Amy Adejokun
Section editor
Favouring simplicity and a family environment, the Amora Beach Resort, away from the bustle, offers relaxation amidst tall trees, bordering the beach of Bang Tao. The hotel was affected by the tsunami on 26 December 2004 and functions normally.
On the south end of Bang Tao beach, on the west coast of Phuket island. Phuket Town, on the east coast, is located 16 miles away and the airport is 15.5 miles away, or a thirty minute ride.
The Amora Beach Resort has a total of 254 rooms: the superior, the basic standard (59 with view of the garden, 77 with view of teh pool), 111 Deluxe, all with view of the pool, the remaining rooms are suites. Lit, relatively spacious, they are furnished in clear colourful tones. Wood and wicker are mostly used. The amenities are classic, with a bonus, the tea/coffee set and 2 free water bottles. You will also find a safe, satellite TV and a minibar. The Deluxe rooms justify their higher price by providing a bathroom with separate bathtub and shower.
Built in 1990 and renovated during 2003, the Amora is composed of fourteen different buildings, on a maximum of three levels. Only the entrance lobby, enjoyably arranged in a rather successful colonial ambiance, it seems to be the most stylish aspect, the remaining spaces already show traces of fatigue, they are rather impersonal. The major advantage of the hotel is located in its spacious area planted with trees, equipped with beautiful pools, which immediately suggest a stroll, sports or a siesta amidst tall eucalyptus and iron trees.
Two restaurants (one, the Garden Café to the standards of international cuisine, is open from 6.30 am to 10.30 pm. The other, open only in the evening, serves Thai dishes and seafood) are a bit too small for a potential clientele of 500 people, the setting and decor are not very atractive. The same applies for the menus: regular. In summary, the gastronomy, as it has been seen, does not offer the most favoured aspects of the hotel.
Bang Tao beach, which extends for several kilometers, is a good alternative to the spots of Patong Beach or Karon Beach, quite crowded in high season, during the winter months. Much more tranquillity and space, in summary, a seductive option for relaxation lovers. The satisfying quality of the water and the sand as well as the slope of the beach, should satisfy swimming lovers. The Amora Beach Resort is directly connected to a relatively small part of the beach that, without really being private, preserves a certain intimacy.
Named after the Rydges Beach Resort, the hotel was bought in 2005 and is now called the Amora Beach Resort. There is specially one rarity offered by the hotel: Thai boxing lessons.
Animation
The entire day, the animation team will offer you sports and workshops (local cuisine, painting on fruits...). The children's club from 2 to 10 years of age is open from 9 am to 5 pm.
massage, beauty salon, keep fit, spa, Turkish bath
football, volleyball, beach volley, canoe, golf, tennis, sailing, badminton, sports, surfing, windsurfing
With incontestable features - a golf course, a very high level of service, accommodation of very high category - , the Banyan Tree imposes itself without difficulty as one of the most luxurious establishments in Phuket.
The JW Marriot hotel is one of the biggest infrastructures in Phuket. This luxurious hotel combines a big quantity of equipment, quality services and impeccable comfort in a nice well-ventilated setting.
The Andaman White Beach Resort is a beautiful small charming hotel, away from frequented zones. Here the ambiance is convivial and simple, the comfort and the decor are incontestable.
The Sheraton is the biggest infrastructure in Phuket. This hotel has impressive dimension and is located in the Phuket lagoon. It combines a lot of comfort, luxury, equipment and quality of the services.
Welcome to the Indigo Pearl world! What a pleasure to discover an establishment with its own identity, where the keyword of the decoration is originality. Once arrived, you will not enter in an ordinary hotel, but in another world. The designer Bill Bensley is unquestionably a genius. A real favourite!
Here is the kind of hotel where you think to spend peaceful holidays, quietly sat on your terrace or on the beach with a good book... The Trisara opened in November 2004. It is then a beautiful hotel, isolated from the rest of the island but especially from the rest of the world...
The Anantara Phuket Villas boasts truly peaceful, serene surroundings, and is the kind of place you'd come solely to relax. It consists of a series of villas with a private pool; you really would be hard-pressed to find a better place to get away from it all. The staff is also very attentive and the service personalised. Although the majority of the clientele is made up of couples, children are also welcome; there is even a special club for them. The complex faces northwest, so you'll get to enjoy some beautiful sunsets...
The West Sands would have been a very pleasant establishment had its neighbour not been... Phuket international airport! We've rarely ever seen a hotel so close to a neighbour of this sort. It is even possible to watch some of the planes taking off and landing on the island while comfortably sitting on the balcony of certain rooms. It could be a fairly interesting sight if the aeroplanes didn't make so much noise... Unfortunately, the traffic at Phuket is heavy. The West Sands is a family hotel that is also close to an aquapark, Splash Jungle, to the great joy of children. However, even though it belongs to the same owner, guests do not have free access but do benefit from a preferential rate.
With incontestable features - a golf course, a very high level of service, accommodation of very high category - , the Banyan Tree imposes itself without difficulty as one of the most luxurious establishments in Phuket.
The Anantara Phuket Villas boasts truly peaceful, serene surroundings, and is the kind of place you'd come solely to relax. It consists of a series of villas with a private pool; you really would be hard-pressed to find a better place to get away from it all. The staff is also very attentive and the service personalised. Although the majority of the clientele is made up of couples, children are also welcome; there is even a special club for them. The complex faces northwest, so you'll get to enjoy some beautiful sunsets...
Here is the kind of hotel where you think to spend peaceful holidays, quietly sat on your terrace or on the beach with a good book... The Trisara opened in November 2004. It is then a beautiful hotel, isolated from the rest of the island but especially from the rest of the world...
Far away from the bustle of Patong or Karon, the Royal Meridien Phuket Yacht Club is a top high standard hotel. Luxury, calm and voluptuousness.
Opened since 2002, the Evason Phuket is a quality establishment. The hotel extends on a property of 158 acres. Families will be happy to know that the hotel offers a children club. And couples will have space for their privacy...
The Movenpick Karon Beach of Phuket is open since 20th July 2007. It is the former Crown Plaza. The establishment is composed of big living spaces where guests are not crammed. It has the biggest children club on Phuket island: families will be seduced!
The JW Marriot hotel is one of the biggest infrastructures in Phuket. This luxurious hotel combines a big quantity of equipment, quality services and impeccable comfort in a nice well-ventilated setting.
The Sala Phuket was definitely one of our favourite hotels in Phuket. This splendid establishment is a true haven of peace, both in terms of its architectural qualities and in terms of the tranquillity it offers. It's the perfect love nest for couples, but the hotel also welcomes children, although there is no entertainment on offer. The standard rooms, called the Balcony Rooms, intentionally come in limited numbers. This is for good reason, as it would be a shame to come here without enjoying the superb villas with their private pools. The Sala Phuket opened in 2008 and has many successful years to look forward to!