Phuket Beach Club or new Mai Khao Beach?

[Jwerking]

Which one would Tuggers recommend staying in?? It looks like the big drawback is that new Mai Khao Beach is not directly on the beach - is that true?

How about the Phuket Beach Club - is there a nice beach right at the resort? Do all the units have oceanview??

Thanks for any help.

Joyce

 

[Asia2000]

PBC is the first choice among TUGGERs based on reviews and posts. Both are nice and far above average. PBC is closer to the beach. MKB is a short golf cart ride away or about a 150-200 meter walk. However MKB is closer to the Turtle Village Center.

Some of the units can view the Andaman Sea at both PBC and MKB. The views are obviously closer in distance at PBC. However, expect a garden view at either resort as very few units have visibility of the sea.

MKB is more modern with less of a tropical jungle feel. Units are newer with a clean modern Thai style.

PBC has more of a traditional Thai style with lots of twisty walkways leading to the multiple shared JW public outlets throughout the property (restaurants, activity centers, pools, etc.).

Both are equal concerning friendly employees and helpfulness. You will be happy with either resort as they are less than 50 meters from each other. In the middle of it all is the Anantara hotel and the new Anantara timeshare property. The initial building on the timeshare property is going to be the sales model. The whole project is expected to be completed by early 2013.

 

[MALC9990]

Which one would Tuggers recommend staying in?? It looks like the big drawback is that new Mai Khao Beach is not directly on the beach - is that true?

How about the Phuket Beach Club - is there a nice beach right at the resort? Do all the units have oceanview??

Thanks for any help.

Joyce

My personal choice is always PBC. In addition to Asia2000's comments - I would add that no units have what many americans would call an "Ocean View". The PBC units are low rise - 4 floors incl ground. They are all spread around the gardens of the Hotel and whilst they all face the sea the trees in the gardens reach up to the top floor of the units. One or two o will have some sort of ocean view but mostly the units have views of the tropical gardens.

We now usually try for a ground floor unit since you get a bigger terrace with extra furniture.

MKB unbits are higher - 5 floors and the top most floors will have a view to the ocean but the ocean is about 500 meters distant. The Anantara units are all low rise single floor villas.

The big drawback to MKB is that it has fewer usage rights to the JW Marriott facilities. Guests at MKB are not permitted access to the JW pools and other recreation facilities to which PBC guests have full access. MKB has its own pool and fitness centre. Tenis courts are available but belong to the Anantara hotel.

All the JW and MKB restaurants are available to PBC and MKB guests and can be charged to your villa account.

Both resorts are top notch and are great destinations. MKB units are more contemporary in design and decor andPBC is more Thai traditional. The staff are all fantastic and many have been employees there for many years with MKB staff being transferred from the JW and PBC when it opened. In fact the new Renaissance also has many ex-JW staff who were promoted and moved when the Ren opened. Marriott is considered to be a very good employer on Phuket and staff have many benefits that other resorts do not offer - not least a higher pay rate - so staff are very loyal and go the extra mile to offer great service to guests.

The beach is very quiet and there are 11 kilometers of beach however it is quite steep and if the warning flags are out it is best not to swim in the ocean. Life guards are now stationed on the beach.

All in All these are two great MVCI resorts.