The Surin, Phuket, Thailand 🇹🇭 – our own small cottage on a dream beach

The Surin is one of those places that feels like the intersection between a dream beach and reality. On the one hand, there is the spectacular bay, the warm welcome and the sense that you are in a special retreat. However, questions about privacy and tranquillity remain unanswered, and moments of magic alternate with moments that leave you feeling somewhat perplexed. Want to find out more? Then read on — it’s worth it! Promised!

Review #95

All hotels shown on our website and YouTube channel – as well as many more besides – can now be booked directly through us. In many cases, you can expect additional benefits such as upgrades, breakfast or hotel credit at no extra cost.

The Surin currently offers the following benefits:

• Complimentary breakfast daily for two guests per room

• 60-minute massage for 2 people per stay (90 minutes for suites)

• Complimentary basic Wi-Fi daily

• Early check-in and late check-out (subject to availability)

• Complimentary upgrade (subject to availability at check-in)

In any case, your booking supports us and, alongside the other EVRYWHRE crew members, helps us to continue our work and provide you with exciting flight and hotel reviews. A small portion of the booking price remains with us as commission – without you paying a penny more for your stay.

Location

Nestled between tropical vegetation and the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea, The Surin is idyllically located on Pansea Beach. Its tranquil setting ensures absolute relaxation, yet Phuket’s vibrant hotspots, such as Patong, and countless other beaches are just a short drive away. Guests staying here can enjoy the perfect blend of a private beach atmosphere and easy access to island life and nature.

Getting there

Whether you are coming from Phuket Airport or the city, the journey to The Surin is relaxed. From the international airport, it takes around 45 minutes to drive through the island’s lush tropical landscape, and you can choose to travel by taxi, hotel transfer or rental car. The roads are well developed and the route is pleasant, so you can start to feel the holiday vibes as you approach the palm trees and sea.

We came from the Angkor Wat World Heritage Site, where we stayed at the beautiful Park Hyatt Siem Reap for the second time. Departing from the brand-new Siem Reap Angkor Airport to Phuket International Airport, with a short stopover in Bangkok. From there, we took a 40-minute grab ride to The Surin.

Check-in

Upon arriving by car and received a warm welcome. Our suitcases were unloaded and stored away, after which we were escorted down the few steps to the open lobby. Once there, we received another friendly greeting and were offered cold drinks and fragrant, cold towels. A flower bracelet was also given to the lady in our group.

We completed the check-in process while seated at one of the large, round tables and were given some information about the hotel, along with a map of the resort.

We were then taken to the far end of the resort in open buggies and were accompanied across some bridges finally arriving at our small Cottage. Our suitcases were delivered directly to our room via the many steps.

The Surin at a glance

Since 1982, what is now The Surin Phuket has undergone several reinventions: starting out as The Pansea, it was one of the first retreats on the unspoilt Pansea Beach, offering a charming, close-to-nature experience with sporadic electricity only. In 1995, architect Ed Tuttle oversaw the first transformation, reimagining the resort as The Chedi with elegant architecture that connected with its cultural surroundings while preserving its tropical character. The next transformation came in 2011 with the opening of The Surin Phuket, which once again bore Tuttle’s signature: sustainable materials, cedar roofs, geometric shapes, a black hexagonal pool and stylish interiors combining Thai tradition with modern elegance.

The rather long resort stretches along the beautiful, private Pansea Beach, which it shares only with the neighbouring, ultra-lux resort, Amanpuri; however, the vast majority of the beach belongs to The Surin. The lobby, shop and upper restaurant are centrally located on slightly elevated ground. Below this is the library, and at beach level are the pool with pool bar, the second restaurant and the gym. The spa is located at the very top of the resort and the beach restaurant is at the far end of the property.

Most of the villas at The Surin have identical floor plans and differ only in their location within the resort. The Hillside Cottages are located at the top of the hill above the lobby. The Superior Cottages are closer to the beach, but are surrounded by walkways and only offer partial sea views, although the sea is clearly visible from the paths. The Deluxe Cottages offer full sea views through the palm trees.

