Chaiyo Resort

The resort's rooms have king beds, double beds and single beds, with standard rooms for up to three guests and a double room with a balcony or terrace and river views. Several rooms have air conditioning, a private bathroom with a shower and toiletries, and a flat-screen TV.

Free WiFi is available in all rooms, and the resort's restaurant and room service are close at hand for guests who prefer to eat in or relax at the property during their visit.

Guests can eat in the restaurant, which serves à la carte dishes and lunch, or order room service. There is also a bar, and bottled water is available.

The resort offers canoeing, an airport transfer and bicycle parking, and free parking is available on site. The garden and terrace are part of the grounds, and the bar and restaurant sit alongside them for guests who want to spend time on the grounds.

The front desk is staffed 24 hours a day, and there are safety deposit boxes, daily housekeeping, laundry, dry cleaning and ironing services, plus meeting and banquet facilities. English and Thai are spoken by the staff, and laundry and ironing can be arranged for the duration of a stay.

Phuket Town is the island's main town, where Sino-Portuguese shophouses, street markets and everyday life sit side by side. Chaiyo Resort stands on a soi off Sakdidate Road, inside the town rather than on the coast, which suits guests who want to be close to local life and still reach the rest of the island by car or taxi.

Phuket International Airport is 30.1 km away, and the island's best-known temple, Chaithararam Temple (Wat Chalong), is 3.9 km from the resort. The Big Buddha stands on a hilltop 6.8 km away. Karon Beach, 8.6 km away, is a long stretch of sand, while Patong Beach, 9.8 km away, is busier, with bars and a lively evening scene.

A good day could start at Wat Chalong, move on to the Big Buddha and end with a swim at Karon Beach. Phuket Town itself is worth an afternoon for its old streets and markets, and the Phuket Botanic Garden is also nearby, with walking paths among tropical plants. Chalong Pier, a ferry pier in Chalong, is also close by for boat trips to the islands nearby, so a day on the water is easy to fit in alongside the temples and beaches.