Newly opened Meliá Koh Samui pays homage to the island's heritage
– Gabriel Escarrer
Meliá Hotels has opened Meliá Koh Samui, a beachfront resort and spa in Thailand designed by PIA Interior that pays homage to Samui's island heritage with suites constructed from old merchant vessels.
Meliá opened the resort in partnership with Thai holding company Asset World Corporation as part of a plan to build three properties in the country.
Located on Choeng Mon Beach, it accommodates 159 rooms and 41 suites, with two boat suites constructed from wood reclaimed from vessels that are over 100 years old, paying homage to Koh Samui’s heritage as a safe haven for sailors and sea traders.
The resort's 240sq m (2,600sq ft) spa features four treatment rooms, a sauna and a steam room, with a fitness centre and two outdoor swimming pools also available for guests.
Additional facilities include a beach club, two restaurants, a kids’ club, a mini waterpark and beachfront conference and function facilities, while a signature element is the resort's 1,600sq m (17,200sq ft) lagoon pool that meanders like through its tropical gardens.
“Partnering with Meliá will allow us to set a new benchmark for Thai hospitality and drive global demand,” said Khun Wallapa Traisorat, Meliá Koh Samui’s owner, CEO and president of Asset World Corporation.
Gabriel Escarrer, executive vice chair and CEO of Meliá Hotels, said: “Thailand is a strategic market for Meliá. After more than 30 years successful operations in Asia, we’ve signed a strategic framework agreement with Asset World Corporation, bringing our dream of growing in this country alongside a local partner to fruition."
Meliá Hotels HARRN Khun Wallapa Traisorat Gabriel Escarrer