I love your channel and all the work you put in to every episode thankyou. As travelling is not in my budget I have travelled the world with you and I cant wait for each episode to be uploaded
Your videos are the gold standard for hotel, flight, and travel reviews. I'm basing all my future trips from your guidance! Thank you so much for producing such high caliber videos. Cheers!
Some great shots here Kevin… it’s a real mashup between retro Brutalist style and a modern welcoming feel .. but those corridors? Bizarre and unnecessary.. thanks for another cool journey into style and fashion..🙏
I'll be honest, the more I watched the clips, the more I started to like the hallways haha. Bizarre for sure, but a nice juxtaposition to the light and airy feel of the room. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
My fiance and I love your content, we are currently planning our honeymoon in Thailand. Your videos have been a wonderful way to experience the different brands and locations through your eyes and in depth descriptions. I will say with full confidence, we have changed our minds on a few places just based on your videos. Thank you very much for your content! I want to add that you should totally ask for subscribers early in the video, it hurts to see your current number of subs versus your views with how enlightening your content is. People need more of you!
Appreciate that very much. To be honest though, the channel is growing much faster then I ever imagined haha. This time last year I was under 5k subs 😉
I really appreciate your commentary. I can hear the 100+ hotels you’ve visited in your choice of words and the way point out features (if that makes sense). Looking forward to going through more of your videos 👍🏼
It does make sense and I genuinely appreciate you pointing that out. I feel like in the same regard your comment is one that could only be made by someone who’s been in or watched content about many hotels, so they’re rare in deed. Thanks very much 🙏🏻
I can confirm everything that Kevin said in the video. In March 2024, COMO Point Yamu is still that good. I think it's one of the best examples of service in Phuket. I had much worse service in more expensive hotels. We've landed in Phuket around 7AM which is very early and I had a transfer ordered with the hotel in advance. But I didn't ask for early check-in and didn't expect it, since we were there too early. But our room was ready for check-in at 10AM, without even asking for it. And the rooms are really clean. If you watched "Friends", then I think those rooms would certified as "Monica clean" 😅
Small things like no smidget of dust, scratches, refreshing aroma, thought out sound elements plus construction of though out geometrical design, locally sourced materials and blending ambience of location and different spaces of the hotel screams thoughtful service plus maintaining it in a pristine condition screams consistency which creates the wow factors that is intended in the documentaries of ritz carlton and taj hotels which I saw and frankly I was never wowed to the factor they intended although they are great hotels. Como looks like perfectionists paradise and I'm not surprised it is your favourite brand on earth. Similar to Como's understated service I personally think your videos have a flow that doesn't feel monotonous, greatly helps in trip planning, ENTERTAINING(I watched a few multiple times just because it was really funny) and steady in content. Looking forward to your next videos.
Compared to the prices Thailand had been charging for 2023 high season, $500 would have been a deal haha. Luckily, it seems prices for 2024 are coming a bit back down to earth. Thanks as always for the support 🙏
Top notch video, and the background music you picked was excellent. Started watching after you made your Bali content and I'm good to see another Como property.
We loved this hotel. We spent 2 nights in Phang Nga room with pool ! it's was just perfect ! Great content by the way ! One more subscriber for your channel !
Wow .. the resort was spotless - the water always clear, no stone or leaf out of place!! It was like you were waking around a show resort. See what you mean about the corridor, but the room also was just spotless! The common areas looked so peaceful & relaxing at night too. Great video 👍👍
Kevin, just wanted to thank you for all your videos. My wife and I love them. We’re getting ready to retire to Phuket and we bookmark a lot of your reviews to know where we want to visit. We’re flying QSuites from IAD to HKT when we fly out with our two dogs.
Hey Kevin. I'm a traveller but have mobility issues. Never see reviews with any rating on accessibility. Be great if you consider this in your reviews. Love them!
This is actually something that is in all of my reviews, even if I don't mention it. When I can see that a resort would pose a problem for those with mobility issues, I will mention it very specifically in the video- two of the scripts I wrote yesterday did just that. If in the video there's no mention of it, it means that I felt there were definitely reasonable options for those with mobility issues. I know some would prefer I mention it in every video, but there's a long list of things that I treat the same in order to keep the videos concise. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Thanks very much. I have one Capella on the channel, perhaps one more coming this year. Aman... I'm waiting for one to look "worth it" to me. Keep in mind, I score relative to price and the competition. So, a $1000 hotel in the Maledives is damn near "normal" price wise... but paying for a $1500 Aman property in, let's say, Vietnam or Indonesia... I just cannot imagine how on earth that price could be justified.
I would happily forgo the beach to stay at this resort. The blue tiled bathroom reminds me of a public swimming pool bathroom (but in a good way), the stand out feature of actual trees within the spacious balcony was a lovely touch but THE FOOD blew me away, l could almost taste each dish as you described them and the great photography had me drooling. You did it justice in the video 👍
Hi again!! Thank You so much for more of these relaxing and interesting videos!!! (P.S. Come to Italy, sooner or later and I will show You some really nice places too!) 😁
Thank you for a great review. I won a holiday here and am going in Feb next year. Can you walk it to the beach or is it a trip via car/taxi to get there? I know yamu has a boat pick up point it doesn’t look far on the map. Do you know aswell if this is a walkable distance?
