I stayed 4 nights at this Pullman. Overall the experience was very positive, staff were very friendly and proactive and the room (Pool Villa) was very comfortable indeed. This resort is not new but used to be a Radisson which recently has undergone a complete renovation. All the rooms have been refreshed and the common areas are almost complete too.

Renovation work still ongoing at the pool bar:

Check In

Check in was smooth-ish. The staff member was a bit confused about the points redemption but the duty manager quickly took over and dealt with it and escorted me to my room. I had booked a pool villa and was upgraded to a sea view villa directly at the coastline.

He did inform me that they had recently undergone renovations and that all the rooms have been painted in my lighter colours. However he also warned me that some works in the common areas were still ongoing in time for the Xmas/NYE rush.

Room

The pool villa is essentially one large bedroom with a massive bathroom, separate toilet and shower. It felt airy, bright and spacious. The bed was comfortable and everything was in working order. A mini bar and a massive wardrobe completed the arrangement.

Outside the villa had a large terrace and of course a small pool which could also be accessed from the bathroom via an outdoor shower. The pool also had some power jets if you felt like an underwater massage.

The renovation was done tastefully and when compared to pictures from the Radisson days is a definite improvement. The only thing in my view that is left to do is to restore the wooden floor which showed signs of wear and tear.

The villa was located in the first row by the coast. The only downside was that at times other guests and some staff used the lawn in front of it as a shortcut reducing privacy.

Service

Service was very good throughout and the staff were very courteous (this being Thailand it is almost a given). The welcome amenity was promptly delivered and 2 drinks vouchers (for anything on the drinks list) was provided. Also provided was a welcome letter explaining the amenities.

This Pullman does not have a lounge but they are planning to have a premium breakfast area for elites and villa guests in the Azur Restaurant (away from the hustle and bustle) which will be a nice addition when ready.

Turn down service was maybe a bit tight: A Hershey kiss.

Dining

The food throughout was delicious and well made. Breakfast was buffet style with an egg station and featured both Western and Asian options. Staff were always at hand to refill coffee and clear the table.

Room service rates were reasonable and featured the same dishes from the restaurant menu.

Location

The hotel is located at the southern end of Phuket which entails a 45-60 minute drive from the airport (I had ordered transfer which was smooth). In its immediate neighborhood there is a mini mart and a handful of small restaurants but not much more.

Overall

Overall this second Pullman in Phuket is a good choice for those wishing to stay in a nice resport and unwind. Rates are much lower than the Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach. While the hotel was busy it never felt overcrowded.

I certainly would recommend the hotel.

Had a great stay at this hotel. Although in some ways the resort is a big resort, in many ways it feels like a boutique resort or a mini-resort. 

Check In

Check in area is impressive for a boutique hotel. The staff were efficient in checking in, and brought cute fruit cocktails bathed in dry ice during check in. Below are the views from the bar in the reception area.

I had booked a junior suite for 4 nights at a total price of THB 19276 during the super sale. I asked during check in if there were any upgrades for a gold member, and they told me I was already upgraded to a pool suite. When I signed the paperwork, it seems they only had me recorded as a silver member, which is the status I had when I made the booking. Note that I had also made this booking through the Citibank prestige concierge, so I still received elite benefits even though it was booked through a travel agent. 

I was told the hotel was at 100% occupancy.

Room

The pool villa is a great space with its own pool. Not much to add to the photos except a few points:

• the air conditioning blows onto the bed and that can make it uncomfortable during the night. We did request it to be adjusted which did help somewhat but wasn't ideal. 
• The pillows are either big European square types or very small. I requested both feather and microfiber ones, but couldn't really get that comfortable with them. 
• The jacuzzi function in the pool needs to be turned on by the engineer on request.
• Although the room had been recently renovated, it didn't feel either new nor old. It seems the renovation was more a refresh than a full renovation.
• There is a coffee capsule machine in the room, but not Nespresso. It was a Vittoria Capino and the coffee was decent. 

Service

Service was great. No complaints here. 

The internet while in the room was good quality, however the quality in the public areas like around the pool was weak. Resorts should improve the quality of their outside reception knowing that a lot of people spend their time relaxing in the pool.

Dining

Breakfast was included in my rate. It was a pretty standard breakfast buffet with a decent selection but not overwhelming. Quality of the pastries is probably the stand out feature here. The rest of the quality was good, but not a huge buffet like you sometimes find in Asia. 

The hotel was apparently at 100% occupancy but the restaurant was busy at breakfast but not ridiculously full

The only happy hour that the hotel offered was at lunch time by the pool bar. There wasn't any happy hour at the reception bar, and it made for a pretty empty bar scene.

Location

The location of the hotel is probably its biggest negative. The bay in front of the hotel is beautiful, but the beach quality isn't great. There aren't a lot of restaurants outside the hotel, and to get to Phuket town is a 500 baht car trip each way. It's a good location for those who have been to Thailand before and don't want to sightsee, but otherwise not the most convenient of locations - and this is reflected in the price.  

Sri Panwa is within walking distance, and makes for a good change of scene.

Overall

I felt this was a good value resort, and the pool facilities were great.  Although the renovations are finished, interestingly it doesn't feel "New" in either the room or the public areas. You might see this as a positive or negative. It's also a somewhat empty feeling hotel as not many people dine in the hotel (not sure where they are since there's not that many outside restaurants) and there's no evening happy hour to attract people to liven up in the early evening. 

I would recommend staying here as long as you're looking for a very chill Thailand stay.