Those who like lying out on the sand with a great read might want to check out (pun intended) The Library, a reading-centric resort on Koh Samui that’s also a member of the Design Hotels network.
The minimal, modernist escape, on the island’s Chaweng Beach, has been around for years, featuring 26 rooms, called “Pages,” and an Insta-famous red-tiled pool. More recently, they introduced their “Secret Chapters,” a series of 20 private pool villas that exist behind a walled compound, inaccessible to the outside world. The pools at the secret chapters are filled with saltwater and tiled in a deep sea green because, hey, everyone has blue tiled pools.
To push the theme further, guests at the resort are called “Writers,” the reception area is “Contents” and even the beachside Thai fusion restaurant, called “The Page,” keeps with the concept.
They claim that their original series of rooms, the “Pages,” offer “ample space to read, write and flourish.” And perhaps it goes without saying, but yes — there is an actual library here on site.
It’s a pretty extensive one, too: There are over 1,400 titles here, which are available for guests to borrow during their stay.
Should you choose to stay in one of the “Pages,” then take note — it won’t be number 13. The hotel has replaced the famously unlucky number with a luxe suite called “The Bookmark,” 102 square meters with red accents and a Zen-inspired design twist.
Coco Travel recently met up with The Library’s Sales Manager Apichet Somkao, who told us a bit about the hotel and its theme. “Each room is linked to a different book concept,” he explained.
He went on to tell us that the owner, Samui native Kasemtham Sornsong, had been sitting on the beach trying to come up with a concept for his new hotel — one that would be a bit more unconventional, and be particularly appealing to visitors coming in to Thailand from abroad. As he searched his mind for inspiration, he noticed that most of the European visitors on the beach were reading intently. That’s when the idea came to him.
“He wanted to have a concept that would not be a flash in the pan, a gimmick that people would forget after a few years,” said Apichet. Literature especially appealed to him because, by its nature, it’s timeless. Well, at least the good stuff is.
Owner Kasemtham realized that to have a perfect holiday, you only need three things: a good book, a good beach, and a good room.
Thus, The Library was born.
Though guests may sign out any book for their holiday reading, Apichet told us that most of them like to bring their own books along, and add it to the resort’s library — which means that the collection is always growing.
“What we love is that our guests may leave a book, many choose to leave one of their favorites and they can keep coming back to see how popular their book is and how many times it’s been checked out. You sign it out, so there is record. When they return they often rush to see, ‘How popular is my book?’.”
A resort with a story behind it is a concept we can get behind.
FIND IT:
The Library
14/1 Moo 2, Chaweng Beach
Koh Samui
Rooms start at THB10,800 (US$325)
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