bwiadca

If you don't care about the cost I would strongly recommend Dewa Resort. In season, villa with plunge pool goes for about $150 a night, off season for about $75 a night.
On the cheap side, I've stayed before for 3 nights right next to Perennial Resort in Himaphan Boutique Resort. Nice villas going for around $40 a night. Breakfast and transfer to/from airport was included.
We never had breakfast there, as we always went to the mom's and pop's store next door for traditional Phuketee breakfast dishes (dim sums, etc.).

SK AAR

There are several budget hotels in the vicinity of the airport; most are very reasonably priced. I have never stayed in the airport area so can't recommed any specifik hotels. Use Tripadvisor and you can't go wrong. Anyway, it is just a few hours right? - before you go proceed to the resort, so I wouldn't overthink this/spend much time researching and considering the options.

Rachel Neff

Hello Everyone,

I am attempting to book most of my honeymoon to Phuket on travel points. We are traveling in late Dec staying for 2 weeks. My fiance has quite a few points for IHG. Any recommendation on their properties. We are currently leaning towards the Crowne Plaza in Panwa.

kzap

Thanks I looked at a few others like Marriot Nai Yang, Nai Yang Beach Resort, The Slate etc and I think its too much just for a short overnight. May just stick with Perennial

Desirees

I am taking my parents to Bangkok for 2 days, and then Phuket for 4. They CAN walk but not too much - we are staying at the Sala Resort in Mai Khao, and then plan to do a private tour of Phuket for one day, and private tour of Phang Na Bay for another day - and then just relax around the pool the remaining day. The Sala 2 bedroom pool villas are beautiful and kind of reasonable rates - though I had to grapple with being 40 mins away from proper Phuket town. Can anyone share with me close by areas of local restaurants/shopping we can do in MaiKhao - a cab ride away not requiring 40 mins of driving each way?

Thanks,

D

Annalisa12

Just book a day earlier at your Phuket hotel so you can check in there instead of staying at an airport hotel

rbAA

The Holiday Inn Resort Mai Khao is our favorite. Quiet, great beach, and decent food options nearby. Don't really need a car, but close enough to the airport if you want to get one for part of the trip. We always have gotten the swim up suites and rooms on the first floor, semi-private pool shared with four other rooms but never seemed to be a problem.

FlyingCow

teriyaki

Is the Koh Phi Phi Island really closed as they say?
What is the best way to book a one-day island tour if it's still possible? I like to have my itineraries pre-booked and researched, however some sources saying it's better to book locally...

SK AAR

Don't worry, most likely the weather will be fine - cloudy and occasional rain in the afternoon/evening, but nothing that will ruin your vacation. It will be hot and humid though. The positive side is the very reasonable hotels rates in low season and less tourists.

Bang Tao/Laguna area is an excellent choice. I have no knowledge about the properties you mention so I can't comment, but I'm sure you will be fine whatever you decide.

Enjoy your holiday!

SK AAR

aIMO Koh Phi Phi is way overrated and can easily be skipped. There are better alternatives e.g. Phang Nga.

You should definitely book local/once you get there - booking this from home will lead to a significant rip-off.

justforfun

I regularly use Simba Tours and have never been disappointed. Simba Sea Trips - Tours and private charters, Phuket Thailand

Annalisa12

Agree. Not a fan of Phi Phi.

exploreaswego

Depends on what you want to see. If you have tonnes of time for R&R, by all means book with a tour package.
If you don't mind forking out more money, or share a private tour with another couple, I suggest John Gray Canoe.
They are pricey, but those were some of our best memories of our time in Phuket.
We paid about $500-600 for a day tour.
We had free shuttle pick up from our hotel, 3 locals - 1 fluent in English, 1 support guide that isn't as fluent, and 1 boatman.
We had the whole longtail boat complete for ourselves, decked with 4 personal kayak canoes.
The main attraction was the Hongs (Lagoons in Thai) on kayaks, spectacular tour, as we beat the crowds that had about 30-40 poor souls stuffed in a long tail boat in our size.
In comparison, other tours usually take you to 1 location, drop the bunch of people off in a beach with other tour boats, give you an hour in a ridiculously packed remote beach, and then they pick you back up. (Phi Phi Islands was one of those beaches - in all honesty, you can get to Phi Phi via water ferry at Rassada Pier from Phuket for just a few hundred baht)
We passed by numerous of these beaches, and we pity those poor tourists, as they are essentially stuck and not given an option to choose their itinerary.
We told our guide we prefer secluded spots and hidden gems where the locals would visit, and for the day, that is what we got.
Throughout the day, we had snacks/fruits/water all stocked for us, so we didn't have to worry about food, just enjoying our tour and taking a tonne of pictures and videos.
We had lunch at a local fisherman village, none there spoke a word of English, but the food was mind blowing the best seafood we had in Thailand ever.
We ended the tour with a relaxing afternoon unwinding at a beach where only locals visit, and head back to the port where the driver picked up back to our hotel.
When we looked back, with the $600 split into 4 people, about $150 per person, it was money worth spending as transportation/food/tour all eventually added up to that amount.
Will probably do the night tour with them when we get a chance to go back to Phuket.

SK AAR

Wow - that is a lot for Thailand! This was booked with a local tour operator? It sounds way too expensive to me...