As Thailand‘s well-established holiday hotspot, Phuket is blessed with a huge variety of places to call home during your visit – from boutique hotels and jungle hideouts to the sprawling big-name blockbusters perched on sugar-cane beaches. Most of the best hotels in Phuket are found dotted around the bays of the west coast, but there’s something to draw you in no matter where you pitch up. The quiet shores of Cape Panwa, the buzzy nightlife of Patong and the beaches of Surin, Rawai, Bangtao, Kata and Karon included.
Opportunity for fun abounds in Phuket, where warm waters teem with marine life (if you’re a keen scuba diver like me, you’ll find heaven in its rich coral and clear visibility), and postcard-pretty bays attract keen kayaking tourists in their droves. Book a tour of Phang Nga Bay and its prehistoric limestone caves, also making stops at Koh Phi Phi, James Bond Island and Maya Bay (yes, the one where The Beach was filmed). Don’t do as many tourists do and bypass the cultural hub of Phuket town, where rainbow-painted shopfronts line the bustling streets and vendors sell authentic, affordable Thai cuisine. Chalong is also well worth a day trip to see the giant Buddha.
That being said, Phuket is also a place where those drained from the weight of life come to rest their weary heads. When I first visited the Pearl of the Andaman post-pandemic, I was yearning for a quiet sanctuary – somewhere where my tired mind and body could recuperate – and I’m not sure I could have picked somewhere better. No-one will blame you if you spend your time on this diverse island – one of rolling verdant rainforests, powdery white beaches stretching to miles of electric blue sea, and dramatic sea stacks soaring from emerald green waters – simply being. Soaking in the views, the sunshine, the culture, and the enviable laidback way of life. It will do you wonders.
The best hotels in Phuket at a glance:
How we chose the best hotels in Phuket:
GLAMOUR’s travel guides and hotel reviews are compiled by our well-travelled journalists who have an in-depth knowledge of the destination. Our writers have spent time getting to know the area and have stayed in various types of accommodation, from the grande dame hotels to the lesser-known hidden gems. As a discerning editor who has spent time in Phuket and independently reviewed various hotels, old and new, I’m well-qualified to help you find your perfect stay on the island, depending on your preferences and what you want from your trip.