Mai Khao, Phuket - A relaxing alternative

When you travel as a family of five, you often have to make sacrifices in accommodation, due to price or to get connecting rooms or something. I was curious that the Holiday Inn Resort Phuket Mai Khao Beach glowing reviews on Tripadvisor, when I thought it might be a little too remote. For such great value on the room price, there had to be a hitch.

We arrived on Songkran and the airport was a little chaotic. Traffic was apparently at a standstill and no one was going south. Fortunately for us, Mai Khao is ten minutes from the airport so we were whisked off in a taxi without any trouble.

While I checked in, the kids were presented with water pistols and the festival was explained, though you only had to look at the staff and guests squealing with delight in a shoot out in the garden to get the idea.

As our room wasn't ready, we were offered a complimentary lunch while we waited. As delicious as the chicken with basil I'd ordered was, I was keen to be lured to the drumming and clapping beyond the windows.

We had booked a Family suite, and I'd warned my partner that it might be small, as it was cheaper than booking two rooms. I was surprised that it was in fact, two rooms with only one door entrance - and that door is in the parents room. Perfect for those with adventurous toddlers or wayward teens.





It also had two bathrooms, and a separate toilet, so a family of five can live harmoniously in the pre-breakfast rush.










The room has been decorated in sleek sophistication for the adults, but the kids have colourful doonas, and children's toiletries. My older boys were thrilled with the beanbags and playstation.




The drying racks on the balcony meant the bathroom didn't need to turn into a laundry, and some rooms have a swim out access, and more or less, a private pool.








The whole hotel is only three stories, so you don't feel it's a huge resort, and the gardens are well planted so the eye line is often fragrant flowers and greenery. I'll be honest, I'm not usually a fan of big chain hotels however this property has a small boutique feel. The photos on the hotels website don't really do it justice, as it makes the building more noticeable because it's looking down on it. At eye level, you're looking at very lush green gardens.

Imagine the delight when my daughter saw the trampoline, then the jumping castle with water slide - the trampoline, with the table tennis and darts are permanent but the jumping castle and slide were for the special festivities.

Around the pool there is table soccer too, which a kindly staff member challenged my middle child to game when his siblings were demonstrating the causes 'middle child syndrome'.

There are also table games like chess, backgammon and many more in little wooden boxes available by the pool bar. There's plenty of options to pleasantly while away an afternoon.



There is a luxurious spa on the grounds, but also a little row of huts just near the beach, offering cheap massages and drinks etc, perfect for last minute decisions if arriving late from an excursion somewhere, but wanting to squeeze in a massage before dinner!





The beach is beautiful. It's seventeen kilometres long, with barely a person on it! There are plenty of deckchairs, hammocks and daybeds in the shade.

The pool has a huge toddler section, and plenty of room for the adults too. There's a bar poolside, so the kids can still swim while you have a sunset drink in peace. Happy hour was conveniently timed with the sinking of the sun, so it was the perfect way to end the day.

While we were there, they held a street market with games which the kids loved, and my eldest won a large Hello Kitty doll for his little sister.  The next night was movie night, with two films screened outdoors from 6.30 onwards, free popcorn thrown in as you reclined in the beanbags or daybeds. With so much going on at night, it was hard to encourage the kids to leave the hotel and eat elsewhere.

At the main restaurant, for the buffet nights, the kids ate free, which even at the low prices, eased the pain on the wallet of feeding five. However, there is a local restaurant next door on the beach, literally one minute on foot (if you walk slowly!) or plenty of restaurants a short taxi ride away.

There is also an Italian restaurant on site, if you want a change from Thai food or the kids are after pizza.

We did two full day boat trips while we were here, and chose the company that used the pier 10 minutes away to go to the Similan Islands. While you leave from a very rustic boat ramp, it means the drive home after a ten hour day is very short.

The other marina is about 40 minutes away, so it does add to a long day out on the water but still well worth it. The resort also has a shuttle to a big shopping centre and to the main town. Neither we did but I understand it is roughly 45 mins to Phuket town.

As we were out all day, the whole family lamented that our last morning was our only time to really relax around the pool (and not be chased away as the sun went down and dinner called). My daughter was deeply disappointed she didn't go to the kids club. We popped in to borrow the playstation games and saw the playground and ball pit and all the fun that was going on with the crafts. Even my eldest, who has never once in his life asked to go to kids club, lamented that he didn't get to see the Teen Zone.

My only complaint is that we needed a little more time to relax and enjoy all this resort offers. Given the value for money, luxurious look and feel, the thoughtful touches and all on offer, I can not recommend this resort enough, it has been very well organised. We would go back in a flash, but this time with a few more days to spend in the resort itself. That is the litmus test of a great holiday: finishing too soon, with every single family member sad to be moving on and asking to return!

Practicalities:

Holiday Inn Mai Khao http://www.ihg.com/holidayinnresorts/hotels/us/en/phuket/phumk/hoteldetail