Explore Patong Beach
by Wild_Orchid
Patong is rebuilt and re'branded' itself.
Post tsunami finds Patong rebuilt and turned into something nicer and better than what it was before. While some may argue that Patong has lost its charm, it can't be denied that in some ways this beach town is more stylish and international than ever before.
More upmarket outlets abound along Thaweewong (sometimes spelt as Thawiwong) Road and also known on some maps as Patong Beach Road - basically it is a one way street that runs along Patong beach - with traffic heading north.
The 25 year old Savoey seafood restaurant has expanded (prices are higher too!) & features a singer crooning at diners, the famous Banana Disco has had a facelift, and the town boasts many large international style watering holes (many with the signs that proudly announce "Aussie Owned"- Come on In Mate!).
Casual, yet chic el fresco outlets sit side by side alongside the older tailor shops, narrow trinket stalls, shoe shops, t-shirt shops, ubiquitous foot and Thai massage outlets, hair-dressing shops and mini-marts.
Even the beach is cleaner
This year (July 2008), even the beach is cleaner as compared to 1 year ago. I was able to go swimming in the sea and it felt marvelous. :-)
Streets & pavements The streets have been paved and widened, while pavements have become more pedestrian friendly after they've been tiled up nicely. This makes walking so much more of a pleasure that before and certainly safer too.
Child's play or child at play?
A large children's playground has been set up along the main Patong Beach, just in front of Club Andaman and Phuket Graceland Hotel. It's main theme seems to be dolphins and these man-made cement dolphins may be seen in large numbers doing their graceful jumps and frolicking on the stretch of grass along the beach, just next to the children's see-saws and rope climbing structures.
In the late evenings, in the area between the open-air food stalls and dolphin park you will find locals & tourists milling around, watching the waves, keeping an eye out on their young ones.
At night, at dolphin park you may find some working girls and katoeys hanging around in groups - basically just chatting and killing time.
What about the stalls?
Some effects of tsunami-the tiny stalls which used to sell t-shirts, belts, carved soaps, knives and flip-flops have been moved slightly further in, away from the possibility of huge pounding waves.
Besides the stalls on the street, a number of large shopping malls have come up. Besides the old Ocean supermarket towards South Patong (towards the Holiday Inn part of Patong), there is a new supermarket & pharmacy along Soi Bangla - right next to Tiger Entertainment. It seems to me like they must have torn down or moved some of the go-go bars that used to be on the little side soi there. For those who like to shop-please check out my shopping tip.
Not to be missed is the sparkling and still new Jung Ceylon shopping mall. Year 2000 road (Rat U-Thit Song Roi Pi Road) which is parallel to Thaweewong/Patong Beach road has sprouted to life and there is a never-ending row of cafes, mini-marts, outlets offering laundry services or tour services-or a combination of both-, tailor shops (tailored suits ready in 24 hours!), and motorbike rental stalls, and ubiquitous massage centers offering foot reflexology, traditional Thai massage and other services to tourists & locals. There are also art-shops where amazingly good reproductions are done by local artists.
What does the future hold?
More and more buildings & shops are coming up on every vacant piece of land and I predict that very soon, Patong town and Phuket town will somehow merge and meld into one-with the separator being only the hilly road between the two.
Loved the Gracelands...
by TripAdvisor Member scibo350
We have just returned from our 4th holiday in phuket of which our last hotel was the phuket graceland spa and resort..
It was a fantastic hotel..My son and his girlfriend couldnt believe the size of the place.. The lobby was like a palace.. The swimming pool was huge complete with a swim up bar and there was even a upstairs pool on top of the restaurant over looking the grounds..
What took the cake was a 8 lane ten pin bowling alley... excellent for those lazy afternoons when there was a shower or 2..
The buffet breakfast was plentiful with something for everyone..
Location to beach was fantastic as it was only a walk across the road to patong beach.. Right in front of the hotel was jetski hire and parasailing we did both...
I highly recommend this hotel as it was very reasonably priced and is now a hotel on the flightcentre australia list of hotels which they can do as package deals with the flights...
Another plus with location is you are only a 5 min walk to all of the hustle and bustle and all of the shops of patong where you really need to sharpen up your haggling skills...
Rock city is within the 5 min walk and that is a great place for live bands every night.. Lots of cover band music from metallica to ac/dc to bon jovi and they do a great job..
Restaurants are in plentiful supply with one of our favourite being the Sabai Beach right on the beach itself.. even the tables and chairs are on the sand.. Great for watching the sunset..
Should be rated a 3 star
by TripAdvisor Member Newcompass
Stayed for 7 nights. Good location, pool and great hotel fitness centre but hotel let down in a number of key areas.
Rooms disappointing with the most uncomfortable beds of any hotel I have stayed with the addition of badly torn sheets placed on the bed. Not good enough! Rooms airconditioning noisy, minibar range very poor. Tired decor and average bathroom.
Hotel food only average, room service and restaurant dinner OK but breakfast quality in restaurant is below average with bad service.
Hotel Spa expensive for what you get, you can find better treatments for the money outside the hotel.
Alot of building noise nearby at the moment which is not the hotels fault, but makes the rooms noisy if staying near the hotel main entrance, ask for a room away from this area.
Stayed in many hotels in Phuket, you can do much better than Graceland if you look elsewhere.
A great place for relaxation
by TripAdvisor Member sushantvn
I stayed in this hotel with 2 of my buddies for a weekend. We booked it through a travel agent at the airport. We chose this because it was practically on the beach. The room was a delux triple room. The beds very nice and comfy. The staff was nice and friendly. It had a superb swimming pool. The included breakfast was great. There was a huge selection of dishes. The only downside is that it's a bit expensive. But enjoyed it thoroughly.
