106 Best Hotels in Phuket and the Andaman Coast, Thailand

It's pretty basic, but the Krabi River Hotel, on the banks of Khlong Krabi Yai, is a good budget option with pleasant views. The decor is nothing special but it's clean and comfortable, and it's a short stroll to some riverside eateries.

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.

There are large ponds with water lilies and fountains, and brick paths meander from the villas to the pool to the spa---it's all very chic. Northern Thai–style villas have marble floors, and all but the standard rooms have outdoor garden baths. Honeymooners are greeted with flowers, cake, and bubbly wine. Beachside massage is available for all.

Between Patong and Karon Beach, this sprawling resort has more bars, cafés, and restaurants than in many small towns, while the range of outdoor diversions—everything from tennis to water skiing—means you never have to leave the property. There are hundreds of guests at any given time, yet the resort never feels too crowded, thanks to its thoughtful design and staff that are always eager to help. Two huge wings are where you'll find the rooms, many of which have sea views or overlook the pair of large pools.

This surprisingly quiet option has luxury cottages that stretch over the lush hillside that separates Karon from Kata Beach---those higher on the hill are the quietest. Best of all, Marina Cottage has its own beach access, keeping the hordes at bay. Half the jungle rooms around the pool have all the latest high-tech amenities; note that some older rooms don't have certain amenities, like TVs.

This sumptuous resort has been designed in classical Thai style, with a great deal of emphasis on wood and traditional craftsmanship. Here you'll find peaked-roof villas in landscaped tropical gardens. The main three-story building is a bit farther from the beach, and only the top floor has an ocean view. Villas have canopy beds, triangular floor pillows, lounge areas, and outdoor rain showers.

Originally the Royal Phuket Yacht Club, the Nai Harn was Phuket's first luxury hotel and still delivers impeccable Thai hospitality. The ocean view rooms all have balconies overlooking sleepy Nai Harn Bay, with views of Promthep Cape in the distance. If you need a little refreshment, your suite comes with a dedicated  "Press for Champagne" button.

If you're staying in a resort on a beautiful white-sand beach with crystal-clear blue water, you should treat yourself to a room with a view---and at Nakara, you'll have one, even if you end up in a room at the back. Whether lying in bed and looking out through your window or lounging on one of two daybeds on the deck, you'll appreciate the tranquillity of the Andaman Sea. Ask for one of the rooms away from the restaurant and pool to ensure quiet. When it gets too hot, retreat to the air-conditioned bliss of your cottage, which has wooden floors and rattan walls, and enjoy the modern amenities.

The majority of rooms here are surprisingly inexpensive cottages that face the beach and are surrounded by well-maintained gardens. White concrete beachfront cottages have contemporary Thai interiors, outdoor garden showers, and decks with sun chairs. Beyond the pool (which has a great pool bar) and garden stand 2 modern two- and three-story complexes with studios and roomy one-bedroom suites. Long walks along the beach are magical at sunset. Well-priced spa services are available next door at the Seaview Resort.

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 sleek boutique hotel is in one of the busier parts of Ao Nang, offering proximity to shopping, dining, and drinking, plus swimming at the Noppharat Thara and Ao Nang beaches on either side. Some of the spacious rooms, decorated in a contemporary style with Thai touches, have direct access to a lovely courtyard pool that one can step into from a small wooden balcony-deck. There is also another small pool on the hotel's rooftop, which is great for a dip at the end of a long day with sunset drinks and wonderful open views of the sea and verdant cliffs.

This is a small comfortable resort in the middle of Laem Tong Beach, next to the sea gypsy village. The spacious cottages all have wooden floors and ceilings with golden curtains and comforters. The beach bar is great for lazy-afternoon cocktails, and there's a small museum about the sea gypsy community that you can check out when you need a break from the beach.

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.

Despite having undergone renovations and pushing up its prices, Paradise Resort continues to offer great value for money. Make sure to book ahead (it's popular) and don't settle for less than beachfront. These are the best sea-view rooms on Long Beach, and the other rooms aren't all that special. All rooms have tile floors and are relatively characterless, though superior rooms are slightly better than family rooms, which are far from the beach. You probably won't spend much time in your room, however, as the water is crystal clear and the tree-lined facade of the resort offers essential shade.

This resort takes great pride in its service levels, with polite, knowledgeable, and informative staff. There are many categories of rooms with something for everyone, from two-bedroom family residences on the beach to romantic villas that have rooftop plunge pools. Live classical Thai music greets you as you enter an expansive lobby lavishly decorated with Thai art, and the landscaped grounds include a scuba diving center and a peaceful spa. The sprawling property has entrances on the town side and the beachfront.  

