Choosing A Hotel In Thailand: Life Hacks And The Latest News

Profi correspondent.Travel shares its own experience of inspecting facilities at Phuket and mainland Thailand.

Last time, we got acquainted with Phuket hotels for “picky” tourists, for whom the Pegas Select program operates. Today we will tell you the latest details about the work of more than 20 hotels located in different parts of Phuket and on the mainland of Thailand — the popular area of Khao Lak beach. Our list of in—demand facilities includes not only well-known hotels on the Russian market, but also new items that you should know about for effective sales.

To begin with, let’s refresh our memory with important information that will help you choose the perfect vacation spot for your clients. The air temperature at Phuket is about 30 degrees all year round. At the same time, there is a very pronounced seasonality here:

Dry season: November — April;
Rainy season: May — October;
from June to September are the months with the maximum amount of precipitation, but the rains are short and mostly at night.

By the way, do not forget that in Thailand as a whole and on In Phuket, in particular, all beaches are public, but a number of hotels, due to geographical features, have a conditionally “own” beach, where only guests of the resort can get to.

And now let’s move on to the review of hotels.

Mai Khao Beach Hotels

One of the most beautiful and longest beaches of the island, Mai Khao, is located in the northern part of Phuket, on the west coast, in close proximity to the international airport. There is also one of the most famous insta-points in Phuket, which is called “catch a plane landing on your hand”.

A wide strip of beach stretches for almost 17 kilometers. You can walk along it all alone, taking amazing photos. The entry into the water is excellent: the depth begins almost immediately, which is why the tides are almost imperceptible.

Splash Beach Resort Phuket 5* / Open

The hotel on Mai Khao Beach is located closest to Phuket International Airport: from the beach or from the water, you can watch planes landing and taking off. Tourists from other hotels are even brought here for an excursion so that they can take unforgettable photos — right under the plane flying very low from the sea. And vacationers in Spash can walk to the landing site of the liners at least every day and take spectacular, almost blogging, photos for memory.

At the same time, Splash Beach is far from the main attractions of the island (by local standards): a 40—minute- hour drive. The hotel is quite affordable, and at prices as well. The territory is very large, with tall green trees, with pools and ponds, which is a pleasant walk to the beach and restaurants. It is also possible to travel by buggy, which constantly ply the territory of the hotel. There are nine 5- and 6-storey buildings, there is a separate villa area.

The hotel offers 3 types of meals: BB, HB and FB, which is especially convenient for families with children. For children there is a water park, a children’s club, small areas in the pools.
Spash should not be recommended to tourists who are very sensitive to noise: when a large plane takes off, it can be heard on the territory of the hotel. However, literally on the second day of your stay you don’t even notice it.
The beach is wide with a gentle entrance. There is a large swimming pool near the beach, and next to it there is a restaurant where you can taste various dishes throughout the day, including Thai cuisine. Live music is played here in the evenings.
The main feature of Spash is that it is the only hotel with a huge water park on Phuket. Right in the middle of the territory there is a whole city of Splash Jungle Water Park (open 5 days a week) with five large slides for adults and two slides for children.
By the way, the water park is included in the price, but you need to check with the tour operator when an extra bed is put in the room — as a rule, in this situation, breakfast and a water park per guest are paid separately.

Very close to the hotel there are small shops for groceries, cosmetics, beach items, a 7 Eleven store, local restaurants and currency exchange offices.

The SPA area is cozy, but small, you can do massage outside the hotel.

There is also a huge free-standing business center with a large number of conference rooms, where you can not only hold business meetings, seminars, conferences, but also arrange a real ball in the Grand Ball Room for 1,000 people.

Avani+ Mai Khao Phuket Suites & Villas 5* / Open

If this hotel is familiar to the Russian professional audience, it is like the Anantara Vacation club. In 2008, it was rebranded here, and now it belongs to the Avani chain. According to the representative of the hotel, there are plans to actively enter the Russian market and increase the flow of Russian tourists.

Avani+ Mai Khao is not located on the first line, 300 meters from Mai Khao beach — to get to the sea, you have to cross the road. There is a beautiful green area, on which there are two 6-storey buildings, as well as villas.