Graceland Hotel
by TripAdvisor Member GinSA
Chose this hotel based on pictures I had seen on the Internet. Terrific pool area and it didnt disappoint. However I had paid a premium for a seaview room - not knowing that Patong Beach does not really cater for hotels with clear seaviews. (With the exception of a few hotels on the totally opposite end of the beach.) I now know better and it would not be a priority. The BUZZ is what Patong is really about.
The hotel accommodated us in a mini suite - ground floor - by the pool and we were very comfortable. I have to, however, agree with one of the other parties submitting a review that it was very noisy - but perhaps it was because our room had an inter-leading facility.
The convenient access to the beach was a plus. It was a little distance from the action - a pity but it was walkable - or there was always a tuk tuk available.
For some reaosn at night the pool area was not lit up in any way - and it was certainly hot enough to want to swim at night - but they probably have their reasons.
The staff were very nice and I would recommend the hotel.
Dis-Graceland
by TripAdvisor Member luv2travel014
Arrived in Phuket at the Graceland hotel for the last leg of our holiday. We had booked a week’s stay after reading favorable ratings on tripadvisor.com and visiting the hotel’s website
Right from the beginning we were disappointed in our choice. The desk staff was very unpleasant and unprofessional in its attitude towards us. The rooms, two superior rooms, were absolutely awful!! A stench of wet carpets, dirty bathroom walls with black fungi, non functioning air conditioning, a toilet that didn’t flush properly and a view from our window on a blind wall, were our first impressions.
When we went down to the reception and asked for another accommodation we were told that the hotel was fully booked and that maybe we could get another room in another part of the hotel the next day. All this for an additional charge. The other rooms appeared not much better except for maybe less stench. We certainly had no intention in paying additional costs and decided to leave as soon as possible. Left and checked in at the amazing Mom Tri Villa Royal at Kata beach.
We are experienced travelers and have stayed in quite a large number of hotels all over the world. We have never stayed in a place like this. We would have expected conditions like these in 10$ guesthouse but not in a venue that calls itself a 5 star resort and spa.
We felt cheated and upset by misleading information.
Great hotel
by TripAdvisor Member SonicTelAviv
1. Location is very convinience:
>to get to the beach you just need to cross the road(very seldom case on patong)
>plenty of restaraunts and massage cabinets in the area
>working distance to the centre of patong (mall,bangla,etc.)
2. Room is very good:large,with balcony,clean,consists all necessary accesories
3. Exellent pool,although hotel was fully booked always sunbeds are awailable
4. Helpful and friendly staff
Hotel just OK
by TripAdvisor Member Karen123Amsterdam
Breakfast - just fine and something for everyone. Overall this hotel REALLY lacks atmosphere. There is no cozy location to have cocktail or just sit and relax. Personnel are not unfriendly but certainly not friendly.
Rooms are spacious - furnished ok but the beds - be prepared to feel every spring, this hotel needs to invest in top mattresses NOW.
Swimming pools are good. Sheets are placed on the loungers- only real bit of true luxury.
Beach to hotel- indeed a step across the road and you are on the beach and this was perfect.
Would I return to this hotel, no. Other than the size of the rooms (had deluxe sea view) I would not rate this hotel more than 3.5 stars. I paid for 4/5 star prices and received 3.5 star services.
Forum Posts
Phuket Graceland Resort
by Isabelllla
Any reviews about this hotel,I would appreciate.
Thanks in advance
Re: Phuket Graceland Resort
by Monica_lo
Lovely hotel, but don't go for the lowest price as they may overlook the car park area, go for the better rooms, the rooms are lovely and there is a very large garden area, drinks and meals in the hotel are expensive with everything plus 17% but there are cheap places for a drink and eats nearby, very nice pool indeed at Graceland. www.patong-beach-hotels probably has reviews also.
Re: Phuket Graceland Resort
by Travelsandy
Just came back after spending 6 nights at Phuket Gracelands. What a wonderful place it was. The location is fantastic, just a short 10 minute walk north from Bangla Road & opposite the best part of Patong beach.
We had a deluxe poolside room in the front of the building & it was just a step up to the best & sunniest pool in Patong.
Breakfast was included & we booked directly with the hotel and paid 3,300THB per night.
What can I say, but this hotel is fabulous - it's own bowling alley, roof top pool as well with great view over the gardens & massive pool below.
People were lovely, and we are going back for our honeymoon in October.
Always request a room overlooking the pool (or a poolside room) and you will not be disappointed.
Cheers,
Sandy
Re: Phuket Graceland Resort
by Isabelllla
Which is the best part of the hotel to stay?
Re: Phuket Graceland Resort
by Travelsandy
Always stay in a room overlooking the pool or sea, as some balconies overlook the muslim cemetery.
We loved the poolside rooms as we only had to go through our gate to step up to the pool. Block 5 & 9 is closest to the beach.
If you want to upgrade, go for the minisuites as they have a separate loungeroom area & lots more room.
We loved Phuket Gracelands.
Sandy
Re: Phuket Graceland Resort
by Isabelllla
Thanks Sandy
Really appreciate your reply. Very useful.
Another question: Which of the swimming pool is better?
Regards
Re: Phuket Graceland Resort
by Travelsandy
Hi Isabella,
Both pools are fabulous - for privacy, maybe the top one, but the central pool opposite the beach is unreal - and not as hot to sit around, as it's directly opposite the beach. Enjoy!!!
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