Accommodation review for Bamboo House in Karon, Phuket, Thailand

Bamboo House Phuket 492/1 Patak Rd., Karon Beach Muang, Phuket 83100 Thailand
Tel : 66 76 398264 - 6 Fax : 66 76 398267
Email : info@bamboohousephuket.com

http://www.bamboohousephuket.com/

I stayed at Bamboo House in May 2011 for four nights during my trip to Thailand. I hadn’t been to Phuket before and wanted to stay away from the craziness and noise of Patong so Karon seemed to be the best choice. Bamboo House appealed to me as the rooms looked new and clean plus it was just a short walk to Karon beach. I organised transfers to and from the airport with Bamboo House before my visit at a cost of $48USD rather than catch a taxi. (If you stay at the hotel for 5 nights or more, they offer free airport transfers). The trip from the airport is approx. 1 hour and 15 mins, although this depends on traffic conditions.

We arrived at the hotel and check-in was so easy and the reception team were very friendly. They took our bags to our room and showed us all the amenities in the room and how they worked, such as the free internet (connected to the TV and really easy to use...internet speed was great too). My first impression of the room was WOW...I guess we had stayed in some cheap and cheerful accommodation in Northern Thailand the week before, so Bamboo House was quite luxurious to us! Everything was so clean and neat and I appreciated having a room safe, mini fridge (with two complimentary bottles of water provided each day), tea and coffee facilities, two beach towels and bag (which can be taken to the beach or any day trips), two umbrellas, telephone and dry cleaning service. Although try to avoid using the telephone for any mobile calls within Thailand – the charge is 30 baht a minute. The beds were low to the ground (mattresses on raised wooden platforms) and were very comfortable. The bathroom was nice and the shower had fantastic pressure. The toiletries provided (body wash, shampoo, conditioner, as well as shower cap) were great, the towels were big and fluffy, although there was no body lotion provided so pack your own if you need it. The TV (which doubles as a computer) has cable channels, however they are quite limited, so don’t rely on the channels on offer to keep you entertained. There is also a DVD player so bring a few movies along with you if you want to relax by watching TV at the end of a long day.

We booked a superior room (which I understand is the same as a standard room, it is just located higher – standard rooms are in the basement). Our room was facing away from the street so it was very quiet. The hotel also has a small pool with about 10 deck chairs to sunbathe, which wasn’t used that much by guests during our stay, however we enjoyed a quick dip in there after a long day of cycling. There is also an outside shower and toilet facilities by the pool.

The reception staff are very friendly and helpful – always had a hello or “Sawadee!” every time you left the hotel or came back. On one occasion, I had to print out an email for a day tour and they allowed me to use their computer and printer at no cost. They also gave great advice on day tours or local facilities in the area.

Included in our room price was breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant Bamboo Kitchen, a classy and well presented place to dine. Breakfast is open from 6.30am to 10.30am every day and offers a buffet selection of cereals, toast, freshly baked sweet goods, fresh fruit, and one or two Thai dishes such as noodles or rice. We were also offered a choice of eggs cooked to order (scrambled, hard boiled or omelette) and either bacon or ham.

We also had dinner at Bamboo Kitchen – twice, because it was so good. Yes, it does charge a bit more than other cheaper local eats, however the quality is much better (I went to Ging’s Restaurant the night before and despite the big servings, I wasn’t impressed with the quality). The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner from 11am to midnight and I must say, I was impressed with how many people ate there at night – it was full. The ambience at night is very pleasant and the wait staff are very professional and attentive. Entrees are around 90 baht, and main meals range from 190 baht to 300 baht (and are served with rice). The entrees are quite filling, with the hearty soups quite sufficient as a meal. I had duck one night served on a bed of morning glory and it was very tender and cooked to perfection – just delicious!

The well known restaurant Red Onion is located practically next door to Bamboo House – we didn’t get to dine here as they were closed for a few weeks. The beach is just a 3 minute walk away and there are plenty of places to eat nearby. There are massage places everywhere too. There isn’t a whole lot to do in Karon, but it is a good base for day trips, plus perfect if you want to laze on the beach during the day.

I couldn’t recommend Bamboo House highly enough for anyone thinking of staying in Phuket. You get excellent quality of accommodation for the price, and it is perfect for singles or couples spending a week or so in Phuket. I would definitely stay here again.