Oh how I love the resort reviews 😍 Even though this resort would not be on my radar, it is so lovely to watch such a great review and be transported to the other end of the world especially when the weather is cold and grey as it is now over here in Belgium…🌫️ The coming weeks will be a real treat watching all your reviews, thank you so much!!!!! 🙏🏼
You are more than welcome to take some of the insane heat and humidity we’ve been having in Saigon lately haha… 29° as the sun rises actually feels cool here 😅. Thanks as always for your support 🙏🏻
@@tfft Yes, I actually read that there is a heatwave in your part of the world, lets exchange a bit and even the temperatures out…it’s too cold for the season over here 🥶
This is my favorite Resort in the world! Been there multiple times. Best room is actually under where he suggested a ground floor suite with private pool & cabana that has a movable fence to open up to see the beach if wanted. Book early to get best rate & availability because they book up quickly. You Can get a massage in your backyard from ladies on the beach for $10. I got one every day. Very affordable in comparison to other resorts. Multiple Restaurants & Bars on site even on beach that are Really Awesome ! You don’t have to leave if you just want to Relax for a few days. This place is Casual, Relaxing & all around Amazing. This video is making me cry & wanna go back ASAP 😻
When I first saw the title of this video, already knowing the age of this property, I thought "uh oh ... this isn't going to be an enjoyable video to watch". I expected run down outdated furnishings and tired restaurant concepts. Quite the opposite (except maybe for Benihana). The resort and especially the beach were all lovely and your walk-through and explanation highlighted why this property is still a wonderful place to stay.
Your thoughts are precisely why I skipped this resort in 2021, I was thinking the same. After falling in love with Mai Khao beach though I gave it a second look and booked it. Very glad I did. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
As a former Sales Exec for Marriott Vacation Club, I can add a bit of context perhaps. Yes, a shared check in area is an anomaly, and was perhaps necessitated by some of the odd Thai real estate laws at the time (such as foreigners being unable to purchase land in perpetuity). At one point a Marriott Vacation Club on Kauai also shared a front desk with a hotel. I have stayed both in the (only) 2 bedroom suites of the Vacation Club as well as the JW and the rooms are similar in design. Great vid, I was brought here as we are staying at the resort for the first time in 11 years and was looking for an update! Thanks. PS: coffee is life 😂
Kevin, another great video. Thank you. We were upgraded to a pool villa at the Marriott Renaissance Mai Khao next door a few years ago and were equally impressed. If you have interest, you might want to become more familiar with the Marriott Vacation Club. It’s actually one of the better “Time share clubs” and members are generally seasoned travelers, many who were self-motivated to buy-in after staying at many high end hotels in the Marriott family., and even with the extra premium the club membership comes with. Anyway. Food for thought. Thanks again.
Yeah I actually have been reading up on MVC and to be honest Marriotts own website “agrees” with what I mentioned. Their 33 brands are in three categories… JW is in the Luxury category and MVC is Premium. If the were both Luxury then I’d say it was a moot point, but it’s clear even Marriott doesn’t intend for them to have the same level of experience. Anyway, I remember during Covid when the Renaissance was going for $38/night! That’ll surely never happen again haha. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
That little day bed area in the room is a bit odd - wonder if there's some architectural reason that they didn't just extend the balcony, rather than give you the option to lie on some hard wood? With it being raised, maybe there's services going beneath or it something.
Hi, new subscriber here .. as a solo lady traveller, I really like to explore the local area, find my own variety of restaurants and pick up my own snacks/sodas at a local shop (not from the crazy expensive minibars in the rooms). Could you possibly include a section on the local area amenities? I often find these (admittedly fabulous) resorts are so remote, they hold you hostage to all their food and drink offerings (at huge prices) when I really want the variety that more places can offer. I don’t want to catch a taxi every night to try different restaurants, but happy to walk 10 - 15 minutes each way. Anyway, just a thought - love your reviews otherwise ❤
Fully understand and I used to do something similar to what you're asking, but at the end of the day there's only so much time in each video so I need to leave this one up to the travelers! Thanks for watching 🩴
I love your reviews, but one suggestion would be to include more details about kids facilities. Like depth of pool, whether there are family suites and whether they will guarantee interconnecting. Re JW, I hate the way premium resorts always put the family rooms/facilities in the most inferior position. Sucks and lack of respect for a market that spends more at the resort - book multiple rooms, suites, completely captive for resort restaurants, spas etc (difficult to leave grounds with small kids needing day naps). They’ll take money, but don’t want us to be seen.
