Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach

Before booking, I saw recommendations on Xiaohongshu, all calling it the ultimate family-friendly hotel. Full of anticipation, my friends and I booked the all-inclusive package for the next day. Immediately after booking, we tried to reserve the Japanese restaurant for 12 PM and the Thai restaurant for 6:30 PM the next day. We received an email saying we had to wait for confirmation, and then, at 11:58 AM the next day, we got another email stating both restaurants were fully booked and we couldn't make a reservation! When we went to the restaurant entrance to ask the staff, we saw only three tables occupied inside, with the remaining empty tables all having 'reserved' signs. We asked the staff how long after a reservation was missed would the tables be released, but they just kept saying sorry, no tables available!! My friend then got very angry and went to complain at the front desk. After the complaint, we were actually let in, and they even said the 6:30 PM Thai meal was also reserved for us... When we finished eating and came out around 2 PM, those few reserved tables were still empty... they remained empty, and we saw the staff continuously turning away waves of customers... The Japanese restaurant didn't have many options, and the tuna wasn't fresh, though the salmon was quite fatty and delicious. Several dishes required extra charges. For the Thai dinner, only the lobster had an extra charge, but the Tom Yum Goong was incredibly, incredibly salty, and the soft-shell crab was simply cut in half and fried, without removing the gills, leaving a fishy taste. The Italian restaurant had two menus, with both red and yellow circles indicating dishes that required extra payment. Only pizza, pasta, and sea bass were included in the all-inclusive package. We chose the all-inclusive for convenience and ease, especially since we could drink unlimited beverages in such hot weather, but if you're looking for truly good food, it's just not there.

Will definitely come back! So much fun, absolute perfection for family trips with kids. The facilities are great; apart from the water slides being a bit limited, everything else was simply perfect. The recreational facilities are very convenient. Only the lazy river falls slightly short compared to the Aulani Disney Resort, but for us, this place already wins hands down. Plus, Phuket is much more convenient to travel to than Hawaii.

This was my third stay, and to be honest, I felt it wasn't as good as before, perhaps my expectations were too high. The receptionist, whose name started with a C, wasn't very enthusiastic, and they didn't even provide children's toiletries. However, most of the other staff were excellent, proactively greeting us and asking about our needs. We mainly ate at the hotel, choosing to top up our account, and overall we were very satisfied. We'll likely come back again.

The all-inclusive package was fantastic! Booking in advance on Ctrip made it even more cost-effective. My favorite was the Japanese restaurant; the sashimi was fresh and delicious. We didn't leave the hotel for all three nights, just ate, drank, played, and relaxed. My child also had a wonderful time in the family pool 🥳. The sofa in the room can be converted into a sofa bed for kids, which is perfect for a family of three.

We booked a sea-view room, and the balcony faced the beach directly. It was a bit of a shame that a large tree slightly obstructed the view. The room facilities were pretty standard. For getting around, you can use Bolt or hire a private car. The hotel shuttle can take you to Patong or Jungceylon. If you prefer to stay at the hotel, there's a pool, game facilities, and you can also go snorkeling or clam digging at the beach. On our last day, we opted for the all-inclusive package, which was 2900 THB per adult, and we ate until we were absolutely stuffed.

The scenery is absolutely beautiful, and the best part is that you can go snorkeling directly from the hotel without needing to take a boat trip.

I personally dislike the swim-up room. I wanted to check out on the first day. I had specifically requested in my email not to be given an end-of-hallway room, and even tipped the front desk, yet I was still assigned an end room right next to a renovation area. The smell was very strong, and the hallway looked even worse than a budget hotel (see picture 1), completely lacking any resort feel. That same night, I went to the front desk and paid extra to change my room type, and only then did I get to experience the true beauty of Marriott Meliá. The public areas and the beach are both stunning. The all-inclusive package offers various food and drinks. Stepping out of the room, you're greeted by a vast lawn and the ocean. During low tide, you can go shell collecting and find small fish and hermit crabs. There's a pool right next to the room, making the experience absolutely fantastic. I'll definitely choose Marriott Meliá again next time, but I won't be staying in a swim-up room.