Renaissance by Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, Thailand [Master Thread]
Dec 13, 2017, 1:39 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2017
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Renaissance by Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, Thailand [Master Thread]
Renaissance by Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
555, Moo 3 Talang Mai Khao, TH 83110
RecommendedLiked: LocationServiceFoodAmenitiesRoom
Perfect for a quiet retreat (0 Photo)
Renaissance by Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
In search of quiet couple of days to end our Thia vacation, we selected the Renaissance Phuket. This resort delivered exactly that; a quiet peaceful stay.
Arrival included a very warm greeting from the Front Desk Manager and excellent recognition of my SPG platinum status. We stayed in Villa with plunge pool. Please note this not a suite, however the room is beautiful, artistically designed, and includes a modern feel. There is plenty of closet space, an amazing bed and is nicely landscaped. My only complaint is very small, being that toilet was not in a separate room and rather open feeling.
The food on resort is very good. Be aware that no breakfast is included with any SPG status, but everything was delicious. The pool is rather comfortable and attended by helpful staff. There is kids pool, but unfortunately the kids played in the main pool as well. It would nice if the main pool was adult only.
As with so many resorts in Thailand, it claims to be 5 star. This is not a 5 start resort by American standards, but it is a very nice 4. It is an absolutely wonderful place to spend a couple quiet and secluded days. Definitely perfect for honeymooners and couples.
About the reviewer:
36 year old single male, well-traveled American. Marriott Reward Platinum, SPG Platinum and lifetime Gold, American Airlines Executive Platinum. Frequent user of the Marriott Rewards Visa Signature and American Express Platinum cards.
Dec 17, 2017, 5:55 pm
#3
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SPG Plat status carries NO weight at a Marriott unless you’ve opted to get matched to Marriott Plat when it will.
Hope you’ve tried the Thai restaurant over the beach bar. Ask Khun A to fix you up any of his off menu special Thai dishes.
Isn't there at least one dedicated thread on this property already? Therefore not requiring yet another thread on the same property.
Hope you’ve tried the Thai restaurant over the beach bar. Ask Khun A to fix you up any of his off menu special Thai dishes.
Isn't there at least one dedicated thread on this property already? Therefore not requiring yet another thread on the same property.
Introduction In search of quiet couple of days to end our Thia vacation, we selected the Renaissance Phuket. This resort delivered exactly that; a quiet peaceful stay.Arrival included a very warm greeting from the Front Desk Manager and excellent recognition of my SPG platinum status. We stayed in Villa with plunge pool. Please note this not a suite, however the room is beautiful, artistically designed, and includes a modern feel. There is plenty of closet space, an amazing bed and is nicely landscaped. My only complaint is very small, being that toilet was not in a separate room and rather open feeling.The food on resort is very good. Be aware that no breakfast is included with any SPG status, but everything was delicious. The pool is rather comfortable and attended by helpful staff. There is kids pool, but unfortunately the kids played in the main pool as well. It would nice if the main pool was adult only. As with so many resorts in Thailand, it claims to be 5 star. This is not a 5 start resort by American standards, but it is a very nice 4. It is an absolutely wonderful place to spend a couple quiet and secluded days. Definitely perfect for honeymooners and couples.About the reviewer:36 year old single male, well-traveled American. Marriott Reward Platinum, SPG Platinum and lifetime Gold, American Airlines Executive Platinum. Frequent user of the Marriott Rewards Visa Signature and American Express Platinum cards.
Dec 17, 2017, 6:04 pm
#4
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As a resort, this property is not obliged to provide breakfast benefit, which is undoubtedly what OP was referring to.
Dec 17, 2017, 6:36 pm
#5
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One must opt to link accounts. It is NOT automatic. There are still a number of Marriott/SPGites who have chosen not to link their accounts thinking that theyll get a better offer closer to the merger of the programs.
In accordance with OPs post, his upgrade was due to recognition of his SPG P status which again means nothing to Marriott UNLESS he OPTED to link accounts.