I stayed at Point Yamu in 2017 and enjoyed it a lot. Everything was on point, and it made me want to stay at a Como again. Got the chance 2 years ago on a trip to Bangkok, where I put myself up at The Metropolitan. I actually loved that place even more - low key but with flawless service, so much more inviting than flashier properties in the city. But the highlight there was the food - the original Nahm is spectacular, and it’s not as snooty as other Michelin starred restaurants in Bangkok.
I'm glad to hear it- honestly I have been on the fence about visiting The Metropolitan for ages. If I'm honest, the price they usually charge is too low for what I expect of a COMO so I've always been hesitant. Glad to hear you enjoyed it! I might need to try.
@@tfft I understand what you mean, I had my reservations as well and was half expecting the place to be in need of a refurb. However, I was pleasantly surprised - sure it looks a bit sparse and utilitarian, but everything was in ship shape and extremely comfortable! The low rates are also a function of the competition, but the place quickly grows on you, especially after you’ve tired of the razzle-dazzle (and the clientele that comes with that) and would much rather be at a place where you’d feel less unfussed.
Glad to see this hotel on your channel. Stayed here for a night in December and was totally blown away, so much so that the following nigh at the InterContinental felt lame (and it kinda was). It seems like most guests who book a base room here will get a room which is a lot bigger than the one shown on the website. At first i though i was upgraded, but the staff explained that the bases rooms are available in many shapes and sizes. My room was bigger than this, so big that it was a little scary to sleep alone, but had a smaller balcony and no bathtub.
We stayed in the Phang Naga Suite. Absolutely amazing with a wrap around balcony and views over the entire bay. Hard to beat. Especially at the price point.
I read a review, can't recall if it was on Google reviews or Tripadvisor, that said their room/the hotel is haunted. Your explanation of the echoes in the prison basement/hallway/ sprinkle of horror movie puts that review into context now 😂
Yes you have done justice to the hotel with honest commentary and great visuals . The problem is making up my mind on where to stay. The price on this seems very reasonable too. Looking forward to the Kimpton Kitalay as that was on my wish list for September.🙏👍
Excellent video, Kevin, once again. The hotel looks amazing, do you have any feedback or recommendations regarding the area? Is there a town close by, are there restaurants nearby or things to do? How far is the property from Patong? Forward to next video. Thanks again.
There are so many different types of travellers, which is why I don't include local attractions in my videos. For me personally, there's plenty to do in the area and I enjoy the easy access to the Grand Marina, but... it is certainly not your typical tourist stuff. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Amazing and thoughtful content as always, really loving your channel! Random comment: I was thinking about the cleanliness of the patterned brick partition when you actually mentioned it :) So heartening to see their Invigorate toiletries again. I've been in love with their shower products since more than 15 years ago. You should try their Maldivian properties too, very well maintained despite their age.
Thanks very much- and yes I used to work in F&B so anytime I see walls or installations with lots of nooks and cranies, my first thought is always "how much dust is up there?"... As for the Maldives, hopefully in 2024! Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Having just returned from a very long trip, I've been saying I'd be glad to NOT see the inside of a plane for some time. And then I see this. Thanks a lot Kevin. 😆Agree with your thoughts on the Como brand. A leader in its lane.
A stunning venue apart from the blood chilling monotonous grey of the corridors, of course. They could have some sort of awning installed for protecting the openings to the balcony facing the scorching sunlight. Thank you!
❤❤ always appreciative of your effort Kevin. We travel vicariously through your videos 😂. I *think it’s easy to just throw in a 90 mins footage of everything but it’s so much harder to edit a video into a palatable length that doesn’t feel too overly lengthy & boring yet not skimping on *relatable honest detail for the average travellers. 😘 Note: Perhaps you could also experiment with different BGM (although I understand issue with copyright) for your videos in the future.
To be fair I have used over 170 different music tracks on the channel already 😂- I try to mix it up, but yes, I'm limited to an extent. Thanks very much for your very kind words though 🙏
A very impressive resort, but have to admit I prefer the style and intimacy of the Como Uma Ubud. That one is still high on my list as is The Alila Ubud Forest Edge villa where you stayed. Two of my all time favourite hotel reviews! Just wondering…Are the Rosewood hotels and resorts somewhere on your radar in the near future? I’m very curious what your opinion would be of them! Thank you Kevin for another fantastic review 🙏🏼
The Rosewoods (in Phuket, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Hoi An... ok, all of them) are all genuinely on my list. Especially for Bangkok and Phuket, but I'm just waiting for an off-peak trip to either place to try them out since the Phuket property seems to be pretty comfortable in the $1100 range at the moment. On my recent trip to Bali, I stayed at the Jumeirah specifically to see how that video does and to see if I can justify spending that much per night on videos in 2024. Thanks as always for the support 🙏
I wish i had found your channel earlier, but luckily we stayed at Como last April and it was absolutely amazing. If this hotel was on the beach of West coast of the island it would be at least double the price and far busier. Phuket really is a minefield for hotels. So many sub par hotels that are overpriced compared to other islands and countries.
