5 Five Star Hotels On Koh Tao

The tiny island of Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand is transforming from a backpacker scuba diving mecca into a bona fide beach destination. Luxury hotels on Koh Tao used to be unheard of, but now there are several 5 Star options for those with cash to splash

Here’s the Quick Reference list of Koh Tao 5 Star Hotels:

1) Jamahkiri
2) Anankhira
3) Thipwimarn
4) Koh Tao Montra Resort and Spa
5) Charm Churee Villa
6 and 7) Lipanaa Villa and Villa Jivarah
8 ) Monkey Flower Villa
9) Koh Tao Star Villa
10) The Rocks Luxury Villas

I wrote recently that Koh Tao is not just a scuba diving destination anymore. Friends who still live on the island tell me that Koh Tao is now more popular than ever, but while in previous years, scuba diving was pretty much the only reason that brought people to the island, now tourists come simply to enjoy the island itself. They might not even go into the sea, let alone consider taking a scuba course. As such, the demand for accommodation on Koh Tao is changing as well, and there are now several 5 Star Koh Tao hotel options for those who want something more luxurious.

Finding 5 Five Star hotels on Koh Tao is pretty difficult. Koh Tao is not like Koh Samui, which has a plethora of well established and highly praised 5 star hotels, like the Tongsai Bay, Santi Buri and Sila Evason Hideaway. There’s also several international luxury hotel brands on Samui too like the Four Seasons Samui and the Marriott-owned Renaissance. You won’t find any of that on Koh Tao, and you get less bang for your buck because Tao is much more remote than Samui.

Instead, Koh Tao has several luxury hotels that are all independently built and operated. They are:

Jamahkiri

1) Jamahkiri
Spectacular and secluded, Jamahkiri is built into the side of one of Koh Tao’s hills with amazing views over the waters of Shark Bay from the beautiful traditional wooden restaurant. There are lots of spa and massage treatments here too – the ideal place to go and do nothing for a couple of days. Its location up an extremely steep and uncomfortable dirt track only negotiable by a 4 wheel drive makes going anywhere else on the island difficult at best – so more than a couple of days here might send you stir crazy if you want to do more than eat, sleep and be pampered. TripAdvisor has some good reviews of Jamahkiri, with the main complaints being the road there and the restaurant being overpriced (it is, but it’s at least decent food and it’s got a great ambience). [Book Jamahkiri online].

2) Anankhira
– Perched above Koh Tao’s main strip Sairee Beach, Anankhira is a lot more conveniently located to explore the island from and has luxury chalets in Balinese styles which each have their private plunge pool. When it all works, it sounds glorious – but several customers on Tripadvisor have recently complained that the pools are not working properly (which kind of ruins the point of staying there) and that some of the chalets are lacking in privacy. Definitely worth reading the mixed Tripadvisor opinions of Anankhira before you make your own decision. [Book Anankhira online].

Thipwimarn

3) Thipwimarn
Half the price of Anankhira and considered to be just as good by some guests, Thipwimarn is located high up above Sairee beach, so you get great sea views but also have a long walk up and down stairs to get to the beach. It has a restaurant that gets a lot of favourable mentions. It would work well as a counterpoint to Jamahkiri. The Tripadvisor reviews of Thipwimarn are largely positive, noting that Thipwimarn is more like a 4 star that charges 5 star prices. [Book Thipwimarn online].

4) Koh Tao Montra Resort and Spa
Koh Tao Montra is a brand new boutique hotel that’s on Sairee Beach, near to Sairee Village and Mae Haad, so if you like to party you are very near the nightlife hotspots. It’s got spacious, luxury rooms and large grounds to relax in, along with access to the smorgasbord of great restaurants – both Thai and international – that are in Sairee and Mae Haad. A big swimming pool and good staff service make Montra a great choice.

5) Charm Churee Villa
Charm Churee is hidden away on one of Koh Tao’s most beautiful and secluded beaches, Jansom Bay. If you want a rustic, natural place to stay and get away from the crowds, while sitting on your private balcony enjoying the spectacular views over the ocean, Charm Churee fits the bill. As the resort is built on a steep slope, there are lots of winding paths so it’s not ideal if you have mobility problems.

6 and 7) Lipanaa Villa and Villa Jivarah
These are two luxury villas on Koh Tao which have recently been built with their own pools and great sea views. They are not technically 5 star because there is not the usual 5 star resort style service that goes with them – they are basically very pretty, self-catering villas where you can get away from the crowds and enjoy your own privacy. Reviews of Lipanaa on Tripadvisor are generally positive, but there’s not much feedback about Jivarah so far.

8, 9 and 10 – Monkey Flower Villa, Koh Tao Star Villa
and The Rocks Luxury Villas
These three villas are fairly recent arrivals on Koh Tao and have been getting rave reviews on Tripadvisor – they combine great service with beautiful locations on the island. Check the Tripadvisor reviews for each place for details and booking info – Monkey Flower Villa, Koh Tao Star Villa and The Rocks Luxury Villas.

Besides these places, there is not much else in the upmarket bracket in Koh Tao, although there’s a fair amount of overpriced mid range accommodation. There is plenty of cheap accommodation on Koh Tao, usually provided by dive schools like Learn To Dive On Koh Tao, Coral Grand and so on – you get steep discounts on accommodation if you sign up to do a dive course or fun dives. There’s also still plenty of budget wooden bungalows just by the beach too, so backpackers do not need to fret. Koh Tao may be going upmarket, but it’s unlikely to become another Koh Samui. For now the budget, middle and luxury hotel accommodation exist quite peacefully side by side on Koh Tao, which is good for everyone, and the luxury accommodation still has a touch of individuality, even if it sometimes comes with quirks.

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