In accordance with OPs post, his upgrade was due to recognition of his SPG P status which again means nothing to Marriott UNLESS he OPTED to link accounts.
Dec 19, 2017, 5:12 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Thailand
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One must opt to link accounts. It is NOT automatic. There are still a number of Marriott/SPGites who have chosen not to link their accounts thinking that theyll get a better offer closer to the merger of the programs.
In accordance with OPs post, his upgrade was due to recognition of his SPG P status which again means nothing to Marriott UNLESS he OPTED to link accounts.
In accordance with OPs post, his upgrade was due to recognition of his SPG P status which again means nothing to Marriott UNLESS he OPTED to link accounts.
Dec 19, 2017, 5:31 am
#7
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Marriott Ps do not get breakfast at any resort by the T&Cs however there are a few resorts that provide breakfast to Ps on their own.
You should check Sharon's sticky for details on various properties as this topic is totally inconsistent, week by week and guest by guest, but bottom line is it is not a required perk.
You should check Sharon's sticky for details on various properties as this topic is totally inconsistent, week by week and guest by guest, but bottom line is it is not a required perk.
Dec 19, 2017, 6:50 am
#8
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 151
Many thanks for the thorough review. Did you happen to visit any local attractions (towns, beaches, islands)?
I'm heading that way in Feb, after a few days in Singapore and Bangkok, and am looking for a place to stay in Phuket which has access to some of the attractions.
I'm heading that way in Feb, after a few days in Singapore and Bangkok, and am looking for a place to stay in Phuket which has access to some of the attractions.
Oct 5, 2018, 3:22 am
#9
Join Date: May 2007
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Looks like the Renaissance is a nice small hotel, but more isolated:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29939636-post1597.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29950117-post1598.html
Guess will book the JW and walk to the Renaissance to check it out for a vacation in Feb.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29939636-post1597.html
So now I can compare both resort and they are completly different in my opinion, they share only the same beach.
The Ren is a small resort the JW is very big.
As alreday someone told you, the JW has 3 pools, the main pool for everyone, and two seperate pools (one only for adults). Even the smallest pool at JW is at least double of Ren.
Platinum recognition is the same (both try the best to upgrade you)
As the JW is much more bigger, there are of course more people. So if you like it more privacy the Ren is the better option. Also at JW are more tour tourist, I have not seen one at Ren.
The JW has the typical JW style with a lot of dark wood, the Ren has modern style.
Service is great at both hotels, the eating also, at Ren you have the main restaurant, the thai restaurant and the sandbox (small foods during day)
JW offers more restaurants, I think she said something about 7 restaurants. The prices are a little bit expensiver than Ren.
An advantage of the JW is the near to the turle village and mai khao plaza (I reached it in about 4 minutes walk from the lobby, from Ren i think you go half hour)
There you find some shops and restaurants.
In my opinion both resorts are a very good choice, next time staying in phuket will not be easy for me to make a decision.
The Ren is a small resort the JW is very big.
As alreday someone told you, the JW has 3 pools, the main pool for everyone, and two seperate pools (one only for adults). Even the smallest pool at JW is at least double of Ren.
Platinum recognition is the same (both try the best to upgrade you)
As the JW is much more bigger, there are of course more people. So if you like it more privacy the Ren is the better option. Also at JW are more tour tourist, I have not seen one at Ren.
The JW has the typical JW style with a lot of dark wood, the Ren has modern style.
Service is great at both hotels, the eating also, at Ren you have the main restaurant, the thai restaurant and the sandbox (small foods during day)
JW offers more restaurants, I think she said something about 7 restaurants. The prices are a little bit expensiver than Ren.
An advantage of the JW is the near to the turle village and mai khao plaza (I reached it in about 4 minutes walk from the lobby, from Ren i think you go half hour)
There you find some shops and restaurants.
In my opinion both resorts are a very good choice, next time staying in phuket will not be easy for me to make a decision.
