Originally Posted by ftrichard

I'm sure everything you have said is true. By isolated I do not mean it's out in the tundra. I mean package tourists are functionally trapped there with nowhere to go or nothing to do independently. Look on the map. Package tourists (the vast majority of guests it would seem) would need a car to get anywhere. Phuket is not a short drive. It's 90 minutes down the highway to HKT. We did it both ways. There are a handful of Thai restaurants and massage places on the beach immediately next to Le Meridien but that's it. Nothing within walking distance. Nothing within hiking distance. No public transport. We drove through Nang Thong on the way back to the airport which was lively and has nightlife and that was about 20 minutes drive from Le Meridien but package tourists cannot get there independently.

Package tourists are (a) unlikely to be comfortable driving in Thailand and in any case (b) would not hire a car at HKT because their package tour includes the transfers to the resort. There are many others who have made the same observation in reviews and we talked to some guests from the UK who were there for two weeks and already in the first week starting to feel a bit trapped. Package tourists are not like adventurous backpackers (who won't stay at Le Meridien anyway), richer FIT travellers (like flyer talkers) or Thais or foreign residents in Thailand who may indeed drive from home or hire a car to get there (which we will do next time we fly over from Samui as we had issues with our transfer from HKT yet again).

I reinforce this observation not to have a flame war but because mosts guests at this hotel are on tour operator packages and the isolated location will affect their holiday if they have the slightest inclination to experience some of Thailand on their trip. Likely this will affect Flyertalk travellers less who are probably a bit more independent and will arrive with their own transport and/or won't be there for a two-week package tour on a holiday-of-a-lifetime from Europe.