I’m not sure I understand your point as it relates to this resort. The kids pool and such were front and center, between the adult pools- not hidden behind the garage 😅
I once stayed at a hotel in San Diego and there was a wedding going on right next to my room. They had to call the Police to keep me from brawling that night
The one thing you have not mentioned about Mai Khao Beach is that it shelves quickly & gets very deep extremely quickly and it’s totally unsafe for children, hence the long horizontal pools that front the beach directly in front of the resort to try to prevent people actually going down to the beach. 😊This place is not really suitable for children to be quite honest with you, especially if they like swimming in the sea!
I tend to leave the parenting to the parents 😅... you're correct, compared to many beaches in Phuket it is quite steep, but I don't find it all that bad compared to many other beach locations around the globe. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Hi Kevin, I'm follower of your work and really like it. Just one suggestion, pls also include the time/month of your stay and the weather at that time. It will really help in planning the vacation. If it's already there pls guide me to it if I missed. Thanks Vipul
Excellent review! Question: Which resort would you recommend for families (kids age 12 / 10/ 7 ) in Phuket? Do you have a link to your review of such hotels? We are flying in April 2025 and plan to stay in Phuket for about five days, but we are having a hard time deciding on a resort. Thank you very much!
All of my Phuket reviews are in this playlist combined with Samui, 18 videos in total: ru-vid.com/group/PL83ZLLu2Le8OP-TOwhcv6VKPdhXm6cP0P As for specific hotels and such, I'm happy to ask some more questions about what you plan to do to see what would be the best for you, but out of respect for those who support me on Patreon for this type of advice, I'd need to limit the conversation to there. Thanks for watching 🩴
Kevin, great review as usual. Your reviews are concise but aso very detailed. I always feel like I've actually stayed at the property after watching one of them. The same for your flight reviews where I feel like I have experienced the flight myself. Looking forward to the next one.
I have been thinking about booking this place for a number of years. but never really commit because it was too far from all the excitement. your review really helped. thanks.
9:31, I'm surprised you did not mention about that basketball court having no business being there. That's them trying so hard to please everyone and end up pleasing no one.
Yah, the famous $47 fee has caused quite a bit of stir since Marriott implemented it. I knew about the case but didn’t want to mention it in the video as I’m not sure how Thai law would apply specifically to commentary about it. All I will say though is… if there’s hotel related drama in Thailand, don’t be surprised if Minor is involved 😂
Another great review 👍 can't believe there are 4 pools! The St Regis Langkawi has 1 🤔 Good points about weddings. They can really take over the hotel. Keep the videos coming 😁👍
I’m staying here next month for 3 nights. Do you know what offerings they have for Marriott loyalists/Titanium members? Thanks, and Keep up the good work!
Thank you for your comprehensive review of this hotel. I appreciated the time you took exploring and recording most of what this resort offers. I really enjoy your reviews. Generally I agree with you however I must disagree about the Marriott Vacation Club shared resort experience. Clearly you have never stayed in a Marriott Vacation Club unit adjacent to a JW Marriott. They are not like a low budget timeshare, quite the contrary. We have owned 6 over the last 25 years. Prior to owning we frequently stayed in the Presidential Suites in Hilton hotels. The Marriott Vacation Club units are better than most Presidential Suites…at least in the U.S. They are FAR superior to any basic hotel room domestic and international. If you understood how nice they are you would never think they cheapen the JW experience. They are on a more frequent remodel schedule than hotels so the rooms rarely look or feel dated. The reason I watched this video is because we will be staying at the MVC at this resort and I wanted to get a feel for the grounds and services at this resort. I’m even more excited to stay at this resort after watching your video. 😊
Sure, as I said, I'm not well versed with vacation clubs of any sort, but as another commenter who I just replied to put it, "Here in Australia 'time share' is a dirty word..." and regardless of how nice the MVC is (I'll take your word for it), I think the branding integration needs to be done better becuase there are many many JW guests who will only see the MVC as a time share tacked on to the side of 'their' resort. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Good review as usual. Its age and instant coffee are two reasons that make me hesitate to try this resort. For the prices of its rooms, guests deserve better than that. Too many “5- star” resorts in Thailand are providing guests with instant coffee, even ones that used to provide ground coffee. I plan to make Instant coffee my exclusion criteria from now on. The nearby Renaissance, which I tried and was disappointed by, also provides instant cofee. Instant coffee should be acceptable only for four-star hotels or places tha cost less than USD100 a night.
