Le Meriden Phuket Beach Resort

We stayed here from December 20 through the 23rd so we missed the disaster by three days.No one was killed here thanks to the excellent work of the lifeguards who got everyone out in time.With that said here is a review of the hotel.Service was good but not in the same league as the shangri-la in Bangkok.Location on Phuket is the best.Fantastic pool and private beach.Much nicer than patong which was crowded and packed with tourists and vendors.Phuket itself is ok.In my humble opinion there are many more beautiful Islands in the world and this one is truly overrrun with tourists but its only an hour flight from Bangkok and is pleasant for a few days at the beach.Food at hotel was average at best and rooms were ok but nothing to write home about.By Phuket standards though a good hotel.I agree with expedias three and half stars rating.

Mike.

My husband and I first stayed at the LeMeridien 10 years ago Since then we have returned 7 times. Our sons think it is the best place on earth!!! The childrens club is fantastic The staff are all extremley friendly and the pool and gym and restaurants are all beautiful.We are counting down the days till we go again WE LOVE IT !!!!

Asked to go to Phuket (Nov 04) as a last minute replacement for a friend I had no idea what to expect.

Leaving the airport and heading to the resort via bus I didn't know what to expect as the sight along the way had be thinking I may have made a mistake.

On arrival I was greated warmly with a cool drink and a warm facecloth. The staff I cannot speak highly enough off, nothing was a problem. The breakfast was devine and you can easy gain weight from the variety you just have to try each morning.

It is a 10 minute drive to Patong via Tut Tut, or via a bus arranged via the resort. Many people we meet at Patong complained about not being about to go to the beach with out being harrassed by people trying to sell things.

The Le Meridien had its own private beach with no hawkers, the only time someone comes near you is to deliver a cocktail. You have the hard option as to go to the beach or laze by the huge beautiful pool. The lifeguards are always on the look out and this I saw first hand as a Japanese tourist tried to drown in the deep end of the pool.

The Le Meridien is a place that as soon as you arrive you feel relaxed and a visit to The Spa tops it off. What I remember most about the resort is the Thai staff and they cheerful "good morning" greeting. The elephant that wonders around the foyer of an afternoon for people to take photos.

Very hard to go to only once, I have plans to back in 2005 and after the rebuild from the Tsunami I will be returning. It can't get the feeling of how relaxed I was at the resort nor the beautiful Thai people.

10 out of 10 Le Meridien.- My thoughts are with you at present in this time of disaster. I know that Phuket survives due to the tourists so I will return in 2005.

After 10 nights staying in a superior pool view my boyfriend and I are hooked on this hotel!! Lots of activites for all ages, lots of places to eat in (although i would recommend Patong for better food at half the price in th evening!), the most beautiful beach and pools and amazing service. You get a cold towel when you arrive and this beautiful fruit juice which i couldnt find afterwards!! You dont have to do a thing - pizza brought to you on the beach, fresh watermelon from the beach hut and the most friendly staff you could imagine. As the other reviews said, it is a perfect place to have peace and quiet yet within 5-10 mins you are in patong. get a tuk tuk back from patong which is a great laugh especially after a few chang beers but pay no more than 100 baht. ( have written a review on patong too)

whoever is staying there soon - i hope you have a fantastic time but one word of warning - if you let Yin Yin the baby elephant kiss you wash it off quick cause it stinks!! bless her x

If you are travelling to phuket, this resort is the one, when indulging in the hussle and bustle of shopping and sight seeing in Patong and other attractions you can catch a short five minute taxi or tuk tuk trip back to the resort and chill out away from every thing on your own private beach or in the massive pool, This resort is not on a hillside like so many are and is ideally situated from Patong beach as other hotels are either a long distance from Patong or dont have there own beach which we found handy.

Service is first class,here all your needs are catered for from a great range of restaurants where five star meals with drinks can cost as little as 15 dollars AUS a head.

We stayed in two types of rooms, the garden room and the pool view room and both were identical with great balconies with views, huge beds, lots of space, non would disappoint.

For locallity, friendliness, cleanliness, happiness this is the place

We're not big on resort type hotels and have been to the Far East four times so are quite "savvy" about the culture and value available. However, this looked a good place place to stay from a fairly limited selection of quality hotels and we were amazed at the service and standard of the hotel. It's a very large hotel, but never seems crowded and the staff are extremely effecient and friendly. We would definitely stay again. If you need a taste of the real Thailand, there are a couple of small restaurants in a ten minute walk, and towns within easy reach - including Patong which is a mini Bangkok......