If you don't like mega-resorts, the Ren is definitely the better choice -- especially if you're willing to rent a (cheap) car at the Phuket airport. The Ren is arguably more isolated without a car. When we stayed at the Ren, we drove over and took a look at the JW Marriott. We were so glad we picked the Ren. And if you have status, you're likely to get upgraded to a plunge pool villa at the Ren: it would be very hard to beat that at the JW Marriott.
Mar 15, 2019, 9:27 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2011
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Is this hotel new? How is there not more reviews of it? It looks quite nice, but disappointing to hear there wouldn't be any breakfast. Pretty rare not to get this benefit these days…
Mar 16, 2019, 2:59 am
#11
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Review was from 2017. Breakfast benefit was announced in Apr 2018! Marriott was pretty chintzy with benefits at resorts until SPG came along.
Mar 18, 2019, 9:20 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2017
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Mar 18, 2019, 1:01 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Most of the discussion is in the (rather long) Marriott Phuket thread here Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Phuket, Thailand.
Jul 26, 2019, 10:27 am
#15
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Had a recent stay here, so figured I’d chime in with some info and experiences:
Location: 30-minute taxi ride from Phuket airport (HKT). Property is north of the airport, so you can easily see planes taking off from the beach at the hotel. Ren is towards the end of a local road. As others have mentioned, once you turn down this road, you first hit a few local “shopping plazas” (more to come on that), followed by a string of hotels and resorts: Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Mai Khao Beach, Anantara Resorts, JW Marriott, SALA, then finally Renaissance.
To/from airport: Taxis and shuttles are available at both domestic and international terminals. Grab is an option, much to the chagrin of the local tuktuk and taxi mafia; however, the pickup point is outside the airport on the main road. Not all Grabs can pick-up from the hotel, so you’re slightly beholden to taxis and shuttle services.
Property: Kind of a U-shaped resort. Beach, pool, villas at the open-ended side. Spa in the middle. Two main wings of rooms ranging from 2-4 stories along the edges. Open-air lobby, bar, coffee shop, gym at the curved part of the U. No executive lounge.
Restaurants: Loca Vore is where the breakfast buffet is served. Also open for lunch and dinner I believe. Monday evenings Loca Vore has a buffet dinner (1000++ baht per person, kids under 7 eat free) with free flow beer (Singha and Chang only, 490++). The Lounge is the hotel bar. Doppio is the coffee shop. Takieng is the Thai restaurant open only for dinner. Sandbox is the beachside bar/restaurant open all day serving in pizza, burgers, sandwiches, and Mediterranean fare. Happy hour is basically just a small selection of slightly discounted cocktails, spirits, wine, beer, soda, and juices; 5-6pm at Sandbox, then 6-8pm at The Lounge. Room service is available all day.
Facilities: Small gym, small kids pool, small adult pool but never felt super crowded. Deck chairs and lawn chairs available with staff roaming around to take drinks orders or fill up your water glass. (No chairs are technically allowed on the beach per Thai regulations.) Direct access to beach, which never felt crowded. Be mindful of the posted flags, though! (Red = no entry into water; yellow = strong swimmers only; green = all good.) Spa on site. There’s a massage hut on the beach that’s not affiliated with the hotel - basically 300 baht for 30-min, 500 baht for one hour - Thai, oil, neck, foot massages.
Getting around: You can rent a free bike from the hotel to explore the lake and local environs. There’s also a “shuttle” (aka a songthaew that seats about 10 people) that runs every hour during the day, then every half hour from 6-10pm. Hotel also contracts with a local operator that runs shuttles to Phuket town (520 baht r/t) and Patong (720 baht r/t) a few times a day. You can also rent out the hotel vehicles to Phuket town (3200 baht r/t) or Patong (3400 baht r/t); the Mercedes E-class seats 3, and the Toyota van seats 7.
Elite benefits: Plat/Titanium/Ambassador can pick either 1000 points, full buffet breakfast, 3 local beers, or local snacks as the check-in amenity. I was upgraded to a corner suite, and contrary to what others have reported on FT, was told that complimentary upgrades to villas were not standard. Then there’s the usual raft of on-site discounts: 20% food and bev discount with minimum $10 USD spend (excludes room service), 20% discount at spa, 20% discount on laundry (excludes dry cleaning).
