My stay in November 2011.
This isn't a hotel on a grand scale. It is however reasonably large and there isn't much that one would feel lacking for.
I stayed at one other hotel in Patong that had bigger size and brand name to go with it but pales in comparison to Pacific in everything from room size to warmth to use of the swimming pool (accessible 24 hours a day even though service stops at a certain late hour). And the fact that the pool's on the roof gives it a sense of privacy.
The rooms were large & adequate, each with a balcony that overlooked the gardens and the sauna at one corner of it that stayed open till about 23:00, the food very competitively priced, and the service friendly. I just wish I didn't keep forgetting to tell them to make it spicy when I ordered Thai.
The staff would strike that personal rapport, make you feel at home. I forget the names- the young Indian man from Kashmir, the sweet Thai lady at the reception, and the very philosophically thoughtful and compassionate Burmese waiter at the restaurant- but when i go back to Phuket, it will be such a pleasure to see them all again.
Breakfast was a simple spread of what one normally expects to the delicious thai variety of the day.
Its located on a hill that has the most beautiful drive way up a slope to it in the nights when the lanterns light up. I used to quite enjoy those dark late night desolate walks back although I did hire a bike from the hotel a few days in. It also occured to me on a gaze from the balcony that if ever again was there a tsunami, I doubt it would reach Pacific unless the wave was the size of a mountain.
Its all really quite walkable if one doesn't mind a 10-15 minute walk to beach road where a lot of the bars, restaurants and foot massage places are located. Alternatively just ride. Just know though that if you ride, you will want to avoid being a few beers down both for safety and if a traffic policeman flags you and smells it, I hear it will be trouble.
The pool's fantastic. Doesn't have a deep side but it does have the length for laps. It drizzled one such afternoon, and I had the most amazing time- the view, the drizzle, the pool and just quiet reflection. They didn't have a barman around though.
If I'd be allowed any constructive critisicm, it would be the plumbing of the wash basin and the bath cubicles. I stayed in 3 different rooms and they all had the same problem. I really would have given it the excellent rating, if the outflow of water was fast and unhindered.
See you again sometime.
- Pacific Hotel Karon
- Pacific Resort Karon