The hotel is located in close proximity to the Turtle Village shopping center and the popular tourist street with restaurants and SPA salons.

Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas 5* (included in the Select program) / Open

Across the street from the hotel is the Anantara Villas Hotel, which, like Avani+, belongs to the chain of Minor hotels.

This hotel, built in 2008, has long been very popular with tourists from Russia: 40-50% of hotel guests come from Russia, and this proportion is only growing.

Anantara Villas is located in close proximity to Mai Khao Beach.

The hotel has a very large beautiful territory, here you can rent bicycles for free to get around the resort.

There are 113 villas with swimming pools. As the representative of the hotel said, the guests from Russians book villas for 4-7 days to stay in solitude and silence, and then move to the area of Patong beach.

It is important that guests of Anantara Villas can enjoy all the activities on site at Avani+ Mai Khao Phuket Suites & Villas 5*.

Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa 5* (included in the Select program) / Open

Renaissance Phuket is located on the first line. It was opened in 2010, but it seems as if the hotel is completely new.

There is a large beautiful territory here, which allows you to feel almost completely alone. The complex has 180 rooms of six categories and 26 villas. There is a very beautiful fish pond near the reception area.

The main pool is located near Mai Khao Beach.

The main contingent of Renaissance Phuket is couples, including newlyweds.

The hotel has a Russian-speaking representative, while tourists from Russia is about 15% here. So it can be safely recommended to those tourists who are not too eager to cross paths with their compatriots on vacation.

Bang Tao Beach Hotels

Bang Tao Beach is a wide sandy strip several kilometers long with a fairly gentle entrance to the water, which provides comfortable and safe swimming for children. The beach is popular with tourists — there is a fairly developed infrastructure: nearby there are restaurants, cafes, shopping centers and shops where you can find everything you need. At night, life on the beach freezes, it will not suit disco lovers.

Movenpick Resort Bangtao Beach (included in the Select program)/ Open

The hotel is located on the first coastline, built in 2011.

Movenpick Resort Bangtao Beach is very popular with tourists from Of Russia. As the representative of the hotel said, on certain dates the percentage of Russians here reaches 99%.

It is worth noting that all last year it remained just as popular with tourists from In Russia, despite the fact that prices have increased by about 20% since 2022.

The hotel has 40 rooms, each with its own kitchen.

The territory is small, but very cozy and stylish. It is worth noting that the boars by the pool are free.

Another important feature of Movenpick Resort Bangtao Beach is that there are golf courses in the immediate vicinity of the hotel, and guests are provided with a golf cart to them for free.

The popular Boat Avenue and Villa Market shopping streets are also a 10-minute taxi ride away.

SAII Laguna Phuket (included in the Select program) / Open

Previously, the hotel was well known to travel agents under the name Outrigger Laguna Phuket.

This is a large facility on the first coastline, belongs to the Laguna complex. There are 255 rooms in total, which are divided into two wings: Laguna Wing and Ocean Wing.

In 2024-2025, it is planned to complete a complete renovation.

SAII Laguna Phuket operates on an All Inclusive system.

All entertainment not related to motor vehicles is free for guests. A 1-hour tennis court is also provided free of charge.

According to the Russian—speaking representative of the Marina hotel, SAII Laguna Phuket is very popular with Russian tourists, mainly with adult couples. She noted that this object is often chosen for their holidays and celebrities from Russia, for example, Zhanna Aguzarova and Soso Pavliashvili.

On New Year’s Eve, the hotel always prepares a unique festive program.

Banyan Tree Phuket (included in the Select program) / Open

The hotel was built in 1994, but is constantly being renovated. Currently, the villas by the sea are closed for renovation.

This is the largest hotel area on the island (part of the Laguna complex). 218 villas, each with its own pool, are surrounded by tropical greenery.

Bicycles are provided free of charge to get around the hotel.

According to the representatives of the hotel, there is a full load almost all year round and a very high percentage of returning customers. Banyan Tree Phuket has kept prices at the level of 2022.

A separate pride of the hotel is the territory of Veya meditations. Before arrival, each guest fills out a questionnaire, which is analyzed by the staff of the wellness center and makes up a program of activities for the tourist.

All products used in the SPA of the hotel are of our own production.

Shuttle bus (bus) and shuttle boat (boat) are available for walking in Calan Village.

