14 Best Hotels in Phuket and the Andaman Coast, Thailand

The Best House lobby, an inviting high-ceilinged room with comfortable chairs, white tile floors, and wooden beams, offers a good sense of what you can expect from the accommodations. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. The place isn't on the beach, but it's very close to it. 

One of the best among a string of boutique bed-and-breakfasts in the charming Peranakan Old Town, Casa Blanca is comprised of 17 tasteful rooms with either garden courtyard views or a small balcony looking out onto the street. The hotel's proximity to the trendier areas makes it an ideal base for those wishing to explore the buzz and charm of Phuket Town. The friendly staff are keen to ensure that your stay is comfortable and enjoyable, and little touches like handmade soaps elevate this place out of the ordinary.

Chao Koh Phi Phi Lodge is a collection of unfortunately lime-green, basic but comfortable bungalows near Tonsai Bay. There's a great swimming pool, and the resort features family-size suites. At the back of the resort there are still some budget-friendly wooden fan huts. Evenings, the lodge runs a seafood restaurant by the sea, with a nice view of the bay.

On isolated Laem Son Beach, this family-run resort offers genuine Thai hospitality. Tall pines, arching coconut palms, flowers, and ferns abound, and many birds inhabit the grounds. The basic rooms have fans only, but larger air-conditioned villas have individually designed layouts and interior design, with walls in cheerful colors like lavender, pistachio, or yellow, and all include some Thai art. The resort is across the river from Noppharat Thara National Park.

On a hill between the two beach areas of Kata and Karon, these well-situated accommodations are a great value. The bungalows are basic but clean, and all rooms have balconies that overlook a garden courtyard area. Some of the rooms are a little dated and on the small side, but they are good for the price. Email for direct booking.

On the island of Koh Jum, in Phang Nga Bay between Krabi, Phi Phi, and Koh Lanta, Koh Jum Lodge has rooms in 20 wooden cottages designed in traditional Thai architectural style, on the grounds of a coconut palm plantation in a tropical garden setting. All cottages are near the beach, facing Phi Phi Islands to the west, each benefiting from sunset and sea views. Although the resort is open all year, public boats do not service it year-round. During the high season (November to mid-May), boats from Krabi to Koh Lanta stop offshore, where longtail boats ferry you to the island. The remainder of the year you must contact the resort to hire a B3,000 longtail for the 40-minute ride out to the island from Krabi.

Organized by a community of Koh Yao residents, locals invite visitors to stay in their homes, share meals with them (consisting primarily of fish caught by village fishermen), and learn about about local customs like rubber tapping, batik dying, fishing, rice farming, coconut harvesting, and other traditional trades. It's a lot more environmentally friendly and less invasive on the island's Indigenous people than resort development.

The affordable beachside bungalows at the Lanta Miami are clean, spacious, and with big beds and have nicely sized tiled bathrooms. Try to snag a beachfront bungalow for the best experience. Some are right on the sand.

Most of the bungalows at this chill resort have views of Koh Ha and balconies where you can sway in a hammock or kick back in a palm-straw rocking chair. The rooms are basic, with cloth canopy ceilings and rattan walls. It almost doesn't matter that the shore here is rocky rather than sandy; many guests take courses with the in-house dive shop, practicing in the pool or the crystal-clear sea. Others snorkel or just soak up the view from the large Jacuzzi.

This small, friendly, family-run boutique guesthouse is in a quiet spot near town, on the quieter south end of Kamala Beach. Stone walls and a water feature set the tone outside. Owners Charly and Koong, a former interior designer, have created a modern concrete design in the lobby. The 10 rooms are functional, if a little small, but for the price it is a great budget option. The guesthouse is only 50 meters from the beach.

Among the best of the less expensive options on Railay, this place has clean bungalows in a garden setting and a great location near the beach. Ask for a bungalow up the hill for almost no extra charge and much better views. The management is friendly and can help you plan boat transfers at no extra charge, as well as offer a few suggestions about the area.

If you like your huts to be of progressive design, go Somewhere Else---the six octagonal rooms in the front of the clearing are particularly cool, with fold-down windows, wooden floors, and loose-pebble bathroom floors. This resort is nothing fancy (expect cold water and fans), but it has a great vibe, and you'll enjoy playing Ping-Pong with friendly staff in the common room or just watching the sunset on the chill-out pillows strewn on various wooden platforms. Note that there's no hot water, but your shower will be warm from the sun.

It's just a few minutes walk from the beach but it means the prices at this small friendly hotel are quite reasonable, and some rooms have balconies overlooking the street along the beach. This is one of the cleanest nicest budget options in the area. The staff is a joy, always attentive and making every effort to make your stay fun and enjoyable.

This longstanding resort on the Ao Nang beachfront has tastefully decorated rooms, an on-site spa, two swimming pools, and two restaurants, one of which is vegan. The central location is a big plus, as the resort is within walking distance to entertainment, shopping, and dining venues.