The SR Residence

It’s a nice, quiet place away from Patong’s party avenues, and the staff are polite, friendly, and helpful. The room was clean and comfortable. There’s free tea, coffee, and toast in the morning. You can rent a motorbike for 170 baht a day, or arrange a minivan to the airport at reception for 180 baht per person. A taxi costs 700, or 750 at night. I’d recommend it for a few days or weeks if you don’t need a swimming pool. There’s no elevator, just stairs up to the second floor, in case stairs are a problem for you.

The simple room could have been a bargain for the price, but we’d booked and prepaid for a Deluxe room that wasn’t available when we arrived. They offered us a standard room, which we accepted, but there was a price difference and the staff said the manager had refused our refund request without giving a reason. The manager avoided meeting us, didn’t respond to my e-mail, and wouldn’t even speak with us. Downgrading guests while still charging the higher room price felt very unpleasant and unprofessional. Other people who booked through AGODA were also turned away, with no apology, solution, or effort to handle the problem. A hotel needs a professional manager who doesn’t hide behind staff. EMBARRASSING!

The room was clean and not expensive, though the place was a little hard to find. The staff were nice and the service was damn good. Coffee and toast were free at breakfast, with tea and coffee available all the time. They helped us find all the routes we wanted and gave us tips. Whenever you sit in the lobby, they bring free ice tea, and if you come back from the beach at noon, staff will give you free ice cream.

The rooms were okay and the staff were just great. They had free coffee or tea at reception, plus complimentary biscuits, and in the evening staff came around with ice cream and cold drinks. Patong Beach is about a 15-minute walk, though the hotel is a bit away from everything. Great value for the money.