Renaissance Phuket Resort on Mai Khao Beach

How is Renaissance Phuket Resort?

Renaissance is the perfect place to escape crowded beaches and tourist frenzy. Despite the common belief that Phuket is a busy island, there are some beautiful beaches you won’t have to share with anyone but your own shadow!



As Renaissance is not very far from Phuket Airport and if you happen to live in Asia, you can hop in a plane, reach there in minutes and reward yourself with a lazy weekend without having to see a tuk-tuk or a tailor!



Then it’s time to do nothing: hang in your pool villa for the lucky ones, with plenty of space and a very private garden, or pick a lounger by the large pool near the beach. The beach is spotless as it is a national park, so it is all yours for a long romantic stroll at sunset time. We didn’t get a pool villa, but a superior room. All facilities are as you would expect from a Renaissance Resort, plenty of seating area, sofa and working tables, lots of plugs for connected people like us.

The Rooms

The rooms come with a large bed, a large balcony (not facing the sea though) a big bathroom with all the amenities you need, and a big TV with free movie channels, a safe box, hairdryer etc. Internet wireless and cable are available in all rooms, free for Marriott members. The resorts facilities include a vast kids club and its oversized fancy pool and a small water slide, so the parent can spend the day playing with the small ones without worries for other guests.

The Spa

Do yourself this favour: treat yourself to the resort’s excellent and beautifully designed spa. A spa treatment is the best way to slow down from your crazy week of work and start enjoying your holiday. As usual, if you see a rainy day, book early as it is the first thing everyone does on a rainy day!

The Restaurants

Enjoy no less than three restaurants, all beautifully designed and serving excellent and creative cuisine. ‘Sandbox‘ near the beach is a sandbox as the floor is just that…. sand! Great for pizzas and original recipes salads at any time. Above ‘Sandbox‘ is ‘Takieng‘, a friendly Thai restaurant open for only for dinner. ‘Loca Vore‘ opens for all three meals, and ‘Doppio‘ is an excellent little coffee shop deli serves ice creams and cakes all day.



The most important meal is breakfast. Among all the hotels we visited, we didn’t often see such a vast breakfast buffet! There is so much to chose from; it is almost painful to decide what to eat. As you can expect from a five-star resort, the staff is attentive and genuinely care about the guests.

Verdict

Renaissance Phuket is a great luxury resort if you want to enjoy the relaxing side of a tropical island and still have the option to drive to discover the restless nights of Patong Beach. With so many restaurants and outlets, you can choose to chill in the resort or use it as a base to the magnificent wonders of Phang Nga Bay. You are just halfway between both worlds. If you plan to stay long and wish to explore a bit more of the island, you can rent a car or ask the reception to organise almost anything for you.