Think & Retro Cafe Lipa Noi Samui

“2 relaxing weeks at THINK (cross-posted)”

My wife and I had a wonderful stay of almost 2 weeks at the THINK and Retro Café in Lipa Noi*. This was our 2nd visit (the first was in early 2017). The “recycle and reuse” concept behind Think is quite ingenious and the shipping container bungalows, beyond the novelty factor, are well designed and… more

My wife and I had a wonderful stay of almost 2 weeks at the THINK and Retro Café in Lipa Noi*. This was our 2nd visit (the first was in early 2017). The “recycle and reuse” concept behind Think is quite ingenious and the shipping container bungalows, beyond the novelty factor, are well designed and kept sparkling clean by the staff. There is A/C in the sleeping/living area and the bathrooms are separated by sealed glass doors. Other containers and repurposed materials are also used for the café/restaurant which is on the beach side of the compound. Think has managed to create a multitude of individual spaces to hang out, eat, have a drink, while keeping everything open and connected. Guests are provided an “American” (eggs, toast, etc) or Asian (khao tom—rice soup—with choice of protein and a fruit plate) breakfast set. We generally had the excellent Asian set, but the Western-style breakfast was sufficient and tasty. The restaurant has an extensive menu of Thai and Western food. Naturally, seafood predominates. We did not try any of the Western dishes except the Tom Yum seafood pizza (it’s quite good!), but we did a good job of eating our way through the Thai menu. Everything we had was good to excellent. We love spicy food, but not everything was “hot” spicy. The khao pad sapparod (pineapple fried rice) was outstanding and redolent of spices like cinnamon and cardamon. The various “salads” like woon sen (glass noodle salad) and the curries were also wonderful. We thoroughly enjoyed our time at THINK. Chalie, his wife, and the staff were incredibly nice & helpful. Happy hour runs from 4:30-6:30 daily and Mr. Boi provides live music on Fridays and Sundays. Chalie also owns the I-Talay Beach Bar & Cottages, which are 2.5 km south in Taling Ngam. We also stayed there in 2017 and highly recommend it, particularly for the drop-dead gorgeous sunsets. *Lipa Noi is on the west coast of Samui. THINK is closest to the Raja Ferry pier (1km), though the Nathon pier is only about 7km away. The beach is long and curved with white sand. The water is perfect for swimming at both low and high tides. There are almost no waves, so it’s a great place for families with children. It is not a “party” beach like Chaweng or Lamai. If you want hundreds of bars, restaurants, and shops, Lipa Noi is not for you. But if you are looking to relax, swim, and have some great food in a beautiful environment, then you should consider THINK.

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“Funky welcoming beachside hotel”

Stayed in this hotel for 3 nights, fab location right on the beach. We loved the room, thoughtful touches. The staff are attentive and friendly. The food was fair, stick to the fried options. Also was able to hire a moped, 300 Baht for 24 hours. Overall great atmosphere, with families and a range o… more

Stayed in this hotel for 3 nights, fab location right on the beach. We loved the room, thoughtful touches. The staff are attentive and friendly. The food was fair, stick to the fried options. Also was able to hire a moped, 300 Baht for 24 hours. Overall great atmosphere, with families and a range of other travellers. Would recommend.

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“Relaxing place ”

If you are looking for party, entertainment, latest furniture, latest fashion etc. this will be not be your place. The place is like the sea in front of this hotel/restaurant: calm and smooth. Nevertheless you can expect good food and cocktails, however, in a relaxed retro atmosphere. For us one of… more

If you are looking for party, entertainment, latest furniture, latest fashion etc. this will be not be your place. The place is like the sea in front of this hotel/restaurant: calm and smooth. Nevertheless you can expect good food and cocktails, however, in a relaxed retro atmosphere. For us one of the best places on the island.

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“Qwerky hotel, fantastic food”

As you approach the main building with Spiderman overlooking the car park, you might think "what on earth am I in for" but meeting the friendly staff and appreciating the beautiful ocean views while checking in, you realise that your stay won't be anything but life changing. The property is lo… more

As you approach the main building with Spiderman overlooking the car park, you might think "what on earth am I in for" but meeting the friendly staff and appreciating the beautiful ocean views while checking in, you realise that your stay won't be anything but life changing. The property is located on a quiet part of the island in Lipa Noi. It's a short drive from Nathon Pier but within walking distance, there isn't much to see. There is a Family Mart conveniently situated right across the road and a lovely deserted beach on the other side of the bay at Lipa Noi beach. The rooms, although basic, are spacious and located at the back of the property in a lush garden. If you like camping or the outdoors, you probably won't mind the gheckos and other insects in the room but the beautiful beach restaurant and gorgeous food made up for this. I would recommend the hotel to do a deep clean ever so often as we found some cobwebs within the folds of the curtains. But all aside, we had a nice stay.

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