Have not been to Phuket since 2004. Can’t remember the hotel but the spa experience was incredible. So glad you had a great experience. Just finished up the “worst” ones, so this was a nice interlude.
Thanks for sharing that. Seems it's very similar to Vietnamese Nước chấm, but in Vietnam roasted rice powder is rarely if ever used. Interesting to find it as an ingerdeient in the sauce, I suppose rounding out the fish sauce umami. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
It was really good camera work. But, no beach is not a problem. I remember they provide service going to COMO beach club(temporally closed at the moment) 2 times every morning.
There are a few properties that recently opened there or will be opening soon, so I'm thinking about a Pattaya/Hua Hin/Khao Yai trip next year. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
I'm wondering if it is hard to get a true sense of the decor of that room on film. While it's certainly not the supermax penitentiary chic of Aman Tokyo, it doesn't feel like the camera lens loved it.
Odd, I often feel what you’re saying about rooms, but this one I thought did quite well on camera and personally enjoyed the layout and decor. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
This time was perfect- but with longer opening quotations consider leaving them on screen a little longer (perhaps continuing over the initial establishing shots) so that we have a chance to read and process the meaning.
Was sad to see that the beach club has closed. However the beach property they used was absolutely not Como standard. Seemed like they had purchased an old bar or hotel on the beach, but hadn’t renovated or given it that Como magic. So I see why. But having some beach access really ticked the last box on a great hotel. Hope you’re staying at Como Uma Canggu on your next Bali trip!
I rarely think speculatively buying airline points is a wise choice unless you have specific flights to book in mind or the price to buy them is incredible. My test question for buying points is, "If they devalued the points by 50% the day after I bought them, would it still be a good deal?" If your answer is yes, then perhaps it's worth it.
Hey Kevin great video! Is there a way we can easily see at a glance your top ranked hotels (>96) by geography? For instance, a list of >96 rating hotels in Phuket?
There’s not, but for this specific question I can just tell you it’s only this one and The Naka Island Resort 😊 Otherwise there are two playlists on the channel that have my favorite hotels but they’re not organized by geography. The “My Favorite Hotels, Resorts and Flights” list is generally 92+, but not necessarily all videos with that score make it to the list, just the ones I’d return to or recommend to friends/family.
@@tfft Thanks for responding, Kevin! You’re quickly becoming my go-to authority when considering where to stay in Asia. So having that functionality to filter your reviews somehow (website or otherwise) to plan trips would be useful to many I’m sure. Otherwise no need to take my advice, you’re already doing a great service!
@@tfft Well, not entirely true... there is a beach within walking distance, and the hotel staff will drive you by golf cart if you ask. During high tide the beach can be decent, however it has some erosion issues. During low-tide it's pretty useless. The water is not as nice as some other areas in Phuket, but decent. These beaches are right in front of some massive private villas that are part of the gated community there, which COMO is part of. There are virtually no other people on the beach, so yes, it's not great, but at least you have it for yourself!
Just got back from Como point Yamu - as a como C5 member they gave me a suite upgrade, which seemed like it was over 2000 sq ft in size, it was insanely big. I tried my best to find any spec of dust, but couldnt do so. Prob the cleanest hotel I've been to. Overall a fantastic stay, but the corridors to the room felt really depressing and weird!
After watching in awe the wonderful video on the Park Hyatt in Vietnam, I’m sorry to say, I couldn’t disagree more regarding this hotel. Take away the colorful furniture and the manicured lawn, the place looks like a prison. And oh my, that room that looked just sad. Nothing about it says luxury. No matter how good the restaurant is, this is primarily a hotel, and it needs some major work.
It was converted from a failed apartment project I think. But it's an amazing hotel. If you're not keen on resort style hotels then Como is an amazing alternative.
@@jbennison5672 When I stayed there I actually wondered what the building had been used for before... failed apartment project makes total sense. I was wondering if it had been another hotel before, but the layout is not typical for a hotel. Also, it might have been a company retreat (as they often have them in Asia) facility, but your guess makes total sense. The elevators were still from before, that was the major hint that it's not a new-build, everything else seemed pretty new. Not matter what, I love that place, will be back!
Maybe COMO are the best small hotel brand in their price point, or more generally in when you take vfm into consideration? There'd be quite a few I'd rate above COMO if price wasn't a factor. Thanks for the review :)
Everything I rate and basically everything I say is always within the context of what it cost. Are there better hotel brands out there? I'm sure there are- I hope there are, but within it's own niche, I think COMO does quite well. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
I'll generally pull the fire alarm or conjure up a brief thunderstorm and then I get the place to myself (kidding...). I do the majority of my shooting early in the morning when most guests are still sleeping. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
According to the food prepared for breakfast, the resort cannot be said to be empty, but we cannot see any guests during filming. How could you do that?
Flip Flop Magic aka, film early in the morning before anyone is awake. When I film buffets, 95% of the time I do so exactly 2 minutes before it officially opens (if they allow me).
You said, that you had many more recordings from the hotel. Why not put (some of) them in the video as well? 23 minutes is not a very long time. Especially when your videos are that good.
