A long-established resort right on Sairee Beach, with two pools and a restaurant facing the sea - but the gap between the basic bungalows and the upgraded rooms is big, and some rooms are noisy.
Review based on research and guest reviews
We had dinner at the resort's restaurant. We took the photos in this article ourselves.
Traveller ratings · October 2026
Agoda score breakdown
Scores checked in October 2026; they may change.
Sairee Cottage Resort is one of the longest-running resorts on Sairee Beach, Koh Tao. It combines a location right on the beach, a tropical garden, two swimming pools, a restaurant facing the sea and a wide range of rooms and bungalows. Its big advantage is that you can enjoy a beach holiday without being far from Sairee's restaurants, shops and dive centres. But not every room offers the same level of comfort, and the central location can be noisy in some units.
Sairee Cottage Resort is right on Sairee Beach, one of the most central and sought-after areas of Koh Tao.
It is a long-established family resort that opened in 1989 with a handful of simple bungalows on the beach and has grown over the years into a property with a range of room categories, pools and a restaurant.
What makes it distinctive is the combination of two styles of stay.
On the one hand, the bungalows and garden keep something of the simple atmosphere of old Koh Tao, with trees, paths and rooms scattered among the greenery.
On the other, some rooms are newer and better equipped, and the property has two swimming pools, seating areas and a restaurant right on the beach.
So within the same resort you can find accommodation to suit very different budgets and holiday styles.
However, this is also one of the things to understand before booking: a basic room with a fan offers nothing like the experience of a poolside room or a sea-facing villa.
The location is one of the big advantages of Sairee Cottage Resort.
The property is in the heart of Sairee, with the beach right on its doorstep. You can leave your room, walk through the garden and be in the sea within a few minutes, sometimes even less.
Close by there are cafés, restaurants, bars, shops and dive centres.
It is one of the most convenient areas of Koh Tao if you want to get around on foot.
There is no need to book a taxi every time you want to eat or have a drink, and you can fit the beach, the pool, restaurants and shopping into your day without planning any journeys.
This convenience also comes with a possible downside.
Sairee is the busiest area on Koh Tao, and in parts of it there is nightlife with music until late.
Some rooms at the resort are closer to the walkways and the nightlife areas, so they may be exposed to noise.
Especially in rooms facing the street or close to the busy area, check the position before booking.
Rooms in the garden or further inside the property, on the other hand, may suit anyone who prefers a relaxed atmosphere.
If you are looking for a completely secluded holiday, away from the bars and tourist centres, you may prefer one of Koh Tao's more remote bays.
Sairee Cottage Resort offers a particularly wide range of accommodation.
That is one of its advantages, but also the reason it is important to choose your room carefully.
The simplest categories are for travellers looking for affordable accommodation who would rather spend their budget on activities and trips.
Some of these bungalows have only a fan, and at least some of the basic categories have no hot shower.
The rooms are fairly small, with simple furniture and minimal fittings.
They mainly suit anyone used to basic accommodation who plans to spend most of the day out of the room.
But in Koh Tao's heat and humidity, a room without air conditioning or hot water is not for everyone.
So make sure you know exactly what is included in the category you book.
The rooms around the pool are a particularly interesting option if you want to enjoy both a beach location and the resort's facilities.
Some categories have direct, easy access to the pool area, and others have balconies overlooking it.
These rooms have air conditioning, a fridge, a TV, a safe and a bathroom with hot water.
Some also have a desk and a private balcony.
Being close to the pool, the beach and the cafés on the property makes them an especially convenient choice for couples who want to combine resort time with going out to restaurants and the tourist area.
This is a choice worth thinking about.
A ground-floor room gives easier access to the pool, and sometimes an outdoor seating area too.
A first-floor room, by contrast, may be less convenient if you want to pop down to the pool several times a day.
There are also differences in room size and whether you get a balcony.
Some rooms on the upper floors are fairly small, and not all of them have a private balcony.
If you want to sit outside, read a book or enjoy a coffee by your room, choose a category with a balcony or seating area.
The beach-facing categories are among the more attractive options at the resort.
The advantage is being able to enjoy the sea and the sunsets close to your room.
For couples looking for a romantic holiday, this can be a very good choice.
There are also larger options for families, including family villas, some with a sea view.
