We have 5 nights booked in March at JW Marriott in Phuket using points. The JW sounds wonderful but after reading more on this site, we now wonder if it is too isolated. We enjoy a great beach, checking out the local markets and sights, and a quite location with as few kids as possible. We do not care much about nightlife. We love finding great local restaurants for lunch and dinner vs. eating at the hotel. Are there any such places around the JW? How far would we have to go to get a good meal? Should we consider one of the other Marriott properties? Has anyone stayed at the Courtyard at Surin Beach, Kamala Beach or the Renaissance on Koh Samui?

Just when we thought we were all done with planning, now we are second guessing this one hotel decision. We will be staying in BKK for 4 days at the Peninsula and 3 at the E&O in Penang. I’m sure we will have plenty of great food and lots to keep us busy so maybe we should just leave things as they are and enjoy the peace and quite.

We appreciate any advice.

The JW Phuket is a beautiful property. Great pools, very lush landscaping and lots to do. With dozens of torches lit up at night it is very impressive. Yet, it is indeed isolated and I think may be best enjoyed with kids. If you are traveling during a school vacation period then the hotel will be packed with youngins. If not, maybe not too many. Yet, I imagine because the property is so child friendly you may always get some very young children for whom school vacations aren't relevant. There are many pools, however, and you can certainly still relax. There is a kids' pool where most small children congregate.

You need to taxi to most anywhere else, or rent a car. Most spots are at least 15+ minutes away. We too did not want to eat in the hotel restaurants much and we took taxis for dinner most every night. We had some very good meals doing so and prices were much less then eating at the hotel. You can book a tax for a few hours and the driver will wait for you. I think that should be around US $25. Yet, in truth, we much prefer being closer to stores and restaurants. Also, the beach at the JW while long, sweeping and very pretty is not as tranquil or crystal blue as some of the other beaches in Phuket. It is open ocean. It can be calm, or a bit rough.

In short, if you really want to be closer to some "action," stores and restaurants and the like, you may want to look further south. If you are Ok simply relaxing (we were) and can take taxis or rent a car, then go for it. It is a tremendous property. Have fun.

I've stayed at the JW and the Renaissance on Koh Samui. I will also be at the Courtyard on Surin Beach at the end of this month. Like everyone says, the JW is a very nice property but I will never stay there again because it is too isolated and the prices inside the hotel are just what you would expect. The surf on the beach is rough and I never saw anyone swimming.

I've stayed at the Chedi before and ended up walking or taking a scooter to Surin Beach or Patong every day. Plenty of local markets & restaurants near Surin Beach.

There is a great mom & pop restaurant called JR Restaurant just down the lane from the Renaissance on Koh Samui. I ate there several times and it's very inexpensive. I can almost taste it now!

Thanks to both of you. I'm really starting to lean away from JW.

Deptrai - you mentioned you stayed at the Renaissance on Koh Samui - did you like the hotel, location? I hope you'll report back on the Courtyard at Surin Beach.

I liked the Renaissance and wouldn't hesitate to stay there again. I stayed on some kind of spa package that included R/T airport transfers. My wife really enjoyed the spa treatments. We had a deluxe room with Jacuzzi tub on the balcony. Wood floor, LCD TV, minibar. A lot of small lizards everywhere, but none inside the room. The property is located between Chaweng & Lamai beaches (closer to Lamai). I think we walked to Lamai once, but then got a scooter to get around the rest of the time. You can rent scooters & have your laundry done from shops along the lane that the hotel is on. It’s at the top of a small hill. We never did any beach activities so I can’t comment on that. We did all our snorkeling in Kota Kinabalu.
I will definitely post a report on the Courtyard Surin Beach upon our return in December.

Again, thanks Deptrai. Have a great trip!

Surin beach would be ideal at that time of year. Just starting to wind down from the peak season, yet still the best time for weather and beach conditions.

I have not stayed at the Marriott property there so I cant speak for that but we tend to spend alot more time at the beach and in local restaraunts so we tend to spend less on accomodation these days. The area itself is packed with great beachside (sit on plastic tables on the sand) restaraunts and there are plenty of local market stalls selling the usual variety of clothes/bags/shoes etc.

I prefer Kata beach but if you need to stay at a Marriott property you will not be dissapointed with Surin.

i would only add that this is a very good use for your marriott points as this is an expensive hotel....we loved our stay there and while we would have prefered to be nearer to town, we managed fine with only a full day outing from the hotel in a rented car...it suited us just fine...