Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa

The Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa is huge, constantly humming with guests coming and going, but there is plenty of space, and the pools are enormous, so visitors who want to get lost can manage it, at least for a while. Couples seeking an intimate, romantic getaway won’t find it here, but there are fun restaurants, including the popular Belgian Beer Cafe, which is like a teleport to Western Europe, but with modern Thai-style outdoor seating piers extending into the pool. The lobby, large and old school, has lots of marble, pillars, potted palms, and couches. Rather than the entrance to a beachfront resort it feels more like a slightly dated, Western city hotel. By day it is packed with guests using the free Wi-Fi. The rooftop bar, The View, is lovely and sophisticated, a far cry from the hustle of the Patong streets below. The beachy Thailand vibe can be found on a sunbed or a submerged bar stool at a swim-up bar, gazing at the mountains from the rooftop lounge, or swimming lazy laps in one of the pristine blue pools. 

The Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa is located across Patong’s main street from beautiful Patong Beach, overlooking the Andaman Sea. There are plenty of cafes, street stalls, restaurants, bars, and a pharmacy just outside the resort, and it's a 15-minute walk to the famed Sphinx Theater, Jungceylon Shopping Center, and Bangla Night Street. The Phuket Airport is a 40-minute drive from the property.

Rooms at Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa are clean and spacious, with furnished private balconies. Most have pool or ocean views, but some overlook a next-door cemetery or parking lot. Guest rooms are designed with function, not fantasy, in mind. The renovated rooms are fresher and more modern, but all are done in muted beige and gold with not much Thai atmosphere, aside from nice fresh flowers and bamboo accents, and hardwood floors. Bathrooms have separate tubs and walk-in showers, and toiletries. All rooms include flat-screen TVs, minibars, coffeemakers, and free bottled water. Rooms near the Belgian Beer Cafe receive noise late into the night.

The Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa includes four huge, gorgeous pools lined with statues, palm trees, sunbeds, and two swim-up bars. There is a large fitness center with cardio and weight equipment, a snooker room, and an eight-lane bowling alley with bar service, music, and disco lights. Bualuang Restaurant offers a Thai and Western buffet with live music in the evenings. The Belgian Beer Cafe, open until late, is suitable for a business meeting, and feels like a slice of Western Europe in Asia. The Sunset serves Halal cuisine in a pretty dining room, and The Flavor is a romantic Thai restaurant. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property.