Review: Hyatt Place Phuket Patong 2016

Finding the place was quite a challenge, though that was due to a combination of factors including misleading (or misunderstood) directions from the bus, as well as the property being a newly opened one and hence not well-known to locals. Finally, we managed to get a tuk-tuk driver to send us to the hotel.

Check-in was quite straightforward and the front desk staff was friendly and helpful to provide information on shuttle bus timings and taxi fares in the Patong area. The staff also confirmed that we got a pool view room and was happy to comply when we requested for a twin room instead of a double.

Jul 26 2016 - Jul 29 2016 [3 nights]

As the norm in South East Asia, this hotel also has an open-aired lobby, complete with rattan chairs suspended from the ceiling.

One deviation from the norm in South East Asia is that no welcome drinks were offered, though that was probably not incoherent with its positioning.

Another thing that puzzles me is that the front desk staff requested a deposit of THB 1,500 to cover the stay. While it is not uncommon practice, this is the first time I have experienced it in Thailand. Furthermore, I would think it is the convention to place an earmark on the customer's credit card, rather than requesting a cash deposit.

Stepping out from the elevator, it was clear that the minimalist concept was consistently applied through the hotel.

The bathroom was located at the left of the entrance, with an enclosed shower area, complete with slip-proof mat, which is a nice touch.

It was also stocked with several useful amenities, including a hairdryer at the cabinet below the sink, as well as an iron and ironing board at the cabinet on the left of the entrance.

The toiletries provided were supplied by Portico, which is consistent with our experiences in Hyatt Regency properties in Thailand.

Once inside the room there is a small desk with an adjoining cupboard, which housed the minibar. 

While it might appear a little IKEA-ish, I felt really comfortable with the furnishing of this room, especially the sectional sofa at a corner of the room, where I ended up lounging for quite a fair bit of time.

I realised that the open-air closet, or rather simply a rack with matching hangers seems like a trendy thing, since I also saw it at the Sugar Marina in Kata. On one hand I thought it makes sense for a beach destination, since it would be better to keep wet laundry in the open-air, though I suppose you would still want a proper closet for other clothing.

On the cupboard was a coffee pot, as well as complimentary water and beverage mix. There is also an universal plug, among many others, which I have learnt to appreciate when travelling abroad, considering I once paid about ~SGD 12 for an adapter in Krabi.

The room had a nice view of the pool, which is nice. However, I probably would not want to pay the full premium to upgrade to a pool view room.

I did, however, went for a dip on the second day, and was rather unimpressed by the pool. While the design was aesthetically pleasing, the pool was a mere 0.8~1m deep. In addition, the water smells strong of chlorine or some other disinfectant. I choose to give it the benefit of the doubt that the pool be overdosed with disinfectants since it was a new property and probably under-utilised at the moment.

The is also a 24 hr gym available though this time we gave it a miss.

Coming back to the room itself, the mattresses were soft, and the bedding fluffy. 

In fact, I would think Hyatt could have easily given Westin a run for their money.

Similarly to the hotel in Kata, the Hyatt Place in Patong is also located within walking distance from the beach, although the entrance is somewhat secluded in a small alley by the more conspicuous Novotel Phuket Resort.

Breakfast was served at the restaurant beside the lobby. While the restaurant was airy and featured great lighting, the food offered was absolutely underwhelming.

To be fair the food didn't taste bad, in fact the sautéed mushrooms and sausages were actually quite flavourful. However, the choices available were extremely limited, to the extent that apart from the continental breakfast spread (bread, salad, fruit and dairy), the hot options are almost entirely represented by what I have on the plate.

The saving grace was the cappuccino machine, which I thought was a great feature in a contemporary themed property, as well as the omelette. The poached eggs however, was only mediocre, and I was rather disappointed that it was served without hollandaise sauce.

Service was however, a great highlight at this property. Not only did the staff always made it a point to greet guests whenever they return to the hotel or pass by the concierge, it was also done with genuine smiles and sincerity.

