Crystal Bay Yacht Club is a boutique beachfront hotel set on expansive tropical grounds with tall trees, manicured greenery, and flowing lotus ponds. The hotel has a relaxed family-friendly vibe, plenty of quiet common areas to unwind in, and it features traditional Thai design elements. The property is set on the far end of Crystal Bay Beach, an intimate and picturesque white-sand bay framed by enormous granite boulders. Though it's an idyllic setting, the beach isn't private and can get a bit overcrowded with outside guests, especially during high season (December to March).

Crystal Bay Yacht Club is set along the picturesque Crystal Bay Beach (or Haad Thong Takian) on Samui’s eastern coastline. Besides the beach, the immediate area doesn't offer much to see or do within walking distance. Lamai is a 10-minute drive from the hotel and offers a decent selection of restaurants, local bars, and shops. Chaweng (a 20-minute drive away) is a better bet for nightlife and it features tons of nightclubs, beach clubs, cabaret shows, and bars. Also, Chaweng includes great dining options, the Central Festival Samui shopping mall, and Phench Buncha Thai Boxing Stadium. Lomprayah catamaran speedboats to Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, and Surat Thani (mainland) depart from the Maenam Pier, a 30-minute drive from the hotel. Samui International Airport is a 30-minute drive away. One negative point is that the hotel doesn't offer a shuttle service into Lamai or Chaweng.

Crystal Bay Yacht Club features a range of one- and two-bedroom villas which are set along the lush tropical grounds and beachfront. Rooms have rustic exteriors, generous floor plans, and balcony or patio seating areas. Interiors are clean and contemporary with sparsely decorated white walls, light colored tile floors, and large windows that let in plenty of natural light and airflow. Rooms are outfitted with platform beds, comfy rattan seating, vanity dressing tables, and wardrobes. Standard amenities include air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, safes, free Wi-Fi, mini-fridges, coffee- and tea-making facilities, and bottled water.

Bathrooms are clean, with white tiled interiors, long vanity countertops with dual sinks, walk-in showers, and toiletries. Select rooms also include bathtubs. Overall, the rooms we saw during our tour of the hotel were reasonably clean, though the decor was somewhat aged and interiors showed visible signs of wear and tear.

The Private Pool Villa sits perched amongst granite boulders in a secluded part of the property and features expansive ocean views. It also has plenty of outdoor chill space, with a small plunge pool and wooden sundeck.

Crystal Bay Yacht Club offers direct beach access and has a decent range of leisure facilities and common areas. Premier features are all set beachfront, including a large saltwater swimming pool and a multi-cuisine restaurant and bar. The lagoon-like pool is lined with tropical greenery and features lots of lounge chairs for guests to relax on. A number of wooden daybed cabanas are set along the beachfront, though there aren't any lounge chairs on the beach itself. The restaurant and bar is housed in a breezy open-air space and serves a range of Thai and Western favorites, plus a daily breakfast buffet (included in most room rates). The bar offers happy hour specials and there is a ping-pong and pool table set up. Although the hotel doesn't include a full-service spa, traditional Thai massages are offered along the beach. Extras include Wi-Fi and on-site parking.