We were in Phuket in February for the first time. Since we didn't know the place, we didn't want to lock outselves into a hotel for the five nights, so we only booked the first night before arriving. We picked the gay Club One Seven hotel, including a very attractive rate (USD $20) for a pick-up from the airport.

We didn't enjoy this hotel, so booked a hotel in Karon for the next two nights. That hotel was pleasant but far from anything. Travel in tuk-tuk back and forth between Patong and Karon is about $10 per direction, more for taxi, which could quickly add up to a substantial expense. So we rented two scooters! They were only about $5/day in Karon. We also saw scooters rented out for just about $3.50/day in Patong at Sagol Phuket (a tiny travel agency). So once we dared drive here (on the left), getting from Karon to Patong was a breeze, and we scooted all over the island too.

For the last two nights, we got a fantastic deal on wotif.com for the Millennium hotel in Patong. Awesome rooms, pool and breakfast, and very close to the Paradise complex, with its ugly but very-happening bathhouse.

By the way, we didn't care much for Thailand (Bangkok/Phuket): crowded, filthy, infested with massage girls and drunk tourists. In contrast, we LOVED Malaysia next door!