At the Pavilions, each of the private villas has a pool and a small kitchen, plus you can have meals delivered to your room, and spa treatments, too, so you never have to see other guests if you don't want to. Rooms have enormous tubs, covered outdoor beds with fans, and ocean views from either the bed or the pool. If you feel the need to mingle with other guests, there is a bar with panoramic views at the peak of the hill; nonguests also drop in here for spectacular sunsets. Note that the resort does not allow children. Scheduled shuttle service is available for the beach and shopping areas.

For a less-expensive option, this is a comfortable convenient hotel in the center of Phuket Town, though it's a little tired around the edges. The top-floor Chinese restaurant has lovely views. The ground-floor café doubles as a nightclub with live music. There's also live music—anything from old waltzes to contemporary country tunes—in the cocktail lounge.

Every bungalow here has a large deck with a great view of both Phi Phi Lae and Tonsai Bay, though the rooms are a bit dated. The resort is on the quietest spot along Laem Hin Beach, and it's only a short (although sometimes slippery) 15-minute walk along the rocks to gorgeous Long Beach. Electric cars transfer guests from distant rooms to the reception and restaurant areas.

Beautiful sunrise views from the seaside bungalows are this resort's biggest draw. The 20 deluxe rooms along the rocky shoreline have wooden floors and Thai arts and crafts. The resort is on a hill between the north end of Laem Tong Beach and a smaller secluded beach, which is quite private but less than ideal for swimming. Budget rooms also have good views, as they are high up on the hill. Nevertheless, the restaurant here is crowded by tour groups daily at lunchtime.

On the western hillside overlooking Loh Dalam Bay, the hillside bungalows here are stacked pretty tightly next to and on top of each other, but the six beachfront bungalows will give you a little more breathing room and privacy. The outdoor bar and the pool also have outstanding views of the beach and bay.

Large thatch-covered huts in a natural setting give Phi Phi Villa a relaxing island feeling quite different from bustling Tonsai Bay, a short walk away. All bungalows have small patios with wooden handrails and spacious interiors. The resort is on a stretch of private beach where boats are prohibited from landing; the absence of the longtails that clutter Tonsai's shore makes the beach here a little more suitable for swimming, although it's still shallow and quite rocky. It's great for travelers who want to stay close to the action without being a part of it. Rooms closest to the beach are only for sound sleepers or night owls; the reverberations from Hippies Bar and Carpe Diem beach bar can be heard late into the night.

This is a stunning resort with scenic vantage points, and a unique design infused with Sino-Portuguese heritage. All the rooms and pool villas have local art and handicrafts and beautiful sea or garden views. There is a 1,000-square-meter free-form swimming pool, kids' club, wading pool and waterslide, plus a fabulous beachside restaurant. This tasteful resort is close to a charming local village and within proximity to Khao Sak National Park.

In the center of West Railay, this resort offers comfortable cottages and more opulent villas. Added bonuses are great Thai food and a beachside patio and bar from which you can watch the sunset. You can also get a massage in a room overlooking the beach and pool. The minimart is nearby.

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.

From practically everywhere you stand at this resort, you can enjoy overwhelming vistas of the bay and gorgeous limestone cliffs. Bungalows and rooms are set back in the hillside, spread out among the trees, along with a pool. It's popular with rock climbers.

Thai-style lamps and silk throw pillows on the beds and sofas are colorful touches at this quiet retreat midway between East and West Railay beaches. All rooms have balconies that look out over the lotus pool and the fishpond to the surrounding cliffs. A teak walkway connects the restaurant to the swimming pool.

This enormous lively resort stretches gracefully across an entire hillside along the road from Klong Khong Beach to Klong Nin. Look for lush green landscaping with palm trees, shrubs, and flowers, a choice of pools, an extensive kids' club, a game room, and more. Some rooms have private pools, and the spa is gorgeous.

Scattered across 26 landscaped acres, this magnificent resort is set in coconut groves with white-sand beaches on three sides. The lobby faces East Railay, the pool looks out over West Railay Bay, and the beach bar and restaurant are the only structures on Phra Nang Beach—Rayavadee has the only direct access to this beautiful stretch of sand. Circular pavilions built in traditional Thai style have spacious living rooms with curving staircases that lead up to opulent bedrooms and baths with huge round tubs. Some of the best rooms have secluded gardens with private hot tubs. Four restaurants assure variety—the beachfront Krua Pranang, set in a breezy pavilion, serves outstanding Thai food.

This convenient practical budget option has a great location and well-trained staff, albeit with tiny rooms. Don't expect any frills; everything has been pared down to give a minimalist feel. But if all you need is a place to rest your head, it's good value for the remarkably low price.

Surrounded by landscaped gardens, this eco-friendly boutique retreat has a swimming pool and a variety of tents from shared hostel-style accommodations to private tents with air conditioning and their own adjoining bathrooms. Weekly activities include a dedicated movie night with roasted marshmallows and a fire show. There's a restaurant and bar on-site.