Marina Sands Resort – Blue Haven Bay / Siam Royal View

Scorecard:

Overall Rating: 8.7 / 10
A 4-star, maritime-themed resort inside Blue Haven Bay (Siam Royal View), with large modern rooms, lagoon and marina views, access to one of Koh Chang’s quietest beaches and a huge shared pool. Not directly on the sand, but you get a very “upmarket bay” setting for mid-range money.

Location: 8.8 / 10 – In the private Blue Haven Bay/Siam Royal View estate at Klong Son, 5 minutes from the ferry. Quiet, scenic and nicely landscaped, with beach, marina and golf course all inside the same bay.
Rooms: 8.9 / 10 – Large, maritime-themed rooms from 30 m² superiors up to 90 m² family/grand suites with separate bedrooms and big living areas. Modern, bright and comfortable.
Facilities: 8.8 / 10 – Rooftop or canal-side pool at the hotel, plus access to the massive beachfront pool in the estate, 9-hole golf course, beach club, restaurants and water sports.
Beach / Waterfront: 8.5 / 10 – The hotel itself sits by a canal/lagoon, not on the sand, but guests have easy shuttle or walk access to a long, quiet private beach in the bay with calm, swimmable water.
Breakfast / Food: 8.3 / 10 – Breakfast generally rated as good rather than gourmet; several on-site and nearby restaurants/bars in the bay cover most needs.
Service: 8.7 / 10 – Friendly, relaxed service; golf-buggy shuttles around the estate; occasional comments about response times at busy periods but overall positive.
Value for Money: 8.8 / 10 – Very solid value for good-size rooms, quiet surroundings and access to premium estate facilities, especially compared to west-coast beachfront prices.

What We Liked

Spacious, modern rooms – especially the Premier and Family/Grand Suites
Calm, upmarket setting inside a private bay with little through-traffic
Access to a lovely, quiet sandy beach and big beachfront pool
Great option for families and groups with many rooms sleep several people comfortably
Very handy for the ferry

What Could Be Better

The hotel building itself isn’t on the beach; you’ll be shuttling or strolling down
It feels more like a modern condo-hotel than a small, characterful boutique
Estate layout means waiting for golf-buggies at peak times or walking a lot
Limited “local village” feel, you’re in a private development, not a Thai neighbourhood

Best For

Families and groups who want space, beach and pools, not nightlife
Travellers who like a more polished, residential feel than the busy west-coast strips
People happy to trade “step-out-onto-the-sand” for calm, comfort and good facilities

Summary:
Marina Sands Resort is a very good value gateway into Blue Haven Bay (Siam Royal View): big, comfortable rooms; access to quiet beaches and huge pools; and a peaceful, manicured bay setting. If you want space and facilities without the chaos of White Sand Beach, it’s a strong option.

See prices & available rooms

Marina Sands Resort – Full Review

Overview

Marina Sands opened in 2018 as part of what’s now branded Blue Haven Bay (formerly Siam Royal View) in Klong Son. It’s a 4-star resort with a strong “maritime” theme. Think blues, whites, ship-style artwork. Plus six main room types, ranging from 30 m² superiors up to 90 m² two-bedroom suites that can comfortably sleep a small army.

The resort itself sits by a canal/lagoon with views to the hills and estate, but the real bonus is what comes with the address: access to Blue Haven Bay’s long, quiet sandy beach, big beachfront pool, golf course, beach club and waterfront restaurants. You’re basically staying in the “marina and golf” part of the island, without paying silly money for a private villa.

Location – Blue Haven Bay / Siam Royal View, Klong Son

Marina Sands is inside the gated Blue Haven Bay estate at the mouth of Klong Son Bay:

About 5 minutes’ drive from the Koh Chang ferry pier.
10 to 15 minutes by taxi or scooter to White Sand Beach if you fancy a busier evening.
Everything inside the bay, beach, pool, golf course, restaurants etc is reachable by walking or golf-buggy shuttle.

It’s one of the few parts of Koh Chang that feels like a self-contained bay development rather than a strip of road with resorts tacked onto it. The flip side is that you have far less “local village” atmosphere than Klong Prao or Kai Bae. Your neighbours are villas, apartments and other resort guests, not noodle shops and motorbike repair places.

Atmosphere

Within the hotel, the vibe is “laid-back resort in a residential estate”:

Families with kids making good use of the pools and beach.
Couples who want a quieter setting than White Sand but don’t need intense romance.
Some longer-stay guests using big suites as a base for a week or more.

Around the bay, the atmosphere is relaxed and low-rise: landscaped roads, electric carts zipping past, a golf course on one side, beach restaurants on the other, and the odd yacht parked up in the marina. You get the sense you’re in a slightly more organised, polished corner of the island, in a good way or a slightly “resorty” way, depending on taste.

Rooms – Big, Bright and Maritime-Themed

One of Marina Sands’ main selling points is sheer room size. According to the resort and recent reviews, you can choose from:

Marina Superior – around 30 m², standard double/twin, good for 2 people.
Marina Deluxe – about 45 m², more floor space, seating area.
Marina Premier – 68 m², huge open-plan room that can sleep up to 5.
Marina Family Suite – 90 m², one bedroom plus big living area, up to 7 guests.
Marina Grand Suite 2-bedroom – also around 90 m² but with two separate bedrooms, again up to 7 guests.

