I was excited to return to the W Retreat Koh Samui after a 2 year absence. I had missed the great service, food, accommodation and facilities but left rather disappointed. The staff remain so incredibly friendly and kind however our room was looking in need of renovation. Mould in bathroom, timber that is showing signs of wear and tear, shredded bathroom towels, etc and on my last day was treated to 2 enormous cockroaches enjoying the luxurious bath tub. No bath for me that day and in need of a good scrubbing (in the shower) before checking out.
Putting these matters aside, my main qualm was with the sea. During our last visit, the sea available to guests was pristine. Not so, this time. Instead, so heavily polluted that we were unable to enjoy this important aspect of a beach holiday. Luckily we had a pool in our room, otherwise the trip would have been even more disappointing.
Then the next issue is management's decision to charge admission for anyone to enter the hotel to take pictures, drink, eat and tour the facilities. So much for privacy?? As a 5 star resort with prices to match, I had expected more privacy, instead we were bombarded with, what seemed an endless stream of transient tourists (mainly Chinese) and their entourages taking selfies continuously.
At check-out, a staff member asked if I was sad to leave the hotel...I said, I can't wait to get back home!!