Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach — Hotel in Sakhu

WORST hotel experience i've ever had. Leaving this hotel after only 24h and moving to Renaissance was the best decision that we made.

Me and my boyfriend visited this hotel in December 2022. Phuket was our last location, and we wanted to wrap up the holiday on a high note. One thing to mention - we are Marriott Platinum members, and know what we should be getting in terms of benefits.

Now details: Taxi Transfer: Transfer (5-6x the price of a usual taxi) was confirmed, and upon arrival we were running around trying to find our driver, just to discover he/she was simply not there. The driver didn't even attempt to contact us to ask where we were. When we made it to the hotel on our own the lady welcoming us had the audacity to ask us to pay full price for the transfer that we never got as no one contacted us/told us where to actually get it Hotel welcome: The welcome was dry and rushed. Lady did not clearly outline the benefits we were getting as platinum members, and even tried to remove some of our benefits. My boyfriend arranged flowers at the room for me as a surprise - the lady kept on pushing him to pay right next to me, almost ruining the surprise. No one showed us around the property upon arrival or properly explained where everything was Room upgrade: As platinum members we are eligible to stay at the highest level of the room available. This was not provided, even though the hotel didn't look in any way full. Our room barely had any natural light. The room provided was not cleaned for a while - there was dust all over lamps and other areas, dead flies in the bathtub etc. Beach: There is CONSTRUCTION happening right next to the hotel's private beach, so instead of a blissful walk around the beach you get the drilling noises Food @ bar restaurant: Lady taking order barely spoke english, and we had to point to the items we wanted which she then copied onto a piece of paper. Food was plain. The burger, which we asked to be medium rare, arrived dry and well done, so basically our request was not taken into account at all. Breakfast: Although there was a diversity of food options, they were all quite plain. There were no fresh juices Spa: a lot of options on spa menu were not available (e.g. only 1 of 4 body wraps on the menu available, hair spa mentioned on hotel website non-existent). Lady that was doing my scrub treatment barely spoke english and it was hard to communicate with her. Scrub was quite aggressive which I was not told upfront and it's up to the professional to monitor how the patient's skin is reacting to it as I can't see it myself. Disclaimer: I've used all ingredients before and I didn't have any allergy towards them. After the scrub I had RED BUMPY RASH all over my back, arms, and legs (which is lovely to get right in time for my beach vacation). I noticed the rash when I went to wash the oil off (the shower is not in the room by the way, I had to walk all the way there, almost slipping and falling as my feet were in oil). As a sorry they offered me 20% off - better than paying full price, but to be fair they should've given it for free, as I walked out of the spa with red bumpy skin and really stressed.

On a subjective side but we got a weird vibe from hotel audience in general – gloomy, grumpy... Although there were a few positives, the many negatives outshined them all. We just knew we needed to pack up and leave immediately.

We checked out after just 24 (!) hours at this hotel. The staff blatantly made us pay an extra night as a "penalty" for spontaneous cancellation. This is crazy considering the terrible experience they've provided. They should not blame it on visitors for leaving a 5 star hotel that does not even live up to a 5 star hotel mark. Own your failure and learn from it, or lower the price tag.

Switching to Renaissance, although more expensive due to urgent same-day booking, was the best decision we could make. Amazing environment, lovely staff. We felt valued and...

⭐ Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Review of Marriott Resort, Phuket – A Beautiful Stay with Room for some Improvement

I recently had the pleasure of staying at the Marriott Resort in Phuket and overall, it was a great experience with a few areas that could use attention. Here's a breakdown of my stay:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Check-in Experience – 5 Stars The check-in service was truly exceptional, and all the credit goes to Molly at the front desk. From the moment I arrived, Molly made me feel welcomed, valued, and at ease. I wasn’t satisfied with my room and without hesitation he showed me what was available and let me have my pick. Amazing work and made things very comfortable for me. Her professionalism, kindness, and attention to detail set a perfect tone for the stay. She is a true asset to the Marriott team, and I hope her efforts are recognized.

