Remember the Phuket Challenge?
Last spring I traveled to Phuket in Southern Thailand, where I was going to spend eights nights staying at mostly five star hotels and resorts. I can easily put on five to 10 pounds on a trip like this. I decided to see if I could offset breakfast buffets and dining at sumptuous restaurants with lots of vigorous activities and maintain his weight. Half way through his journey, he got sidetracked by other topics. Let’s pick up where I left off last April!
. . . . . . . . . .
Just to prove that I don’t spend all of my time at luxurious five start resorts when I travel, I spent two nights at the four star Mercure Patong PhuketÂ
hotel (see below) during my eight night trip to Phuket, Thailand, last spring.
I wanted to see first hand how the other half travels.
Unlike the other three hotels I stayed at, which were all a bit off the beaten track, this one was right on the main drag of Patong Beach’s tourism district. That means all manner of street markets, night markets, shopping malls, restaurants, cafes, nightclubs, and various other tourist attractions were all within steps of the hotel.Â
Entering the open air lobby, there was an undeniable buzz. Walk straight ahead, and you were smack dab in the middle of a large courtyard with a free form swimming pool and a bar.
Family Friendly
This hotel had a decidedly family friendly feel about it.
Of the 249 guest rooms, all had large balconies, which thoughtfully had spots you could hang your clothes on to dry.
There were 10 rooms without balconies, and there was a very good reason why. These rooms were specially designed for families with small children. Measuring 44 square metres, these rooms had queen sized beds for Mom and Dad and a separate alcove with bunk beds for the kids.
The alcoves were specially decorated to appeal to the younger set!
Food and Beverage
World Café served Western food, and Baan Napa served regional Thai cuisine. In addition to the poolside bar was a roof terrace, which opened in the evening. The lobby bar had live entertainment most nights.
One of the things that really impressed me was a counter in the lobby selling very inexpensive but tasty salads, sandwiches, and other light snacks as well as drinks that could be taken back to your room – or to the beach, which was a five or 10 minute walk away.
There was a spa, a fitness centre, and a kids’ club.
For More Information
Thailand is one of Asia’s leading travel destinations. For more information on the country and its fascinating culture as well as hotels and resorts, restaurants and cafes, bars and pubs, shopping, spas, golf and other sporting activities, entertainment, sightseeing, and more, please click on the following link: Tourism Authority of Thailand.
To Be Continued