The two-bedroom Cottages are closer to the beach or right next to the lobby. The floor plan of the Beach Suites is the same as the Cottages’, but they are located directly on the beach. The Beach Deluxe Suites have a separate living room. However, all the beachside villas are basically open plan and you can basically look inside from the beach so they are not particularly private. The highest category, of course, are the Pool Villas, which are particularly large and exclusive. These are located at the very end of the resort, right on the border with Amanpuri. However, they are staggered behind each other and overlook the beach restaurant. To be honest, we found the location of the villas to be rather unattractive.

Pool Villas

In fact, we were at The Surin in August 2025, which is core low season. So of course, renovation work was taking place at that time, too. Unfortunately, this meant that on the one whole day we had at the resort, the roof of a Cottage just above the pool was being re-covered for three hours. The following morning, an angle grinder was started up at 8:30 am to repair something on the foundation of the Cottage just below ours. I really think that was absolutely not acceptable! It took two phone calls to stop the angle grinder, only for us to discover that a second one was still running further down the hill. Oh well. In the end we got up and went to breakfast, feeling mostly annoyed.

It’s also important to mention that all of the Cottages can only be reached via winding paths and lots of steps of varying heights. There really is no alternative to walking at this resort. You can take a buggy to two locations, but you will still have to walk from there to your Cottage. Accordingly, this resort is definitely not recommended for people with difficulties in walking or climbing stairs.

Villa

As usual, we had booked the smallest category of Villa, a Hillside Cottage. However, as we had booked through our Preferred Partner Rate, we were entitled to an upgrade to the next category up, subject to availability. As occupancy was quite low due to it being the low season in August, we were upgraded to a Superior Cottage.

So join us in taking a closer look at our Cottage, No. 320.

Welcome

As we arrived at the Cottage, we found a welcome letter from the Assistant General Manager and a small fruit basket waiting for us.

Living room and bedroom

You enter the Cottage via the terrace, where you will find a sliding door that leads directly into the open-plan living area.

On the left is an extremely comfortable king-size bed with two pillows per sleeper, each differing only in firmness. There is also a light yet cosy, large duvet. Reading lamps and charging points are located on either side of the bed, as well as a master light switch. On the bedside tables, you will find a radio alarm clock on the left and the TV remote control on the right.

To the right of the room is the living area, which is located in front of the bay window. Underneath the window is the rather uncomfortable sofa. This sofa is most likely the third bed in the room, as there is no space for an additional bed. Please bear this in mind if you intend to sleep here as a group of three. It’s fine for a small child, but certainly not suitable for an adult!

To the left is a small desk equipped with a telephone, notepad and lamp. To the right is the minibar. The capsule coffee machine, along with water, cups, and a kettle, is on the windowsill. The drawers contain snacks and glasses. The small refrigerator is stocked with soft drinks, wine, beer and chocolate for your enjoyment. Please note that everything except the water is subject to a charge.

Bathroom

The bathroom is straight through the living room and bedroom area. To the left and right of the door is a kind of open plan walk-in wardrobe, which you have to go through first. There is space to store suitcases on each side, as well as shelves, a clothes rail and drawers for your clothes.

In addition, there is a safe in one of the drawers, while another contains slippers and flip-flops. You will also find bathrobes here. The Surin has provided you with a beach bag, two sun hats and umbrellas. Please feel free to take the slippers and flip-flops home as Souvenirs. If you need an iron or ironing board, simply let reception know and they will deliver them to your cottage.

At the end of the room, located in the opposite corner, you will find the vanity unit with its two sinks. You will find the usual amenities here, as well as the toiletries of the hotel’s own brand. To the left is the walk-in rain shower, which is rather small. The shower door is made of wood, which feels rather off. On the opposite side is the toilet, which is also in a small separate room.

View

The view from our cottage is mostly of the paths in front of it. However, if you poke your head around the corner, you can also catch a glimpse of the sea and the beach.