Karon Beach

Karon is a fairly long beach on the west coast in the south of Phuket. The same wide strip of sand, the entrance to the water is gentle, but there may be undercurrents, which can be dangerous for young children.

Avista Grande Phuket Karon MGallery / Open

The hotel is quite young, it is only 5 years old. Avista Grande Phuket Karon MGallery is not located on the first coastline: you will have to walk to the beach about 5 minutes on foot (the way back is uphill).

The hotel is designed in Chinese-Portuguese style. In the lobby of the hotel, guests are greeted by a traditional Thai Sam-lo rickshaw, and a welcome drink — Ceylon tea — is served to the mesmerizing beats of the drum of good luck.

Avista Grande Phuket Karon MGallery is located in a small, very cozy area. There are rooms with sea view and mountain view.

All room categories have a balcony, as well as a bathroom and a shower cabin.

Kata Beach

A small beach in a bay on the southern part of the island. It is considered one of the cleanest beaches in Phuket — there is fine white sand. Families with children often choose to relax here, but it is worth remembering that this beach is prone to tides.

Pamookkoo Resort 4* / Open

A large family hotel complex built in 2018, in the center of which there is a water park (4 slides: 2 for adults, 2 for children).

The concept of the hotel is a legend about Pamukku is an ancient civilization, a unique place on earth where children’s fantasies become reality, and happiness accompanies everyone every day. The whole family comes here to experience a real adventure and get emotions and impressions that are not available to us in everyday life.

Pamukku is a hotel for families with children, it is usually not recommended for couples.
The hotel has a large kids club with local staff who look after the children. This service is not provided in every facility on the Phuket.

Pamookkoo has a very diverse diet, suitable for European tastes. There are also specialized meals for children. There are special promotions on food systems — information must be checked with the tour operator.

The hotel is not located on the first coastline (the beach is about 500 m away).

Pamookkoo Resort belongs to a chain of hotels, which includes 9 facilities, and another one will be opened in the near future — in the province of Panga.

Pegas Touristik takes a block of 400 rooms in this hotel.
According to the expert reviews of the tour operator, Pamookkoo is very popular, firmly among the bestsellers.

Beyond Resort Kata 4* / Open

The hotel, which was opened back in 1998, is known to tourism industry professionals as Kata Beach Resort & Spa. It has now reopened for renovation.

In all areas (fitness, kids club) — the latest modern equipment.

At the restaurant, you can enjoy stunning sunsets during dinner.

Another distinctive feature of Beyond Resort Kata is the lack of a deposit for accommodation.

Kata Noi Beach

There is another small beach in the southern part of the island — its length is only 800 m. It is also considered one of the cleanest beaches in Phuket. The conditions for swimming are very similar to Kata beach — a gentle entrance to the water, clear water. Perfect for surfing.

Katathani Phuket Beach Resort 5* (included in the Select program) / Open

One of the most popular hotels on the island, which is located on the first coastline of a small picturesque beach, while in the immediate vicinity there are many restaurants, cafes, shops and shopping centers. In addition, the tourist streets with a vibrant nightlife are very close.

The hotel is divided into two zones — one is located right on the shore (Thani wing), the other (Buri wing) is across the street. Be sure to check this information with a representative of the tour operator when booking rooms.

According to the charming Russian-speaking employee of the hotel Leila, the hotel is extremely popular with families with children. There are a lot of returning customers. Rooms here must be booked in advance, despite the fact that the hotel has raised prices by almost 40% compared to the price list of 2022.

Breakfast for all hotel guests takes place right next to the sea. And the dinners are in the buffet format, every day with a different theme. The hotel has 6 restaurants in total, as well as 6 swimming pools.

Cape Panva

All previous hotels are located near the beaches of the west coast of Phuket.

But Cape Panva is already the east coast of the island. This area is remote from the airport (about 42 kilometers). Panva is a place for tourists who seek a calm, secluded, quiet holiday.

Cape Panwa 4* / Open

The hotel has a history, built in 1987, however, the rooms look very modern. The complex has several buildings and villas. The rooms offer stunning sea views, but not all overlook the coast — check this information with a representative of the tour operator.

