Hotel/resorts in Phuket
 

Any suggestions for a hotel/resort in Phuket for early June....family of 4 (2 daughters, 18 & 22 yrs. old). Want a nice place to relax and go to the beach.

If you want recommendations, you'll need to give us more info. What kind of beach aera do you want? Busy with lots of restaurants to choose from closeby? Quieter, where you can get to restaurants vai tuk-tuk? A self-contained resort where you never need to leave the property?

And give us a price range per night. Do you want a suite or two adjoining rooms?

Oh, and are you only considering Phuket? It's not the best time of the year for Phuket, rainy (though it usually doesn't last all day). Would you consider say, Koh Samui or Hua Hin, both of which have less rain then? (about 10 inches in June in Phuket vs. 3 or 4 inches in June in Koh Samui or Hua Hin)

We are pretty open....we are arriving/departing from Bangkok so we can go anywhere in between (June 4-17). We thought Phuket for the resorts but if there is a better place then we will consider that. We are looking for about $400US/night. Do you recommend Koh Samui or Hua Hin rather than Phuket? If so, where to stay there? One of our daughters is very adventurous....the other (22 yr. old) would prefer hanging out at the beach/pool. A 2-bedroom suite would be fine....but again, we are flexible.....do want separate room for my husband and me and one for the girls to share.

Certainly Phuket has lots of resorts, but so does Koh Samui and Hua Hin. Phuket will likely be bargain rates since it's off season. But if you want to swim in the sea, it can be rough during the rainy season.

Let me suggest that you look at one of the Thai hotels booking sites. www.sawasdee.com is one many of us use. Take a look through some of the resorts in each of those places and see what appeals to you.

In Hua Hin (since theat's the place I've been most recently), I'd recommend the Sofitel if you want to be in town. It's on a nice stretch of beach and is a very old-world elegant beach resort with the doormen in their pith helmets. The Hyatt is really lovely with wonderful grounds. They have recently built a new spa that I hear is fabulous. Being next door to the world-renowned Chiva Som, it would have to be fabulous in order to compete at all. ANother place I'd recommend is the Anantara. Their luxe "lagoon rooms" are lovely. This cluster of rooms has it's own pool area that is quiet and more private, and these rooms are located next to their wonderful spa.

There was just a great review of Mom Tri's Villa Royale on Phuket. It's likely in your price range during the off season. Do a search for the report by robbietravels.

US$400 in June is a great deal, you will find plenty far less than that, if you decide Phuket Katathani at Kata ( Junior suite $ 160-170 range so you could get 2 !! ), Centara Villas overlooking Karon, geat views, $100-200 depening on room type, you could get 1 top end Pool Villa ( about $220 and a Spa villa about 170, a a deluxe about 98, then your daugher can enjoy 'your' pool and you save more for shoppin etc ). Kata and Karon are quieter but still restaurants and not too quiet.

As kathie has said it 'is' the rainy season and that means chancing the weather.

Koh Samui is a good alternative weatherwise and for a tropical island style, you can also go over to Koh Phangan and perhaps Koh Tao if you want to do some good snorkeling, weather that time of year better than Phuket, beaches nicer than Hua Hin and more for your daughters if they want to 'go out' in the evenings. I think they would be happier in Samui. Samui has some good boutique style beach places, some good ideas:
http://www.phuket-luxury-hotels.com/...koh-samui.html
There are also lots of other mid range and luxury places.

It might be an idea to think of getting perhaps some pool place as one room and then perhaps a not so expensive room, of course you can all enjoy the 'pool' place but if together that could work out cost effective, they can join you in your suite/pool room and then use their other room simply for sleeping. You don't have to spend on 2 top end rooms, one should be ok and that does give all of you your 'own space' which I think is vital.
Hua Hin dos not have the tropical style beaches like Samui or Phuket, we go here often, but I guess you are thinking tropical island style.

For a very quick into to places www.beachsiam.com/where_to_go.html gives some good ideas and includes all those places plus easy details of getting around.
Flights to Samui / Phuket take just over an hour, airfares to Phuket much less as many budget airlines on the route, Bangkok-Samui tends to be expensive as only bangkok Airways at the moment.

you might look at a timeshare rental at the jw marriott in phuket....perfect for the 4 of you....2 bedrooms and tons of rooom....its right next to the hotel and you can use all of their facilities

last year in summer they were only $169/day

Your Daughters will love Samui. Lots of activity for them both day and night. I love Hua Hin but I think it will drive your girls bonkers...very quiet and the beach is on the fair side of ordinary. The beach at south Chaweng is beautiful and the weather at that time of year will normally be much better than Phuket. Your budget should give you plenty of options but I would tend towards 2 seperate/ajoining rooms so the girls can come and go as they please without disturbing you or visa versa. Lots of day trip opportunities as well as soft adventure options close by.