Patong Resort

The Patong Resort is an older property that shows some wear and tear, but it's clean and well-located for travelers who want to embrace the Patong beach-all-day, party-all-night scene. The lobby has a business hotel feel, without a cohesive design or the Thai vibe that can be found in competing properties. The lobby features large columns and moldings, lots of mirrors, and marble floors that could use a style makeover. The lobby bar is furnished with fuchsia and chartreuse furniture atop a brown and gold carpet, one example of the Patong’s design dysfunction. There are lovely footpaths and tropical gardens meandering between guest rooms and the two pools, but one of the pools sits on an astroturf-covered concrete deck with no shade or landscaping. There is a subtle sense of being nickel-and-dimed that is not dispelled by reports of charges for broken water glasses in guest rooms or for excess food left on buffet plates. For guests who want a 360-degree Thai experience, the Patong Resort will not deliver, but for travelers who want a place to rest and recharge between beach and club, it is large, clean, and comfortable, and will do the job.

The Patong Resort is located just off Patong's busy main street, surrounded by shops and street stalls, and next door to a large massage house. Patong Beach is a five-minute walk from the hotel, and Bangla Night Road is 10-minutes' walk past a great deal of local color. Bangla Boxing Stadium, Jungceylon Shopping Center and the Night Market are within a 10-minute walk, as well. The airport is a 45-minute drive away.

Rooms at the Patong Resort are spacious and clean, with private balconies and laminate hardwood floors, although the views are less than extraordinary. Some guest rooms have been upgraded, and these brightly painted rooms are far fresher and more stylish than the comfortable but dated older rooms, which are furnished with dark pieces that look more old English than tropical Thai. Bathrooms have marble or bright-white tile, and have shower/tub combos, free toiletries, and old-fashioned hairdryers. Keycards must be used to use the air-conditioning. Amenities include minibars/fridges, flat-screen TVs, and in-room safes. Wing One, which is furthest from the main building, is more private.

Patong Resort includes two small pools with pool bars (but little shade), as well as a cabana area, where guests can get a walk-up Thai or foot massage. A free breakfast buffet is offered each morning, and there are several choices of restaurants, including the Emerald Coffee Shop, serving local Thai cuisine and Western dishes in a dining room that is spacious but low on atmosphere. An outdoor teppanyaki grill and sushi bar, and a poolside burger and pizza shack, offer additional options, and there's also Pavarotti’s, serving Italian cuisine. The lobby features an old-time safe deposit room where guests can keep valuables.