By The Sea Hotel

The rooms were spacious, and breakfast was good. We had a really nice stay, with a lovely beach and beautiful sunset views from the hotel. The only drawback was that the restaurant shut at 3 pm, so dinner meant going elsewhere.

We spent four days and three nights here, and the quiet, cosy setting was just right for relaxing. The staff were kind and very nice. Getting around is easier if you have your own car or motorbike, since there isn't public transport nearby.

We were happy with our choice for the week. It was a lovely, quiet family place, and being a bit cut off suited us well. Some people we met stayed three weeks, which felt like too long for them and would have been for us too. Food was a plus. The hotel restaurant's Thai dishes were tasty and fairly priced; we didn't try the Western options. Along the beach, a few places served food that was even cheaper and very good. The hotel shuttle could take you to the local supermarket, or, if you wanted, a little farther into Phuket Town. Staff were generally accommodating. The hotel was clean and peaceful, and both the rooms and beach were quiet. There wasn't much outdoor seating, with very few loungers or other furniture, but we could always find a calm, comfortable spot. The staff were friendly and professional, though sometimes it was hard to understand one another. There were some downsides. Parts of the property looked worn, and the bedrooms had no windows, which made mornings disorienting without natural light. The beach could look beautiful, but the tide sometimes brought rubbish like dirty bottles and plastic bags. Exposed pipes on the beach also carried used washing-machine detergent water from the hotels into the sea. It felt unpleasant and unsettling, though I assume they don't currently have another method. The hotel was being heavily marketed in Russia. We were fortunate that the Russian guests during our stay were mostly fine, though we've had trouble with Russian tourists on previous holidays and felt they generally don't know how to behave around others. Some had their "Russian moments" and drank late into the night, but the bedrooms at the back, without windows, kept them from disturbing us. We gradually got along, and there were no major problems.

If you want peace and quiet, this place is a jackpot. It's quite remote, though, and Phuket taxis are expensive, so people after nightlife may be better off on the west coast. For the price, I thought it was good value. Our apartment-sized room was huge, the pool was nice, and breakfast was decent. We saw amazing sunsets, and the shower pressure was excellent. It was so strong our drain started clogging, but they sorted it after we reported it a second time. The beds were large but short, with spring mattresses that didn't bounce much. There was a free ride into Phuket Town twice daily, kayaks to borrow at no cost, and beach towels available whenever we needed them. Service was a little inconsistent; our impression was that the staff's enthusiasm sometimes reflected how guests treated them. Down the beach there are a couple of good, authentic places to eat and spots offering massages. Anis, the first restaurant, had fruit shakes we liked and music more to our taste. We preferred the food at the second restaurant.