The Yama Resort & Spa, Kata Beach, Phuket

kind staff

location

The hotel was quiet and the pool is good size. You can swim comfortably without bumping into other guests. I enjoyed the pool access room. You don't need to borrow the pool towel since you can go directly to your room from the pool! Though the room is not for people you are not physically able since you have to climb up and down the pool ladder to reach the pool/room. The pool bar is just a few steps away from the pool. The interior is simple yet elegant. The staff are all helpful and they will welcome you with smiles. The bed is comfortable. The food in their in house restaurant is good. Breakfast is ok. They provide free shuttle to Kata Beach which is helpful since the location is far. However, the shuttle returning to hotel is only until around 4pm. So if you want to stay late in town, you have to take the taxi. Check in and check out was fast.

The location is a bit far from everything. It's uphill so it is difficult to walk around the hotel. If you want to eat outside the hotel, I suggest you take the shuttle to Kata beach. You will find a lot of restaurants, shops and massage there. The bathroom is a little bit problematic. I'm not sure if the design was well planned. The shampoo and body wash dispenser was located outside the shower area closer to the bathtub. So if you're taking a shower you have to open the shower door and step out to take some products. This results to wet floor in the bathroom. I'm not sure why they didn't put the dispenser INSIDE THE SHOWER AREA. Also, they have a glass door for the toilet with tower bar. If you open the door towards the inside, the bar will hit the wall which will stop the door from opening fully. So you'll end up walking inside the toilet area sideways. If you chose to open the toilet door towards the outside, you'll be blocking the entrance to the bathroom which is inconvenient if you're with someone and they need to use the bathroom as well. Also it will be amazing if they provide conditioner dispenser as well. Gym equipment are old and very basic. No room to do yoga, though they have mats available if you want to borrow.

Very clean and comfortable room , the staff were all very friendly and happy to help

Only downfall is the junction into the property which can be a bit hairy getting back onto the main road.

We liked this hotel a lot. The staff was supernice, very professional, really everyone-front desk ladies, cleaning persons, waitresses, driver... it was even difficult to believe negative references from others which we had read. This hotel is definitelly worth 4star - the level is same as 4star in western Europe. Breakfast amazing, wide choice of vegetables, fruits, hot meals, pastries, freshly prepared eggs, pancakes, ham, saussages, enough drinks... Pool also clean and big enough, sunbeds, towels and umbrellas available for free, open 7am to 9pm (July). We appreciated the hotel shuttle to Kata which goes i think 5-6x per day between 10am to 4:30pm to the beach and stops also directly next to bus stop to Phuket (blue buses). My suggestion would be to add some later even as the distance from the hotel is ca 2km only but the road is quite busy with vehicles. Taxi cost otherwise for this is I think 250 THB. Grab was more expensive. Calm rooms, comfortable, warm water without problem, nice spacious balcony. We enjoyed our stay, thanks.

Just 2 little things, of less importance. The cash back initiative is rather just to trot out as last evening we had zero balance to use for consumption, in fact we should have collected 200thb. Not really clear (despite leaflets and double asking) that we should have done the consumption and after that claim daily deduction. Not big deal of course as i never want towels changed daily anyway, but its a bit ridiculous how much rumour made around it and in the end nothing out of that :-) The hotel shuttle didnt take us when leaving with 40l backpacks even when there was enough space. I know their conditions say no luggage, but on other day there were people with 2 huge trolley luggages in the same (and full) shuttle. Probably just exception.