When planning a trip to Phuket, who doesn’t want to stay on the beach? We chose the Safari Beach Hotel because it was an affordable, highly rated Phuket hotel on the beach – here is our full review.
During our stay in Phuket, we spent 5 nights at the Safari Beach Hotel located on Patong Beach. It was a pleasant stay and good value for money, with rooms costing just under £50 a night (around 2500B).
Here are the Pros and Cons to our stay at Safari Beach Hotel.
Safari Beach Hotel Pros:
Location – The hotel is opposite Patong beach as well as being around a 3-minute walk from the lively Bangla Road, an ideal location for a Phuket trip. The short walk was ideal for late nights out and the large selection of restaurants that surrounded the hotel meant we had a lot of meal choices. There are also convenience stores, such as FamilyMart, just a short walk away, ideal for stocking up on water and snacks for the room.
Breakfast – The Safari Beach Hotel offers breakfast each morning with continental choices such as cereal, toast and bakery products along with a few western and Thai hot items such as noodles and scrambled egg. The breakfast was nice considering it was included in the price but more of a choice would have made it even better.
Decor – With a Thai-styled restaurant and lobby with wooden theming, the hotel decor is typically Thai and fits well with its tropical surroundings. The pathways to each of the buildings weave through palm trees and greenery – creating a unique, relaxing, tropical atmosphere that contrasts greatly with the bustling rowdy pub area nearby.
Staff – The staff were incredibly friendly throughout our stay and were very helpful when my husband was unwell one day during our stay. The ladies at the reception were always polite and cheerful, greeting us by name and with a smile each time we returned to the hotel. They also helped us book tours and show tickets at decent prices.
Hotel Facilities – Nestled in the centre of the resort is a well-maintained pool which was fairly quiet during the majority of our stay. Airport transfers are also available, as is WiFi throughout the hotel and rooms. The hotel also offers free parking, laundry services and tours that can be booked from the front desk – like a day trip to the James Bond Island or a day trip to the nearby islands.
Safari Beach Hotel Cons:
Restaurant – The Savoey Restaurant is attached to the hotel and we heard about how popular and liked the restaurant was. In fairness, in comparison to the other restaurants along this beach front, this restaurant does appear to be the nicest looking place, with the hotels authentic Thai feel being used within the restaurant as well. Unfortunately, the quality of the food didn’t match the decor and neither of us particularly enjoyed our food at this restaurant.
Rooms – The atmosphere and Thai feel of this hotel is lovely but unfortunately the rooms let the hotel down just slightly. Our room had a comfortable bed but were two twin beds pushed together instead of one double bed. The room was spacious with a desk, flat-screen TV and balcony. The bathroom had an OK shower but water pressure wasn’t particularly great and I did miss a bathtub. The room itself also felt just a little bit too dark and could have done with some more light. The room was decent for the area and price but I felt the rooms needed a little bit more TLC to meet the price of the hotel and the high expectations and standard of the rest of the resort.
This is a good choice for a couple on a budget, especially if you can get a great deal when booking in advance. Make sure to compare the hotel prices on Agoda but also contact the hotel directly to see if they can offer you any packages or deals.
Whilst in Phuket, make sure you head out on these day trips and visit the best things to do in Phuket.