Common features:

Air-conditioning and ceiling fans
Flat-screen TVs, fridges, tea/coffee facilities
Good-size en-suite bathrooms with walk-in showers
Balconies or terraces with lagoon, mountain or marina views
Simple maritime décor – blues, whites, wood and ship-style design details

Strengths

Lots of space – especially in the Premier and suite categories. Several reviews note the rooms feel “huge” for the price.
Plenty of natural light and views; you’re not staring at a wall or car park.
Ideal for families or friends sharing.

Things to Keep in Mind

The building is a modern, multi-storey block. It’s not a cluster of cute stand-alone bungalows.
Décor is pleasant and well kept, but the vibe is “modern resort/condo” rather than high-end boutique design.
If you love being able to walk from your terrace straight onto the sand, you’ll need Peninsula or Little Sunshine instead.

Facilities

Because Marina Sands sits inside Blue Haven Bay, you get both hotel-level and estate-level facilities.

On-site at Marina Sands

Swimming pool – small rooftop or canal-side pool (depending on building), fine for a dip and kids to splash about.
Restaurant / breakfast area – daily breakfast plus simple Thai and Western dishes.
Reception & tour desk – can arrange transfers, vehicle rental and excursions.
Wi-Fi – free throughout; generally rated as good for normal use.

Within Blue Haven Bay / Siam Royal View

Long sandy beach – quiet, sheltered and ideal for swimming, with a couple of low-key beach bars and restaurants.
Huge beachfront pool – one of the largest on the island, right by the sand with sunloungers and views down the bay.
Beach club – food, drinks and sunset cocktails overlooking the water.
9-hole golf course – short but scenic course wrapping around part of the bay.
Kayaks & SUP – for exploring the calm bay or the lagoon network.
Marina – pleasant for an evening walk, even if you don’t own a yacht.
Shuttle / golf-buggy service – to ferry guests between hotel, beach and other estate facilities.

Beach & Waterfront

The important distinction: Marina Sands is not right on the beach, but it gives you easy access to a very nice one.

Your immediate outlook is lagoon/canal, with mangroves and hills beyond.
You reach the main beach either by a short walk through the estate or via the free shuttle/golf-buggy.
The beach itself is long, sandy and quiet with no rows of deckchairs or noisy bars.
Water is generally calm and shallow: excellent for swimming and safe for kids.

Compared to the west coast, it’s less dramatic but more peaceful; you’re not dodging long-tail boats and banana-boats every five minutes.

How It Compares to Other Koh Chang Resorts

Peninsula Beach Resort (same bay): Peninsula is closer to the sand and feels more like a classic beachfront resort, but room sizes are often smaller. If “open the door, step onto sand” is essential, pick Peninsula; if big room + lower cost matters more, Marina Sands is better value.
Little Sunshine Boutique Beach Resort (same bay): Much more intimate and romantic, with proper boutique charm, but only a few rooms and usually higher prices. Marina Sands is more practical for families and groups.
KC Grande (White Sand Beach): KC gives you huge pools and a full-on west-coast resort feel but also crowds and higher rates. Marina Sands trades that energy for peace and space.
Evergreen / Feel@Chill (Klong Son inland): Those are cheaper and simpler, fine if you’re mainly out exploring. Marina Sands is a step up in room size, setting and facilities.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Large, modern rooms , some of the best value per square metre on the island
Access to quiet beaches, big pools and golf in a private bay
Great for families and groups thanks to multi-bedroom suites
Handy location near the ferry yet still very peaceful

Cons

Not a toes-in-the-sand resort building as the beach is a stroll or shuttle away
Estate feel may be “too organised” if you prefer a scruffier Thai village vibe
At busy times, shuttles can be a bit in-demand, so you’ll either walk more or wait a little

Who Should Stay Here?

Perfect for:

Families who want calm water, safe swimming and space to spread out indoors
Groups of friends who like the idea of big shared suites and estate facilities
Travellers who are happy being in a private bay rather than a busy strip

Not ideal for:

Party-seekers who want bars and nightlife within stumbling distance
People who absolutely must be directly on the beach in the same building
Travellers who prefer small, quirky, owner-run guesthouses

Value for Money

Given the room sizes, modern facilities and access to Blue Haven Bay’s amenities, Marina Sands stacks up very well on the value front. If you compare it to similarly sized rooms on White Sand or Klong Prao, you’re often paying less for more space and much quieter surroundings. It’s not bargain-basement, but it’s one of the smarter mid-range choices for people who actually intend to use their resort.

Final Thoughts

If your idea of a Koh Chang holiday is more “quiet bay, big room, good sleep and a nice pool” than “pub crawl and fire show”, Marina Sands Resort is definitely worth a look. You won’t be strolling straight from your bed onto the sand, but you will have a sizeable, comfortable base in one of the island’s most chilled corners, with a very good beach a couple of minutes walk away.