23 Minutes may not be long to you, but to most of RUclips, it is lol. Adding more length to a video like this would do nothing but hurt it's performance. Thanks for watching 🩴
I went there with high expectations…not as good as you make out to be. Food Breakfast was good, but my lunch at La Serina was dismay and dinner at the Thai restaurant was underwhelming; I had better grilled pork neck at a fraction of her price (900 Baht before taxes) Room Sofa and cushion uphoststery were soiled. Service Staff Not what you make it out to be.
Looks horrible and cheap like something out of a IKEA showroom. Cold and lacks real character. You didn’t reduce points for the prison style corridors? Strange scoring in this one.
Thats because he considered the fact that the building was a reinstated failed condominium project by another developer. Your lack of taste based on the comments is strangely baffling.
I don’t reduce the score for design elements that are consistent with the resort/hotel as a whole, ever- nor do I consider my personal opinion of the hotel’s overall aesthetic, I just look for consistency, functionality and execution. I score from the perspective of a traveler that would likely be intrigued by the resort to begin with. If I was going around choosing only hotels that fit my own personal aesthetic and then bashing everything else that wasn’t to my taste, this channel would be near useless.
@@tfft nothing to do with the consistency of “elements”, rather quality and design rationale. If its not personal then what is it based on. Almost all your videos come from your own personal experience and its relationship to your taste. What a load of nonsense.
Difficult to argue about personal taste. If you haven't been there personally, don't judge it. The video is really well done, but you are missing out on the sounds, smells, tastes (of the food) atmosphere etc. of the real place, also the scale of everything is difficult to grasp on video (the pool is massive in real life, looks decent on video). The setting is beautiful, the nature around, everything is pure magic, and yes, there are people that really like this kind of design, and we are loyal patrons of this place.
One of the best travel channels IMHO. Keep up the great work Kevin. Cheers from AKL, NZL.
Thanks very much 🙏 (and was just in your beautiful city 😉)
I love your channel and all the work you put in to every episode thankyou. As travelling is not in my budget I have travelled the world with you and I cant wait for each episode to be uploaded
Thanks for watching 🩴
Your videos are the gold standard for hotel, flight, and travel reviews. I'm basing all my future trips from your guidance! Thank you so much for producing such high caliber videos. Cheers!
Appreciate that!
Wow! Thanks for the review, honest and straightforward as usual.
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Some great shots here Kevin… it’s a real mashup between retro Brutalist style and a modern welcoming feel .. but those corridors? Bizarre and unnecessary.. thanks for another cool journey into style and fashion..🙏
I'll be honest, the more I watched the clips, the more I started to like the hallways haha. Bizarre for sure, but a nice juxtaposition to the light and airy feel of the room. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
My fiance and I love your content, we are currently planning our honeymoon in Thailand. Your videos have been a wonderful way to experience the different brands and locations through your eyes and in depth descriptions. I will say with full confidence, we have changed our minds on a few places just based on your videos. Thank you very much for your content! I want to add that you should totally ask for subscribers early in the video, it hurts to see your current number of subs versus your views with how enlightening your content is. People need more of you!
Appreciate that very much. To be honest though, the channel is growing much faster then I ever imagined haha. This time last year I was under 5k subs 😉
Came here cause I saw the new breakfast chart on your latest video
Love this one!
I really appreciate your commentary. I can hear the 100+ hotels you’ve visited in your choice of words and the way point out features (if that makes sense). Looking forward to going through more of your videos 👍🏼
It does make sense and I genuinely appreciate you pointing that out. I feel like in the same regard your comment is one that could only be made by someone who’s been in or watched content about many hotels, so they’re rare in deed. Thanks very much 🙏🏻
Staying here next week thanks to this review. Might have been the brekky bacon slab that tipped me. Cheers as always Kevin
Please order a second slab for me haha
I can confirm everything that Kevin said in the video. In March 2024, COMO Point Yamu is still that good. I think it's one of the best examples of service in Phuket. I had much worse service in more expensive hotels. We've landed in Phuket around 7AM which is very early and I had a transfer ordered with the hotel in advance. But I didn't ask for early check-in and didn't expect it, since we were there too early. But our room was ready for check-in at 10AM, without even asking for it. And the rooms are really clean. If you watched "Friends", then I think those rooms would certified as "Monica clean" 😅
Fantastic to hear it is just as good! I saw their rates for this fall and was thinking of heading back!
Nice camera work, lovely framing. Thanks!
Thanks very much 🙏🏻
Small things like no smidget of dust, scratches, refreshing aroma, thought out sound elements plus construction of though out geometrical design, locally sourced materials and blending ambience of location and different spaces of the hotel screams thoughtful service plus maintaining it in a pristine condition screams consistency which creates the wow factors that is intended in the documentaries of ritz carlton and taj hotels which I saw and frankly I was never wowed to the factor they intended although they are great hotels. Como looks like perfectionists paradise and I'm not surprised it is your favourite brand on earth. Similar to Como's understated service I personally think your videos have a flow that doesn't feel monotonous, greatly helps in trip planning, ENTERTAINING(I watched a few multiple times just because it was really funny) and steady in content. Looking forward to your next videos.
