Avista Phutket resort & Spa, Kata Beach

[Boarder1]

Has anyone stayed here, what are the views and opinions?

Me and the G/F are looking to stay for a week over Christmas this year.

Thanks

[SimonMaidenhead]

Not stayed there, but have stayed at the Kata Beach Resort. Looking at the map your hotel is up on the hill and a fairly steep walk from the small town and beach.

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If you're in Kata then is has to be Sawasdee Village. We were there just before Christmas in 2011. We were then across to Railay West, Phi Phi (Long Beach) then Ao Nang. This Christmas gone we were in Bangkok, Railay West again (Railay Village), then Phi Phi again (paradise Pearl Long Beach) before popping over to Koh Lanta (The Houben).

http://www.phuketsawasdee.com/

Beautiful place, very tranquil, close to the beach but nice and quiet, nice rooms and the service was impreccable!

Might see you out there this Christmas as we're just in the process of booking up again

[Boarder1]

Thanks for the replies guy's, much appreciated.

AD, is the Sawasdee really that good? What type of room would you recommend?

Hopefully once I have the flights confirmed, getting some free ones as my folks's have a ton of airmiles between them. We will be flying out on the 17th December, have a couple of days in Bangkok, then onto Phuket for 8 nights, then back to Bangkok for 1 more night then home on the 29th.

I am happy to meet up for a drink if anyone is out that way, its my birthday on Boxing day, so that could be a good night!

Cheers

[mikal83]

we sgtayed at the kata Thani quite a while ago and thought it was nice. Was in Ao nang last Oct, was OK, thought Railay was talked up too much, hired a moped/scooter and bombed around, in n out of Krabi. We stayed in the far north of Phuket in some beach huts to the north of the airport/holiday inn, (full and I mean FULL of Ruskies). Was cheap but cheerful. Right on the beach which was quite MT. Thought Koh Samui a dump, and Koh Phangnan OK ish.

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Firstly, in Bangkok we stayed in SilQ hotel. The GF was there for business a few months before. Lovely rooms, great location for shopping, eating (go to Cabbages and Condoms ) and you can go have some hilarious drinks down 'Soi Cowboy' (love you long time girl bar street, but a cracking night for a couple that arn't bothered about seeing groups of men or old boys with young girls

Boarder1 said:

Thanks for the replies guy's, much appreciated.

AD, is the Sawasdee really that good? What type of room would you recommend?

Hopefully once I have the flights confirmed, getting some free ones as my folks's have a ton of airmiles between them. We will be flying out on the 17th December, have a couple of days in Bangkok, then onto Phuket for 8 nights, then back to Bangkok for 1 more night then home on the 29th.

I am happy to meet up for a drink if anyone is out that way, its my birthday on Boxing day, so that could be a good night!

Cheers

We thought it was lovely. Fairly well priced (well Xmas is expensive anyway) and it was a nice little paradise away from the hustle and bustle of the area.

FYI - The top rated 'Baray Villa' on Tripadvisor is actually Sawasdee Village, but their super posh Villa. The room we had in Sawasdee was small but nice enough. It's the rest of the place which is soo lucious and lovely. The pool is great and the bar into it was great.

We had a few nights there, but I wouldn't spend longer there, Kata isn't that great being completely honest!

mikal83 said:

we sgtayed at the kata Thani quite a while ago and thought it was nice. Was in Ao nang last Oct, was OK, thought Railay was talked up too much, hired a moped/scooter and bombed around, in n out of Krabi. We stayed in the far north of Phuket in some beach huts to the north of the airport/holiday inn, (full and I mean FULL of Ruskies). Was cheap but cheerful. Right on the beach which was quite MT. Thought Koh Samui a dump, and Koh Phangnan OK ish.

Railay isn't hyped at all, it's stunning!!! Unless you're talking about East Railay.

You need to stay on the West Beach, ideally Railay Village. it's expensive but the Chalets are epic, well kitted out, wifi and only a few mins to the West Beach. It's then only 5mins walk to the East side which is a hole during the day. Loads of construction going on their last xmas, lots of rubbish and a horrible beach. But the nightlife is great with loads of bars, cracking cocktails and nice cheap tasty authentic food. The 'Last Bar' is an amazing place, fire shows, strong cocktails and the best cheap food on Railay.