Miscellaneous: I don’t remember all the details, but there’s a list of on-site discounts and programs that kick in once it starts raining: All bars immediately go to happy hour menu. You can ask for a DVD and snack to be sent to the room for free. If you book at the spa, you get an extra 15 min treatment. Free hot chocolate at one of the restaurants. Free tea at the coffee shop.
Location: 30-minute taxi ride from Phuket airport (HKT). Property is north of the airport, so you can easily see planes taking off from the beach at the hotel. Ren is towards the end of a local road. As others have mentioned, once you turn down this road, you first hit a few local “shopping plazas” (more to come on that), followed by a string of hotels and resorts: Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Mai Khao Beach, Anantara Resorts, JW Marriott, SALA, then finally Renaissance.
To/from airport: Taxis and shuttles are available at both domestic and international terminals. Grab is an option, much to the chagrin of the local tuktuk and taxi mafia; however, the pickup point is outside the airport on the main road. Not all Grabs can pick-up from the hotel, so you’re slightly beholden to taxis and shuttle services.
Property: Kind of a U-shaped resort. Beach, pool, villas at the open-ended side. Spa in the middle. Two main wings of rooms ranging from 2-4 stories along the edges. Open-air lobby, bar, coffee shop, gym at the curved part of the U. No executive lounge.
Restaurants: Loca Vore is where the breakfast buffet is served. Also open for lunch and dinner I believe. Monday evenings Loca Vore has a buffet dinner (1000++ baht per person, kids under 7 eat free) with free flow beer (Singha and Chang only, 490++). The Lounge is the hotel bar. Doppio is the coffee shop. Takieng is the Thai restaurant open only for dinner. Sandbox is the beachside bar/restaurant open all day serving in pizza, burgers, sandwiches, and Mediterranean fare. Happy hour is basically just a small selection of slightly discounted cocktails, spirits, wine, beer, soda, and juices; 5-6pm at Sandbox, then 6-8pm at The Lounge. Room service is available all day.
Facilities: Small gym, small kids pool, small adult pool but never felt super crowded. Deck chairs and lawn chairs available with staff roaming around to take drinks orders or fill up your water glass. (No chairs are technically allowed on the beach per Thai regulations.) Direct access to beach, which never felt crowded. Be mindful of the posted flags, though! (Red = no entry into water; yellow = strong swimmers only; green = all good.) Spa on site. There’s a massage hut on the beach that’s not affiliated with the hotel - basically 300 baht for 30-min, 500 baht for one hour - Thai, oil, neck, foot massages.
Getting around: You can rent a free bike from the hotel to explore the lake and local environs. There’s also a “shuttle” (aka a songthaew that seats about 10 people) that runs every hour during the day, then every half hour from 6-10pm. Hotel also contracts with a local operator that runs shuttles to Phuket town (520 baht r/t) and Patong (720 baht r/t) a few times a day. You can also rent out the hotel vehicles to Phuket town (3200 baht r/t) or Patong (3400 baht r/t); the Mercedes E-class seats 3, and the Toyota van seats 7.
Elite benefits: Plat/Titanium/Ambassador can pick either 1000 points, full buffet breakfast, 3 local beers, or local snacks as the check-in amenity. I was upgraded to a corner suite, and contrary to what others have reported on FT, was told that complimentary upgrades to villas were not standard. Then there’s the usual raft of on-site discounts: 20% food and bev discount with minimum $10 USD spend (excludes room service), 20% discount at spa, 20% discount on laundry (excludes dry cleaning).
Miscellaneous: I don’t remember all the details, but there’s a list of on-site discounts and programs that kick in once it starts raining: All bars immediately go to happy hour menu. You can ask for a DVD and snack to be sent to the room for free. If you book at the spa, you get an extra 15 min treatment. Free hot chocolate at one of the restaurants. Free tea at the coffee shop.
Last edited by JY1024; Jul 26, 2019 at 10:56 am