Also, I do find that the staff here do make it a point to proactively provide convenience to guests. On the final day, as we checked-out of the hotel, we did not realise that the join-bus we arranged for was actually waiting at the foot of the hill instead of at the lobby. The concierge staff offered to drive us down to meet the bus, a gesture which we really  appreciated, since I was having a rather funny stomach at that point.

Conclusion
The hotel is located within a stone throw from Patong beach, so represents a convenient location at a great value. In fact there are sea-view rooms available at fairly reasonable rates of ~SGD 100. The staff is friendly, though perhaps the property is still new, I could often sense some nervousness in the service rendered. I am nevertheless impressed by the proactive help and genuine hospitality of the staff.

I am still interested to find out how would a select service hotel that caters to a mix of business and leisure travellers fit into such a leisure-heavy destination like Phuket, though I would seriously consider staying at the property again.

Review: Sugar Marina Resort-Surf-Kata Beach 2016

We were the last passengers to be dropped off by the minivan and immediately find ourselves facing the hotel's façade. I was immediately drawn to the cascading waterfall over the doorway leading to the lobby.

Stepping into the lobby we were promptly greeted by the front desk staff who proceeded to assist with our check-in. In the meantime, we were offered cold drinks, albeit without a cold towel, which is fine with me since the weather was pretty cool around this time in Phuket.

We were escorted to our room by a friendly associate, who introduced in the details the facilities available in the hotel as well as the room features.

Unfortunately the surf-board was only for decorations and not intended for use, though the minibar is, and free-of-charge. While the offerings are far from extensive, considering the price charged and it being free, I think it's a nice touch to be appreciated.

The bedroom itself is actually pretty small, and with the twin beds side by side it leaves little room to manoeuvre. The furnishing was well-done though, as the surfing theme is extensively applied though out the decor.

The lack of space was, however, further exacerbated by the day-bed, not to mention it being rather out of place in the room.

The bathroom, however, was a pleasant surprise, with warm wood and marble surfaces, complete with warm lighting.

The shower area was located across the bathroom, away from the bathtub, and feature a rainforest shower in addition to a handheld one. The water pressure is really good, however the partition is less than ideal since only half of the shower area is shielded, and water tend to spray out into the changing area quite easily.

I am seldom a big fan of house-brand amenities, though this time round I found these shampoos and body soap to be reasonably good. In fact, I quite liked the peppermint scent of the shampoo.

After a quick rest in the room, we headed out towards the beach, passing the gym on the way out. The gym is fairly small, though the treadmill and equipment are all functional, so that's great for some workout.

There is also a pool across the lobby. While it is not Olympic-sized, the water is fairly clean and I had quite a few dips during my stay here. Apparently the ground floor rooms with pool access are fairly popular, since almost everyone of them appears occupied during our stay there.

Breakfast was served at the cafe on the ground floor, which had a fairly good ambience, from 6:30AM to 10:30AM. Based on the room rate we paid for, breakfast was included as part of the package. 

The buffet spread was good, in fact exceptional for a hotel in this price range. There was quite a range of confectionery products (this picture only captures about half of the offerings).

As well as reasonable selection of hot dishes, ranging from bacon and sausages to Asian fried rices and stirred fried dishes.

I had the Asian fried rice on the first day, and it was delicious, with succulent squid and other seafood. While the sausages are just okay, the bacon was actually crispy and tasty.

There is also a fairly good selection of fresh, cut fruits, which was also promptly replenished.

It appears that hot options are being rotated on a daily basis, since I was greeted with a whole new selection on the second day. While the rösti was cold by the time I took it, the pad thai was really good.

Location wise, Kata Beach is just 150m away and takes at most 5 minutes by foot, although one will have to cut through a small footpath beside the walls of Club Med Phuket. 

Check-out was also quite straightforward, although the staff did took a while to check through if the room was in order.

Conclusion
Granted, it was the lull season when we visited Phuket, though ~SGD 62 was still extremely value for money. In fact, I am impressed by the facilities and services offered by this property. Not only is the room well maintained, the facilities are adequate and the service is also warm and non-intrusive.