Just racked my brain a bit to think about this… in the near 20 Thai reviews I have on the channel, I believe this is the only one that didn’t have a Nespresso (or Nespresso-esque) machine in the room. I’ve always found Thai hotels to be pretty good with this. Perhaps I’ve just been lucky haha. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Nice to see reviews from Thailand again as this is my go to holiday destination. We have a marriott booked in Khao lak for later this year and Dusit Thani in Krabi early next year. Agree with you on weddings we where made to feel like 2nd class guests at the Marriott merlin beach phuket due to them.
Somethings look a little worn around the edges. Especially in the garden and lawn areas, where guests walk over the edges of the lawn. You compared this property to others, in that the frequent guest programs offers some properties just to satisfy the elite members. I do not think that the IC Bali and Conrad Bali are shabby but this property definitely looks to fit that theory. This hotel is a points hound delight! There would be no way I would spend $370/night for this property. On the other hand, if I had millions of Marriott points that I earned from work travel (on other people's money), this is a great way to go to Phuket, and stay in a reasonably nice resort. One of the things I find in tropical places like Bali, the chain hotels do a better job of cleaning than local properties. That musty smell of humidity is better controlled by the chain hotels. You seldom talk about this specifically, but stinky public areas and rooms, is a big turnoff. And a sign of poor best practices in cleaning.
Hi Kevin! Thank you so much for filming these video! I love it so much. It’s really in detail and you try to be fair enough to introduce and comment, also cover all the perspectives, not only the room. And its amazing to see you highlight the greenery of the resort and each different pools’ feature, which may be rarely mentioned by others. It really provides good reference for people who want to visit Phuket and considering where to stay. Awesome!! Appreciate it!
About 2 clicks north there's a horse area... and taking a horse ride up and down the 11km beach (admittedly so, only did 3-4km) is amazing. Walked the beach to the airport, it takes about 2hr (you won't be walking or jogging at 6-9kph on the beach, that's for sure) - and then it turns into avgeek heaven. Passing by, you'll see other resorts and in general, security people of other resorts are not surrpised that someone is walking the beach top to bottom. It will take you a day... and feel so satisfying. Stayed at the villa and got upgraded to a "presidential villa", which is... out of this world. BTW, Kevin... they do have Nespresso machines - and better coffee selection in 'villas' and suites. The signing of the bill is something I see at most of American-owned hotels, especially in the US. St. Regis San Francisco, Westin Union Square, W Hollywood, W Taipei - just to name the few - all required to sign the bill when eating in common restaurants (if the place doesn't have a Club lounge) - and it would be deducted.
My comment about the bill was the fact that it needed to be signed at the podium before even being sat down. Signing at the table at some point, sure, is a common occurance. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Coffee coffee coffee - yes totally agree with you. In one IHG hotel they were happy to make a barista coffee and send to my room when i wanted no charge, very nice but not what I want. The Vacation club i seen the counter at beginning of video and then you mention it - Time Share is a dirty word here in Australia so don't know why they do it. Hotel looks ok but just didn't invite me. Many other your videos I watch I have gone to website and booked form your reviews not this one. 🙏👍
Sounds great that the IHG property did that for you, but in the words of my Grandmother, "shhhh... we don't talk before grandma's had her coffee..." lol. I just want to make it myself in my own half asleep fog haha. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Another great video. Re coffee: Thailand produces quality coffee in Krabi and in the cooler northern areas around Chiang Rai so why not promote this at the resort?...and sell it in the gift shop...just saying.😀
I recommend a visit to Khao Lak Beach for you once. The JW Marriott there is outstanding, and the fare for our 2 bedroom suite was over 60 dollars less per night than the rate mentioned in the description. Other than that, there is a Pullman, Le Meridien and Grand Mercure just to name a few on the beach, all generally offering lower prices than their equivalents in Phuket.