The green and beautiful territory is located in a mountainous area (there are 2 elevators and a special cabin moving along the rails from the beach to the lobby level).

Cape Panwa is located in a bay, so it has its own beach with sun loungers by the sea.

It is worth considering the peculiarity of the seabed in this place: after one and a half meters of sandy entrance to the sea, rocks begin, in which there are many living creatures, there are colonies of sea urchins. It is necessary to walk 20-30 meters to the depth — always in special shoes, otherwise there is a risk of stepping on a sea urchin.

Thus, Cape Panwa is great for those who like to spend hours with a mask and snorkel in the sea, looking at marine life in the immediate vicinity of the shore.

The hotel has 2 swimming pools: one in the upper part of the complex and the second in the lowest part (almost on the shore) — infiniti.

There are 5 restaurants on the territory, located both at the bottom and at the top — with beautiful sea views. In the evenings, there is live music and costumed performances.

The hotel provides a free shuttle service to the nearest shopping area: every 10 minutes from 8 a.m. to midnight. There is also a paid shuttle service to Phuket Town, Festival Mall and Patong Beach.

Cape Panwa has a Russian-speaking representative, but there are few Russian tourists in the hotel. Most of the hotel’s guests are age couples from England, Australia, and Italy.

Kantary Bay Hotel Phuket 4* / Open

The hotel is located very close to Cape Panwa — the hotels have one owner. Kantary Bay does not have direct access to the sea, hotel guests can use Cape Panwa Beach. The advantage is that the hotel is affordable, at the same time, guests can use the infrastructure of Cape Panwa (beach, bars and a la carte restaurants, children’s playground).

There are 104 rooms of 3 categories.

There are 2 swimming pools on the territory — one near the lobby, the other on the roof of the hotel.

Kantary Bay is primarily suitable for tourists seeking a quiet, relaxing holiday.

The mainland of Thailand. Khao Lak Resort

Khao Lak is a resort in Phang Nga Province, located on the west coast of Thailand (Andaman Sea).

The distance from Phuket International Airport is 80 kilometers (about 1.5 hours drive). During the trip, travelers will pass over the Sarasin Bridge connecting Phuket Island and the Thai mainland.

Khao Lak is a large region for a relaxing family holiday, famous for its wide white beaches and high level of service. The long gentle descent into the water makes the resort ideal for families with children. At the same time, it is worth remembering that there are noticeable tides. In the lobby area of hotels, a schedule is usually placed according to the hours of “high” and “low” water.

Prices for Kao Lak is slightly lower than on Phuket, the resort is not yet so well developed by tourists from Of Russia. At the same time, it is here that our compatriots go to rest in the low season (May — September). From here it is very convenient to go on excursions to the Similan Islands and Krabi.

Avani+ Khao Lak Resort 4* / Open

This is a brand new hotel — it is only 1.5 years old. It is located on the first coastline, in a very green, beautiful large area: Avani+ Khao Lak is simply immersed in the tropical jungle. As an employee of the hotel told us, about 30% of the natural vegetation was preserved during the construction of the hotel.

The complex consists of 2 large 6-storey buildings (maximum distance from the beach), as well as two—storey buildings and villas – they are located next to the sea.

There are 5 restaurants on the territory (the main one is located in the central building), 4 swimming pools (one of them is a children’s pool with water activities).

Avani+ Khao Lak has indoor and outdoor climbing walls, and a 1-hour instructor is provided free of charge. There is also a large Avani Fit sports club on the territory of the complex, it is open 24/7. The hotel offers bicycle tours (for an additional fee).

There are entertainment programs for children from 1 year old and teenagers. In addition, slot machines are constantly working for them.

Guests of the hotel can visit a small farm right on site, where they can watch turtles, rabbits, geese and chickens.

Sun beds are available on the beach. The approach to the sea is gentle: the shallow part stretches for about 50 m.

There is a shopping area 15 minutes away by tuk-tuk or taxi, the hotel does not have a free transfer there.

The hotel is chosen mainly by families with children, there are a lot of Russian tourists here.

In the evenings, Avani+ Khao Lak is quite noisy in the area of large buildings, where the main restaurant and cafe are located.

