| HPK046 Reviews |
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| 192 of 358 people found the following review helpful: |
Excellent service with a smile
by Olivia C Tung from Canada (August 12, 2006) |
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I arrived in Phuket after 23.5 hours flying/connecting flights from Canada. The Old Phuket Hotel is about an hour´s drive away and by the time I arrived to the hotel, I was beyond tired. However, the front desk invited me to take a seat at a table to fill out the hotel gues information - instead of standing stiffly waiting to be checked in.
I was immediately served a tropical fruit drink and was able to have a smoke, all the while taking my time. Once I was finished, one of the girls from the front desk helped me lug my suitcase up to my room on the third floor (there are a total of 4 floors in the hotel).
Once I got into the room, the first thing I thought was: wow, this is exactly the same picture that I saw on the website! No surprises, but exactly as described! I was in awe.
As this was my first time in Phuket (and in Thailand), the front desk was very helpful with tips on how to protect myself. I received advice on everything - even though it was not related to the hotel! I was cautioned to watch out for certain touts and where would be good shopping, etc.
Since I stayed for 6 nights, the front desk recognized me. However, I was surprised that they knew my room number without asking (when getting my hotel key at the end of the day)! I was pleasantly surprised at the extra care that the hotel provided, which was always done with a smile.
Before booking on this website, I had searched everywhere else on the internet for this specific hotel. I found that this website had the best deal and looked respectable (not just and obscure website with ´special´ deals)... however, I was at first hesitant because of the 3-star rating of the Old Phuket Hotel.
From the room, it was very basic. It was gorgeous, but the bed was slightly harder than what I was used to. The bathroom had a little window to view the bedroom while taking a shower and the fixtures looked like they were a little outdated, but clean. The balcony was to the side, so you have a side view of the beach... but really facing the rooms on the other side of the street. The TV had a whole slew of channels to choose from - in all languages, which sat on a table with a huge mirror in an antique finish.
Breakfast during low season (I went in July) was not buffet style. Instead, you let the restaurant staff know what you want (a list of choices is available as a placard on the table). Once you have made your selection, the food/coffee/drinks is quickly (within a few minutes) brought out to you. I enjoyed the breakfast, even though it was the same selection every morning. The trick is just ordering something different each morning! :D
From the actual service that I received and if the furniture was a little updated (most notably the bed), I would have thought that this was a 4 or 5 star hotel... not a 3 star hotel!
The hotel is really close to Karon Beach, which is much quieter than Patong Beach. However, this was one of the reasons why I chose this hotel - so that I would have the quiet time on the beach and actually find a spot there to suntan. However, the Old Phuket Hotel is far enough from the road to be really quiet at night.
Along this street, there are several stores that offer massages, laundry services, beauty services (manicures/pedicures/colouring hair/etc), Butterfly Bar & IT (which had internet service for 1 baht/minute), tours, restaurants, clothing, etc.
It´s close enough to Kata Beach and Luong Pho Chuan Road to access the more populated areas, but far enough to be comfortable. Since the hotel is situated about the middle of Karon Beach, it takes about 10-15 mins to stroll to either end of Karon Beach.
I went on a month-long vacation, where Phuket was my first stop. I stayed at various 3 and 4 star hotels and nothing compared to the Old Phuket Hotel. I was spoiled by this hotel´s friendly staff and excellent service. All other locations/countries that I travelled to did not live up to the
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(4.2 from 5 )