Wow! Stayed there in 2006 at a regional conference. Traveling there back then took most of the day from Saigon as we had to transit through Bangkok. The resort much as I remember it. It had only re-opened recently after what happened in 2004. We were put in a room on the first floor with a fresh paint smell and so asked for a room upstairs which they provided. Note the polished terra cotta tiles so typical of resorts of that time and which I still very much like. Phuket is incredibly beautiful and was there in 2019 traveling on that ever so easy VietjetAir flight direct from Saigon. Thanks for the memories great video!
I was there with my husband around 2012 for a charity event. What I remember most where traditional Thai dancers and fire eaters performing over that huge reflecting pool. Magical.
To my knowledge, chairs from resorts are not permitted on Mai Khao. I've stayed at three resorts on the beach and it is always just the beach. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Big fan of the channel as recently posted, but this JW Marriott looks to be Marriott standard at best and don’t see the 90/100. To each their own of course, but I think your scores are generally on point
Keeping in mind that all of my scores are always relative to the price I paid- and prices in Thailand at the moment are absurd (making this place a decent deal now), I'm genuinely curious in which category your score would have been lower if you otherwise usually agree with my scores. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
@@tfft Thanks for the reply and that is a great point you make on price. Phuket right now is a joke and the hotels are 2 or 3 x more expensive than usual, which is insane so yes maybe in context right now your rating of JW is on the money. In any case keep up the great content. Great channel!!
Wow.. i love the environment especially the garden and the beaches 😍😍😍😍 The room looks comfortable but the tile I don't think im liking it :( I wonder if the TV was also already a smart TV? And how was the internet speed? Sometimes ì curious 😅. The most anticipated review was the breakfast 🥞.. ohhh i love hotel breakfast and it seems all delicious food was set on the table.. it is appetizing ☺️☺️☺️☺️ Thanks for the review!! ❤
Wi-Fi I generally don’t mention (unless it’s really poor) simply because it’ll vary so much from one spot in the resort to another. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
During my stay I believe it was 7:00-10:30 but resorts frequently change such timings based on season so I suggest you contact them directly. Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Очень понравился отель. Отдыхала в Тайланде в городе Паттайя. Но Пхукет прекрасен.прогулочные зоны как будь то попадаешь в лес. Вид с балкона неотразим. Спасибо за ваш обзор. 🙏💕.
This hotel should be branded as a Marriott not as a JW Marriott especially it is co-located with Marriott Vacation Club & there is no Coffee machine in the room. Thank you for sharing
I need to be very careful with what and how I say anything here (in a comment) due to Thailand’s defamation laws because there is no context here to support it. So I’ll just say your “uh oh” seems to have taken the point correctly.
Yeah I don't doubt they're nice, I just don't understand why they share facilities. Even on Marriott's website, JW is in the top tier while MVC is not.
@@tfft that’s funny because I’m going to a wedding Saturday evening and I asked my friend if im supposed to wear a suit and he said no, it’s casual. So I said bathing suit and flip flops it is! 😂
As many of your viewers have little kids like me, i suggest you to spend just a bit more time describing the kids club and kids pool, when they are available. All the new hotels are investing more money in kids facilities to be family oriented. Even parents deserve a luxury stay....😂😂😂
Since I don't alert properties in advance (or at all) that I'll be filming, there's really not much I can do without looking or sounding like an absolute creep. Whether it be trying to film in a kids club/pool or inquiring about kids activities (while I'm traveling solo...) it is something that I wish I could cover in more detail, but I need to stay within the framework of what's very easily filmable and do it quickly. Hope that makes sense.
@The Flip Flop Traveller : A solo traveller, white, American, male asking to film in the kids club (while staying incognito and not revealing they are doing a YT review) would scream creepy to me, unfortunately that's just the way the world is.
@@brilliantbutblue he never shows his face so i don't understand the problem to say that it is for a youtube video, who is going to recognize him??? There are tons of youtubers doing the same thing that hotel's staff don't care anymore what you film...
It’s not about me being recognized, it’s about me not being able to tell them what I’m filming for. I do not reference in any way that I’m making a RU-vid video, in the past when I’ve done so (when the channel first started) I would instantly start getting special treatment, which I do not want in order to give a more accurate review. I’ve even changed the way in which I film and only use iPhones now to make it looking like I’m just taking a couple photos (because many hotels do in fact care if you’re filming… especially when you’re alone.) Either way, not a big deal 😊
