Lamai Wanta Beach Resort — A Beachfront Resort on Lamai Selling a Sea-View Infinity Pool at a Price You Can Afford
If you want to sleep right on a Koh Samui beach without paying luxury-resort rates, Lamai Wanta Beach Resort is the name people keep bringing up on Lamai Beach — a 3-star resort that genuinely sits on the sand, with a sea-facing infinity pool and leafy tropical gardens, a few steps from Lamai's restaurants, bars and Sunday night market. The pitch is a beachfront spot in the middle of the action at a price you can actually afford. From approx ฿2,000/night · score 8.0 from real guest reviews · note: the resort is now rebranded as The Hive Hotel.
Lamai Beach sits on the east coast of Koh Samui, just down from Chaweng — a long stretch of sand with restaurants, bars and a market, but an overall feel that's noticeably more relaxed than Chaweng. Lamai Wanta Beach Resort sits right on the sand in the middle of this strip: step out of the garden and you're on the beach, yet you're still a few minutes' walk from shops, restaurants and a 7-Eleven only about 50 metres away. The line that comes up again and again in reviews: a beachfront location like this on Samui, at this price, isn't easy to find.
Accommodation is a mix of in-building rooms and free-standing bungalows dotted through the garden. Several reviews agree the garden bungalows feel brighter and bigger than the ground-floor rooms in the blocks, so request a bungalow if you can. Rooms come with air conditioning, satellite TV, a fridge, tea/coffee facilities and a terrace looking onto the garden. The style is simple and functional rather than luxurious, but it's clean, with towels and linens changed daily — most guests find it good value and aren't expecting five-star here in the first place.
"The sea-view infinity pool is gorgeous and you can walk straight from it onto the beach. Staff were smiling and even sorted out a moped rental for us. The Lamai night market and restaurants are walkable too — genuinely good value for what you pay."
The heart of the stay is the sea-facing infinity pool, with a separate children's pool — lots of guests say the view from the pool edge out over the water is their favourite part, and you can step from the pool straight down to the sand. There's an on-site pool restaurant (some reviews note it mainly serves morning to midday), and the buffet breakfast has several fruits, croissants, pastries and Thai dishes — praised as fine for the price, though a few mention the spread repeats day to day. There's parking and an airport transfer service (for a surcharge).
Location is the main edge — right on Lamai Beach in the centre of the strip, walkable to the Lamai Sunday night market, restaurants and bars, and about 10 km from Samui Airport (a 20–25 minute drive). Lamai has plenty of life but feels more laid-back than Chaweng, which suits travellers who want both the beach and easy options for an evening meal. Just be aware that the strip also has bars and late-night spots nearby.
Honestly, Lamai Wanta is a 3-star resort that's starting to show its age — not a brand-new build. The biggest thing to watch from reviews: rooms in the 400-block sit near the bars and get loud music at night into the early hours — if you're a light sleeper, ask for a zone away from the bar street. The lush gardens come with their share of mosquitoes too, so pack repellent. But if what you want is a beachfront resort on Lamai with a sea-view infinity pool, walkable to restaurants and the market, at a price you can manage — it does the job well, which is why review scores have held up.
Tips from reading the reviews: request a room away from the 400-block bar street to dodge the night noise, and ask for a garden bungalow if you can, since they're brighter and roomier than the block rooms. Poolside loungers are limited, so claim one early in the morning. And in high season (December–February), rooms fill fast — book ahead and lock a free-cancellation rate first.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Genuinely on Lamai Beach with a sea-facing infinity pool — step straight to the sand
- ✓ Central location, walkable to restaurants, bars, the night market and a 7-Eleven
- ✓ Smiling, helpful staff who sort out moped rentals easily
- ✓ Leafy tropical gardens — good value for the price
- ! 400-block rooms are near the bars and get loud music at night
- ! Buildings and rooms are showing their age; simple, not luxury
- ! Lush gardens mean mosquitoes — bring repellent
- ✓ Lovely sea-view infinity pool that steps straight onto the beach
- ✓ Garden bungalows feel brighter and bigger than the ground-floor block rooms
- ✓ Buffet breakfast with fruit, pastries and Thai dishes
- ✓ Clean rooms with towels and linens changed daily
- ! Breakfast spread repeats day to day
- ! Limited poolside loungers — claim one early
- ! Some photo-to-reality gap in a few rooms
- 💡If you're a light sleeper — 400-block rooms sit near the bars and get loud music into the early hours → request a zone away from the bar street at booking and confirm at check-in.
- 💡If you want a new luxury or quiet resort — this is a simple 3-star that's showing its age → look at Banyan Tree or SALA Samui instead.
- 💡If you're travelling in high season (Dec–Feb) and haven't booked — the good rooms fill fast → book ahead and lock a free-cancellation rate first.