Just to add for the price you paid I think you got a deal.
Compared to the prices Thailand had been charging for 2023 high season, $500 would have been a deal haha. Luckily, it seems prices for 2024 are coming a bit back down to earth. Thanks as always for the support 🙏
Top notch video, and the background music you picked was excellent.
Started watching after you made your Bali content and I'm good to see another Como property.
Thanks very much 🙏
We loved this hotel. We spent 2 nights in Phang Nga room with pool ! it's was just perfect ! Great content by the way ! One more subscriber for your channel !
Thanks for watching and subscribing 🙏🏻
Wow .. the resort was spotless - the water always clear, no stone or leaf out of place!! It was like you were waking around a show resort. See what you mean about the corridor, but the room also was just spotless! The common areas looked so peaceful & relaxing at night too. Great video 👍👍
Thanks very much 🙏
Totally agree on your opinion on COMO. Absolute fabulous brand! This particular hotel is just magic, loved my two stays there so far. Coming back!
Thanks for sharing ✈️
Kevin, just wanted to thank you for all your videos. My wife and I love them. We’re getting ready to retire to Phuket and we bookmark a lot of your reviews to know where we want to visit. We’re flying QSuites from IAD to HKT when we fly out with our two dogs.
Hope you're getting those Elite visas with all of the airport privileges haha. Enjoy your trip 🗺️
@@tfft Thanks. Yeah, we've gotten the Long Term Resident Visa which is good for 10 years and gives us Fast Track
Hey Kevin. I'm a traveller but have mobility issues. Never see reviews with any rating on accessibility. Be great if you consider this in your reviews. Love them!
This is actually something that is in all of my reviews, even if I don't mention it. When I can see that a resort would pose a problem for those with mobility issues, I will mention it very specifically in the video- two of the scripts I wrote yesterday did just that. If in the video there's no mention of it, it means that I felt there were definitely reasonable options for those with mobility issues. I know some would prefer I mention it in every video, but there's a long list of things that I treat the same in order to keep the videos concise. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
you should definitely visit the nai harn! their breakfast buffet is in similar style but even better!
Thanks for sharing ✈️
Quality content. Thank you for the effort you put in to these videos.
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Really enjoy the content that you put out on a regular basis. Any plans for an Aman or Capella review soon?
Thanks very much. I have one Capella on the channel, perhaps one more coming this year. Aman... I'm waiting for one to look "worth it" to me. Keep in mind, I score relative to price and the competition. So, a $1000 hotel in the Maledives is damn near "normal" price wise... but paying for a $1500 Aman property in, let's say, Vietnam or Indonesia... I just cannot imagine how on earth that price could be justified.
That transition in the pool from night to morning was delightfully done.
Thanks very much 🙏🏻
Always watching till the end. Love to see the Marriott Nai Yang where I am sitting right now typing this. 😊
Oh… you may be a little surprised when you see it then 🫤
Let's see. I know the property and the location well. Just had dinner last week on side with friends staying there. Haven't been in the rooms so far.
I would happily forgo the beach to stay at this resort. The blue tiled bathroom reminds me of a public swimming pool bathroom (but in a good way), the stand out feature of actual trees within the spacious balcony was a lovely touch but THE FOOD blew me away, l could almost taste each dish as you described them and the great photography had me drooling. You did it justice in the video 👍
Yeah, woke up an hour ago and reading your comment I'm a little upset I don't have more of that pork belly here now lol.
Hi again!! Thank You so much for more of these relaxing and interesting videos!!! (P.S. Come to Italy, sooner or later and I will show You some really nice places too!) 😁
I was in Italy three times last year 😂... Perhaps again in 2024. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
@@tfft Will have a chance in future, then! keep up the good work!!! Thanks to You! 😁
Thank you for a great review. I won a holiday here and am going in Feb next year. Can you walk it to the beach or is it a trip via car/taxi to get there? I know yamu has a boat pick up point it doesn’t look far on the map. Do you know aswell if this is a walkable distance?
Ability to walk to the shore? Probably. Ability to walk to a proper beach? I don't think so.
I stayed at Point Yamu in 2017 and enjoyed it a lot. Everything was on point, and it made me want to stay at a Como again. Got the chance 2 years ago on a trip to Bangkok, where I put myself up at The Metropolitan. I actually loved that place even more - low key but with flawless service, so much more inviting than flashier properties in the city. But the highlight there was the food - the original Nahm is spectacular, and it’s not as snooty as other Michelin starred restaurants in Bangkok.
I'm glad to hear it- honestly I have been on the fence about visiting The Metropolitan for ages. If I'm honest, the price they usually charge is too low for what I expect of a COMO so I've always been hesitant. Glad to hear you enjoyed it! I might need to try.
@@tfft I understand what you mean, I had my reservations as well and was half expecting the place to be in need of a refurb. However, I was pleasantly surprised - sure it looks a bit sparse and utilitarian, but everything was in ship shape and extremely comfortable! The low rates are also a function of the competition, but the place quickly grows on you, especially after you’ve tired of the razzle-dazzle (and the clientele that comes with that) and would much rather be at a place where you’d feel less unfussed.
