Where To Stay On Karon/kata Beach

[Juxjux101]

Can anyone recommend a place to stay on Karon or Kata beach. I've read reviews on so many they all sound great. I'd love some more opinions, any help would be great. Thanks much.

[dogblower]

What are you looking for? Are you a family, do you want a swimming pool, do you want 24 hour room service ...? A little more info will help people to make recommendations.

[Goshawk]

What are you looking for? Are you a family, do you want a swimming pool, do you want 24 hour room service ...? A little more info will help people to make recommendations.

it's off topic, but do you really blow dogs ?

[Juxjux101]

It's my first trip to Phuket and I'll be travelling alone. Going for 5 days in January. Looking for a nice place, resort or boutique hotel, maybe a little less family oriented. Someplace comfortable and relaxing without being too expensive . A place with good access to the beach and other activities, snorkeling, kayaking etc. Basically I want a place that's quieter than Patong Beach but close enough that I can visit there and have a less crazy place to come home to. Thanks again for any help.

[Goshawk]

It's my first trip to Phuket and I'll be travelling alone. Going for 5 days in January. Looking for a nice place, resort or boutique hotel, maybe a little less family oriented. Someplace comfortable and relaxing without being too expensive . A place with good access to the beach and other activities, snorkeling, kayaking etc. Basically I want a place that's quieter than Patong Beach but close enough that I can visit there and have a less crazy place to come home to. Thanks again for any help.

my advice is that if you've never been to Phuket before, then you really don't know any different..

Patong really is OK for a first time visit, believe me..

Plenty of less crowded, un 'crazy' places to stay, plus it's very easy to jump on an easily rented honda wave to explore both Karen & Kata beaches (15 minutes away)

i'd use patong as a hub everytime..

[ngangu]

It's been 4 years since I've been there so not sure how things have changed. I stayed at a great place just a bit farther down the road in kata Noi, the Kata Noi Bay Inn. A small place, quiet, the staff became my friends and I still here from them now and then. Across the street from the beach. It's a fair ride to Patong from there but at that time the hotel rented motorbikes for 150 baht a day to it's patrons.

[jackr]

Second Kata Noi. Try getting into Kata Thani Hotel, or the Boat or Beach hotels on Kata - these hotels are fairly upmarket and right on their respective beaches. Personally, I'd give Patong a very wide berth although it's worth seeing as a first-timer... just don't stay there if it's relaxation you're after

Kata Noi:

Patong:

Edited September 8, 2007 by jackr

[mrtoad]

There are some nice hotels in Karon/Kata. I have stayed in three differnt ones over the last 6 years.

Depending on how much you want to spend, I'd suggest the following three.

1. Hilton Arcadia - a very nice hotel at the Patong end of Karon. Excellent facillities and a good location, although personally I find it a little bit to large for my liking. Cost around $120 -$150.

2. Le Meridien - although it is classed as a Patong hotel, it is in fact between Patong and Karon. It is a lovely hotel with truly splendid views. You'll be looking at about $150 = for a room with an ocean view.

3. Andaman Seaview Hotel -I like this boutique style hotel. The rooms are spacious, it has nice pool area and it is just across from the beach. The views aren't so good here, but certainly a little less in cost, but perfectly acceptable. Cost around $70

Hope that helps.

[britmaveric]

Nai Harn pretty nice. Might check that out....

[Steve2UK]

It's my first trip to Phuket and I'll be travelling alone. Going for 5 days in January. Looking for a nice place, resort or boutique hotel, maybe a little less family oriented. Someplace comfortable and relaxing without being too expensive . A place with good access to the beach and other activities, snorkeling, kayaking etc. Basically I want a place that's quieter than Patong Beach but close enough that I can visit there and have a less crazy place to come home to. Thanks again for any help.

my advice is that if you've never been to Phuket before, then you really don't know any different..

Patong really is OK for a first time visit, believe me..

Plenty of less crowded, un 'crazy' places to stay, plus it's very easy to jump on an easily rented honda wave to explore both Karen & Kata beaches (15 minutes away)

i'd use patong as a hub everytime..

100% disagree. All down to personal taste, of course, but I think Patong is mostly a bustling, hustling, neon-lit, noisy machine for extracting tourist baht from a mixture of typical holidaymaker families and "where's-the-girls/boys/beer?" revellers. It was like that in the 80's and 90's and even more so when I looked again in April this year. January is very much high season - so it will be worse then (assuming that you regard what I describe as unattractive). Kata has grown a lot - so there are now a lot of places to go for eating/drinking/shopping etc - seems like half of them are aimed at the many Scandinavians who go for Kata (look out for the Swedish pizza place on the main street )

And January (high season) also means that many places all over Phuket will be full - so I strongly advise you to pre-book when you have decided on the place. I would say that Kata is now the best of a mixed bag in Phuket and it's well-located to head south and south-east to drop into places that are less busy. So, I agree - do hire yourself a motorbike to get around - and do wear the helmet (the police will stop you); the coast roads are good and you'll find plenty of interesting spots to stop and enjoy a drink/meal/swim etc.