We stayed at this hotel before and loved it so much that we bought 30 guests with us and got married there this year. Fabulous spot, fabulous people. Everyone had the time of their lives. The adults were entertained with the beach, pubs, restaurants and Patong only a 'tuk tuk' away, while the kids loved the huge pool, the baby elephant and the kids club. Can't wait to go back again!.

We stayed here a couple of years ago, and can't wait to go back ! As soon as you walk through the hotel reception, the staff cannot do enough to make you feel welcome. This hotel was recommended to us, and we now know why ! The first night we had a meal in the hotel, which was the buffet, and everytime we got up to get our food from the buffet, the waiter was ready at out table to put our napkins back on our laps ! It was a bit much at first, but after the second day, you get used to it, along with the orchids and turned down sheets on your bed every night. The highlight for us was the baby elephant that came in the hotel and along the beach every day and gave you kisses !! Fantastic hotel, and the pools and beach were great.

We were very disappointed when we had to leave and come home!

Our friends recommeneded us to stay at this resort after our bad experince we had at another resort in Phuket which made us think we never wanted to return to Phuket.

Were glad we did change our minds

It was our second stay at the Le Meridien Beach Resort since then and both times we spent 12 days. We went in the off season (April/May) due to cheaper room rates, cheaper meals, fewer people and less heat.

From the time you arrive we were treated like 5 star guests.

While we waited to be checked in we were greeted with fruit juice and a hot face towel. The staff member checked us in and then showed us to our room. She showed us how to use the TV, phone, safe and air-condition.

The rooms had a king size bed and was nice, clean & neat. Not full of clutter but well presented. They provided excellent friendly cleaning staff. There was cable TV, a very large mini bar and fresh (free) water (daily). We lways had clean towels. It wasn't a big room but very nicely size for a hotel room

We purchased the cheaper room and it was facing the gardens instead of the pools or ocean. But that didn't change our experience at the resort as it only made it quieter at nights as our window was further away to the restaurants and the club. It was a pleasure to sit out on our balcony and watch the landscape/spectacular gardens (with our mosquito lotion on). We couldn't hear anything other then each other and the funny Thai lizards.

If you wanted to rest like me, you could laze around with sunscreen near either of the massive pools or under a beach umbrella near the beach. The life guards are always watching.

The resort had many activities. I did daily 1 hour classes - napkin folding, carving fruit, cooking & flower arrangements.

My husband took advantage of the fitness facilities - squash courts, exercise track, golf range, basketball court, tennis courts, table tennis & gym with instructor. They also had alot of water sport activities

The restaurants are wonderful, buffet breakfast, lunch & dinner always had lots of variety (Traditional Thai, Western food, Japanese food, sea food, Italian & different country theme nights). For breakfast you could have anything you wanted, such as fresh fruits (pineapples YUMMY), yoghurt, cerals or muslies, french bread, fried rice, miso soup, lots of varity of juices. There were also lots of hot dishes like roast tomatoes, egg, bacon, bake beans, omulate cooked the way you wanted. There were mouth watering pasteries and we found that if we had the generous buffet breakfast we were comfortably able to skip lunch. Dinners were always special. We also ate outside the resort and often found it was a lot cheaper to eat at another hotels restaurants but having said that, you pay for quality at the Le Meridian. Our favourite restaurant in the resort was the Japanese one and the main one in the middle of the pool. The shows at the buffet dinners in the main resturant was wonderful.

The resort offered 100 bhat per person for a ride with their bus into the main shopping centre. We always walked outside the resort and hailed down a Tuk Tuk and had our ride for 80 bhat together. We learnt very quickly to always bargain for everything! Neither of us are into bargaining, but it was kinda fun after you relax and get into it.

At night we relaxed at the pink elephant {Bar}playing Jenga or billiards or just sat and watched the sea roll in at the resorts "private" beach. We even saw our first fire fly. Just wanting to relax, we didn't have a big urge to see the night life in Thailand and we were definitely at peace at the resort

The staff are friendly and helpful always gave lot's of information. Their traditional uniforms were spectacular. Always very curtious, I got used to them calling me Madam all the time!

We didn't use the spa facilities or beauty salon but heard from others that they are a nice treat.

The internet facility was good but very expensive.

This will always be one of our favourite spots to escape.

We are planning our next trip again in May 2005. This time we are taking our young toddler with us so we will be able to see how their kids room will hold up to our daughter expectations.

I stayed in this hotel on a number of occassions in June 2004. I cannot recommend it more highly. The staff are so lovely. The food was excellent. The only quibble that I would have is that some of the bedrooms smell a bit damp, but maybe that is because I am not used to Thailand and it was the wet season.