Andaman Seaview Hotel

In a relatively quiet part of Phuket, the Andaman Seaview Hotel caters to families, couples, and honeymooners. Its exterior, including a striking cube-shaped entrance, is reminiscent of a Mediterranean resort. The impressive lobby is mostly open-air, with light-cream-colored walls and a high, wood-paneled ceiling. Pale, wicker-style sofas draped in brightly colored throws and cushions hint at the local Sino-Portuguese architectural style. A dark-wood formal reception area stays on the right side of old-fashioned. And the brightly decorated restaurant, where one side of the space is almost entirely open to the pool area, picks up the Sino-Portuguese theme, with bright green-and-white walls, and floor tiles in similar but darker shades. In the spa, tanned wood, olive tiling, and black marble combine to elegant effect.

Like many hotels in Karon, the Andaman Seaview is not right on the beach, but it's a short three-minute walk to the seafront. There are a number of restaurants and bars within walking distance of the hotel, while nearby Karon Town is a five-minute tuk-tuk or taxi ride away, or about a 20-minute walk. Kata Beach is a similar distance, and the hotel is well situated for travel to other parts of the island, including Patong, a 20-minute drive away. Phuket International Airport is about a 50-minute drive or taxi ride. 

Rooms at the Andaman Seaview are large, bright, tastefully decorated, and refined. Superior Rooms, almost entirely in white with older, somewhat out-of-place floral-print tub chairs and curtains, have less ambience than the Deluxe and Deluxe Pool Access Rooms, with their elegant orange or green walls, four-poster dark-wood beds and other Sino-Portuguese-style furnishings. While Superior Rooms come with cushioned benches by the window, Deluxe Rooms have separate living areas, with plush sofas and wicker-style seating, dining tables, kitchenette-style minibar areas, and white built-in units housing flat-screen TVs. Well-placed art and soft lighting convey the homey vibe of a living room. All rooms come with flat-screen TVs in the bedrooms, minibars with wines and spirits, and large bathrooms with both walk-in showers and separate showers and tubs, plus dual sinks in Deluxe and Deluxe Pool Access Rooms. Wide mirrors make the most of the light, and ornate Sino-Portuguese tiling is a pleasant touch; the all-white subway tile around tubs in Superior Rooms looks more appealing than the gray marble tiling in the Deluxe Rooms. All rooms have balconies or terraces with dark-wood twin seats, and views of the pool or partial views of the sea. Do note that ground-floor Deluxe Pool Access Rooms face directly onto the swimming pool and lack privacy.

The hotel has three pools, including two for adults and one for kids. The largest pool is partly covered by an elegant canopy, and a wooden bridge -- almost tacky but not quite -- traverses the pool, which has a smart sundeck with lounge chairs and parasols. Plenty of its tables belong to the pool bar, where snacks and cocktails are served throughout the day. The smaller pool is still pleasant, with a longer artery that wraps around the side of an adjacent building for lap swimming. A smaller but equally agreeable children’s pool is partially shaded; all three pools draw families, and consequently they can get noisy with the sounds of children. The gym, though small, provides a few treadmills and other fitness equipment -- the room also doubles as a well-stocked library. The spa offers a range of treatments, and the hotel offers laundry and babysitting services, 24-hour room service, meeting facilities for up to 70 people, and a basket and towels for trips to the beach. The restaurant serves both Thai and international fare, including a free buffet breakfast, and daily set lunch and dinner menus; a la carte options are also available. A welcome drink is offered on arrival. Wi-Fi is free in the restaurant, but in-room Wi-Fi comes with a daily fee, and the signal is unreliable.