Maybe a tad expensive for a single traveller but given what you say you want, I do recommend Kata Delight Villas on a headland at the south end of Kata Beach as worth the money for a special 5 days. The Superior Room is certainly good enough - smart room with great bathroom, nice large private terrace to sit out on. They have a tiny pool on a terrace overlooking the sea - plus you can get out onto the rocks for snorkelling from there............. and it's also a great place to watch the stunning sunsets. 5 mins walk gets you down to the beach proper with a couple of cheerful bars and a few restaurants with a mix of locals & some (mainly younger) tourists. Couldn't be more different from Patong - which you can drop in on sometime if you really feel like a step-change (about 15 mins up the coast road).

http://www.phuket.com/katadelight/index.htm

PS - not sure about kayaking in Kata, but I certainly saw plenty of long-tail boats going out from the beach close to the villas. Incidentally, I would suggest that you forget Karon - from what I could see it has been 99% built over by the usual big resort-style hotels. One exception to that is the long-established Marina Phuket Resort (used to be called Marina Cottages) - on a wooded headland between Karon and Kata beaches. Expensive and maybe over-the-top for you - but you do get what you pay for there.

http://www.marinaphuket.com/home.html

[mauiguy90]

Second Kata Noi. Try getting into Kata Thani Hotel, or the Boat or Beach hotels on Kata - these hotels are fairly upmarket and right on their respective beaches. Personally, I'd give Patong a very wide berth although it's worth seeing as a first-timer... just don't stay there if it's relaxation you're after

Kata Noi:

Patong:

I'd agree that the Kata Noi beach is the best! Its not a huge beach but the water is clean and the beach is basically uncrowded. Only problem being that Kata Noi is a bit isolated... The Kata Thani Hotel is fine. There is a cheaper motel type place on the hill called the Orchidae or something like that. Inexpensive and just a walk down to the beach. At the end of Kata Noi, there are a couple of small places that feature cottages that are reasonably priced, as well. The choice is up to you but I'd agree that almost anyplace in the Kata Noi Beach area is great!

[Sporting Dog]

Kata Beach Resort is quite nice - step onto the beach from the hotel.

Some of the other Kata hotels are a short walk from the beach. Stayed at Orchidicea a couple of times - suites are OK, Kata Gardens was OK too.

If you are prepared to hire a motorbike I wouldn't worry about being away from Patong - (200-250 baht for 24hours). Much cheaper than any other transport and you can get around to see other places (be careful tho' and use a helmet). Last time I stayed at Kamala and there are some beaches near there (laem sing or something - climb down the hill, beach is very nice)

Edited September 10, 2007 by Sporting Dog

[Chantal]

Another good option is Mom Tri's Boathouse (boutique style) located directly on the southern end of Kata Beach.

[Spee]

1. Hilton Arcadia - a very nice hotel at the Patong end of Karon. Excellent facillities and a good location, although personally I find it a little bit to large for my liking. Cost around $120 -$150.

I stayed there one night last year. I'm perhaps a little biased because I stay in Hiltons all over the world (Diamond VIP). It's a very nice place. The resort campus is a little large for my tastes (about 70 acres), but they have everything you might want including a motorized shuttle tram to get you around. Rooms are very nice. The beach is a 5-minute walk from the rooms and is beautiful. Karon town center is about a 10-15 minute walk. Haven't been anywhere else in Phuket so I can't comment. Getting to the hotel from the airport was reasonably inexpensive by meter taxi. Getting back sucked because the only offering was a private car hire. If I recall correctly, the price was about double. Compared to other Hilton properties around the world, what you get for what you pay is pretty good bang for the buck.

[RAZZELL]

Stayed at the Amari Patong which is a very nice hotel, but Patong, well, it's been said already

In just over 2 weeks I should be in The Boathouse so I'll give you a report.

RAZZ

[Juxjux101]

Thanks for the help and suggestions everyone.

[stevenjm]

Second the arcadia at Karon

Second avoid staying at Patong

And my advice if you want mid to upper range accom don't prebook or do hotel walkin you will get it cheaper at local agent. Theres a good one on the corner of roundabout at Karon.

If you want good snorkling (sort of in that area) pm me. Will not put it here or everyone will ruin the place.