Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas

On my last day in Phuket, I moved to the Anantara Villas, where 'The Lotus Casebook' was filmed. As soon as I entered, I was stunned by the vast lotus pond. The hotel is new, and they've even set up signposts at all the filming locations. Many guests were taking photos at spots featured in the show – it's incredibly photogenic! Being just 15 minutes from the airport makes it an excellent choice for a holiday.

This was our third stay, and it's perfect for a family vacation with kids. My child absolutely loved it from their first visit last year and kept talking about coming back. The rooms are spacious and clean, the pool is beautiful, and the service attitude is top-notch. We stayed for five nights, and on our departure day, since we had a late flight, the front desk lady proactively helped us extend our check-out until the afternoon, which was amazing! Breakfast was good, too. After eating, we'd stroll to the beach; even with big waves, it was quite comfortable for a walk. The only downside is that the commercial area in 'Turtle Village' is a bit small. Taking a taxi to a mall is a bit expensive; a one-way Grab to Central Festival was nearly 200 RMB. But then again, we came mainly to relax at the hotel, so we'll probably be back next year.

It's very quiet, and there's a 7-Eleven right outside which is super convenient. My kids absolutely loved the private pool.

The hotel upgraded us to a connecting room for free and waived the deposit for any in-hotel spending. The room was incredibly spacious and spotless, and the extra-large 2-meter bed was super comfortable. The hotel staff were all really warm and approachable, always smiling and providing excellent service. A special shout-out to one of the ladies in the hotel restaurant – she's a basketball player! She was full of energy every day, walking with a spring in her step like she was on a runway. The restaurant food was also delicious and reasonably priced, on par with what you'd pay back home. The hotel shuttle took us to the beach, and the scenery there was beautiful. Overall, it was a fantastic experience!

The service was excellent, and the staff at every restaurant were very welcoming. The spa experience was fantastic; I'll definitely come back for another vacation. The private pool was cleaned daily, which was a really nice touch.

Overall, I was quite satisfied and would recommend staying here. The only issue was on the first day when I checked in, I clearly heard that check-out time was 2 PM, and I even reconfirmed it with the butler. However, on the day of check-out, it inexplicably changed to 12 PM. I had planned my check-out around 2 PM, intending to let my child nap in the hotel until 1:40 PM before leaving. Unexpectedly, at 12:14 PM, I received a call from the butler urging me to check out, stating that staff would be coming to my room shortly to collect luggage. Only then was I told that check-out was at 12 PM. I requested ten minutes to pack and asked for the luggage collection to happen after that, but the person came in less than 5 minutes. We had three suitcases with items scattered around the room, which led to us frantically stuffing things in without following my usual packing order, just to avoid delaying the hotel staff. Later, after returning home, I realized my two newly purchased swimsuits were missing. I really liked them, and I had only worn them once! I hope the hotel provides adequate training for its butlers and that their work can be more meticulous. If there's any change in check-out time, guests should be notified the day before check-out. Even if the hotel always has a 12 PM check-out and I simply misheard, a reminder the day before my departure would have saved both parties a lot of unnecessary trouble (including having to reschedule our pre-booked taxi).

This was our second visit as a couple, and we stayed for 3 nights. This villa is, for us, the best villa. We had a wonderfully relaxing and happy time, swimming in our private pool and just taking it easy. The beach is beautiful, and breakfast was absolutely delicious. The staff are incredibly hospitable. We also enjoyed cycling around on the complimentary bikes. We're so grateful and definitely want to come back!