Phuket Hotels
 

Ok we are booked for BKK – January 14 thru January 29. Likely to be staying at the Marriott Resort and Spa. We would like to tuck in another venue during our stay and are thinking about Phuket. I’d like some ideas from the Fodorites regarding where to stay in Phuket. We like to view the sea but are not beach bums, we need a 4/5 star but will want to limit it to about $200/night if possible. The property should be fairly new- please no older properties- too many issues on these. The bathrooms must be modern, well lit. No bug issues in the rooms. Now we don’’t want to be isolated from restaurants, town, night life etc so we would be looking for a place not far from this activity- maybe a short inexpensive cab over.

OK lets see what you guys come up with!

Bill
I would suggest Kata Beach area, or maybe Karon. Avoid Patong!

I did a check of Kata Beach availibility in January, and it's pretty well booked out already. I see that my favorite, Mom Tri's Villa Royale is available... $500+!!

Kata Thani is between $200-300; it's just "up and over the hill" (heading south) from Kata, on Kata Noi beach. I like the Kata Thani, but if you are not going for the beach then you might want something else. Kata Thani would require transportation (not very far though) to get to all the activity on Kata Beach, where you have lots more shopping/dining options.

(I'll be in Houston on Monday night and Tuesday night of this week coming up... do you and Olive want to get a margharita or cold beer somewhere???)

Carol

Take a look at the Meridien Beach Resort. We liked it and so did Bob on a separate trip. It's on a separate beach, north of Karon beach and south of Patong. Separated from both by a series of hills. It's got one of the best pools I've ever seen. Transport is easy by walking off the property and hooking up with a cab a few hundred yards towards the main road. If you've got Starwood points, it's a category 3 hotel.

Carol= we were hoping you would be in Houston on a weekend day- we live in Kingwood and its a long drive into town on a work night.

Ok Bill... maybe next time! No problem. Next time I hope to have a little bit earlier notice. This trip came up rather quickly.
Carol

(Mcbeanie and I are meeting)

Le Meridien- trip reports indicate that the proerty is in need of renovation, rooms too small and it appears out of the main stream so I'll need to look for other properties.

My first thought about Le Meridien (and I've never stayed there, but I have been there for a drink/look around) is that it is isolated. You need transportation to go anywhere. If you stay along Kata or Karon beach, you will have things to do right at your doorstep (depending on where you stay, of course). Look at the Kata Beach Resort; or there is a place up on the hill just above Mom Tri's Boathouse... I think it is Orchidaeccia (sp). I have seen it before and have thought it looked nice.

just a note on the le meridien....our room there was very nice and modern... we found the hotel, last year, to be in excellent condition. i can't imagine what people were reporting....was it TA reports? i find them way less than accurate often...

as a comparison, i found the rooms to be far nicer than the marriott R&S and the grounds to be equal