Buzz: Right in the middle of Fisherman’s Village is the small, white and blue wooden house of Samui-Ley, the strip’s newest boutique accommodation. Colorful hues, stripes, flowers, and vintage-style prints dominate the entire space, from the foyer to the beachside restaurant where you can catch the sea breeze with a pizza and Asahi—thanks to a prop designer who also decorates Plearnwan in Hua Hin. All five colorful rooms are facing the sea and have their own (small) terraces.

Hot: The multicolor palette theme is well matched to 70s-Bohemian-style travelers who prefer stripes and flowers to uber-minimalist designs. The sea is at your door, which makes for some profound moments. The location is also perfect when hanging out at cool cafes and checking out cool shops are part of your perfect holiday, especially on Fridays when there’s a walking street at the hotel’s doorstep.

Not: It’s a small guesthouse so there’s no night-shift staff taking care of your late-night needs. If you forget your room key while stepping out to the convenience store at midnight, you risk being stranded all night. Oh, and if the bathroom could have a division between wet bits and dry bits, we’d be so much happier.

Neighborhood: Step out the door you’ll be in the middle of Samui’s most popular walking street. The 500-meter-long alley is packed with cafes, international restaurants, beach bars and boutique hotels. Every Friday there’s also food, handicraft products and street performances.

F&B: A small café on the first floor serves standard dishes and pizza (B100/piece). Drinks are from B60. Singha and Asahi beer are B70/bottle.

Prices: From B2,000 through Jul 31. Top Koaysomboon