We had a lovely relaxing two week stay over Christmas and the New Year at the Waterfront. It was our family’s seventh time to stay at the Waterfront and Robin and Sue and their son and daughter, Michael and Charlotte, and all their lovely staff made us feel so welcomed that it felt like we were coming home.
We again stayed in the family suite that has two large size bedrooms and a lounge area all air-conditioned with TV and DVD. There is a well stocked mini fridge and tea and coffee making facilities and also now free Wi-Fi internet.
We had stayed at the Waterfront the previous Christmas when the weather was glorious but unfortunately on this trip the weather was rainy and cloudy. There are usually beautiful views across the water to Koh Phangan but this time the island seemed to have disappeared!. Eventually towards the end of our holiday the sun did came out and Koh Phangan appeared like Brigadoon from the mist.
The Waterfront really lived up to its name on Christmas day when the gardens flooded but did not stop us all having a great time with all the guests drinking Bucks Fizz at the bar followed by Christmas Lunch with roast turkey and all the trimmings at Classico restaurant just a short walk up the road. We went there again on New Years Eve for dinner followed by singing Auld Lang Syne and then a spectacular firework display along the beach.
There are even more restaurants and bars along the street these days especially on the east end towards the Waterfront. The Friday Walking Street gets packed with different stalls each side of the street selling clothes, jewellery, handicrafts and lots of food and drinks. One good outcome of the Friday Walking Street is that the local council has now installed proper drainage and street lights at this end of the village so no more tiptoeing through puddles in the dark after a late night in the Billabong or Frog and Geko pub.
The two weeks flew by and we were sad to leave again and our 9 year old daughter was close to tears as all the staff she has known since she was a two year old gave us all goodbye hugs.
Over the last ten years we have stayed in lots of hotels in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Tanzania but none have the special ambience of the Waterfront. The wonderful relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff and comfortable surroundings make the place like a home from home and we are already looking forward to our next visit.

Every employee and every aspect of The Waterfront is perfect. I was alone and in the area for my niece's wedding and felt right at home and with family at this great hotel.ZW

One of the most friendliest, most welcoming, most hospitable, generous and caring hotels I've ever had the pleasure of staying in. From beach front rooms, to 24 hour service. I have never experienced a hotel environment where the staff actually go out of their way to accomodate and help you in anyway. The friendly nature of the staff welcomes you to feel like you're a long time resident on the island. There is no differentiation between new or old hoteliers. They treat everybody equally , with great respect, care and attention. I would recommend this hotel everytime to anyone going to Koh Samui, staying in the Bophut area. From beach views just on your doorstep, to great customer service and food, the Waterfront is definately a place to create memories from. The kind and humble nature of the staff are beyond words and the hotel is worthy of 5 star status.

We stayed again at this jewel in the east over christmas and the new year. We returned at xmas as we had stayed in August the previous year. We had not been away at xmas before and this was a treat for our 25th wedding anniversay. It felt like we were going to spend time with friends rather than in a hotel.
Our room was spotless and clean as always with welcome back spelt out in flower petals - something that the staff do a lot as you will see from previous reviews. You really cant fault the staff whether they are cleaning rooms, serving breakfast, working behind the bar or providing massages on the beach. They are not only efficient but always willing to help, whether its booking an excursion or teaching you Thai!
Ron the new Manager is a very nice guy and fits right in, he is also talented playing guitar and singing for us all on xmas day.
The weather was the only disappointment over the holiday with most days being cloudy and there was a lot of rain - however this was fairly unusual for this time of year and the previous year had been hot and sunny! There had been a lot of extreme weather in Asia and we did end up with a high tide on xmas day which flooded the garden - this was the highest the water had ever come and it was gone in a couple of hours with no real consequences - breakfast was still served as was bucks fizz before lunch and it certainly made xmas day unforgettable.
The other special thing about the Waterfront is the opportunity to meet wit hother guests , whether it is round the pool, on the beach, or even at the bar over lunch or even late into the evening/ night as the bar only closes when the last guest has gone to bed - yet this never disturbs anyone else. We certainly met some great people and this really made our stay especially good and we hope to catch up with them back in the UK - Facebook helps to keep in touch!
A special place to check out is literally just over the road, its called The Hut and is run by Bier and his wife. The food is excellent as are the MaiTai cocktails and exceptionally good value - you can either sit there and eat the food or have it brought to your room or even have it served on the decking overlooking the beach - Robin and Sue are great at supporting the other businesses and are happy to provide this service with no charge !
An example of this is that the shop they recommend to get a suit made does not pay Robin commission for recommendations ( a usual practice) , as he doesnt want them to, but to just give his clients the best price - which we got and he was happy to show what other people had paid for their suits - I ended up getting two and one for our son and a lovely silk dress for the wife- all at a bargain price when it is tailor made and finished within 48 hours. Just see Mr Johnny at Armani in the village.
If you are looking for a friendly, warmly welcoming hotel, perfectly situated in a lovely resort, with many great places to eat and drink, then look no further then the Waterfront Hotel in Fishermans Village, Bophut, Koh Samui - from the complimentary pick up from the airport, to the complimentary drop off at the end of your stay, whether that is one night or three weeks later, you will enjoy your stay in the Land of Smiles!