We enjoyed a week's stay here in July. it would have got an "Excellent" rating were it not for two downfalls:

1. opening the resort up to local and expat families, including children running riot, on the weekend; and

2. maintenance deciding to fix our roof early in the morning - as this was the last day of our stay, surely it could have waited?

The food, setting and treatments were all excellent, but the two deficiencies highlighted above are quite serious for a wellness retreat. It has only recently opened though, so I'm sure these teething problems will be resolved.

Kamalaya is a gorgeous retreat, rolling down a hillside creek to the ocean.

This was my first time at a 'Wellness Spa' so I don't have anything to compare the treatments with, but I did take the plunge and had some treatments including a colon hydrotherapy. They made me feel entirely comfortable and I actually saw a big difference afterwards. My companions said the spa personel knew their stuff.

It's a new resort and relatively quiet. Even though the breakfast rooms were full, you don't see very many guests at other times. I don't think any one is leaving, maybe they are all doing yoga or getting treatments throughout the day.

The lap pool is amazing. It's nestled below the creek in a lotus pond, overlooking the palm tree lined beach. So you have a double infinity pool and you feel like you are swimming among the lotus flowers and looking out into the sea. Bliss.

It's not inexpensive, but again with nothing to compare it to I have to say it was wonderful. A perfect place for couples and newly weds - of which I saw none, surprisingly.

If you are looking to get to the shopping strip though, this is quite far away. And also the beach is nice but it's right off a dead coral reef so you can't swim in the ocean. But you're really going here for the spa.

On arrival at 10pm was taken straight to my room by a buggy. The room was farily far away and it was very dark - was given no orientation and no details of the hotel. The restaurant and bar area were at reception and there was not one person in the area except for the receptionist.
First impression of the beach villa - was its beautiful very new and clean and very neutral. As a light sleeper I found the AC very loud especailly for such a new build and did not get much sleep.
Next morning en route to the restaurant fr breakfast I fund a very steep hill to climb and found it quite tough - an old or unfit person would not have managed. As I had gone to if for a spa break the breakfast was very disappointing, I then look ed at the schdeule of activities and noted it was Yoga based only. Again at breakfast there was only one other guest.
I realised then that I did not want to stay it appeared very unfreindly with hothing to do and so decided I would check out and go to Chiva Som. I had only confirmed my booking less than 24 hours earlier for a 6 day stay. I have to admit I used an excuse when I asked to check out as did not want to make a fuss.
Well they then present ed me with a bill for an inclusive stay of 9 nights and also included a cost for all in package of spa treatments, I politely pointed out that I had only confirmed to come for 6 days and that I had only booked the room 14 hours ago and that it was obviuos occupancy was extremly low- therefore I had not used up s room someone else could have booked. After asking to speak to the manager - who informed me she was director of services, I was astounded to her attitutde, she said she would charge me in full and that was that. Her customer service was nil and she was very short and impolite about it, I stood my ground and told her this was unacceptable under the circumstances, I found her to be extremly rude, (my job entails me to travel almost weekly and I spend most of my life in hotels and have never come across such rudeness before) and for sure for somewhere for you to supposedly de stress this is not the place! Eventually she charged a ridiculous high rate for a night in a room thsat i could not even sleep in but I agreed as I just wanted to get away, and again she still felt the need to be rude and sarcastic as I left.
I have since heard they are struggling to get guests and I can certainly see why, its sad as the reviews about this place looked good - but for sure I will not be going back or recomennding it to any friends. If you are looking for a spa break with great customer service - activities if you wish and superb food go to Chiva Som .

I recently spent 8 days at Kamalaya, after reading a review on the resort in the Sunday Times. Having spent my first 24 hours in Bangkok, which was not a place I particularly enjoyed, I arrived in Koh Samui feeling somewhat deflated at my choice of holiday destination. As soon as I flew into Koh Samui & saw the plane to terminal transportation & the arrivals terminal, I fell in love with the island & knew I had made the right choice. A Kamalaya rep was waiting to drive me to the hotel and, during a 40 minute drive, the driver helpfully pointed out the resorts & attractions along the route. I had booked into a hillside room which I never saw during my stay, as I was staying during low season, therefore I was upgraded to a bungalow with a lounge area & charming outside bathroom, as well as a stunning view over the pool & beach beyond. I was staying on an all-inclusive basis, which is exactly that; only alcohol is extra. You have a full choice of a la carte or set meal options and any permutation of these menus. Unlike other all inclusive resorts I have stayed in, the menu was superb & comprehensive – Thai curries & soups, as well as European options. Every morning there was an array of fruits, from which you could hand pick for your fruit platter or to be juiced for your own blend of morning fruit juice. The Sunday brunch buffet was also excellent. Every day, within minutes of arriving by the pool for sunbathing, a glass of iced water was by my side & was being topped up for me every few minutes throughout the day.

My travel agent had arranged for some of the treatments at the Wellness Sanctuary to be included into the cost of my holiday. This also included an arrival & pre-departure consultation. Further treatments were available at extra cost. Treatments covered the usual massages, facials & manicures etc. as well as the more holistic options such as reiki, flower therapy, homeopathy & Tibetan sound healing. The staff & treatments were exactly what is missing in westernised treatments – from the orchid displays on the floor to look at when lying face down on a massage bed, to the seamless gliding in & out of the room of staff between treatments. Each therapist was elegant, gentle, attentive & polite to a level I have never experienced before & each takes a pride & care in their work, making you feel that you were the only person they were taking care of that day. On the final day, the water supply had been temporarily cut off in our area of the island, unfortunately during my coconut scrub & carrot body mask treatment. The poor therapist dutifully, and with a smile on her face throughout, tried in vain to wipe the residue of these treatments from my body, but only succeeded in moving the foodstuff around my body. On arriving back at the Sanctuary reception, Erich, the General Manager, informed me that the water was back on in my bungalow and that I should return there for a shower. In the time it took me to grab my bag from the changing room, a buggy had been summoned to drive me back to my bungalow, so that I would not have to walk across the resort covered in coconut & carrot!

This resort is built in a valley, therefore it does involve a significant amount of uphill walking & steps, but for those who are not capable of this, accommodation will be situated to suit and a buggy is available at all hours to run you throughout the resort – they literally arrive within a couple of minutes of calling reception.

You have the option of following a detox plan during your stay, however, even the standard menu is healthy and each dish is labelled according to dietary requirements.

There is a full timetable of classes – from different forms of yoga to fitball, pilates, hiking, meditation & breathing classes. These run from 7am. – 5pm. & you can join in as many or as few as you wish. They are suitable for beginners, but you also have the option of more advanced private classes.

The setting is stunning & the resort is completely eco-friendly – from the materials used to build the resort, to the treatments used to cleanse the pool water.

This was the first holiday I had taken alone and Kamalaya is a perfect choice for such a holiday, as there were a substantial number of guests also on their own, as well as a few couples and the odd family. Lone guests seemed to be there for various reasons – all were professional, young people and although some were seeking spiritual fulfillment, most were there just recharge their batteries & to chill out.

One thing to note, the website is somewhat basic & does not do the resort justice. The good side to this is that you get the wow factor when you arrive, rather than being disappointed when the reality doesn’t live up to the website pictures.

Kamalaya has set itself unbelievably high standards through the nature of holiday it offers; if it is to succeed as a destination where guests can achieve utter relaxation, quiet time to think or spiritual fulfillment, this is only possible if the hotel meets every expectation, to the point of anticipating what the guest needs before the guest realizes it himself – yet Kamalaya does exactly that – an amazing feat by any standards.