Phuket hotels
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Phuket hotels
We have a 7 night trip to Phuket (Life's a beach!).
Never been before.
Please can you advise good crew hotels (B'fast included, good free WiFi, bars and restaurants nearby - Oh, and a decent beach/pool for Rebecca!).
Absolutely no idea, and 1400+ choices on Booking.com.........
Thanks in anticipation,
Jez
Never been before.
Please can you advise good crew hotels (B'fast included, good free WiFi, bars and restaurants nearby - Oh, and a decent beach/pool for Rebecca!).
Absolutely no idea, and 1400+ choices on Booking.com.........
Thanks in anticipation,
Jez
Join Date: Jun 2007
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CAMBIOSO
Stayed in Six Senses Yao Noi before Christmas which is just a short boat ride from Phuket on an island, and that was quite good. Depends on choice, and of course budjet as always.
Regards
Mr Mac
Stayed in Six Senses Yao Noi before Christmas which is just a short boat ride from Phuket on an island, and that was quite good. Depends on choice, and of course budjet as always.
Regards
Mr Mac
Hi mate
I have done about 5 Phukets a year for the last 5 years, so I've pretty well nailed down where I want to stay.
Starting from the North - North of the airport is Mai Khao Beach. Here lies a bunch of magnificent hotels - prices vary seasonally from around $95 up to $450. Just depends on season and demand. My favourite is the Renaissance. Magnificent - breakky to die for. Other top end hotels here are The Sala and the Grand Westin. The Sala looks bland, but each room is like its own self detached home unit. Slightly down market, but still excellent is the Holiday Inn. Very very good. All have free brekkys and good pools. All right on the beach. This area does have some little street restaurants and bars next to the beach - very very good and cheap feeds and beers. (I can recommend these little restaurants, particularly after 7 beers and Van Halen pumping through your headphones). This area is a 20 min drive to airport.
First point south of the airport is Nai Yang beach. probably pick of the crop here is the Indigo Pearl. Magnificent - great brekkys, great big rooms. right on the beach. Huge complex with pools and multiple restaurants. Slightly down the peg a rung is the Dewa. Once again, every room is a detached little home unit with its own pool. Staff are magnificent, brekky is great - all meals are a la carte. Nai Yang is a 5 minute drive to airport. This area has the advantage of lots of bars and restaurants on and along the beach. All cheap as chips and safe from poisoning.
Next down south is a magnificent setting called the White sands. This hotel has its own beach and it is absolutely gorgeous. The hotel is gorgeous. Food is good. Last time I was there there were a few issues of hotel age, but it has since been in renovations so those little cracks should be all gone. this place is the real tropical island experience. the problem with this place is it is a tad isolated. It is about 2km to the little town centre. this little town centre is a street on a beach with shops, bars restaurants, both on the street and on the beach. A very attractive little town centre. The isolation can be overcome by hiring a motorbike for 5 bucks a day and keeping it at the hotel. Highly recommended you have a look at this place. Its about 25 mins from airport. Google earth it. lots of isolated beaches here which you access by simply parking your bike and heading down a forest track.
Further south again is the Laguna Beach complex. This is a bunch of hotels together. Aimed a bit more at familys. Great golf course. Restaurants on the beach. Not my cup of tea in this area.
Avoid Kamala, avoid Patong three times (more on this soon).
Next down is Kharon - nice beach lots of hotels, all pretty much the same. this area ticks all the boxes - bars, restaurants, beach, markets - but crowded, lots of Russians, about 45 to one hour from airport. Again, Ive stayed here a few times, would not again.
At the bottom of the island is the Kata area. ive not stayed there - but its an exciting hub, has more of a city feel, lots of street bars and night life. An exciting part of town, but very busy and the beaches aren't as good. The real down side of Kata and below is it can take up to 2 hours to get back to the airport if the traffic is bad. Would recommend a motorcycle ride right to the bottom to the yacht club (when you get to it you can ride through their underground garage through to more beaches.) After the yacht club head back east along the southern coast then back up the middle..
Patong - the one everyone's heard of. Very very busy, very sleazy, ladyboys and hookers everywhere. go there once then avoid it. Expect your drinks to be spiked - watch the crime here. Not a nice place at all. DO NOT STAY HERE.
Be careful on the motorbike - there is only one road rule there - "I see you, but I'm coming out in front of you anyway." they have no idea.
If you've not been there before I would recommend the White Sands - but beware of its slight isolation and the need for a bike. Nai Yang with the Indigo Pearl and the Dewa with the bars and restaurants in the area ticks all yOur boxes. there are some great sand bars there - the very last one on the strip, at the north end is run by a pom with a big TV on the wall and he is happy to put soccer, rugby union or Aussie rugby league on for you.
I recommend Nai Yang. But considering how many times I've been there - we always go North to Mai Khao where it is quieter with 5 star pubs. The hotel food in all these places cost western prices - the street restaurants and beach restaurants are Asian prices and are superb. try some of the fried mangos and bananas from the street trolleys. BRILLIANT.
If you pick a pub and want some further guidance fell free to ask. Avoid Phuket town and all the east side of the island.
Mr Lover
I have done about 5 Phukets a year for the last 5 years, so I've pretty well nailed down where I want to stay.
Starting from the North - North of the airport is Mai Khao Beach. Here lies a bunch of magnificent hotels - prices vary seasonally from around $95 up to $450. Just depends on season and demand. My favourite is the Renaissance. Magnificent - breakky to die for. Other top end hotels here are The Sala and the Grand Westin. The Sala looks bland, but each room is like its own self detached home unit. Slightly down market, but still excellent is the Holiday Inn. Very very good. All have free brekkys and good pools. All right on the beach. This area does have some little street restaurants and bars next to the beach - very very good and cheap feeds and beers. (I can recommend these little restaurants, particularly after 7 beers and Van Halen pumping through your headphones). This area is a 20 min drive to airport.
