Amari Phuket

Rooms at Amari Phuket share a private bathroom with a shower, bathrobes, toiletries, towels and a hair dryer. Several of them have ocean views, and some have balconies.

Capacity runs to three guests in the one-bedroom suites and superior rooms, and to five in the two-bedroom suites, which come with a choice of bed set-ups.

The resort has an outdoor swimming pool, a children's swimming pool and a poolside bar, as well as a private beach. For relaxation there is a spa with massage, a sauna, a steamroom, a hot tub and a yoga room, plus a fitness centre.

Dining options include a la carte and buffet service in the restaurant, a coffee shop, 24-hour room service and food delivery. Rooms can be equipped with a mini bar, an in-room safe box, blackout curtains and a mosquito net.

For families there is a kids club, a babysitting service and family rooms. The resort also offers tours, car hire, a shuttle service, laundry service and an airport transfer.

Amari Phuket is in Patong, the best-known beach town on Phuket's west coast, with Patong Beach 250 m away and a private beach of the resort's own. Patong combines beach time with bars, restaurants, shops and night markets, and its streets are lined with street-food stalls and massage shops.

Bangla Road, the street of bars and nightlife, lies 1.4 km away, and the Jungceylon shopping centre is also close, with shops and restaurants. Further afield, Chaithararam Temple (Wat Chalong), one of the island's most important temples, is 7.1 km away, and Big Buddha Phuket, a white statue on a hill, is 7.2 km away. The airport is on the same island, so the last stretch to the resort is by road.

A good day starts early on Patong Beach, continues with the temples at Wat Chalong and the Big Buddha, and ends on Bangla Road. Freedom Beach, a small cove usually reached by longtail boat, makes a good addition to that day, especially for a swim away from the crowds of the main sand. Big Buddha and Wat Chalong also make a good pairing for a half-day out from the resort, and Karon Beach is a short drive along the coast for a change of scene.