Outrigger Khao Lak Beach Resort / Open

The hotel borders on Avani+, but is its opposite in terms of territory and concept. This is a small, very cozy hotel on the first coastline. The hotel is known to professionals of the tourism industry as Manathani Resort Khao Lakl (2 years ago there was a complete reconstruction).

The buildings are three-storey buildings (158 rooms in the hotel), as well as 7 villas (a number of villas exclude settlement with children).

The hotel is preferred by guests who choose a secluded, quiet vacation.

There is a garden on the territory of Outrigger Khao Lak, where various flowers and plants are grown, which are used by the chefs of the hotel’s restaurants (there are 2 of them in total) when preparing dishes and drinks.

There is a swimming pool next to the beach. The hotel provides sun beds near the sea.

Graceland Khao Lak Resort & Spa / Open

The hotel was built in 2013, representatives of travel agencies know it as Sentido Graceland Khao Lak Resort & Spa.

Graceland Khao Lak is located on the first coastline. There is a very large green unusually decorated area here. Elements reflecting the lifestyle of Thai sea gypsies are used in the design of the hotel, in the decoration of decorative items and furniture. It looks very authentic and creates a unique atmosphere of relaxation.

There are 3-5 storey buildings and villas on the territory of the hotel.

In addition to the main pool, there are 11 other pools of different shapes on the territory. Each building of the hotel has access to a particular pool.

The hotel has its own bowling alley.

The hotel is not very popular in the Russian market, only 20% of the guests come from Of Russia.

A free shuttle service is provided to Khao Lak City.

It is worth noting that the hotel has kept prices at the level of 2022.

Robinson Club Khaolak / Open

The club hotel with a huge territory on the first coastline occupies about 280 thousand square meters.m. It was built in 2008, in 2017 a complete renovation was completed (until 2107 it was the Pullman Hotel). The facility is managed by TUI.

The territory is divided into several zones with different concepts, moving through it, you can get into completely different “worlds” several times a day.

The hotel has a total of 320 rooms of 15 categories. There are 12 buildings in which apartments are located, as well as bungalows and villas.

Robinson Club Khaolak has 6 restaurants, 4 swimming pools.

Guests are offered a wide variety of activities. There is a separate area for families with children, a sports area: football, basketball, tennis, archery, beach volleyball, etc. Themed events are held in the evening.

The hotel is very popular with European tourists, especially in the German market.

TUI Blue Mai Khao Lak / Open

The hotel was built in 2012 and is located on the first coastline.

TUI Blue Mai Khao Lak has 306 rooms, of which 40 are villas. The design of the rooms uses unusual “soft”, smooth shapes.

There are 7 restaurants and a large number of pools on the territory: 5 main ones, 2 children’s ones. There is an aqua park.

For adults and children, the hotel offers a large number of activities.

In 2014, a second zone appeared in the complex — Mai Holiday By Mau Khao Lak. This is an adult-only vacation concept. Modern, stylish, restrained design reigns here. This area is not located on the beach, the passage to the sea is through the first area of the hotel. The territory is very beautiful, primarily due to the relief: the ascent is gradually going uphill. At the highest point, on the top floor of the hotel building, there is a restaurant with stunning views.

There are fewer rooms here — only 58, there are no villas. There is a private swimming pool, a private SPA area, and a fitness center.

The hotel is not yet so popular in the Russian market, the main guests are from Scandinavia, Great Britain, Austria and Germany. However, the facility is very interested in tourists from Of Russia.

Kalima Resort & Villa Khao Lak / Open

The hotel was built in 2019, but it looks very new and stylish. Its distinctive feature is the absence of a deposit upon check—in.

Kalima Resort & Villa Khao Lak is located on a beautiful large green area, which has a zone of mangroves, between which flows a river with sea water — you can kayak along it. Due to the geographical location, only Kalima guests can access the hotel’s beach.

The hotel has a total of 231 rooms and 19 villas. The design of the rooms uses elements of tin mining, which was carried out earlier in this area. Another feature of the rooms is the very high ceilings.

The hotel has a very high-quality modern renovation. Many rooms have access to the pool.

There are 3 restaurants and 3 swimming pools on site.

A shuttle service is provided to Khao Lak City.

The hotel is not very popular in the Russian market yet, only about 20% of the guests are Russians.