Nothing gets the kinks out like a traditional Thai massage.
At Zazen Boutique Resort, Koh Samui, the expert massage in the open-air garden spa – birds chirping in the trees outside – twisted and stretched us into a state of bliss.
With Murano chandeliers and ruby-red velvet cushions, Le Spa Zen evokes a Moorish fantasy, but the pleasure it dispenses is quite real.
Indeed, the spa is one very good reason to book Zazen Boutique Resort & Spa.
Zazen Boutique Resort
Located on the north coast of Thailand’s Koh Samui, Zazen prides itself on offering guests a peaceful, rejuvenating stay (Zazen means “to find inner peace” in Japanese).
Its 26 terracotta stone bungalows are scattered about koi-filled lagoons and gardens lush with exotic flowers and Buddhist statues.
The largest are the “garden villas.”
At 700 square feet in size, these Koh Samui bungalows have plenty of room for a couple, or even parents with a child, to spread out comfortably.
Glass doors from a terrace open into a living room with painted concrete floors, bench-style couches, gold silk blinds and a flat-screen TV.
The raised bedroom has a comfy, low, king-size bed on polished wood floors. Thai-style wooden sculptures and art works abound.
Behind the bedroom, the semi-outdoor bathroom is a treat with pebbled floors and an open rainshower.
Relaxing in our garden villa, we felt quite royal in the silk bathrobes and slippers provided – though we had to pull down the blinds for privacy from passing guests.
Breakfast sets you up for the day
Rates include a lovely buffet breakfast overlooking the sea – and there’s complimentary bubbly to mix with your OJ.
The path to the beachfront restaurant leads past Zen ponds, Buddhist statues and a bridge with a handmade yin-yang mosaic.
Interested in exploring the rest of Thailand? See our travel guide to the best places to visit in Thailand (for luxury lovers, of course!)
What to do at Zazen Boutique Resort?
Most guests come to chill, and cushioned teak loungers under red umbrellas by the narrow beach and around the pool are the place to be during the day.
Feel like exploring?
The funky restaurants and bars of Fisherman’s Village are a five-minute taxi ride (or 20-minute walk) away. Visiting Fisherman’s Village is one of the best things to do in Koh Samui.
Zazen Boutique Resort review in brief
Location:
Zazen Boutique Resort is located on the quiet end of Bo Phut on the north side of Samui Island, conveniently close to the Samui airport (15 minutes away).
Dining:
We didn’t try the resort’s elegant restaurant for dinner. Serving high-class Thai cuisine, it’s reputed to be excellent (though expensive).
Beach:
If you’re nit-picky about your beaches, you might say that the beach in front of Zazen Boutique Resort isn’t large. And the water was a bit murky when we were there. (For a “better” place to swim, zip on over to Chaweng Beach; it’s “public” though and busier.)
We were Zen-happy, however, as a quiet, shady, comfortable place to read on the beach was more important to us. When we felt like swimming, we enjoyed the pool.
Who should go?
Couples who like stylish boutique hotels and want a peaceful beach getaway will feel right at home in these Koh Samui bungalows.
Zazen is definitely one of the best boutique hotels in Koh Samui!
Zazen Boutique Resort, Bophut
Where else to stay? The Tongsai Bay is another luxury Koh Samui resort – and it has private pool villas!
Experience more of Thailand!
Read our posts on:
Phang Nga Bay | See stalactites and stalagmites. And squeeze through narrow tunnels to enter wondrous sea caves. Sea canoeing in Phang Nga Bay is a day trip of a lifetime!
Koh Tao | The snorkeling in Koh Tao is renowned. So what do you see on a full day’s snorkeling tour?
Bangkok | The Shangri-La Bangkok offers great views of thelongtail boats and rice barges plying the Chao Praya River. And we love its Horizon Club Lounge.
Our top travel tips and resources
Here are our favorite travel resources:
Hotels: Booking.com is great for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one. (We especially like their flexible cancellation policy!)
Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out GetYourGuide and Viator.
Car rental: Renting a car is often one of the best ways to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the best rates.
Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more.
Vaccines and meds: We follow CDC travel guidelines to see what medications and vaccines are needed for trips. You can get vaccines at your pharmacy, travel medical clinic or doctor’s office.
Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)
Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.
Pssst! If you make a booking or purchase through our site, we may earn a small commission (at no cost to you). Thanks!
Photo credits: 3, 4, 6, 7 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | 1, 2, 5, 8 Zazen Resort
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We stayed as media guests of the resort, but our review of Zazen Boutique Resort is all ours. As professional travel writers, we always write the truth as we see it, including points you should be aware of.
About the authors
Luxury travel journalists and SATW, NATJA and TMAC “Best Travel Blog” award winners, Janice and George Mucalov are the publishers of Sand In My Suitcase. Between them, they’ve traveled to all 7 continents. See About.
Find destination guides, global food-and-wine stories, luxury hotel reviews, articles on cultural explorations and soft adventure trips, cruise reviews, insanely useful travel tips and more!
Veronica
Thursday 29th of March 2018
Wow! This place looks amazing. What a great place to go for a few days and relax. We are hoping to visit Thailand for the first time last this year.
Janice and George
Sunday 1st of April 2018
You'll love Thailand! Your only problem is going to be trying to figure out where to go as there are so many great cultural/adventure places (up north) and tempting islands (south). The planning should be fun :-).
Dhara
Wednesday 28th of March 2018
The resort looks gorgeous and the rain shower sounds dreamy! We haven't been to Thailand yet...hopefully some day.
Janice and George
Wednesday 28th of March 2018
We hope you get to Thailand in the not-too-distant-future! It's got lots to appeal to visitors -- beaches, smiling people, nature and adventure walks in the northern part of the country, culture in Chiang Mai and elsewhere...
Irene S Levine
Wednesday 28th of March 2018
What an elegant resort. If our travels bring us to Thailand, we will keep Zazen on our list!! It even has "zen" in its name:-)
Janice and George
Wednesday 28th of March 2018
It's definitely got a Zen feel to it -- our kind of place (and sounds like your kind of place too :-)).