One potential drawback could be that the hotel does not really feature facilities for guests travelling with kids, although that was not really a concern for me on this trip.

Personally I would definitely want to re-visit this hotel when travelling to Phuket again.

Phuket Revisited in 2016: Introduction

Since August in China was scathing hot and fraught with all sorts of floods and droughts, my mother and I changed our summer holiday plans from Eastern China to South East Asia, again.

Thanks perhaps in part to the slumping oil prices, airfares have been incredibly cheap for the past year or so. Even without a major sale tickets to Phuket were selling at ~SGD 115 return. 

Review: Sugar Marina Resort-Surf-Kata Beach 2016

Review: Hyatt Place Phuket Patong 2016

To be honest when I returned from China on Tigerair I did not quite anticipate that I will be flying on it again in such a short time.

Though as we descend through the clouds and views of the Andaman sea, I quickly forgot about flying on a budget carrier. To be fair, they have shown tremendous improvements recently, in particular the captain's address has gotten a lot warmer and more friendly.

Phuket airport has constructed a new terminal which was supposed to be launched into operations in June, though apparently it remains cordoned off when when landed in HKT. Apparently, passenger service using the new terminal has been postponed till September.

Since we have an extended stay this time round, I thought it makes sense to alternate between the less crowded Kata beach and the more vibrant Patong area.

As chance would have it, Hyatt has opened this new Hyatt Place hotel in Patong, which I thought would be nice to try, since I was curious how would a select-service hotel fit into a largely leisure travel market. 

For the stay at Kata, I selected the Sugar Marina Resort in Kata. They appear to be a boutique hotelier operating a series of themed hotels in Phuket and Krabi.

I made a small mess when booking the accommodations - stays at Hyatt properties are eligible for accruing Krisflyer miles, although you would have to book at the official site to qualify. However, somehow the promotional price of SGD 55 a night ran out on the official page while it was still available on third-party booking sites. So I reluctantly gave up accumulating the 500miles in order to save about SGD 60.

Altogether for my mum and myself, we spent slightly less than SGD 1,000 on this trip, comprising:

1. SGD 270 on air tickets and travel insurance
2. SGD 125 booking Sugar Marina Resort for 2 nights 
3. SGD 195 booking Hyatt Place Patong for 3 nights
4. SGD 380 on food and random spendings

Krabi in 2015: A quick getaway

For a quick getaway, SEA really has a myriad of choices. I once contemplated Boracay, with its powdery beaches. However, flights to Kalibo involve a transit at Manila, stretching more than 5 hours, implying that one day will be lost on flying alone and hence defeating the purpose of a quick getaway.

So we considered Bali. Then the volcano erupted, periodically shutting down the airport. Next, Langkawi, fairly good choice because of the falling ringgit, if not for the visa requirement.

Then, it appeared that Krabi might be a good choice. Its proximity to Singapore, its less crowded beaches, and the flexibility to visit nearby islands. Best part, Air Asia was doing a discounted sale of SGD102 for a return trip.

The hotel was decent, despite the room being on the small side.

Then again, given the price we paid of about ~SGD 80 per night, this is a reasonable offer. Furthermore, the front-desk gave us a complimentary upgrade.

The interesting part is this bath-hub on the balcony. While the hotel, being built on a hill, is indeed secluded, it still feels weird.

However, I must give the hotel credit for living up to its name. The Ao Nang cliff is indeed visible right from the balcony, although the beach is blocked from view by the traveller's palm. Perhaps beach view is reserved for guests paying to stay at pricier suites.

Given that it was a late afternoon arrival, we strolled around the night markets, which was fairly touristy, though I got a cotton shirt for THB 200. Of course, a trip to Thailand would be incomplete without a visit to the massage parlours, especially when you have a day packed with intensive activities ahead. And with prices for a 60 minutes session at THB 200~300, it was almost a given that we patronise one.