Terrace

In our case, the terrace in front of the Cottage entrance was accessed via a few steps and equipped with two sun loungers and an umbrella. There was also a small clothes horse. You can, of course, spend time here, but the terrace is not particularly private. The view is much nicer on the beach or by the pool.

Turndown

The Surin also offers guests a turndown service, which involves turning down the bed covers and providing slippers. In addition, the blinds are lowered throughout the Cottage. However, the turndown service was carried out at around 5 p.m., but we didn’t want to block out the late afternoon sun and therefore raised most of the blinds again only to lower them later at night.

In the hotel’s defence, however, in most of the Cottages you very easily get a good insight from walking past them. So unless you’re a exhibitionist person, it makes total sense to close the blinds early – before getting ready for dinner.

Resort activities

Pool

This hexagonal, black-tiled pool is a matter of opinion! We have rarely seen or read that much about a pool before arriving at a property. While the design is certainly a statement piece, it fits surprisingly well with the more classic-tropical-looking Cottages.

You can access the quite large pool, which reaches a surprising depth of 1.8 metres in the centre, via steps at all six corners. The water temperature was perfect, not too cold or too warm. It felt just right for us to get in without freezing but still feel refreshed.

There are plenty of sun loungers with parasols and a few double loungers around the pool. Also several stations with clean towels and cold water were located by the pool and on the beach. Small snacks such as watermelon or Thai sweets are also offered from time to time.

Kid´s Pool

There is also a separate shallow pool for smaller children in the far corner of the large pool, which was very popular too.

Beach

In Thailand, all beaches are publicly accessible and cannot be leased or purchased by hotels. As a result, most beaches in front of hotels are popular with beachgoers who are not guests at the respective establishments.

Here at The Surin, however, things are a little different. The beach is shared with the neighbouring Amanpuri resort, but it is not accessed by excursion boats and is only accessible via the hotels or the sea. This means that we and the other guests had this truly beautiful, dreamlike beach all to ourselves! Sun loungers arranged in pairs with parasols are also available in sufficient numbers. So nothing stands in the way of enjoying this unique beach experience!

Fitness Center

The small but well-equipped gym is located right next to the pool and offers a selection of machines, as well as a small area for free weight exercises. However, what makes it unique is the view of the beach right from the treadmills!

Spa

The Surin Spa is located at the top of the resort and has one single treatment room and five rooms for couples. Thanks to the Preferred Partner Rate, our booking included a 60-minute massage for each of us, and we were able to get a spontaneous appointment right on our first evening. We could choose between a Thai massage and an oil massage.

During the initial consultation, the spa receptionist asked us in great detail how we wanted the massage to be tailored and whether there were any areas of the body that should be avoided or given special attention. We could also choose our favourite scent from four different oils.

Besonderheiten

This hotel’s unique location on a private beach is one of its most special features. Here, you can relax and enjoy the beautiful beach in complete privacy — just fantastic!

At the other end of the beach is the famous Amanpuri, the first ever Aman hotel, which was designed by the same architect as The Surin. There are many similarities between the two hotels, and the Amanpuri is definitely worth a visit for a drink!

Library

The Library is located above the Sunset Restaurant. It has a small selection of books available for exchange and offers the opportunity to relax in a quiet, air-conditioned room or work in one of the small office nooks.

Restaurants

Sunset Restaurant

Located slightly above the pool, the restaurant serves international classics such as burgers and pizza, as well as a variety of Thai specialities. The menu is also available at the pool and beach all day. You can eat here for lunch and dinner.

Lomtalay Restaurant

In Lomtalay breakfast restaurant, you can enjoy a sumptuous breakfast buffet in an open, airy atmosphere with sweeping views of the sea.

As the Beach Restaurant was undergoing extensive renovation during our stay, the hotel decided to offer it´s evening menu here as a temporary alternative.

Beach Restaurant

Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed for extensive renovations during our stay. However, the menu was available at the Lomtalay breakfast restaurant while it was closed.

Beach Bar

The Sunset Restaurant is open all day and you can order soft drinks, refreshments, Cocktails and small snacks from its menu.

