Malinee Resort

The people here were so kind and ready to help, and there are some very cute cats and kittens around the property that make it feel welcoming. We had a really nice stay at Hotel Malinee Resort. The bungalows are simple but clean, with comfortable beds and air conditioning that works well in the Thai heat. There’s a small pool for cooling off after a warm day. It’s not in the busiest area, though plenty of places are still nearby, and a scooter or taxi makes it easy to get around. The hotel rents scooters too. Good value and more than fine for a relaxing stay.

I stayed here for more than two months and was very happy with it. The surroundings are lovely, the price is affordable, and the staff are friendly, always smiling, and helpful when problems come up. There are also three cute kittens who aren’t shy around people. If you’re training at bangtao mma, this would be my first choice. It’s under 300 meters from the gym and 500 meters from the beach.

I paid for a month’s stay, but then the owner said the money hadn’t arrived, even though he’d confirmed the bank details were his. He’d directed me to send it to three different accounts. A deposit reached him without a problem, but the larger payment seemed to disappear, and the owner hounded me every day afterward. It ruined my vacation. The room was dirty, the tap didn’t work, and it wasn’t cleaned until I moved out after more than three weeks. I’d tell anyone thinking of staying in Phuket to avoid this place.

There are lots of restaurants nearby, and Surin beach is the closest one. It worked well for our family and the rooms are spacious. Moo, the caretaker, is very good and decent. Patong is about 17 km away, so this isn’t the right resort if you want to be close to its party scene. I gave four stars because mosquitoes bothered us a lot, especially since I was traveling with my baby. Otherwise, we had a very good stay.