The next day was spent island-hopping, starting with a 25 min ride on a fishing boat (the locals insist it is a long-tail boat).

Although we visited during the rainy season, the skies were clear and weather was sunny and warm during most of the trip, which was great for water activities.

However, sometimes when the sun get scorching hot, one needs to count on inner peace to maintain a peace of mind :)

Review: Avista Hideaway Resort and Spa, Phuket 2014

Since this trip to Phuket was meant to be a relaxing one, choosing a hotel with the appropriate theme was really important.

Sep 23 2014 to Sep 26 2014 [3 nights]

Like the name suggests, the hotel is indeed a hideaway (though our cab driver had no issues locating it lol), located at the end of a winding road leading away from Patong beach which is popular among tourists with many restaurants, bars and night clubs.

Upon entering the lobby we were ushered to the sofa. Welcome drinks and fruits were served together with cold towels, which were jasmine scented. As the case in many resorts in South East Asia, the lobby was an open design.

There were also rings of cushions, as well as a viewing deck overlooking the Andaman Sea. 

While checking in, we were asked to indicate, among others, our preference for bedding, quilts and pillows. I had always presumed Westin's heavenly bed as the standard for hotel bedding, though it seems that they have a serious contender here.

The room
The room is massive. On the website it says the Club Vista room is 65 sq. m, but with an open concept and light colours, it certainly look a lot larger.

After settling down in the room and doing some unpacking, we headed to the bar for cocktail. The drinks are served together with prawn crackers, which I quite liked. 

As the sun begins to set the view from the bar was beautiful. In fact, this picture doesn't do it justice. For the record, Club Vista guests are entitled to complimentary cocktail every evening. So, while I would visit for the view even if staying in a cheaper room, I certainly would not recommend patronising the bar every day since the price are significantly higher than what you would expect to pay in Patong.

After the cocktail we went to Patong beach for dinner. The hotel had regular shuttle bus services (using a converted lorry) to Jungceylon shopping centre and back, which is a great convenience to guests sine it is beyond walking distance from the beach or town.

The breakfast spread is impressive, with a whole range of juice, fruits and cheese available, a wide variety from the breadbasket, as well as a generous selection of hot dishes. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating, and we always chose to sit outdoors on the patio, which boasts a great view of the pool one level down and the Andaman Sea.

When the sun has risen, the clouds start to disperse and I happen to catch this piece drifting by.

On the second day we selected a 60 minutes massage, which was upgraded to 90 minutes since we are staying at a Club Vista room, which is like a deluxe room/junior suite equivalent. The massage/spa is one of the highlights of this hotel, and we are keen to experience it. 

Again, the massage was priced on the high end, at THB1,800 a person, but the experience was indeed relaxing.

When we returned the room after the massage, to my pleasant surprise I found this on the table!

Yeah, I know they actually asked us to indicate during check-in whether we are celebrating any event during the stay, like birthdays, anniversaries, etc., and yes I did see the restaurant staff presenting a lady with a birthday cake during breakfast but I assumed her husband ordered it, since he was standing together with the waiter and was fairly calm, in sharp contrast to the exclamation on the lady's face.

Now, the thing is, I did not indicate that I would be celebrating my birthday during check-in. While I am sure given that they scanned our passports as a standard procedure and finding out my birthday is a real no-brainer, I really appreciate the initiative to extend such a goodwill. 

On the 25th, we requested for airport transfer since it was rather inconvenient to hail a cab from the hotel. While the price of THB1,500 (USD 46) is almost twice than the THB800 we paid for on the way there, the minivan was comfortable and could have seated 6, as compared to the usual 4 on taxis. So if travelling in a larger group, it could actually be cheaper to request for the airport transfer.

En route to the airport, the driver made a stop a fairly scenic spot overlooking the beach and told us that it's a good spot for taking pictures. 

Conclusion
The stay has been an excellent experience, and I think this property had lived up to its name. While the Avista certainly wasn't cheap, they certainly delivered what is expected of them at this price, perhaps even more.