Anantara Vacation Club Mai Khao Phuket

This was a guest room. It was packed with families on timeshares. When I booked, I thought it was the hotel from the 'White Lotus' TV series, but there was no specific address indicated on Ctrip. Only upon check-in did I realize it was a timeshare unit bought by a family. It was jam-packed with people and kids, with no facilities at all, just one crowded pool. No beach, and I mean NO BEACH. The main issue was the serviced apartment's service; they were understaffed. There wasn't even a general manager at the resort club. This trip was a huge letdown. For this price, I expected a normal hotel, but it turned out to be a timeshare apartment using points. The facilities were very dirty and lacked maintenance. There was one restaurant, and as soon as you walked in, there was a strong smell of a dirty mop. Be very careful when booking. There were no facilities, and we wanted to check out, but our requests were denied multiple times. We wasted one night but still checked out and moved to a Marriott for one-third of the price. Finally, a proper hotel.

No need to even mention the facilities, cleanliness, or ambiance – they were all far beyond my expectations. The service was also incredibly attentive and thorough. I'll definitely be staying here again.

The apartment building is located at positions 11 and 12 in the photos I uploaded, while the front desk is at position 1. The apartment building is a bit far from the front desk, but the shuttle service is very convenient. Actually, it's not that far to walk (the Anantara Vacation Club itself isn't huge; I really struggled with the walking when I later moved to JW Marriott). However, this apartment building is very close to Turtle Village as the crow flies. I stayed here for a total of eight nights, and after that, I always walked to and from Turtle Village. The only main restaurant was delicious; I ate lunch there every day. (Dinner was often a buffet, and other guests told me it wasn't good, so I never went). The kids' club was absolutely fantastic! The activity where kids could wear traditional Thai clothing was great, and they even styled the girls' hair simply. There were always female staff members by the slides to keep order and ensure safety. Next to the front desk, there was free face painting every day from noon to 3 PM, which was a good option for bored kids. For a hotel in this price range, the pool isn't huge and doesn't have much shade, but it's sufficient for fun. Also, the pool stays open much later than the JW Marriott across the street and has adequate lighting, unlike the JW Marriott, which closes and becomes dark at 6 PM. Finally, about the room: the design of the second bedroom is a major drawback. It only has one window facing the corridor, so if you want privacy, you can't open the curtains.

Traveled with family during the Spring Festival, booked a two-bedroom suite. The living room and dining area were spacious, and having a washing machine and dryer was very convenient. The hotel has a kids' club; while not huge, the activities for children were quite plentiful. There are also dining options nearby, and the hotel's in-room dining prices were acceptable. The kids' pool was great with a slide, but the adult pool was a bit small, just one.

As a family-friendly hotel, the facilities and services are quite good. The front desk staff doesn't speak Chinese, so communication is only possible in English. The room is super spacious and very clean, and you can even cook your own meals. The hotel pool's water quality isn't great, and there seemed to be sand-like debris at the bottom. Other than that, everything else was perfect.

The room was surprisingly spacious. However, I wouldn't book a villa again if I were to return; the private pool accumulated a lot of leaves and bird droppings by the second day. Getting around also required calling for a car every time, which was a minor inconvenience. On the other hand, the large main pool was very comfortable – I spent a whole afternoon relaxing there. There were also plenty of activities for children, so both adults and kids had lots to enjoy. Overall, it's worth recommending.