InterContinental Hotels: Priority Club & Inter-Continental Ambassador - Crowne Plaza Phuket Panwa Beach Resort

Looks like this property just opened. I am considering staying there in a couple of months. Does anyone have a review on this place?

I was chatting with the GM at IC Singapore today and she mentioned it's been open one week. Looks like the Rooms Manager from IC SIN will move over there, and he's excellent. However it's Thailand, I'd give it a while to "settle down"...

The Panwa area is pleasant though, not commercialised.

How long do you think we should give it? I was thinking of staying in early July.

July might be OK, just be prepared for under-trained staff and some operational hiccups. Mind you, I hope I'm wrong! Let us know how it goes...

Would be interested in what elite benefits they offer if someone does end up going soon.

There is a review now up on trip advisor. Going by the pictures this looks like a nice hotel. I've got a 5 night reward stay in the Holiday Inn in October that I might change to this.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g1182846-d2615245-Reviews-Crowne_Plaza_Phuket_Panwa_Beach_Resort-Cape_Panwa_Phuket.html

It's now on points breaks so I'll be trying this one out!:D

Same here...looks rather decent but obviously tremendous value at 35$/night. Will hopefully see some kind of reviews either here or TA before fully committing and booking tickets.

looks like it's not quite ready for guests yet. might be worth waiting it out a bit

...obviously tremendous value at 35$/night...
I apologize - where do you find such rate? or you are referring to 5k points and putting $35 value to it?

Thanks

I apologize - where do you find such rate? or you are referring to 5k points and putting $35 value to it?

Thanks

5K points = $35 when using points plus cash

So there are some new reviews on Tripadvisor

Just wondering if any FTer has stayed here during PB? Want to know what kind of upgrade is offered and how the hotel is in general.

Thanks!

So there are some new reviews on Tripadvisor

Just wondering if any FTer has stayed here during PB? Want to know what kind of upgrade is offered and how the hotel is in general.

Thanks!

I have stayed here. They do upgrade you one level. Hotel was pretty much deserted when I went. I could count the number of guests I saw on my hands. They offer taxi service to the hotel from airport for 900 baht. If you try to get a taxi at the airport, the fare should be 600 baht but you must negotiate it and there is the chance of being scammed. I strongly recommend pre-arranging transport to the hotel.

Overall, I thought it was a pretty good hotel with some stunning views. If you want peace and quiet, this hotel would be a good choice. Food prices are also reasonable. Breakfast was also extremely good and had a juice and omelet station.

Pros: free wifi, no insects in rooms, rainfall shower, good staff, free kayaks, cheap food/room service
Cons: not much around area, taxis will have trouble finding it since its a new hotel, long walk to reception

Another thing I would keep in mind is that point breaks might not be the cheapest option. You can get a room for <$100 with breakfast included and qualify for points, $50/$75 IHG rebate.

Just stayed there on PB this past weekend. Booked the Sea View room on the IHG website and wasn't offered or given an upgrade despite Plat/RA status. The sea view also wasn't really a sea view but from one angle in the room, was really overlooking the pool.

Otherwise quite good. Decent rooms, great service, the Italian restaurant is really good. Breakfast was below average, everything was cold. But the staff were nice enough to do fresh waffles and squeeze oranges even though all that was on offer was quasi-juice.

It was difficult to find from the airport, and ended up costing 750, so I would definitely recommend arranging a pick up. Also, getting anywhere from the hotel is a rip off as well, so best to rent a car/ scooter or something. The beach was nothing to write home about, but if you're happy sitting by the pool it's nice.

I probably wouldn't stay here again on a paid stay, but on PB can't really complain about much. Worth it if you're in the area and just want to relax for a few days.

Got a stay there in July on a pointbreak. Just checked the reservation - they upgraded my room. Not bad - as for the reward stay!

Got a stay there in July on a pointbreak. Just checked the reservation - they upgraded my room. Not bad - as for the reward stay!

What did they upgrade it to? Did you book a Panwa room or a Sea View room while booking the PB?

How are the activities at this hotel? Also how far is this from various activities in Phuket?
What is next upgrade I can expect as a paltinum member if I am booked in a seaview room?

How are the activities at this hotel? Also how far is this from various activities in Phuket?
What is next upgrade I can expect as a paltinum member if I am booked in a seaview room?

Any help would eb appreciated as I am travelling tomorrow.

Just returned to the heat (AUH) from wonderful Phuket.