Glad to see this hotel on your channel. Stayed here for a night in December and was totally blown away, so much so that the following nigh at the InterContinental felt lame (and it kinda was). It seems like most guests who book a base room here will get a room which is a lot bigger than the one shown on the website. At first i though i was upgraded, but the staff explained that the bases rooms are available in many shapes and sizes. My room was bigger than this, so big that it was a little scary to sleep alone, but had a smaller balcony and no bathtub.
Yes, if it was a western chain those rooms would be in 6 different categories each with its own price point lol. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
We stayed in the Phang Naga Suite. Absolutely amazing with a wrap around balcony and views over the entire bay. Hard to beat. Especially at the price point.
I read a review, can't recall if it was on Google reviews or Tripadvisor, that said their room/the hotel is haunted. Your explanation of the echoes in the prison basement/hallway/ sprinkle of horror movie puts that review into context now 😂
I REALLY wish I found out about this after I heard the hallway echoes but BEFORE I figured out where they were coming from 😂
Yes you have done justice to the hotel with honest commentary and great visuals . The problem is making up my mind on where to stay. The price on this seems very reasonable too. Looking forward to the Kimpton Kitalay as that was on my wish list for September.🙏👍
So then I have a pretty good idea of where you're gonna pick... it'll make sense when the Kimpton video comes out 😉
Excellent video, Kevin, once again. The hotel looks amazing, do you have any feedback or recommendations regarding the area? Is there a town close by, are there restaurants nearby or things to do? How far is the property from Patong? Forward to next video. Thanks again.
There are so many different types of travellers, which is why I don't include local attractions in my videos. For me personally, there's plenty to do in the area and I enjoy the easy access to the Grand Marina, but... it is certainly not your typical tourist stuff. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Amazing and thoughtful content as always, really loving your channel!
Random comment: I was thinking about the cleanliness of the patterned brick partition when you actually mentioned it :)
So heartening to see their Invigorate toiletries again. I've been in love with their shower products since more than 15 years ago. You should try their Maldivian properties too, very well maintained despite their age.
Thanks very much- and yes I used to work in F&B so anytime I see walls or installations with lots of nooks and cranies, my first thought is always "how much dust is up there?"... As for the Maldives, hopefully in 2024! Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Great review. Subscribed. Didn’t realize there was no beach. Can you at least walk to one that is nice?
There is one beach on the peninsula but to my knowledge it is closed off in a gated community. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Having just returned from a very long trip, I've been saying I'd be glad to NOT see the inside of a plane for some time. And then I see this. Thanks a lot Kevin. 😆Agree with your thoughts on the Como brand. A leader in its lane.
To be fair, there are no planes here 😂
A stunning venue apart from the blood chilling monotonous grey of the corridors, of course. They could have some sort of awning installed for protecting the openings to the balcony facing the scorching sunlight. Thank you!
😂 I hope no one has nightmares about those hallways haha.
Tidak terkesan mewah tapi bersih dan sangat nyaman berlibur disini
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
❤❤ always appreciative of your effort Kevin. We travel vicariously through your videos 😂. I *think it’s easy to just throw in a 90 mins footage of everything but it’s so much harder to edit a video into a palatable length that doesn’t feel too overly lengthy & boring yet not skimping on *relatable honest detail for the average travellers. 😘 Note: Perhaps you could also experiment with different BGM (although I understand issue with copyright) for your videos in the future.
To be fair I have used over 170 different music tracks on the channel already 😂- I try to mix it up, but yes, I'm limited to an extent. Thanks very much for your very kind words though 🙏
Love your videos. Do you have plans to visit Fiji? Would be interested in your thoughts on LikuLiku Lagoon resort.
Take a look at the mystery resort at the end of this video (10 seconds before the end) 😉
Not LikuLiku though, but 4 others ☺️
Hi Kevin, Is there really no access from the Como Resort to the beach? We are planning to visit Phuket this coming February?
I wouldn’t lie 😂
A very impressive resort, but have to admit I prefer the style and intimacy of the Como Uma Ubud. That one is still high on my list as is The Alila Ubud Forest Edge villa where you stayed. Two of my all time favourite hotel reviews! Just wondering…Are the Rosewood hotels and resorts somewhere on your radar in the near future? I’m very curious what your opinion would be of them! Thank you Kevin for another fantastic review 🙏🏼
The Rosewoods (in Phuket, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Hoi An... ok, all of them) are all genuinely on my list. Especially for Bangkok and Phuket, but I'm just waiting for an off-peak trip to either place to try them out since the Phuket property seems to be pretty comfortable in the $1100 range at the moment. On my recent trip to Bali, I stayed at the Jumeirah specifically to see how that video does and to see if I can justify spending that much per night on videos in 2024. Thanks as always for the support 🙏
I wish i had found your channel earlier, but luckily we stayed at Como last April and it was absolutely amazing. If this hotel was on the beach of West coast of the island it would be at least double the price and far busier.
Phuket really is a minefield for hotels. So many sub par hotels that are overpriced compared to other islands and countries.