⭐️ Buggy Service – 1 Star (Biggest Complaint) Unfortunately, the buggy service was the most disappointing part of my stay. The resort is spread out and the buggy transport is essential, especially during rain. However, there are not enough buggies (manning), and those available are aged, molded, and leak during rain. Zippers on the covers are either broken or stuck, making them difficult to use when it matters most. Despite these issues, Earth from the buggy staff stood out with outstanding service. He not only helped carry items but even walked beside me with an umbrella in the pouring rain to ensure I stayed dry. Earth truly made up for the poor condition of the equipment through his dedication and hospitality. I strongly recommend the resort increase buggy staff and invest in newer, weatherproof buggies.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Room Cleaning – 4.5 Stars Housekeeping did an amazing job. Rooms were cleaned twice daily without fail, and the team consistently went above and beyond without requiring any instruction. The towels were replenished, toiletries restocked, and the room was left spotless each time. Their consistency and attention to detail deserve recognition.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Maintenance – 4 Stars The maintenance team responded promptly and professionally. I had an issue with the bathroom outlet and two faulty USB wall plugs, all of which were repaired quickly after I reported them. However, it seems the hotel lacks a proactive maintenance system. Before switching rooms, my previous room had an in-room phone that cut out as soon as speakerphone was activated; something that should have been noticed during routine checks. The hotel appears to rely entirely on guests to report issues, which is not ideal for a resort of this caliber. I recommend implementing regular checks to ensure all electronics and amenities function properly before guests arrive.

🚿 Water Quality – Major Concern 0 Stars My biggest disappointment during the stay was the excessive use of chlorine in the water. The tap water, pool, and even the showers had a strong chlorine odor and feel. I understand the need for sanitation, but the levels felt unusually high and uncomfortable. The resort should seriously consider alternative water purification methods or better chlorine regulation to improve guest comfort and safety.

🌟 Final Thoughts The Marriott Resort in Phuket is a beautiful place with excellent staff in many departments and overall management; especially Molly at check-in, Earth with buggy support, and the diligent housekeeping and maintenance teams. However, the resort must address serious concerns with transportation, maintenance checks, and water quality to truly deliver the five-star experience its brand promises. Would I stay again? Yes, but I would hope to see some of these improvements implemented before returning. This place has the potential to be outstanding with just a few key adjustments.

Bottom line is that you can’t beat the price. I also wish that the hotel put some effort into land development outside a bit so we have some places to go other than the hotel. Beach café or even a local outside café...

My wife and I decided to stay here with our two young children for our anniversary in May of 2022 at the end of a month-long trip in southeast Asia. My wife surprised me by arranging a room upgrade and 7-course dinner on the beach, and wow did they pull through! Our stay was unfortunately short, only two nights; we would have stayed for a week if we could have done the trip differently. We look forward to booking another international vacation through Phuket so we can stay at this resort again!

RESORT: The resort is beautiful! The windowless lobby with multiple shallow bodies of water has panoramic views of the beach. Buggy rides were available from the lobby to our room. We did not venture off property by foot, only by van arranged by the hotel or the unaffiliated boat tour we booked. The resort is located only about 20 minutes from the airport, and probably about an hour from the town of Phuket, though we did not go that far during our stay.

ROOM: The room, #9201, was huge. It is probably the biggest available. After opening the entry door, you enter into the main living room, probably 40-50 ft long, ending at the first balcony door. Across from the entry door is a half bathroom, which is next to the walkthrough closet with doors on both sides. In the main area is a sturdy dining table with a bench on one side and two chairs on the other, a couch and table, side table, TV, one sliding balcony door, and two sliding doors leading to the bedroom. In the bedroom is a king bed, two end tables (attached to the wall), a bench at the end of the bed, a day bed/couch with a small table, and standard height table and chair. From the bedroom, there is a pair of sliding doors leading into the very large bathroom. In the main bathroom, there are two sinks, a toilet room with glass wall and door, a standalone tub, a rainhead shower with two glass walls (one with door) and a small bench attached to the wall, and a large bench in the middle of the room. The other side of the walkthrough closet leads into the full bathroom.

STAFF: The staff at the resort was one of its best features! From check-in to early morning checkout, we felt welcome. The executive chef greeted us at our first happy hour at the lower level restaurant. He asked if the food was to our liking and if any adjustments needed to be made. We really appreciated this interaction! The hotel manager greeted us multiple times during the stay and interacted with our children to help them remain engaged and entertained. During our dinner on the beach, our dedicated server kept our son entertained between courses by playing with him on his tablet, which is not normally easy to do. The one time that our expectations were not initially met, we voiced our concern, and the issue was rectified in a way that turned the night around completely.

FOOD: My wife and I enjoyed every special happy hour cocktail from the lower level restaurant and separated bar, ordering multiple of a couple of them the next day. The multi-course beach dinner was well worth the cost in our opinion, even though the weather prevented all of it from being enjoyed in the beautiful setting prepared for us. The breakfast buffet at the upper level restaurant was tasty, with a variety of options, an omelette order form available at the table, a special drink of the day (we had the delicious butterfly pea flower tea, same as check-in drinks!), and fresh juices. Because of our early flight home, the staff prepared a boxed breakfast with various pastries fresh fruit, and other items, which was much needed and...