PS Thana Resort

You come here for a straightforward beach stay on Koh Samui, with the sea in front of the resort and the essentials close at hand. PS Thana Resort is a three-star property with 30 rooms, a swimming pool, a restaurant and a bar, so the day can move from water to food without much ceremony.

English is spoken by the hotel team, which keeps the practical conversations simple when you need to arrange a transfer, ask about an excursion or sort out the next meal. There is free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, along with parking, air conditioning and the useful basics that matter more than grand promises when you have spent the day carrying dive gear around.

The resort sits directly on Choeng Mon Beach in Koh Samui, at 24/2 M.5 T. Bophut, Choeng Mon Beach, Suratthani, Thailand. The beach is reached directly from the property, with white sand, sun loungers and parasols waiting outside rather than down a road or across a car park.

Koh Samui town centre is about 7 miles away. Around the resort, you can reach Choeng Mon Beach, Mini Golf International and Wat Plai Laem. The airport is about 10 minutes away, making the arrival day less of an expedition than it can be on a larger island.

The choice is broad enough to match different sorts of dive trip: standard rooms for keeping things simple, superior rooms when air conditioning, a balcony, a fridge and Wi-Fi matter, and villas or cottages when you want more separation from the main room stock. There are also single, double, triple and quadruple categories, with garden, pool, street, water and sea views appearing across the range.

For a couple, a superior double with balcony is the practical step up: air conditioning for the return from a hot boat, a fridge for cold water, tea or coffee facilities, a safe, television and Wi-Fi. Some superior rooms add a mini-bar, slippers, toiletries, towels and bottled water. A balcony gives you somewhere to sit without turning the bed into the only chair in the room.

Solo divers have single rooms and villas, while groups can look towards the larger family, triple and quadruple options. Private bathrooms run across the accommodation categories. Room facilities do vary, so check the individual room card carefully rather than assuming that every balcony, kitchen or view comes as standard; hotel room names are not always famous for their poetry.

The beach restaurant serves Thai food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with the shoreline providing the setting. Breakfast is a buffet from 7:00, useful for an early start, while the restaurant runs from 7:00 to 10:00 for the day, covering the time when a diver may want either a proper lunch or an unhurried evening meal.

Fresh seafood comes from local fishing boats that stop in front of the restaurant each day. You can select what you want from the catch, which is a more useful detail than a long menu of vague international dishes. The kitchen focuses on Thai food and quality raw ingredients.

There is one bar for the drink afterwards, plus a restaurant, coffee-making facilities and room service listed among the hotel amenities. Breakfast inclusion depends on the booking arrangement, so look at the meal details attached to your room rather than assuming the buffet is automatically part of the stay.

The direct beach access is the main event here: white sand, warm water, sun loungers and parasols are all immediately available when you want an uncomplicated afternoon outside. The resort also has a large outdoor swimming pool, described as 1.50 to 1.80 metres deep and using a salt chlorinator. It is close enough to the rooms for a quick swim without turning relaxation into another organised activity.

When the sun has had enough of you, there is a terrace, a sun terrace, a garden and a library. The hotel also offers massage services and a spa through its listed amenities. Fishing, barbecue facilities and assistance with excursions give you a few alternatives to sitting by the water and discussing whether the next dive really needs to be quite so early.

Families have access to babysitting, a children's play area and a children's pool. A golf course is also listed among the leisure facilities. For a couple, the useful rhythm is simple: beach or pool, a massage or a quiet hour with a book, then Thai food by the water.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 22:00 and check-out is at 12:00. Early check-in and late check-out can be requested. Reception closes at 22:00, so an arrival later than that needs sorting out with the hotel rather than left to chance after a long journey.

An airport transfer is available, either as a private service or a shared shuttle, and should be arranged with the hotel. The airport is about 10 minutes away. Taxi booking and car hire are also available, while parking is free. The resort accepts cash, Visa and Mastercard.

For the practical bits of island life, there is a safe at reception, luggage storage, laundry, dry cleaning and ironing. Air conditioning is available in the resort and in several superior and villa categories. Power is 220 volts at 50 hertz, with type A, B and C sockets. The hotel also offers excursion assistance and free Wi-Fi throughout the property.