566 Patak Rd., Karon Beach, Karon, Thailand | (888) 616-5829
In Karon, a short walk from restaurants and the local beach
All rooms have big balconies, some with sea views
Nice free-form pool with shallow kids' area and swim-up bar
Restaurant with large menu of Thai and international cuisine
Thai cooking classes available on request
Room service is available and drinks can be delivery to pool loungers
In-room massage available
Not directly on the beach
No poolside umbrellas
Breakfast buffet is average
Hotel lacks ornamental Thai decor (pro for some)
Room decor feels generic
Bathrooms are underwhelming with shower/tub combos and soap dispensers
No business center or guest computers
Expensive Wi-Fi
The medium-sized, mid-range Front Village Hotel is pretty average across the board. The 71 guest rooms are pleasant but plain, with big balconies and nice, but not exactly memorable, interiors. The location is a few minutes' walk from the local beach. But there's a medium-sized free-form pool and an average restaurant on site. The nearby Village Resort and Spa, owned by the same company, offers much prettier rooms with more personality, but at higher rates -- like the Front Village, they also tack on hefty fees for Wi-Fi.
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Scene
Casual mid-range property with a sunny, pleasant lobby
Inspired by Chinese and Portuguese architectural traditions, the reception area is bright and airy, with marble floors and pale yellow arches, and white latticework. Clusters of teak benches and armchairs with warm red cushions give adequate room for guests to linger pre- or post-check-in. The result is pleasant and laid-back. The rest of the property follows in a similar architectural vein, down to the courtyard pool area, which foregoes the lush tropical gardens found in many other area hotels and opts for a more modern concrete deck flanked with tropical shrubbery and palm trees. The look -- and the rates -- attract a full range of guests from families to couples to groups of friends.
Location
In Karon, near restaurants, shops, an other hotels
The Front Village Hotel is located in Karon, with lots of other hotels and restaurants in the immediate area. It's slightly inland, but just a few minutes' walk from the local beach. Patong Beach is a 15-minute drive from the hotel while Phuket Fantasea takes just over half an hour by car. The Phuket International Airport is just over an hour away by road.
Rooms
Simple rooms with generic but pretty decor, plain bathrooms, and big balconies
The Front Village offers a range of rooms and suites, from simple Superior Rooms up to Family Rooms with two separate sleeping areas. All are similarly decorated with dark-wood furniture, terra-cotta tile floors, and off-white walls bordered by wood trim. Textiles are in a soft neutral palette, with orange and pink throw pillows providing a little spot of color. The overall effect is simple and somewhat generic, but not unpleasant. All rooms have terraces, flat-screen TVs, minibars, safes, bathrobes, and kettles. Bathrooms are unremarkable, outfitted in black vanity sinks, shower/tub combos, and wall-mounted shampoo and shower gel dispensers.
Features
Lovely free-form pool with swim-up bar, restaurant with international food, room service, and cooking classes
The Front Village Hotel has a large free-form swimming pool with a shallow children's play area, complete with a swim-up bar. Guests can also order drinks to be delivered directly to their lounge chairs. Poolside umbrellas are oddly lacking. Compared with other resorts, the pool feels modern, lacking Thai ornamentation and abundant landscaping. The hotel's Ah Ma House Restaurant serves a daily breakfast buffet that's considered mediocre by many guests, and offers a better-acclaimed lunch and dinner service with Thai and global cuisine. Room service is also available, and Thai cooking classes can be arranged on request as can in-room massage treatments.
