Holiday Inn Resort at Mai Khao Beach

Hot off the press! Everyone's heard of Holiday Inn of course, the brand is all over the world, and there has been a Holiday Inn in Phuket since time began in what used to be the quiet end of Patong when I first arrived here.. nowadays there is no quiet end of Patong! The Holiday Inn in Patong always gets a lot of good reviews, it's a big resort and despite being in big, bad Patong, once you are in the resort you're away from the crowds. It does tend to be a family hotel and it will suit people who like to be in the middle of the busiest beach in Phuket.

The new 246 room Holiday Inn Resort at Mai Khao Beach is rather different. Mai Khao beach is the very antithesis of Patong. One can say it's more crowded now than 10 years ago when JW Marriott was the only big resort on the whole 10km of beach. If you felt like it, and maybe I'll do it one day, you could walk from one end of the beach to the other and it would take you a couple of hours at least. That's lots of beach. So even though you now have more resorts like Renaissance Resort, Sala Phuket, Anantara Villas and more - and these have all opened in the last 10 years - despite this, the beach is still very empty. All the resorts along Mai Khao are nice ones - there's no 2 star here! Well, there is one Phuket oddity - the Seaside Cottages, a collection of wooden and bamboo huts and a few concrete ones too, some trees, hammocks and a little restaurant right on the beach. Odd because the land is worth a fortune and here's Malcolm from England running some little bungalows!

Anyway ... the brand new Holiday Inn Resort just opened a week ago. I was actually called and invited for the opening, but I guess they don't know I have a dive shop to run.. and it was a friends 40th birthday party the same night! If you want to book a totally new resort, maybe with beds that have not been slept in yet, right by the beach, in paradise, and certainly run by a trustworthy name - well here you go. There are some special prices right now (it's low season after all). A great place for couples - the resort has some very nice looking pool access rooms. Also great for families - the press handout I was sent had a lot of info about how great this resort is for the kids :

The new hotel differentiates itself for its family-friendly offerings. Its Kids Suite offers privacy for both parents and kids as they have their sections within the suite. The kids section of the suite comes with a bunk bed and a play corner that includes a flat screen TV, a DVD player and a game console. The Family Suite has the same concept as the Kids Suite, but with a bigger room that connects to the specially designed room for the kids. The stylishly designed kids room comes with a kids bathtub, vanity counter and toilet. To cater to families with teenagers, the resort offers a Teen Zone for youngsters to unwind and entertain themselves. There’s also a Kids Club where younger kids can have fun while their parents may pursue other interests and activities within the resort.

The Holiday Inn Resort at Mai Khao Beach is a place to relax and avoid the crowds - you should note that like all the more isolated resorts, you won't have a huge choice for dining. If I stayed here I would rent a car. Can drive to Phuket Town in 45 minutes and you can drive over the bridge and into Phang Nga within a few minutes, since Mai Khao beach is right in the north of the island. A tour of Phang Nga Bay is not to be missed if you stay in Phuket. We'll be doing this again sometime soon! See you in Phuket!

Holiday Inn Mai Khao Beach - Booking & Information Links

• Holiday Inn Resort - Rates and Reservations at Agoda.com
• More Mai Khao Beach Hotels at Agoda.com

Holiday Inn Mai Khao Beach - Photos

 

 

Phuket Hotels - More Information & Online Booking

• More Phuket Hotel Suggestions
• Top 10 Phuket Hotels
• Phuket Hotel Reservations at Agoda.com
• Thailand Hotel Booking at Agoda.com