Looking back at Best Western Premier in Bangtao, Phuket

Last week I was missing the beach so much and I blogged about our trip to Phuket, Thailand a year ago (see post here). I mentioned staying at Best Western Premier Bangtao Beach Resort and Spa (what a long name!). So here's what I got to say about the resort.

To sum it all up, My Bibe and I enjoyed our stay at Best Western Bangtao. We arrived somewhere past 9pm already and check-in was swift. To our surprise, a Filipina was working at the reception and was more than eager to have Filipino guests in their resort. The lobby was spacious with high ceilings, and where Thai architecture was obviously prominent.

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The lobby, a showcase of Thai architecture. I was especially fond of the their seats that curved from the center towards all four semi-pointed corners, framing them in the process.

Our room was on the second floor, if I remember it right. There were no elevators as the resort was no skyscraper but a sprawling property along Bangtao beach. It was spacious enough for us, with a huge bed, a flatscreen TV, and a host of other amenities. Just check out the photos.

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The view as you enter the room.

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Huge bed.

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I love this corner where we get to have coffee and sample our welcome fruit platter.

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I was amused with the water that they served -- Singha bottled water in a real bottle, not plastic.

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It was easy-open, though. Now why can't beer be the same?

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A limited view of the bathroom, which I don't remember much already.

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The beach fronting the property is completely shaded by pine trees, which I loved. Perfect place to just doze off.

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One of two swimming pools in the resort. We haven't been to the other one but this one here was quite deep at 6 feet. I could only assume it was shallower in the other pool because there were people playing volleyball in the water.

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Despite its depth, the pool is still a beauty to behold. There's a pool bar on one end, too.

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The restaurant, which was consistently near-empty every time we had breakfast. While breakfast was supposedly buffet, the off-peak season prevents the hotel from having food on full display. So what they do instead is allow guests to order whatever they want from their breakfast menu and as much as they want. Fair enough, right? And oh, the guy supervising the restaurant floor was also a Filipino.

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It's always fun to have these little birdies play around the open-air restaurant while having breakfast. I don't know but they amuse me.

There was no complimentary internet, however. Nevertheless, we found the service good, with their staff ever-ready with their sawadee krap and sawadee ka. So unless you intend to pay a premium for the likes of Banyan Tree, Laguna Phuket, and Sheraton Grande, Best Western is a good enough compromise. And although we would love to try other resorts, we wouldn't mind staying here again.

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