Centara Karon Resort Phuket

The rooms at Centara Karon Resort Phuket each have a private bathroom with a shower, bathrobes and a hair dryer, and a view of the pool, the city or the ocean. Beds are double, twin or king, depending on the room type.

Pool-view rooms look over the resort's pools and ocean-view rooms look out to sea, while city-view rooms overlook the town. Rooms can also have a balcony or terrace, a mini bar, a refrigerator and an in-room safe box, and some room types are suites. Rooms can have air conditioning, blackout curtains, an electric kettle and satellite or cable channels, and free Wi-Fi covers all rooms.

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

Dining includes restaurants, a coffee shop, a snack bar, a buffet breakfast, barbecue facilities and room service, and food delivery is also offered.

For getting around, the resort offers an airport transfer, tours, a shuttle service and a taxi service, and the front desk is staffed 24 hours. Families can use the kids club, babysitting service and playground, and free parking is available on site for guests who arrive by car.

Karon is a long, sandy beach area on the Phuket coast, with neighbouring Kata Beach and a lively strip of shops, street-food stalls and bars behind the sand. The area suits those who want the beach close by and a bit of evening life, with the rest of the island reached by road.

The Karon Night Market is 250 m from the resort, and Wat Karon, a temple, is close by too. Big Buddha, a large seated statue on a hill, is 3.1 km away and is one of the island's best-known sights, while Wat Chalong, one of Phuket's most important temples, is a little farther off. Patong Beach, 4.1 km away, is the island's main nightlife area, Jungceylon Shopping Center is 4.7 km away for a larger shopping trip, and Phuket International Airport is 29.1 km away.

A good day could start with a swim on Karon Beach, continue with a visit to Big Buddha and Wat Chalong, and end at the Karon Night Market, which is close to the resort. Patong is the place to go for a livelier evening, while the resort's own pools and spa give you a quieter way to spend the afternoon before heading out.