However, it is important to distinguish between a room listed as Beachfront and a room with a partial sea view.
Not every category gives you the same position or the same view.
One of the things that sets Sairee Cottage Resort apart from other simple places to stay in the area is its pool area.
The resort has two swimming pools, so you can enjoy the water without going into the sea.
That is a plus on Koh Tao, especially if you like to combine time on the beach with relaxing by a pool.
The pools are surrounded by seating areas and greenery, and from some rooms they are very easy to reach.
The pool area is one of the resort's strong points.
However, it does not necessarily have the quiet, secluded atmosphere of a small resort for couples.
The property also suits families and groups of travellers, so the atmosphere can vary with the season, the time of day and the number of guests.
If you are looking for a particularly quiet pool, bear in mind the sociable, central character of the place.
In addition, some room categories come with different access to the pool areas. Check in advance what is included in your booking.
One of the resort's standout advantages is its beachfront restaurant.
Sairee Cottage Restaurant faces the sea and serves a mix of Thai and Western food.
The menu includes Thai dishes such as khao soi, noodle dishes and fish dishes, along with pizzas, European food and seafood.
In the evening there is also a barbecue with fish and seafood, depending on availability and the daily menu.
The beachfront setting lets you enjoy a meal facing the sunset, and that is one of the restaurant's main draws.
We had dinner at the restaurant while we were in Sairee: a seafood platter with rice noodles and vegetables, and a whole grilled fish with a glass of white wine.
The seafood platter was meagre: the only thing we enjoyed was the prawns, which were tasty, but we expected more variety on the platter. The fish was undercooked, which is why it looks as if it is falling apart in the photo. The service was terrible too: when we complained about the fish, they more or less ignored us, and we left feeling let down.
The location and the view are significant advantages, and the range of dishes is fairly wide for a resort restaurant.
You can enjoy a meal without going far from your room, but there is no need to rely on this restaurant alone.
Around Sairee there is a large choice of Thai restaurants, cafés and places serving Western food.
So you can combine a meal facing the sea at the resort with trying other places during your holiday.
Sairee Cottage Resort also offers other options for food and coffee.
There is a café on the property, and also a place for ice cream and gelato.
It is a small but particularly pleasant plus if you plan to spend a large part of the day around the pool and the beach.
You can step out of your room for a coffee, sit facing the sea or stop for an ice cream without leaving the property.
These options add to the feeling that this is a resort where you can spend a good part of the day, not just somewhere to come back to sleep.
The beach is one of the main advantages of Sairee Cottage.
You can walk straight onto it from the property and enjoy Sairee's long stretch of sand.
The area is especially good for walks along the sea, sitting in beach restaurants and watching the sunset.
Because the beach faces west, the sunset is one of the most beautiful experiences in the area.
However, bear in mind that Sairee Beach is fairly shallow in many places, and swimming conditions are affected by the tides.
In some areas there are rocks, coral and boats.
So if you are looking for a beach for long swims or snorkelling, you may want to visit other bays on Koh Tao too.
Koh Tao is one of the best-known places in Thailand to learn to dive, and Sairee Beach is one of the main centres for it.
Sairee Cottage is in an area full of dive centres and agencies for sea trips.
So it is particularly suitable for travellers planning a dive course or snorkelling trips.
You can walk to many activity centres in the area and use the hotel as a convenient base during your holiday.
It is also an interesting choice if you are coming to Koh Tao for a few days and combining diving, the beach, restaurants and nightlife.
Cleanliness and maintenance at Sairee Cottage are fairly good for its category, but it is important to take into account the differences between room types.
The property has older bungalows alongside better-equipped rooms, so not every unit has the same standard of finish.
In the basic rooms the furniture is simpler, and some of the bathrooms are small.
Even in the upgraded rooms there are differences in size and comfort between the ground floor and the upper floor.
So do not rely only on the hotel's overall score.
Look at recent photos of the specific room category and choose according to your own preferences.
Sairee Cottage is a long-established family resort, and staying here combines a relaxed atmosphere with services geared to travellers.
The property can help you arrange activities, transport and other services.
The central location and public areas create a fairly sociable atmosphere, and the guests include couples, families, groups and travellers coming to Koh Tao to dive.
If you like meeting other travellers and staying in a busy area, that is a plus.
If you are looking for complete privacy and quiet at all hours, you may prefer a smaller, more remote hotel.
