Cassia Phuket, part of Banyan Group

The entrance security staff were the one bright spot. They were helpful and kept an eye on outside traffic. The rest of our 10-day nonrefundable stay at Cassia Phuket was far below what we expect from an Accor partner. As Accor Platinum members who travel often, we were shocked, and plan to file a formal complaint about the app's five-star rating. The room was noisy from the street through single-pane windows. The bedroom slider wouldn't stay shut, the front door felt paper-thin, and the elevator got stuck twice, so I had to push its door open myself. In the bathroom, there were black stains in the toilet and mold spots everywhere. Flies were also a problem around breakfast. The couch and ottomans were so dirty that I asked for sheets to cover them before sitting down. See photos. Housekeeping came only every other day, supposedly for some ESG reason, and barely did anything. Our sinks weren't cleaned once in ten days, and we weren't given enough help with luggage. The rules also felt bizarre for an allegedly high-end resort: just two beach towels per room, no takeaway breakfast for our early boat trip, and no bringing coffee back to the room. The gym was tiny and felt crowded with only three people in it. The pool had the same issue. I won't go into breakfast much since taste is personal, but we found it pretty bad, especially given how cheap groceries are in Thailand. Because of a booking mistake on our end, we were given nearly 400 Swiss francs in credit instead of a refund, and hardly used it. We didn't feel like eating at the hotel restaurant after the breakfast, but management wouldn't let us transfer the credit to sister property Banyan Tree for the second half of our trip. We effectively had to lose it. We should have kept the booking and let the hotel profit twice.

We spent New Year here, and the building itself was a strong point. Our two-level suite was modern and clean, with a fully equipped kitchen, and the staff tried hard to be friendly and helpful. With kids, though, the place didn't feel like a good fit. Guests were allowed to smoke weed on their balconies, so opening the windows brought the smell inside. And if you want a mix of different kinds of travelers, this probably isn't the place. Almost everyone staying there seemed to be Russian.

The apartment-style rooms felt homey, and there was lots of storage. I was comfortable at Cassia, slept well in a comfy bed, and really liked the atmosphere. The staff were fabulous, breakfast was quite good, and I enjoyed dinner there a couple of times too. The pool was nice. My only small wish is that the gym were a bit larger, though it did the job. I had a really lovely stay and would definitely come back.

The menu got repetitive, with nearly the same dishes each day, and the rice noodles weren't properly cooked. The food could use better preparation and more variety. Still, the service was great throughout our stay. MEAW and the rest of the staff were friendly, attentive, and helpful, which made things pleasant. We'd consider coming back if the dining improves.