Phuket Emerald Beach Resort

With a young family, this resort worked really well. The kids have their own pool and there are slides at the larger pool, where attendants are there all day. Even though the resort was fully booked, we always found a seat. A little more seating around the pool would make it perfect, but that's probably me being fussy. We had adjoining rooms with pool views. They were roomy, including the bathrooms, and everything was clean and tidy. The breakfast buffet had plenty of variety and was very good. The restaurant also serves lunch and dinner, with options like pizza, burgers, and quality Australian steak cuts. A huge, beautiful beach is across the road. The street is moderately busy, while the bustling main strip is a five-minute walk away, so you get both settings. Restaurants, a laundromat, convenience shops, ice cream, a pharmacy, and tuktuks are all within a 2-5 minute walk. Couples can stay too, though it may not suit a honeymoon or anyone wanting a luxurious, quiet break.

We spent a couple of days here as a family, and I've had better hotel stays in Thailand for less money. The high Google rating doesn't seem justified to me. The beach is right there, the staff were reasonably friendly, and the kids club team were nice with the children and tried to keep them engaged. The rooms were clean and the beds comfortable. Our first room was damp. They switched us without any fuss, but other guests who mentioned damp rooms have a point. Rooms face a narrow courtyard, and an upper floor seems preferable. The pools are down in that courtyard, which felt a bit like being at the bottom of a canyon. The room needed better maintenance: the laminate floor had water damage, and the warped entry door had big gaps where outside light came through. The air conditioning was loud. Breakfast was just okay. I found the long list of fines for breaking things strange, as if they expect rough customers. Prices were rather stiff.

On our last morning, the hotel called early to remind us to check out. It felt unwelcoming, as though they just wanted us gone. The air conditioning in our room was extremely noisy and barely cooled it; staff couldn't fix it after we reported the problem. Breakfast had some variety but wasn't tasty, and every morning the dining area was so crowded that we had to wait for a table. Seating is only outdoors, which makes it impractical in hot or rainy weather. There was also a pool activity that cost extra. Since our room opened straight onto the pool area, charging guests just to use the pool if they didn't want to join a particular activity seemed absurd. I strongly advise against staying here. There are much better places for the money.

Families will probably enjoy this lively hotel, with kind staff and a good atmosphere. The children's activities and pool are the main draw, and you can spend most of the day relaxing there. The rooms are nice, especially those connected to the lower-level pool. Our room was near the far end, about 600m down the walkway, so we usually needed a golf cart to get out. Overall, a very nice place for families.