The hotel is indeed great, with a most stunning view when you walk in. Pictures should be available online....
The room we managed to get was a maisonette suite with direct pool access and we also took a look in some of the other rooms.
It is all quite beautiful and the atmosphere is very quiet. Even during the weekend, when it gets busy with tourist from HKG and SIN it remains very relaxed. The hotel now runs the Italian restaurant during the week and the all-day dining during the weekends.

On weekdays you will not see more then a few guest. Many disappear during the day.

The hotel offers 200 meters of private beach. Almost all rooms with seaview, several pools and a wonderful bayview.
The staff is still training and the season in Phuket only starts in late October.

Enjoy your stay!^

Just returned to the heat (AUH) from wonderful Phuket.

The hotel is indeed great, with a most stunning view when you walk in. Pictures should be available online....
The room we managed to get was a maisonette suite with direct pool access and we also took a look in some of the other rooms.
It is all quite beautiful and the atmosphere is very quiet. Even during the weekend, when it gets busy with tourist from HKG and SIN it remains very relaxed. The hotel now runs the Italian restaurant during the week and the all-day dining during the weekends.

On weekdays you will not see more then a few guest. Many disappear during the day.

The hotel offers 200 meters of private beach. Almost all rooms with seaview, several pools and a wonderful bayview.
The staff is still training and the season in Phuket only starts in late October.

Enjoy your stay!^

Thanks!! Looking forward ot my stay

Thanks!! Looking forward ot my stay

I am heading to this resort today. I'll report back in case anyone is looking for any data points.

Thanks!! Looking forward ot my stay

I came back recently from this resort. Overall a great hotel with a few initial hiccups as a new hotel. The staff seems to be under trained and was not very helpful. They mentioned they had upgraded me but was giuven same room as I had booked. Finally they upgraded me to next category room (crown grand view room) on the 2nd day.
The hotel was mostly deserted, but beach is good. Service can definitely improve.

Overall good stay for pointbreaks.

I just stayed here for a couple of days and had mixed opinions of the property.

The hotel is new, and is nicely appointed. The lobby area is the best view and the restaurants are nice as well. The food is only slightly overpriced, and the pizzas we found to be the best deal on the property. The Biscuit cafe has some great deals on really good cakes/pastries/etc.

The beach is so-so - if it is low tide it is completely unswimmable. The water cleanliness is questionable, as when walking the beach we found sewage pipes (or something like that）leading into the bay. It is a bay, and thus the water isn't clear and good for snorkeling and the like. Take a kayak out to the end of the bay for good snorkeling and better swimming. That being said, the water is warm and calm, which isn't always the case on the west coast.

The rooms are decently appointed, and are on the small side. We got the sea-view room, and didn't complain since it was only a couple of days. The room was almost Tokyo size, which is ridiculous for Thailand. It seems the owner wanted to pack as many rooms as possible onto the property, and turn it into a conference hotel, which I don't like.

MOST IMPORTANT: Hire a car. We didn't and were extremely mad at ourselves for not doing so. The hotel doesn't offer free anything in terms of transportation, and offers subsidized shuttles which aren't great value. Hire a car, and you will open up your ability to enjoy Phuket, otherwise you are stuck at this highly isolated property with nothing to do.

I'd say it's a 3.5-4/5 property overall - definitely not the 5* that those on TA are calling it...

I'm currently at the resort and I have to say I have mixed emotions as well primarily due to the location. There are some other random things like the shower getting really cold and then hot every couple of minutes but I assume that they can fix that shortly.

Back to location - Going to Patong is about 800 THB each way. Everything seems so far away. This is a good resort if you just want to lie on a quiet beach but I guess I can't complain for a points breaks stay.

Any recent experiences re upgrades etc.?

Any recent experiences re upgrades etc.?

try tripadvisor. May have more reviews than here.

I was there in Sept on a paid stay and was upgraded to a King grand sea view room with a massive balcony. The hotel is really nice and very peaceful (it was fairly empty when we stayed) and the meals in the restaurant were pretty good but not cheap (UK prices).

The one downside is that it is well out of the way with only the relatively small beach and another resort across the road to go to eat. We stayed for 4 nights and enjoyed just chilling by the pool and doing nothing, but if you want to go and do things another hotel would be better (ie the HI Phuket if you want nightlife and somewhere to walk to)

I would stay here again as i enjoyed the peace and quiet, but it will not be everyone's cup of tea. If it was closer to Phuket town then it would be rammed as the HI Phuket always is.