Since opening in 1987, The Tongsai Bay has established itself as the leading family owned hotel on the tropical island of Koh Samui, Thailand. Hidden amongst 28 and a half acres of breathtaking natural beauty and wrapped around a private bay, the hotel is renowned for its privacy and tranquility, its passionate love for the environment and last but not least, the friendliness of its staff.
WHY TONGSAI BAY
At The Tongsai Bay we understand that choosing a holiday destination and hotel is an important decision, and of course having the holiday you envision. To best highlight who and what we are please find below our key points to assist you to get to know us a little better:
Private Bay – Our bay is private and completely free of beach vendors. We offer complimentary non motorized water sports - kayaks, windsurfs, hobbie cats, stand up paddle boards and snorkeling equipment. Please note to keep the peace and ensure we have a great bay for swimming we do not offer motorized water sports.
Location- The only private bay that’s 10 minutes from Chaweng beach, 10 minutes from Fisherman’s Village and 10 minutes from the airport.
Nature - 28 and a half acres of lush green natural landscape wrap around our hillside overlooking the bay that welcomes over 66 different species of birds.
Green - We truly strive to be more ‘green’ and follow a green policy that covers 6 major areas and even produce our own effective microorganism (EM) from fruits that we use as natural cleaning agents in our rooms.
Space - Our design embraces space - with only 83 rooms we are not a hotel that was designed based on revenue per square meter. We have generous land space and balconies for all guests to enjoy the beautiful views from.
Sea views - All rooms have sea views, all have outside outdoor bathtubs with the exception of 8 Beachfront Suites on the ground floor.
Heart and Soul - A Family run hotel with over 20 staff that have worked here for more than 20 years that offer personalized yet unobtrusive service.
Swim – We do not offer motorized water sports so our bay is perfect for swimming, we also have 2 main pools - one specifically for those seeking peace and quiet that welcomes adults and young adults 14 years and over.
Little Conveniences - WiFi in all rooms and public areas and complimentary chilled drinking water in restaurants, bars, pools and beach.
Broad Demographic of Guest – we are not a ‘Ken and Barbie’ resort where guests may feel they have to be a certain mold to fit in, we enjoy a wide range of nationalities and we also have a very wide range of age groups that all equally enjoy The Tongsai Bay - from honeymooners, couples, retirees, families and friends traveling with friends.
THE TONGSAI BAY STORY
It all began in 1985 when the late Akorn Hoontrakul, then Chairman of The Imperial Hotel Group, saw The Tongsai Bay from the sea and declared that it was love at first sight. Seven days later Akorn purchased the land. For three months he slept on the beach, dreaming of his ideal resort, and started to plan the layout and location of the rooms. A key challenge was to do it without cutting down a single tree or cause damage to the beautiful natural surroundings.
The Tongsai Bay opened its doors in July 1987 and became the first five-star luxury hotel on Koh Samui, under the umbrella of The Imperial Hotel Group. Following a period of illness in 1993, Akorn sold the Imperial Hotel Group whilst retaining The Tongsai Bay, because he wanted to live out the rest of his life there with his beloved wife Chompunute.
In 2000 Akorn passed away and management of The Tongsai Bay moved to the capable hands of his son, Thanakorn and his daughter in-law, Saisiri who both share Akorn’s passion for the environment and for providing the best of Thai hospitality and service. Under their watchful eyes, The Tongsai Bay continued to grow from strength to strength and developed its own ‘Green Projects’. This is now the model for many new hotels who also desire to preserve the natural environment for future generations, both in Samui, Thailand and internationally.