Zenmaya Oceanfront Phuket — Attraction in Kamala

This would receive a 1 if it wasn’t for the fact that my room with the dipping pool was mostly lovely (the child in the room next door who kept throwing trash into the pool, and the random cleaners who showed up at 7am - without advanced warning - to clean the pool while I was in bed, undressed ruined it) and the views from the hotel are stunning. Were it a regular room I’d have given a 1, despite the scenery. The service is HORRIBLE! First off, they forgot to send a driver to the airport for me so I was stranded for an hour. Upon arrival I was checked in and immediately accosted by someone from their time share arm trying to sell me something. Seriously? Read the room, . I was told I was given a "special fruit plate" (8 pieces) as compensation and they would provide the return trip to the airport. The next morning I saw the staff delivering the same plate to every room. So much for “compensation.”! Adding insult to injury, the hotel is in the middle of NOWHERE! Nothing around except a fair Mexican restaurant and a reggae themed *** depot. In order to get to either, you have to walk on the sharp curve of the main two-land road that has no curb or sidewalks. To get anything other than an overpriced taxi provided by the hotel takes forever. I waited over 30 minutes for a car, and it’s hot, so I asked at the bar for a glass of water. They wanted 70baht. I explained I only wanted a glass, not a bottle… they said they have no glasses. THE BAR HAS NO GLASSES???? The other bar had no water in the pitcher, and refused to get any, laughing. The worst - the front desk - despite handing a glass of coconut water to everyone who registers - claimed they also had no water. I literally watched them hand a glass to someone moments later. The “beach” they promote is non-existent. It’s a pile of rocks and even in low tide you can’t go down because there’s nowhere to stand (see photo). Plus, the steps down have rotten wood and more than one lifted as I stepped on it. Coming up, I took a wrong turn and ended up in some sort of maintenance shop - no door, no sign, nothing … I was just suddenly surrounded by building supplies and paint - wood with exposed nails, etc. SO unsafe. Much of the walkways are made of rotted wood. There are absolutely no accommodations for the handicapped (pathways are rotted wood beams or uneven and slippery stone - there are no handrails anywhere), and as someone with a chronic illness that often leaves me debilitated, this was a big problem. The hotel couldn't have cared less. The overpriced and weak breakfast buffet is the only option. And even though I couldn't eat most of what they served, they told me there was no menu or ala cart, and when I tried to order from in-room dining, the entire menu section is blank. I booked 3 nights and after the first asked to be let out of only my third (I wanted to give at least 24 hour notice). They refused, claiming they had compensated me with food (remember the subpar fruit plate?). Stay away. Stay far away from this dump. Unless you’re on a honeymoon. Then, only if you get the room with pool and just...

Rooms: There are different types available Street and mountainview Seaview with outside jacuzzi Seaview with poolaccess (three apartment share one pool) ... Seaview with inside jacuzzi Already a hughe room. Equiped with a walk in shower. Large LED-TV Soundstation with ipod dock (old 30pin). Watercooker and coffeemaker with filter. Two apples and two water a day. A hughe bed/couch for a third person. But missing sockets (already used by lamps). Not much space to store clothing. Avoid mountain view because of noisy road. Inroom tea and sugar refill needs improvement, water refill and towels change is good.

Fitness: Equiped with TechnoGym devices. Plurima Multistation - Wall 1x elliptical cross trainer (Vario) 2x treadmills 2x exercise bikes (excite bike & excite recline)

1x rowing machine (concept 2 model D with PM3)

2x adjustable bench Dumbbells (2,5kg 5kg 7,5kg 10kg 12,5kg 15kg 17,5kg 20kg 22,5kg 25kg)

The scales are not very helpful. Messurement differs between 90 to 110kg.

Small towels, water dispensor and music available. Smell is good with help of fragrance. Especially the cardio devices (cross trainer who is standing in front of the window in a corner) need more cooling. Because the climalte blows the cold Wind towards the weight corner.

Breakfast: Cut fresh fruits (papaya, pithahaya, watermelon and pineapple) Whole fruits (apple, nashi and maracuja) Fruitsalad, chia ... Egg station with daily changing specialities. Baguette, bread, rolls, danish, muffins and musli. Pancake and waffles. Salmon, ham, various cheese ... Saladbar Changing vitamine boosters Warm dishes (i.e. curries, fried rice, potato wedges, hash browns...) Special thanks to Pan Pan who always served us with a smile and so made our start into the day.

Service: The asian staff is always friendly. We also had nice conversations with Ni (learning german). The free shuttle for up to 18 guests to Jungceylon makes it easy to get to and back from Patong. Times to Jungceylon 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 16:30, 20:15 Return from Jungceylon 11:20, 13:20, 15:20, 17:00, 20:35

Pool: Medium sized with a pleasant length for swimming. Because of the rooms with pool the main pool is not so full. Some of the sunbeds need a repair. There are also some brocken tiles and panels. The Pool Boy could clean up empty glasses and unused towels more frequent. The music at the pool is nice but too loud and the speakers creak and seem to be defect or to small. The trafficnoise from the street ist very present.

Sea: Wonderful small bay shared with a tiny bar next door. The last steps down to the sea are high and inconvinient. The underwater world has some small corals and coloured fishes.

Overall U Zenmaya is a small pearl in the Patong/Kalim Bay. We enjoyed our stay definitivly and look forward...

We, family of three, recently stayed at Zenmaya and had a mixed experience. While the hotel has some positives, there were MANY drawbacks that made our stay less enjoyable.

On the downside, our room was extremely small, with barely enough space to move around. There was no access to a microwave, which made it difficult to prepare meals for our young child. To make matters worse, the TV didn't work nor did the mini fridge. The WiFi works periodically and in certain areas which made entertainment difficult for the little one. After much spoilage and frustration, we went to the front desk afterwhich they replaced both the tv and the fridge.

There was no view from the bedroom - despite the hotel's oceanfront location. The view we had was that of the Wyndham across the street and the main road which is quite busy.

We also found the pool to be very small, and the beach access was actually quite dangerous due to the steep stairs and lack of handrails on both sides.

Additionally, the hotel is not child-friendly, with rooms and accommodations that are not suitable for young children. From sharp edges in the bedroom and a very open lobby that leads to the main road. We left the hotel nursing busted lips from the swing and a knot on the head.

Furthermore, the hotel does not offer babysitting services, which was inconvenient for us as it is advertised on their own booking site. One of the main reasons we booked this hotel to enjoy their romantic amenities.

We also encountered a time-share sales pitch during our stay, which was annoying and intrusive. However we did attend and received a free trip to Andamanda water park.

On a more positive note, the security staff were pleasant and attentive, and the hotel's location close to the road made it convenient for bike access and parking. The staff were also helpful and friendly. They did accommodate breakfast for the baby at no cost. The charge is over 400 baht per person.

There are very beautiful panoramic views from the cliff but be careful down the stairs to get to the restaurant.

Room service was good but a bit pricey as expected.

Overall, I would not recommend the Zenmaya Ocean Front to families with young children or those looking for a relaxing, stress-free vacation. However, if you're a couple or solo traveler looking for a budget-friendly option with helpful staff, this hotel might be worth...