Hi-
My mom and I will be going to Siem Reap (3 days) and Phuket (2 days) in January. We need some help in choosing a hotel in both places. We are going to SR to see Angkor Wat. We don't have any particular plans in Phuket b/c our stay is so short. We don't want to be anywhere isolated as it's our first time there. We will probably go snorkeling - let me know if there's anything else we should plan in our short stay. We are looking at hotels up to $120 that are clean, convenient and nice. Thanks for your help in advance!

In Siem Reap look at the FCC, Shinta Mani, La Noria, Mysteres de Angkor, Bopha Angkor...those should be around your budget or below. There are lots and lots of choices in Siem Reap...both talesofasia.com and travelfish.org have good listings. Your budget covers all except the luxury places.

I'll leave Phuket hotels to someone else, but I'll suggest that you consider skipping Phuket and add the time to Siem Reap. It's a lot of travel and expense for 2 days.

If you really want to go to Phuket, then make your activities there count. Snorkeling is best done as a day trip by boat somewhere...there will be plenty of advertisements for this. If you want a memorable and full day, try the Hong by Starlight trip with John Gray Sea Canoe. Still, I'd skip Phuket for 2 days.

Thanks KimJapan. I'll research those hotels in SR. As for Phuket, we are trying to add another day in. But if we don't, we just want to go there to say we've been and just get a taste of the area.

We have the option of staying in Phuket for 3.5 days but that would lessen our Bangkok stay to a total of 4.5 days. Do you think we should stay a couple days longer in Phuket but shorten the Bangkok stay? Or should we stay in Bangkok for 6 days and 2 days in Phuket?

Call me biased, but I would spend more time on Phuket - but a nicer more peaceful, and far more beautiful place!

Lots of ideas about where to stay on Phuket - different areas - bungalows - resorts - etc. at "Vacationing on Phuket":

http://phuketdelight.com/Vacationing%20on%20Phuket.htm

Thanks TedKarma. I would prefer to stay longer in Phuket just to get a better experience. However, my mom feels that there is more to do in Bangkok and that we would be missing out if we lessen our stay there. She's more interested in seeing sites than relaxing on the beach. I keep reading about PhiPhi Islands. Is that more of a day trip? Would you reccommed we go there?

There is much more to do, see, learn and experience about the Thai culture in Bangkok than in Phuket. It depends on what you want to do on your vacation.

Depends on what you want to do...Bangkok is chuck full of sightseeing, shopping, eating....big city. Phuket is very developed too, but in a resorty kind of way. If I were to go to Phuket I'd go to a nice resort and relax. In Bangkok, we kind of divide the time each day...nice breakfast, something sighseeing or activity, after lunch back to the hotel to enjoy the pool and spa, then maybe out for dinner, or maybe eat in the hotel, depends on our mood. In a resorty place like Koh Samui or Phuket, we tend to spend more time in the resort using the pool, beach, spa, just relaxing.

If it were me, I would do something like this.
12/28 BKK (2 nights)
12/30 REP (4 nights)
1/3 Phuket OR Chiang Mai (4 nights)
1/7 BKK (4 nights)
1/11 HOME
If your international flight is out of BKK it would make sense to go to Chiang Mai earlier and spend te last nights in BKK.

Or if your international flight is out of CNX
12/28 BKK (4 nights)
1/1 REP (4 nights)
1/5 Phuket (3 nights)
1/8 Chiang Mai (3 nights)

We were trying to do the latter of the two schedules you had posted above. However, due to the full flights, it wasn't that easy. So far we have:
12/28 Bangkok
12/31 SR
1/3 Phuket
1/5 Bangkok
1/8 CM
We'll probably keep it that way unless we can get an extra day in Phuket.

If anyone else has any opinions on other places to stay in Phuket, please let me know. Thanks!

i would dump phuket...two days is almost useless imo....maybe go to hua hin for a couple of days and save the airfare and stay at a nicer hotel...add days to SR and bkk....stay in a really nice hotel in bkk with money saved by dumping phuket...honestly its not all that great...

With that schedule I would eliminate Phuket entirely too. Take into consideration that although the flights themselves are not long, the process of packing, checking out of the hotel, getting to the airport, checking in and security, waiting, flying, getting to the next hotel (or doing immigration procedures too for 2 of your flights), checking in...it all takes time. Even if you get an early or mid morning flight, you won't be anywhere until lunch time. Siem Reap to Phuket is scheduled to depart REP at 9:50...that morning can't be used in REP for anything...arrive Phuket at 13:05...to hotel by about 3:00 if everything goes as planned. One day lost in transit, so you will get one full day in Phuket as you will leave on the 5th. Not worth the time or expense.

As already has been said, although just over a 1 hour flight from Bangkok you are going to take up a lot of time travel to and from airports, check in, waiting around etc.
Now if you want to snorkel you will need to go go 'off island' from Phuket so that would take up a day also to Phi Phi or other snorkeling areas.

It depends how important the snorkeling is, although snorkeing around the Estern Guklf is no where near as good as arounbd say Phi Phi you need to balance that between a flight down south then transfer to hotel or resort, then day trip to snorkel as opposed to having some sun and some beach at a nice resort about 1 hr 30 -2 hrs from Bangkok Airport southeast or about 2.5 hrs taxi or limo from the BKK airport to some nice lux resort like say the Hyatt or Sofitel Hua Hin, but no snorkeling, but beach and sun etc.

You do have options but depends how important the snorkeling aspect is.

If you still stick with Phuket you have a choice of beaches, so deciding beach area is important although trips go from all hotels and resorts, USD 120 in January is only going to get you mid range places, Kata Beach might suit and on the 2nd road back from the beach are several just about within that range, though it's a walk to the beach itself. If you can tell us a little more, whether you like small boutique places or larger hotels. I lived for years on Phuket and others here have visited on a regular basis, so be as specific as you wish, just note that 120 a night elimates many places.

Thanks all for your feedback! My mom was able to change our flight, so we now have an extra day in Phuket! =)
Now our schedule is looking more like this:
12/28 Bangkok
12/31 SR
1/3 Phuket
1/6 Bangkok
1/8 CM

As for hotels in BKK, we are planning to stay at 2 different hotels - Marriott Resort & Spa and another near shopping. Has anyone stayed at the Majestic Grande? It looks nice and seems convenient.

In Siem Reap, FCC looks nice so we're considering that.

I haven't yet looked into Phuket hotels.

For CM, we are booked at Baan Orapin but they couldn't accomodate us for our entire stay so we still need another accommodation.

MG gets good reports....it is newish so not that many have stayed there....there are several staying there in the next couple of months so watch for their reports...

it is a great location about 7 minutes or less walk to two different skytain stations and right off of sukhumvit rd...it is right behind the jw marriott...the rooms may be a bit small but certainly servicable....tons of restaurants all around...

you will love the marriott...

Our other option besides MG was the Holiday Inn that a couple people mentioned as being nice too.