First point south of the airport is Nai Yang beach. probably pick of the crop here is the Indigo Pearl. Magnificent - great brekkys, great big rooms. right on the beach. Huge complex with pools and multiple restaurants. Slightly down the peg a rung is the Dewa. Once again, every room is a detached little home unit with its own pool. Staff are magnificent, brekky is great - all meals are a la carte. Nai Yang is a 5 minute drive to airport. This area has the advantage of lots of bars and restaurants on and along the beach. All cheap as chips and safe from poisoning.
Next down south is a magnificent setting called the White sands. This hotel has its own beach and it is absolutely gorgeous. The hotel is gorgeous. Food is good. Last time I was there there were a few issues of hotel age, but it has since been in renovations so those little cracks should be all gone. this place is the real tropical island experience. the problem with this place is it is a tad isolated. It is about 2km to the little town centre. this little town centre is a street on a beach with shops, bars restaurants, both on the street and on the beach. A very attractive little town centre. The isolation can be overcome by hiring a motorbike for 5 bucks a day and keeping it at the hotel. Highly recommended you have a look at this place. Its about 25 mins from airport. Google earth it. lots of isolated beaches here which you access by simply parking your bike and heading down a forest track.
Further south again is the Laguna Beach complex. This is a bunch of hotels together. Aimed a bit more at familys. Great golf course. Restaurants on the beach. Not my cup of tea in this area.
Avoid Kamala, avoid Patong three times (more on this soon).
Next down is Kharon - nice beach lots of hotels, all pretty much the same. this area ticks all the boxes - bars, restaurants, beach, markets - but crowded, lots of Russians, about 45 to one hour from airport. Again, Ive stayed here a few times, would not again.
At the bottom of the island is the Kata area. ive not stayed there - but its an exciting hub, has more of a city feel, lots of street bars and night life. An exciting part of town, but very busy and the beaches aren't as good. The real down side of Kata and below is it can take up to 2 hours to get back to the airport if the traffic is bad. Would recommend a motorcycle ride right to the bottom to the yacht club (when you get to it you can ride through their underground garage through to more beaches.) After the yacht club head back east along the southern coast then back up the middle..
Patong - the one everyone's heard of. Very very busy, very sleazy, ladyboys and hookers everywhere. go there once then avoid it. Expect your drinks to be spiked - watch the crime here. Not a nice place at all. DO NOT STAY HERE.
Be careful on the motorbike - there is only one road rule there - "I see you, but I'm coming out in front of you anyway." they have no idea.
If you've not been there before I would recommend the White Sands - but beware of its slight isolation and the need for a bike. Nai Yang with the Indigo Pearl and the Dewa with the bars and restaurants in the area ticks all yOur boxes. there are some great sand bars there - the very last one on the strip, at the north end is run by a pom with a big TV on the wall and he is happy to put soccer, rugby union or Aussie rugby league on for you.
I recommend Nai Yang. But considering how many times I've been there - we always go North to Mai Khao where it is quieter with 5 star pubs. The hotel food in all these places cost western prices - the street restaurants and beach restaurants are Asian prices and are superb. try some of the fried mangos and bananas from the street trolleys. BRILLIANT.
If you pick a pub and want some further guidance fell free to ask. Avoid Phuket town and all the east side of the island.
Mr Lover
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Thanks Lover!
Hello Lover!
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply (and what a reply!!).
I'll let you know which and where we chose.
Thanks again Trevor, really appreciate your time and knowledge.
Jez
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply (and what a reply!!).
I'll let you know which and where we chose.
Thanks again Trevor, really appreciate your time and knowledge.
Jez
Gday Jez. yep Dewa is good. Not the flashest but still very good. Great staff, great rooms and close to plenty of stuff along the beach there.
If you go out the front of the hotel, turn left and then first right, its about 800m down there to a little shop out the front of the Indigo Pearl. Here you can rent motorcycles for about $5 per day. She will require your passport but don't worry, I have used her heaps and heaps of times, it is safe. She will also do your laundry for a couple of bucks. When you go in the shop, count how many guards are at the front of the Indigo Pearl. Buy them a Magnum each - come out of the shop, go "oi" and chuck them a magnum each. The happiness you will bring those guys is priceless. I do this a couple of times every trip.
On the way down that little road you will see a muslim graveyard on the right. see if you can pick the funny mistake on the ornate marble sign.
Have a great trip. What are you flying there. I gather you will be parking on the navy side.
Cheers
Trev
If you go out the front of the hotel, turn left and then first right, its about 800m down there to a little shop out the front of the Indigo Pearl. Here you can rent motorcycles for about $5 per day. She will require your passport but don't worry, I have used her heaps and heaps of times, it is safe. She will also do your laundry for a couple of bucks. When you go in the shop, count how many guards are at the front of the Indigo Pearl. Buy them a Magnum each - come out of the shop, go "oi" and chuck them a magnum each. The happiness you will bring those guys is priceless. I do this a couple of times every trip.
On the way down that little road you will see a muslim graveyard on the right. see if you can pick the funny mistake on the ornate marble sign.
Have a great trip. What are you flying there. I gather you will be parking on the navy side.
Cheers
Trev
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"chuck them a Magnum each"
By Magnum, I take it you mean the ice cream not the weapon Trev???
Thanks again, this trip could be fun...............
Jez
Thanks again, this trip could be fun...............
Jez
