I'm looking for a relatively high end, quiet beach resort on Phuket or nearby. We only have three days so can't go too far. We want a nice place (but nothing like Amanpuri rates!) Prefer smaller boutique type if possible. We don't need/want nightlife. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

its not small and it is removed from the fray and that is the jw marriott resort just north of the airport...its the newest of the big resort type places i believe....

james will probably have a couple of suggestions for you as well....he gave me some ---i can't remember at the moment--sorry

meredien yacht club is well liked by some friends of ours

chedi is also a long time favorite...

Check out Twin Palms Resort - it is newly opened (Dec '04, I think) and has gotten good reviews on other sites (i.e. tripadvisor, etc.).

They have a nice website and great deals right now (check direct-rooms.com):

http://www.twinpalms-phuket.com/

Look at the Pimalai on Koh Lanta. They have a web site, but it's actually more beautiful than the photos... Can't say enough about it -- gorgeous clean wide beach, turquoise water so clear you can see your toes, lovely accommodations, exquisite tropical landscaping, wonderful spa with Thai style treatment rooms nestled in among the foliage and water ponds, delicious food, an infinity pool overlooking the sea... quiet and completely relaxing. Click on my name for our trip report. Also travelmom13 loved it as well.

I agree that Koh Lanta is very nice especially the Pimalai but with just 3 days I think you need to be within easy distance of the airport. The places that spring to mind would perhaps the Chedi, Maiton Resort ( on small offshore Island but with easy access ) or perhaps Le Meridien at Nai Harn Beach. Nakamanda in Krabi also worth a look. If you want a quality boutique style place Mon Tri's Boathouse at Kata. Take a look at this site, 70+ places on Phuket, although have luxury also highly detailed descriptions of all accommodations and lots of photos, could take hours going through them all but very simple to navigate and tons of information: www.phuket-luxury-hotels.com
(also has Krabi and Koh Lanta plus also you can see lots of photos of Aleenta if you go to their Hua hin page, benefits are the masses of photos and very detailed descriptions they give )

Do remember that we did not say to brush aside the Aleenta, regarding travel time note that hotel-to-hotel ( aka door-to-door ) Bangkok to Aleenta would be about 3 hrs but to a Phuket hotel about 4.5 to 5.5 hours, so not much difference either way except getting a limo/taxi from the hotel front straight to destination has to be 'easy'!
Also considor your 'return flight time'. If you are on an eastbound flight back to the USA on UA or NW these depart very early, not sure which way around but 1 is I think 7 am and the other 8 am, which means really overnighting in BKK ifm you are coming back up from Phuket or Krabi.

northwest leaves at 6AM.....

Thanks for the response re: travel time James A -- what made me change my mind about Aleenta was the fact that I would not be starting from Bangkok. We'll likely be coming from Chiang Rai or perhaps Chiang Mai. So while we might have a stopover in BKK, maybe it would be easier to just jump on another plane to Phuket or Koh Samui rather than do a 2.5 hr. drive. In any case we'd have to come to Bangkok for one evening before we depart for the states. We have 4 ngihts now. I think we can fly into Krabi as well as Phuket from Chiang Mai, but not Koh Samui?

p.s. thanks too for the suggestions on or near Phuket, each looks like just what I was looking for. I need ten vacations to visit them all.

There used to be 1 daily non stop Chiang Mai to Phuket but that eased earlier in the year, it is possible they may re-instate this flight biut I would guess that would only be from November.
Otherwsie you change at Bangkok. If you are flying on Thai from Chiang mai to Phuket they will tag your bags at Chiang Mai and issue boarding cards to final destination, transit domestic at Bangkok is a 'breeze'.
Thai has by far the most flights from Chiang Mai and also onwards to Phuket and Krabi.
If you were going to Koh Samui Bangkok Airways is the 'only' carrier. Although Bangkok Airways 'does' have some flights between Chaing Mai and Bangkok it is nothing like the frequency of Thai. There are budget carriers on BKK to Chiang Mai and BKK to Phuket but unless you are on a tight budget I would stick with Thai and also get those very useful miles (Star Alliance, you can use towards UA etc ). Also as I think mentioned you can fly Executive Class on domestic for very little extra.
Check with thair for their Air-pass offe(Economy/Coach) as if you fly BKK to Chaing Mai and then also BKK-Phuket/Krabi that would be 4 sectors so the air-pass thing would save. If you are not going for the air pass or if not available for when you travel or whatever an M class ticket saves you over a Y class ticket ( the only difference being M class is valid for 3 months and Y class for either 6 or 12 months, not sure, but the M fare suits almost everyone .