Breakfast

Breakfast at The Surin is served in the Lomtalay Restaurant. The beautifully presented buffet offers everything you could wish for in a small setting. The live cooking station for eggs offers the standard options, and you can order freshly prepared dishes from a small but exquisite menu. Hot drinks and orders from the menu are served at your table, while you can help yourself to everything else at the buffet.

Check-out

As we checked out, we were asked to sit at one of the large, round tables again. Everything was well organised and perfectly prepared. After chatting for a while, we were, of course, asked if we needed any assistance with our departure. Our suitcases were transported from the Cottages to the Lobby for us — the journey down the many stairs and paths would otherwise have been very difficult indeed.

Costs

These two nights at The Surin in the lowest category cost us 23,650 THB. At the time of our stay in August 2025, this equated to approximately 627 euros. The Preferred Partner Rate booking included an upgrade to the superior category, as well as breakfast and a massage.

Departure and onward journey

From here, it’s just a 40-minute ride by grab to the JW Marriott Phuket, followed by a trip to our ever-popular Pimalai on Koh Lanta.

On the way back, we stop in Bangkok again and stay at The Standard Bangkok located inside the famous Mahanakhon Tower, which after all is the tallest building in Thailand!

Conclusion

I’m left a little undecided about the Surin resort. The resort itself is beautiful, and considering its age, it’s in fantastic condition! Kudos to those responsible! However, the complete lack of privacy in virtually all the cottages and suites is unacceptable. Especially given the prices charged in high season! In terms of construction, a few rather minor improvements would make a big difference. Why isn’t this being done? I honestly can’t understand.

Also, the long distances and many stairs at the resort are fine for people who don’t mind the walk, but if you don’t know how the resort is laid out beforehand and you’re not very mobile, you’ll face some really big problems! This is not communicated at all, and I’m sure it causes some major issues.

The service at The Surin is good, but could be improved. Why do I have to get up and fetch my own water at the pool when there are so many employees standing around looking bored? Unfortunately, I have no idea.

All in all, I’m afraid I really have to say… hmm. The Surin has a lot of room for improvement. But huge potential is definitely there. However, if you’re looking for a truly luxurious holiday, there’s still a lot that needs to be done here. In the end I’m left with a bit of a bitter aftertaste.

Accordingly, we place The Surin in the Premium segment of our internal EVRYWHRE scale, and can recommend this resort to younger couples and families. However, if you have difficulty walking or climbing stairs, you should definitely not come here! Solo travellers can certainly enjoy themselves here too, but I would say the focus here is really more on couples. If you are able to handle that it’ll be just fine.

Rating

We can award The Surin a solid 8 out of 10 possible points.

One point is deducted for the location of the Cottages — unfortunately, privacy is difficult to achieve here. The rooms and terraces are arranged in such a way that you quickly feel observed. If you don’t want passers-by to be able to look directly into your room, you have to keep the blinds down and the interior door shutters closed. This also means that you end up sitting in semi-darkness, which is a shame considering that with more thoughtful planning, this could certainly have been solved differently.

Another point is deducted for the unpleasant situation with the ongoing renovations around our Cottage, which unfortunately started at 8am. This was poorly managed and not communicated at all.

Go there?

We can only recommend The Surin only to a limited extend. The grounds are beautiful and the beach is stunning. However, privacy inside the Cottages is limited and you definitely need to be steady on your feet to get around the resort. If that doesn’t bother you, you can certainly have a great holiday here.

Booking with EVRYWHRE

Want to stay at The Surin? Then book the Preferred Partner Rate through us! It won’t cost you any more, but will bring you real benefits:

✔ Complimentary breakfast

✔ Upgrade subject to availability

✔ For cottages, a 60-minute massage for two (90 minutes for suites)

✔ Early check-in and late check-out

✔ Earn points as usual

You can find all the details on our Booking Hub.

YouTube Review

Would you like more information and, above all, great footage of The Surin? Then take a look at our fantastic YouTube review. You’re sure to enjoy it. Have fun!