klong Prao village, a short drive away.
Location-wise it sits on Klong Prao Beach, in the middle of the western coast of Koh Chang. It's about 10 minutes from Kai Bae Beach, 15 minutes from White Sand Beach, and 15 minutes from Klong Plu Waterfall, the island's largest. From the ferry pier it's roughly a 25–30 minute drive. Overall scores since the reopening sit around 9.3–9.4 from hundreds of real reviews, with TripAdvisor placing it near the top for Best Value on Koh Chang — numbers that suggest the renovation genuinely lifted the experience.
Honestly, the new version of The Emerald Cove suits people who want a quiet beachfront resort with a big pool and generous grounds more than those who want to be steps from restaurants and the buzz of White Sand Beach. If you book now, understand that you're booking a hotel called Dinso Resort & Villas in the IHG family, and compare prices carefully, because rates have moved up from the old Emerald Cove days. But if you want Klong Prao's white sand, its quiet, and a resort that genuinely sits on the beach with a long pool to swim — this is still a fitting choice on this stretch.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Right on Klong Prao Beach — straight onto white sand from your room
- ✓ A 50-metre lap pool in wide gardens, open and spacious common areas
- ✓ Friendly, attentive staff, flexible with special requests
- ✓ Renovated rooms are roomy, blending aged wood with modern comfort
- ! Renamed Dinso Resort & Villas, which can confuse searches
- ! Rates have moved up from the old Emerald Cove days after joining IHG
- ! In-resort dining costs more than the restaurants in Klong Prao village
- ✓ Klong Prao's white sand is quiet, suiting families and couples
- ✓ Pool villas have a large private pool, worth it for special occasions
- ✓ Semi-outdoor bathrooms feel close to nature
- ✓ Lovely seafront breakfast with views opening onto the beach
- ! Mid-beach location — you'll drive out for restaurants and shops
- ! High-season rates climb quickly, so book ahead
- ! It's a large resort; some rooms are a long walk from lobby and dining
- 💡If you're searching booking apps for 'Emerald Cove' — it has been renamed Dinso Resort & Villas Ko Chang, Vignette Collection by IHG → make sure you're booking the right place and compare post-rebrand prices.
- 💡If you want to be near restaurants and beachfront nightlife — it sits mid-beach on quiet Klong Prao and you'll need to drive out → it suits people who plan to relax mostly inside the resort.
- 💡If you're on a tight food budget — in-resort dining runs high → drive out to Klong Prao village for seafood and local restaurants at friendlier prices.