Definitely, but the choice of room category is especially important.
A couple looking for a central spot by the sea, with a restaurant, pools and easy access to cafés and nightlife, can really enjoy it here.
A poolside room or a sea-facing bungalow can suit a pleasant holiday for two.
A basic fan bungalow without hot water, on the other hand, offers a completely different experience.
If you are looking for a romantic, pampering holiday, choose an upgraded room and make sure it is in an area that suits your preferences.
Sairee Cottage is an interesting option for families too.
The property has pools, a restaurant and direct access to the beach, and there are also family room categories.
Being able to spend time at the pool, go out for a meal and come back to the room without long journeys can make a holiday with children much easier.
However, check where the room is in relation to the pools and how you get to them.
Being close to Sairee's nightlife is also an important consideration for families who prefer quiet early in the evening.
Anyone who wants to sleep right on Sairee Beach. The location directly on the sea is one of the resort's main advantages.
Couples looking for a mix of beach and pool. The upgraded rooms let you enjoy both the resort's facilities and the tourist area around it.
Families. The swimming pools, the restaurant and the family rooms make it a convenient option.
Travellers coming to dive. Being close to the dive centres is a significant advantage.
Anyone who does not want to rent a scooter. Most of Sairee's restaurants, shops and nightlife are within walking distance.
Anyone looking for a range of price levels on the same property. You can choose between basic accommodation and more upgraded rooms.
If you are looking for a particularly secluded and quiet resort, the location in central Sairee may be less suitable.
If a large, new, stylish room matters to you, look at the upgraded categories and compare with other hotels.
If you are sensitive to noise at night, make sure your room is not close to the nightlife areas.
And if you want a holiday where the pool is always quiet and almost empty, bear in mind that the property also hosts families and groups.
Value for money is one of its advantages, mainly thanks to the range of room categories.
Travellers who prefer basic accommodation can find fairly simple options here, while those willing to pay more can choose an air-conditioned poolside room or a sea-facing bungalow.
However, not every upgrade necessarily justifies the price difference.
Check which facilities each category adds, whether there is a balcony, how big the room is and whether it is in a quiet area.
Prices vary with the season and availability, so compare the room types rather than settling for the starting price shown on the booking site.
Sairee Cottage Resort offers a particularly successful combination of location, facilities and flexibility in choosing your room.
It is right on Sairee Beach, with two swimming pools, a restaurant facing the sea and a range of rooms to suit different budgets.
That is a significant advantage over simple places to stay in the area, especially if you want to enjoy both a pool and the beach.
But the choice of room is critical.
The difference between a basic fan bungalow and an upgraded poolside room is big, and not only in price.
The location in central Sairee also means paying attention to the possible noise level.
Sairee Cottage Resort is a particularly good choice for anyone who wants a comfortable beach holiday in central Sairee, with pools, a restaurant and direct access to the sea. To really enjoy it, choose the room category to match the level of comfort and the kind of holiday you are looking for.
This review is based on the official Sairee Cottage Resort website, rooms and ratings on Agoda, and ratings and property details on Tripadvisor. The menu and restaurant services were also checked on the restaurant's official page.
The resort is in the centre of Sairee Beach on Koh Tao, at 10/1 Moo 1, Sairee Beach.
Yes. The resort is on Sairee Beach, with direct access to the sea.
The property has two swimming pools. Check which pools are available to guests in the room category you choose.
No. Some of the basic bungalows have only a fan.
No. There are basic categories without a hot shower. It is important to check the room details before booking.
Yes, especially in the upgraded poolside rooms or the sea-view bungalows.
Yes. The resort has pools and family rooms, as well as a restaurant and easy access to the beach.
How quiet it is depends on the room's position. The resort is in a central part of Sairee, and some rooms may get noise from the nightlife.
Yes. Sairee's restaurants, shops, cafés and dive centres are within walking distance.
It is one of the most interesting options if you want air conditioning, comfortable facilities and easy access to the pool and the beach. Compare a ground-floor room with a first-floor room.
Same level of comfort and price - hotels we stayed at
Also in the heart of Sairee, where we stayed - a huge room and a pool, about 2,400 THB (about $71 / €63) a night
✓ We stayed hereAlso in the heart of Sairee, simple bungalows in a garden at an affordable price
