Club Med’s new Koh Samui resort signals upscale expansion and a fresh draw for island visitors

Club Med begins work on its first Exclusive Collection resort in Thailand, set to open in 2028 on Koh Samui’s northern coast, aiming to attract affluent travellers seeking a refined all-inclusive island experience amid a global expansion plan.

Club Med has started work on a new beachfront resort in Koh Samui, adding one of Thailand’s most closely watched island destinations to its premium all-inclusive portfolio. The project, developed with Central Group Capital, was marked by a traditional ceremony and the planting of native coconut seedlings, a gesture meant to root the property in the island’s landscape as well as its future. According to Club Med’s announcement, the resort is due to open in 2028.

For travellers, the headline detail is that this will be Club Med’s first Exclusive Collection resort in Thailand, a higher-end tier within the brand that the company says combines a more refined atmosphere with the ease of all-inclusive holidays. The new property will also be only Club Med’s second hotel in the country, following Club Med Phuket, which opened in 1985.

The planned resort will sit on Koh Samui’s northern coast and will feature 303 rooms, according to company information shared through regional and corporate travel outlets. That location should appeal to visitors looking for a quieter beach setting while still being within reach of the island’s restaurants, boat trips and family-friendly activities. Reports also describe the development as a design-led, beachfront escape aimed at both couples and families who want a more polished island stay.

Club Med says the Koh Samui opening fits into a wider global push to expand and upgrade its resort network, with the group aiming to double its number of resorts by 2030. The company has also pointed to new properties or planned openings in South Africa, Malaysia, Canada, Italy, Oman and Indonesia. For Thailand, though, the Koh Samui project is the most significant of the bunch: a new reason for travellers to consider the island if they want the convenience of an all-inclusive stay without sacrificing a sense of place.