Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town — Hotel in Ratsada

I recently switched from the Accor Live Limitless loyalty program in which I was Gold status to the Marriott Bonvoy in the hopes the Marriott loyalty program would provide a better product and experience. My experiences with Marriott were great until the recent stay at the Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town. This establishment has recently been re-opened after extensive renovations, as a Marriott hotel. My stay in room 914 which was plagued with continuous issues.

Check in staff failed to take the deposit for the stay when arrived. I received a phone call on day 3 explaining this and when I arrived at reception to resolve this, I was informed it needed to be a credit not a debit card as the funds would be withdrawn from the debit card if used instead of a hold. As I had no credit card and had not been informed that this was the case prior to arrival, the solution staff attempted to provide was to organise some “bill-to-the-room” process where I would have to attend the restaurant and inform them to bill the deposit to my room. Of course, the restaurant staff had no idea what I was talking about so that plan failed. I ended up paying the deposit on the 12th day of my stay which rendered it for the most part redundant.

Room 914 had a shower drainage issue which we reported on 3 separate occasions and was attended by maintenance staff to no avail. The shower continued to fail to drain throughout the 11 days we were in the room before we were moved to another room, 1014.

The electricity in the room 914 on the ~9th day began to flicker. This involved all light fixtures flashing intermittently at random intervals. This made it particularly difficult to sleep. This was reported immediately and again maintenance staff attended but could failed to resolve. Reporting this issue, a second and third time over the course of the following days lead to no resolution and reception made the decision to move us to a different room. We moved room at 1130pm after being woken by the fault yet again. I have video footage which I supplied to the staff as evidence.

Finally, upon checking out I reviewed my Marriott Bonvoy points and nights balance, both indicated the stay accumulated 0 point and nights. Upon enquiring on 10/12/2021 via the +80062774680 number I was informed that because I booked through a 3rd party, that my stay was invalid for points and nights. I have used 3rd party booking platforms to book my previous stays at Marriott hotels and had points and nights awarded, noting the stays of the 5-6 April 2021 and the 10-11 April 2021 at the Courtyard Sydney-North Ryde. I was informed by the customer consultant on the call that this 3rd party platform that made these reservations was different to the one used for the Phuket Town reservation which was the only difference. This may be true regarding the platforms, but nowhere was it stipulated that my points and nights would be nullified due to a change in 3rd party booking platforms. I would have happily booked directly with the Marriott had I had known this was the case. Costly mistake apparently.

In summary the only reason I booked the Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town was to earn additional points and nights. There were cheaper options available that I would have more than happily booked if I was not interested in elevating my Marriott Bonvoy status.

I would also like to mention that despite the negative feedback above the staff were exceptionally friendly and did try to improve my stay, however the final straw has been the points and nights debacle that has...

Breakfast It was amazing and we were spoilt with choices like the local cuisine - Green curry and hot noodles section, youtiao with thai milk and kaya dip, with the international cuisine like the dim sum, congee, nasi lemak, and egg station. Can I just mentioned how good the beef rendang was? The spice level was just on point with a hint of lemak at the back. The kitchen even prepared a whole range of condiments for the nasi lemak! The meat was tender and I loved how the kitchen team added potatoes into the rendang as well. Was amazed by the vegeterian options available such as the ratatouille, vege broth, vegetable curry, and even soy milk option.

As we were eating, the head chef also offered our table the opportunity to try their new chicken pau. The taste of the coriander was a little strong, but, as a lover of coriander, I really enjoyed it. I can taste the meat in every bite of the pau as well (as compared to the one I had outside where the meat was seperated from the entire pau) Really well done to the Head Chef and kitchen team who were on duty on the 12 July 2024.

Concierge Throughout our 3 nights stay, the team will always find out what are the guests needs when we are queueing to be attended to by the Front desk ladies. They are always first to help triage the queue and make sure everything is in place. 🥰

Housekeeping Excellent on the cleanliness and the decoration of the room for our honeymoon. We were impressed by the lovely swans and drawing on the mirror. Also a shout out to the hskp team for taking note on our room request thru the marriott app prior to checking in. A shout out as well for being so detailed that we are travelling as a husband and wife and putting the twin bed together (we did not managed to book the one big bed as it was sold out)

Room We stayed at room 1013. The resolution and graphic of the TV may not have been upgraded. Room was very quiet and we have a solid sleep every night. Pillows are large, soft and...

Update (April 2025): Just returned from our second stay — and it only deepened our appreciation for this property. Service remains excellent, with special thanks to Pamela (GM) and Cher for going above and beyond. We stayed in a spacious suite with stunning views all the way to Rawai, including the Big Buddha in the distance.

The gym is bright and well-equipped, though one A/C unit near the weights could use attention. Breakfast has improved with decent vegetarian options — and the staff made a real effort to accommodate almond milk requests. However, we were disappointed by the limited vegetarian offerings at both restaurants, especially the Chinese restaurant, which we were excited to try given its top-25 Phuket rating for 2024. Hopefully, more plant-based options will be considered in the future.

Still, the service, comfort, and location make this one of the best Courtyards we’ve stayed in. Looking forward to returning again.

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Original Review (2024): As I entered the Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town, I was immediately struck by the modern and elegant decor of the hotel lobby. The staff welcomed me with warm smiles and showed me to my room, which was spacious and well-appointed.

One of the things I loved about this hotel was its location, situated in the heart of Phuket Town, surrounded by plenty of shops and restaurants. It was easy to explore the local area and experience the vibrant culture of Thailand.

The hotel amenities were top-notch, from the well-equipped fitness center to the stunning rooftop pool with breathtaking views of the city. But one thing that stood out to me was the incredible attention to detail throughout the property, from the beautiful artwork to the unique design elements.

Overall, my stay at the Courtyard by Marriott Phuket Town was an unforgettable experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a comfortable and stylish stay in this beautiful part...