The Pavilions Phuket — Hotel in Choeng Thale

First and most important of all, we are so happy to be back (this should be our 9th trip back) and it’s been wonderful to see the friendly faces of our Phuket Pavilions family - Khun Neung, Khun Parn, Khun Nuch, Khun Ja-eay, Khun Prae, Anthony and Matthew, and everyone else who as always have gone the extra mile to make our stay a true romance destination.

While our stay at our home away from home was indeed almost perfect and we understand there have to be adjustments post Covid, we did miss a few soft touches which we understand that Matthew and team, and the management are working very hard to bring home.

We chose to stay in one of the pre-renovated ocean view pool villas (20) as we simply love the “love is in the air” theme that we have been so used to experiencing. The “older rooms” evoke a sense of romance with the red and black/grey decor with curated Asian art pieces to match and perfect warm lighting (we stayed the first night in the newly renovated villa but felt the decor and lighting was too bright for our taste, it just losses most of the romantic feel). We miss the “love is in the air” theme with the room decor and perfect view (of course the panoramic ocean view is still perfect), flower petals, specially prepared messages, the Phuket Pavilions scent… all the touches that appeal to all our senses making it a complete experience. That said, the box of specially selected Thai delicacies is a perfect welcome for guest with an introduction to Thai sweets.

The romance destination journey used to start from the moment we are picked up from the airport with freshly cut fruits, cold towels, a cold drink and the theme song (love is in the air and other love songs) playing in the car to start the journey. We understand this has been discontinued (instead we were pick up by third party transport van this trip), though efforts are being made to bring this back.

The buggy team (in particular Kun Neung and Kun Parn) were really fantastic … sincere, hard working, ever smiling, friendly and efficient yet taking the time to make us feel so at home. While housekeeping did a good job, we really missed our little turn down gifts each with its own special message that thrilled us every night during our past stays.

As we spent most of our time by the poolside in our villa, we felt the new non reclining deck chairs are not practical compare to the old reclining ones.

Breakfast too could be a more private affair to continue the mood from the nights (we do have to compliment the F&B team for their wonderful service (thank you too to in-room dining for preparing our favourite dish even though it was not on the menu) and the guest relation team who is always around to hear our feedback and attend to our requests.

All said and done, the strength of a resort lies in its people and their passion and at the Phuket Pavilions, that never disappoints. We do hope though that love continues to be in the air when we return to our home away from home…..

Stayed 10 days...

like a previous review said, upon entering the resort, the bar is set pretty high with a gorgeous drive in and beautiful lobby. we were welcomed with orange juice and a flower bracelet. however things slowly went downhill from there. we booked our stay through luxuryescapes which provided us with a free lunch/dinner and two free drinks each day. during check in we were told a bunch of rules that made these very confusing to redeem. we were told the lunch/dinner were only for two adults and so our third adult would have to pay extra, but when we actually dined they said we didnt. we also didn't realize the two free drinks had to be used up at one restaurant in one sitting, which seemed silly to us so we ended up having to pay quite a bit for our second round of drinks at the 360 bar. of note was the mosquitos. i get that it is in the middle of the rainforest but we felt there could have at least been some more repelling scents/aromas in the villa and in restaurants. we were at the 360 bar for less than 1 hour and were bit over 30 times. the rooms definitely need maintaining and upgrading. the rainforest shower did not work and water splattered anywhere, clearly the shower head needed cleaning. the hot water would get extremely hot unless you set the faucet at a very specific angle. the shower floor was also cracked. the rooms are outdated but spacious. the beds were very comfortable. the staff was the best part of the stay. our buggy drivers were always super kind and helpful to us, suggesting where to go and what to do. the manager at firefly was also very kind and pleasant. it felt that they were always trying their best to make us comfortable but often they were also not informed about the rules of our reservation which made things confusing sometimes (how many free drinks we had, etc). overall the villa has potential and needs more maintenance/upgrading. management needs to restructure the way that they are providinng these incentives to not make guests feel that we are begging for our free drinks. it was also very difficult to find activities and specials happening at the hotel. i only found things out from their facebook page but these things should be more easily accessible like on the hotel tv or on one single sheet of paper. the food at the three restaurants was super expensive. we ended up ordering from grab where you could get 2-3 dishes for the price of one at the hotel. however, we did have a free lunch at firefly which was delicious. breakfast was also pretty decent. i recommend breakfast at alto for the views. i would also recommend this more for couples who want privacy rather than family/friends. a 3 day stay is more than enough as there is not much to do nearby/need to travel 40 mins to phuket old town. there are shuttles to bang tao beach which we didnt get to go to due to the rain, and porto de phuket which is a touristy mall with a supermarket, some restaurants, and a few...

I was so excited to return to the Pavilions, as I previously visited on a girls’ trip in June 2024, this time travelling with my husband to celebrate a milestone birthday (his).||We spent half our 11 night trip in a Tropical View room, the same as I enjoyed on my last visit, and it was just as comfortable and lovely as I had remembered. Again, thoughtful touches such as welcoming chocolates, a gin cocktail kit, fresh orchids, some bath amenities, and even a birthday cake for my husband, all very welcome after a long day of travel. The room was lovely and quiet, located on an upper floor, spotlessly clean, spacious and comfortable, with great sleep quality. ||The other half of our trip was spent in a Spa & Pool Penthouse, which had the most wonderful view over the mountains, so peaceful and so much space, and having our own private pool was fantastic, as were the extras that came with being in the upgraded room, such as afternoon tea and evening canapes and cocktails at the Alto Bar.||There is a lot of construction work going on around the area, but we weren’t disturbed by it at all, so the hotel maintained its peace and quiet, so private and separated from the busyness below.||Once again, the food was wonderful, breakfast at Firefly is amazing, so many choices available from the buffet and the eggs/omelettes menu with something for everyone. Everything was so fresh, beautifully presented, delicious. Great coffee too, and wonderful service as usual from Meow, Wa Wa, Army, Jack, and Nate.||We also enjoyed a dinner at Alto, which was absolutely delicious, and a couple of visits to 360 Bar for drinks and dinner. There are fantastic views from both venues, and it was so lovely to sit and enjoy them. Great service from the staff in both venues too.||The hotel has great facilities, and we used the gym and both pools. The buggies used to transport guests around the grounds are fun, and we didn’t ever have to wait more than a couple of minutes for one to arrive. And the hotel app was a great, very efficient way to communicate. The front office staff were wonderful too, always willing to assist us with whatever we needed.||The hotel is well-located close to the airport, beaches (Bang Tao and Layan), Cherng Talay (shopping, restaurants, Boat Avenue markets), and within comfortable reach of both Patong and Old Phuket Town. Taxis are readily available, and I highly recommend the Grab app to get around as it was both better priced and more efficient.||It isn’t a hotel for young people looking to party, as it is well away from the action, but it is perfect for couples of any age, and those looking for a relaxing holiday where everything is at your fingertips.||I’m still dreaming of the breakfasts, and look forward to returning again soon!||Thank you to...