I would agree, but honestly, not more of a minefield than any other tourist destination lol. Thanks for watching 🩴
Have not been to Phuket since 2004. Can’t remember the hotel but the spa experience was incredible. So glad you had a great experience. Just finished up the “worst” ones, so this was a nice interlude.
Hi Kevin. Your order of kor moo yang is normally accompanied by nam jim jaew (น้ำจิ้มแจ่) dipping sauce. It's a classic!
Thanks for sharing that. Seems it's very similar to Vietnamese Nước chấm, but in Vietnam roasted rice powder is rarely if ever used. Interesting to find it as an ingerdeient in the sauce, I suppose rounding out the fish sauce umami. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
@@tfft Yes and I think the shallot also plays a key role to round out the flavor!
It was really good camera work. But, no beach is not a problem. I remember they provide service going to COMO beach club(temporally closed at the moment) 2 times every morning.
That beach club has been permanently closed since soon after Covid.
Amazing Production and Hotel
Thanks very much 🙏🏻
Cool, I'm from Thailand
Btw can you go to pattaya?
There are a few properties that recently opened there or will be opening soon, so I'm thinking about a Pattaya/Hua Hin/Khao Yai trip next year. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Amazing!! I stayed at the nookdee on the island
Thanks for watching 🩴
Kevin - which hotel would you suggest for a first time visitor to Phuket? Como, Intercontinental?
I love the COMO but I don't think anyone would suggest it for a first visit- definitly not a typical Phuket experience. Thanks for watching 🩴
I'm wondering if it is hard to get a true sense of the decor of that room on film. While it's certainly not the supermax penitentiary chic of Aman Tokyo, it doesn't feel like the camera lens loved it.
Odd, I often feel what you’re saying about rooms, but this one I thought did quite well on camera and personally enjoyed the layout and decor. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
This time was perfect- but with longer opening quotations consider leaving them on screen a little longer (perhaps continuing over the initial establishing shots) so that we have a chance to read and process the meaning.
I try to find a balance :) Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Awesome video
Thanks very much 🙏🏻
great video once again, btw what do you do, like what is ur profession?
Now? This… lol. Restaurant industry pre-Covid. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Was sad to see that the beach club has closed. However the beach property they used was absolutely not Como standard. Seemed like they had purchased an old bar or hotel on the beach, but hadn’t renovated or given it that Como magic. So I see why. But having some beach access really ticked the last box on a great hotel. Hope you’re staying at Como Uma Canggu on your next Bali trip!
I recently stayed just down the road from the Canggu property (in retrospect, wish I did in fact stay there haha). Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Beautiful 😻. Quick question, do you think it’s worth buying AEROPLAN points when they offer a bonus(85% extra) ?
I rarely think speculatively buying airline points is a wise choice unless you have specific flights to book in mind or the price to buy them is incredible. My test question for buying points is, "If they devalued the points by 50% the day after I bought them, would it still be a good deal?" If your answer is yes, then perhaps it's worth it.
@@tfft thanks 🙏🏻
Сьемка ночью была великолепна. Закат и восхождение солнца прекрасны!
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
W is toast. COMO needs to grow across all continents.
I wish 😅
Hey Kevin great video! Is there a way we can easily see at a glance your top ranked hotels (>96) by geography? For instance, a list of >96 rating hotels in Phuket?
There’s not, but for this specific question I can just tell you it’s only this one and The Naka Island Resort 😊
Otherwise there are two playlists on the channel that have my favorite hotels but they’re not organized by geography. The “My Favorite Hotels, Resorts and Flights” list is generally 92+, but not necessarily all videos with that score make it to the list, just the ones I’d return to or recommend to friends/family.
@@tfft Thanks for responding, Kevin! You’re quickly becoming my go-to authority when considering where to stay in Asia. So having that functionality to filter your reviews somehow (website or otherwise) to plan trips would be useful to many I’m sure. Otherwise no need to take my advice, you’re already doing a great service!
Did you make it to the Conrad Koh Samui on this trip?
Not on this trip, no. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
How’s the beach, is it sandy or rocky? And are there waves? And how far is it by foot?
As I mentioned, this resort doesn’t have a beach.
@@tfft Well, not entirely true... there is a beach within walking distance, and the hotel staff will drive you by golf cart if you ask. During high tide the beach can be decent, however it has some erosion issues. During low-tide it's pretty useless. The water is not as nice as some other areas in Phuket, but decent. These beaches are right in front of some massive private villas that are part of the gated community there, which COMO is part of. There are virtually no other people on the beach, so yes, it's not great, but at least you have it for yourself!
Well, i'm sold!
Hope you have a chance to go! Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Do it. We went last year. Best value on Phuket unless shelling out 1200 a night at the Rosewood is not an issue.
Great review but i cant find the kimpton samui review from you anymore !!!
Anymore? I haven’t published it yet…
I could have sworn that i saw a review by you on that hotel 😅 !!
Just got back from Como point Yamu - as a como C5 member they gave me a suite upgrade, which seemed like it was over 2000 sq ft in size, it was insanely big. I tried my best to find any spec of dust, but couldnt do so. Prob the cleanest hotel I've been to. Overall a fantastic stay, but the corridors to the room felt really depressing and weird!
