Holiday Inn Resort Phuket — Cross the Road to Patong Beach, Where Parents Actually Rest and Kids Play All Day
If you're bringing kids to Phuket and want a resort where they never get bored while you're not chasing them all day, Holiday Inn Resort Phuket is usually the first name Patong regulars mention. It sits right on Thaweewong Road — one road crossing and you're on Patong Beach — yet the grounds feel greener and quieter than you'd expect for this stretch of coast. What guests keep coming back to: six pools and a kids pool with a waterslide, Pirate and Sea World themed Kids Suites that children refuse to leave in the morning, and the quieter Busakorn Premium Wing with its own swim-up pool bar for travellers who want a more grown-up kind of rest.
The reason Holiday Inn Resort Phuket lands on so many family shortlists comes down to the kids. The resort splits into two wings — the Main Wing is the family side, brightly decorated, with a Kids Club and FunLAB, a digital 4D activity zone that keeps children busy for hours. The standout room is the Kids Suite, where the children's sleeping area is themed as either a Pirate ship or Sea World, complete with bunk beds and playful lighting — most kids walk in and immediately claim it. Just as important for the budget: children under 12 stay and eat free when sharing a bed with parents, which adds up fast over a week with a young family.
The pools are the real draw. There are six of them spread across the grounds. The Main Wing has a large pool plus a shallow kids pool with a waterslide and fountains — shallow enough that children can splash on their own while you watch from the edge. For anyone wanting to escape the noise, the Busakorn Premium Wing works as a resort-within-a-resort: a separate pool reserved for Busakorn guests, a swim-up pool bar set in a tropical garden shaded by Thai-roofed pavilions, and an adults-only Villa area. Several guests describe this side as quiet enough to forget you're in the middle of Patong.
Guests describe it this way: "The kids spent the whole day between the children's pool and the Kids Club without a single complaint, and the parents took turns at the quiet Busakorn pool — the first trip they've actually rested on since becoming parents."
There are four restaurants on site. Charm Thai handles proper, punchy Thai food, Terrazzo is the Italian, and Sam's Steaks & Grill covers the steakhouse cravings. Breakfast is served at Sea Breeze Café and gets the most praise of all — a buffet with Thai, Asian and Western sections, a live egg station and fresh bakery each morning. Many guests note it's more generous than they expected for a 4-star hotel, though it's worth knowing that it gets crowded at peak hours and a few reviewers mention flies around the open-air seating on some mornings.
Location is the resort's biggest advantage. It sits on Thaweewong Road, and one road crossing puts you on Patong Beach — about a 3-minute walk. Bangla Road, the nightlife strip, is a 14-minute walk further on, and restaurants, massage shops and convenience stores surround the property. Being honest, though: Thaweewong is the busy beachfront road, and the Muay Thai promotion trucks that blare music in the early evening are a real thing. Street-facing rooms catch that noise clearly — ask for a garden- or pool-facing room and you'll sleep far better.
The Trip.com score sits at 8.9/10 from 696 verified reviews, with location, cleanliness and service all rated around 9.0. Staff earn consistent praise for being friendly and good with families. Beyond the road noise, the honest complaints flag some older Standard rooms that look more dated than the website photos, and the fact that the newer Busakorn pool is restricted to premium guests, which a few visitors read as a class divide. Worth knowing so you can pick the room category that matches your expectations.
On price, Standard rooms start around ฿3,500/night in low season (May–October) — genuinely good value for a Patong beachfront resort with this much for kids. High season (November–February) and the Songkran period push rates to ฿5,500–8,000, and the Family Suites and Kids Suites sell out quickly. If you're planning a school-holiday trip with children, book 6–8 weeks ahead at the very least.
The bottom line: Holiday Inn Resort Phuket is at its best for families bringing kids to Phuket who want the children genuinely entertained while the parents actually get to rest — at a price that doesn't sting. Couples or anyone after quiet should book the Busakorn Premium Wing with its separate pool and grown-up feel. But if your trip is mostly about Patong nightlife and you're travelling without kids, a smaller hotel closer to Bangla Road may suit your style better.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Plenty of pools — kids pool with a waterslide keeps children busy all day
- ✓ Excellent location, cross the road to Patong Beach
- ✓ Varied breakfast buffet with both Thai and Western options
- ✓ Friendly staff who are genuinely good with families
- ! Street-facing rooms catch traffic and Muay Thai promo trucks in the evening
- ! Some Standard rooms in the older building look dated
- ! High season rates rise sharply and family rooms sell out fast
- ✓ Busakorn Premium Wing is quiet with a separate swim-up pool
- ✓ Themed Kids Suites are a hit with children
- ✓ Under-12s stay and eat free — real savings for families
- ✓ Restaurants, massage shops and convenience stores all within walking distance
- ! The newer Busakorn pool is restricted to premium guests
- ! Patong is lively — not for travellers seeking total tranquillity
- ! Flies around the open-air breakfast area on some mornings
- 💡If you want the quietest room — request a garden- or pool-facing room away from Thaweewong Road when booking → street-side rooms catch traffic and the evening Muay Thai promotion trucks
- 💡If you're a couple wanting calm — choose the Busakorn Premium Wing with its separate pool and adults-only Villa area → the Main Wing stays busy with families and children all day
- 💡If you're travelling during school holidays / Songkran — Kids Suites and Family Suites sell out fast, book 6–8 weeks ahead → peak rates run close to double the low-season price