Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket

The hotel environment was absolutely fantastic! They even upgraded our room for free. Our room had its own pool, which was incredibly convenient, and the hotel itself boasted a variety of pools, each with a different style and landscape. We basically just relaxed at the hotel for two days and barely left. The kids especially loved the lazy river. Getting around from our room was also super easy; we just made a call and a shuttle would arrive.

Let's start with the pros: 1. Located in the Karon Beach area, the hotel has a relatively private beach. The beach is very clean and perfect for playing in the sand and water, suitable for both toddlers and older children. 2. The hotel boasts several swimming pools of varying depths, making it ideal for families with kids. 3. Overall, the hotel service is decent, with only a few exceptions. However, there are also many cons: 1. Aside from the one or two restaurants within the hotel, dining out in the central area requires a taxi ride starting from 200 Thai Baht, which means 100 RMB for a round trip. Walking takes over 15 minutes, and the steep slope leading to the hotel entrance is quite unsafe to walk on. Tuk-tuks don't feel very safe either. 2. At 3500 THB per night for a twin room during Chinese New Year, the hotel feels quite run-down. While the hygiene is acceptable, the facilities are far behind what you'd find in high-end hotels or B&Bs in China. The toiletries are also very poor; you have to call to request toothpaste and toothbrushes. The bathtub was also very dirty. 3. The breakfast isn't suited to Chinese tastes, and there are a lot of Indian tourists. 4. The female duty manager at the front desk, Nicky, had a terrible attitude. She kept frowning every time I asked a question, as if I owed her money. She should be fired! 5. They gave us the worst room, right on the edge (see pic P20). I don't know if it was discrimination or just a coincidence. I had specifically requested a room with a better view at the front desk, and clearly this room type is available in every building, yet they still gave me the worst one. It was during my complaint that Nicky started frowning impatiently.

The service was very good and satisfactory. **Facilities**: Pretty decent, a little old but acceptable. **Hygiene**: Good. **Environment**: Excellent, with a strong vacation vibe. Our private pool was the largest size, so we really enjoyed swimming. The public pools were also great, and the hotel has its own exclusive beach. Overall, it was a good experience.

The hotel is quite a distance from the airport, about a 1.5-hour drive. It's a large property, and the sunset views from the beach are beautiful. Being a family-friendly hotel, the facilities are great for kids. However, I was bitten by a huge venomous ant by the pool. The hotel staff took me to the infirmary and gave me a bottle of medicine, but I had to pay cash. Later that night, I felt unwell and contacted the hotel, but they didn't have any medication. They could only help us contact an outside private doctor, but the doctor's consultation fee was extremely expensive. After getting some medicine and an IV drip for inflammation, it cost a total of 3500 RMB. To make matters worse, I had an allergic reaction to the IV, so it had to be stopped midway. I don't understand how such a large family hotel doesn't even provide basic medication. Also, the bottom of the swimming pool was very rough, and my child's feet got cut three days in a row. Overall, my experience wasn't great.

Paid over 3,000 RMB a night to stay above a parking lot – total 'motel view'. The scenery is completely different from what was shown in the room photos; it's a classic case of 'what you see online vs. what you get'. All the negative reviews on Ctrip are absolutely accurate. The hotel facilities are old, dirty, and when I checked in, I found that the sheets and duvet covers from the previous guest hadn't even been changed, with stains still on them. The buffet plates weren't washed properly. The next day, after changing rooms, I found a large, urine-like stain on the new duvet cover, which required yet another change. The only upside is that the staff's attitude was quite good. Seriously, ignore those filtered recommendations on Xiaohongshu.

An established five-star hotel. The environment is great, and the breakfast is delicious. It's a bit far from 7-Eleven, but a 10-minute walk is acceptable! I'll definitely stay here again next time, and I'll book the same room!

I was very satisfied with the hotel. It's a large resort with multiple swimming pools and a lazy river, perfect for families with children. The gym is also well-maintained. The only downside was that the door lock wasn't working very well, and my child scraped their leg. The nurse came to our room to treat the wound, which was very thoughtful.

The hotel breakfast was my absolute favorite – incredibly varied and plentiful. The room was great too, with a huge, soft, and very comfortable bed. My only minor complaint was that the curtains weren't very blackout. The pool activities were plentiful, engaging, and fun. I'll definitely stay here again next time I'm in Thailand!

Pros: Excellent location, close to the beach, nice hotel environment, with children's entertainment facilities, and a rich breakfast. Cons: The hardware facilities are a bit old, the lobby is quite low-end and very hot. There were no welcome drinks or towels upon check-in, instead, they had a Starbucks where you had to buy your own. For a family-friendly hotel, it's not very accommodating to children; we were charged an additional 4200 Thai Baht for 4 nights for a child not occupying a bed (whereas many other hotels in Phuket offer free stays for children). Furthermore, the hotel doesn't offer Chinese-speaking service. The check-in time is late and check-out time is early (3 PM check-in, 11 AM check-out), which goes against international norms.