I would leave Krabi and Ao Nang asap, get yourself to Railay for something speical. Long beach on Phi Phi is also brilliant as the accomodation is nice enough, but most importantly you have a quieter beach away from tonsai and are only a short longtail ride from the party town of Tonsai. We have and will again this year do Railay for Christmas then head over to Phi Phi (Long Beach) for the New Year period and partying 2014 in!


W. Railay - Christmas Eve Cocktails


E. Railay - Last Bar - Christmas Dinner



W. Railay Beach

Edited by -Ad- on Monday 10th June 23:06

[anonymous-user]

You should have been in Railay 30 years ago, it was fantastic, no buildings over i floor, all with tin roofs, I remember being woke up By what I thought was a bombing raid, it was coconuts falling on the roof. The only people there were divers and climbers, now its full of fat Sweeds and Germans, not half the place it was, but still worth a visit if you've never been.
There are some nice beaches further down the cost toward Trang, Pak Meng, Yo Yo,that are still undeveloped where you will be the only westerner.
Ko Sumoi and Pucket are what you make of them, there are still nice place and nice people, but there are seedy places and rip offs.

[XJSJohn]

The Kata Beach Resourt is the best option but not sure what the $$ are. There is a nice hotel one road back that I stay in for Kings Cup regatta usually that is great and convenient to the beach called Kata Poolside that is very affordable, big comfy rooms but nothing special.

Those pictures look very different to when I am usually there with over 100 racing yachts in the bay!! Don't forget to visit the SKA bar under the rocks at the south end of the beach!!

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Berw said:

You should have been in Railay 30 years ago, it was fantastic, no buildings over i floor, all with tin roofs, I remember being woke up By what I thought was a bombing raid, it was coconuts falling on the roof. The only people there were divers and climbers, now its full of fat Sweeds and Germans, not half the place it was, but still worth a visit if you've never been.
There are some nice beaches further down the cost toward Trang, Pak Meng, Yo Yo,that are still undeveloped where you will be the only westerner.
Ko Sumoi and Pucket are what you make of them, there are still nice place and nice people, but there are seedy places and rip offs.

I would have been -3 so wouldn't have cared much

Must have been wonderful though! We are locating more secluded islands and areas to visit these days (except this Xmas), which is fairly easy seeing as the GF has just moved to Bangkok for a year or so.

Will take a look at those other areas cheers!

[Mankers]

-Ad- said:

I would have been -3 so wouldn't have cared much

Must have been wonderful though! We are locating more secluded islands and areas to visit these days (except this Xmas), which is fairly easy seeing as the GF has just moved to Bangkok for a year or so.

Will take a look at those other areas cheers!

Head south of Lanta, ko kradan, ko muk and onto ko lipe. Railey west, whilst nice, is over priced, crowded and a bit over hyped. Thailand has changed so much in the past ten years. For seclusion the Philippines is hard to beat, Palawan - El Nido onto Coron, google image, check them out, enjoy.

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Mankers said:

Head south of Lanta, ko kradan, ko muk and onto ko lipe. Railey west, whilst nice, is over priced, crowded and a bit over hyped. Thailand has changed so much in the past ten years. For seclusion the Philippines is hard to beat, Palawan - El Nido onto Coron, google image, check them out, enjoy.

I've just wasted an hour reading up on those, the lodgings and how to get there...... Thanks

We did Lanta last year after New Year and loved it. We were at the lovely Houben hotel, but it fitted our needs for a complete relax and pamper ourselves

Philippines and Indonesia are on the cards, but not until next year. We also need to do Laos and Cambodia too.

I love Asia!

[Mankers]

^ I'm a big Asia fan too, so many places to visit. You won't be disappointed with Cambodia great country visited three or four times over the last decade. Night and day difference with Thailand wealth wise. My last trip was ia couple of years ago, did an enduro trip east out of Siem reap, saw some great isolated temples deep in the jungle, hard work, sketchy riding conditions at times but well worth it. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sfp1H7yhroc

[mikal83]

west railay the best, well in our HO it was overpacked, noisy, when swimming constantly dodging the boats as they were too lazy to go around the little island....over hyped

[z4chris99]

ive stayed here twice, chilled out, cheap, and nice rooms with own pool

http://www.sugarpalmgrand.com/#bg_promotion

[Boarder1]

Thanks for all the replies, still deciding!