Ohhh that’s fancy I’ve never even heard of Como C5 😅. They truly are a special brand. Thanks for watching 🩴
Wow looks stunning! Added to my list!
Good idea! Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
This old boy from Perth Down-Under enjoyed your vlog thanks you for sharing 23/01/2024
Thanks for watching 🩴
After watching in awe the wonderful video on the Park Hyatt in Vietnam, I’m sorry to say, I couldn’t disagree more regarding this hotel. Take away the colorful furniture and the manicured lawn, the place looks like a prison. And oh my, that room that looked just sad. Nothing about it says luxury. No matter how good the restaurant is, this is primarily a hotel, and it needs some major work.
One of my personal favorite rooms in quite a while 😉 To each their own.
The Hyatt Regency in SA Nang is one of the best hotels we have stayed in
It was converted from a failed apartment project I think. But it's an amazing hotel. If you're not keen on resort style hotels then Como is an amazing alternative.
@@jbennison5672 When I stayed there I actually wondered what the building had been used for before... failed apartment project makes total sense. I was wondering if it had been another hotel before, but the layout is not typical for a hotel. Also, it might have been a company retreat (as they often have them in Asia) facility, but your guess makes total sense. The elevators were still from before, that was the major hint that it's not a new-build, everything else seemed pretty new. Not matter what, I love that place, will be back!
Thank you ✈️
Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Maybe COMO are the best small hotel brand in their price point, or more generally in when you take vfm into consideration? There'd be quite a few I'd rate above COMO if price wasn't a factor. Thanks for the review :)
Everything I rate and basically everything I say is always within the context of what it cost. Are there better hotel brands out there? I'm sure there are- I hope there are, but within it's own niche, I think COMO does quite well. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
@@tfft Fair and true; you do and COMO does :)
how do you always get shots of the pools with no one in them?. good job
I'll generally pull the fire alarm or conjure up a brief thunderstorm and then I get the place to myself (kidding...). I do the majority of my shooting early in the morning when most guests are still sleeping. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
According to the food prepared for breakfast, the resort cannot be said to be empty, but we cannot see any guests during filming. How could you do that?
Flip Flop Magic aka, film early in the morning before anyone is awake. When I film buffets, 95% of the time I do so exactly 2 minutes before it officially opens (if they allow me).
Can you please try itc royal bengal it's the best itc hotel in india
I think I had enough ITC for this year already 😉 Perhaps next year. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Everything.
Thanks for watching 🩴
Thanks
¡Gracias!
Muchas gracias por el apoyo 🙏
You’re such a babe! The Marriott Momi Bay Fiji!
😉
Marriott Momi Bay in Fiji?
😉
if you are shooting all this with a hand held camera, you have very still hands. Even when you are walking the video is very still. 👍
All iPhones... Thanks for watching 🩴
You said, that you had many more recordings from the hotel. Why not put (some of) them in the video as well? 23 minutes is not a very long time. Especially when your videos are that good.
23 Minutes may not be long to you, but to most of RUclips, it is lol. Adding more length to a video like this would do nothing but hurt it's performance. Thanks for watching 🩴
In Bangkok do visit the seasons Pattaya
Come again?
@@tfft if u visit bangkok do stay in the season Pattaya
can we clone
I went there with high expectations…not as good as you make out to be.
Food
Breakfast was good, but my lunch at La Serina was dismay and dinner at the Thai restaurant was underwhelming; I had better grilled pork neck at a fraction of her price (900 Baht before taxes)
Room
Sofa and cushion uphoststery were soiled.
Service Staff
Not what you make it out to be.
Sorry you didn't enjoy it as much as I did. Thanks for watching 🩴
No beach no thanks.
More room for us 😅
There are very few decent beaches on Phuket. The ones that aren't filled with Russians are way over priced.
Looks horrible and cheap like something out of a IKEA showroom. Cold and lacks real character. You didn’t reduce points for the prison style corridors? Strange scoring in this one.
Thats because he considered the fact that the building was a reinstated failed condominium project by another developer. Your lack of taste based on the comments is strangely baffling.
I don’t reduce the score for design elements that are consistent with the resort/hotel as a whole, ever- nor do I consider my personal opinion of the hotel’s overall aesthetic, I just look for consistency, functionality and execution. I score from the perspective of a traveler that would likely be intrigued by the resort to begin with.
If I was going around choosing only hotels that fit my own personal aesthetic and then bashing everything else that wasn’t to my taste, this channel would be near useless.
@@tfft nothing to do with the consistency of “elements”, rather quality and design rationale. If its not personal then what is it based on. Almost all your videos come from your own personal experience and its relationship to your taste. What a load of nonsense.
Difficult to argue about personal taste. If you haven't been there personally, don't judge it. The video is really well done, but you are missing out on the sounds, smells, tastes (of the food) atmosphere etc. of the real place, also the scale of everything is difficult to grasp on video (the pool is massive in real life, looks decent on video). The setting is beautiful, the nature around, everything is pure magic, and yes, there are people that really like this kind of design, and we are loyal patrons of this place.
The only thing missing were the twins standing at the end of the hallway by the elevator!
I’m sure it could be arranged 😅