Blue Beach Grand Resort and Spa

Blue Beach Grand Resort and Spa is a sizeable resort in Rawai, with 106 rooms and enough space for a stay that does not depend entirely on the next boat departure. You get a garden, outdoor areas, a restaurant, a spa and a pool, so the rhythm can be as active or lazy as your legs allow.

It suits divers travelling with family or a non-diving partner particularly well. A kids' club, a children's pool area and room categories for up to four people make the place practical for groups, while the spa and fitness room give everyone something to do when the day's main event is already over.

The useful detail is that this is a resort base in southern Phuket, not a tiny guesthouse built around one particular dive operation. You can spend the evening on site, use the concierge for excursions and let the hotel handle the ordinary business of a holiday.

The resort is in Rawai, in the Chalong area of southern Phuket, surrounded by the island's southern attractions. It sits about 5.6 miles from the town centre and roughly 20.5 miles from Phuket International Airport.

The surrounding area includes Chalong Beach, Chalong Bay and Chalong Pier. That puts you in a useful part of the island for reaching the coast and local excursions.

The address is 80 Moo 5, Soi Ruamjai 2, T. Rawai, Phuket 83130, Thailand. In practical terms, this is a southern-Phuket base rather than a central-city hotel, with the airport journey requiring a proper transfer rather than a quick hop.

The choice is broad: standard and deluxe rooms come with mountain, inland, pool or sea views, alongside single, double, triple, quadruple and family arrangements. For two people, you can choose between a double bed and twin beds; for a group, the family and quadruple categories are the ones that make the most sense. The room map below carries the exact capacity and bed details, so there is no need to play detective here.

The sea-view categories are the obvious pick if the outlook matters to you. Mountain and inland views keep the choice simpler, while pool-view rooms put you closer to the resort's main leisure area. A balcony is available in selected deluxe double rooms, which gives you somewhere to sit with a drink rather than balancing it on the bedside table.

The more fully equipped standard and deluxe rooms cover the useful post-dive basics: air-conditioning, a fridge, minibar, tea or coffee facilities, drinking water, blackout blinds, a private bathroom, towels, slippers, bathrobes, a hairdryer, a safe, television and Wi-Fi. A desk is included in these room categories as well. Blackout blinds are particularly welcome when an early start is waiting for you, and the fridge is handy for keeping water cold when you return warm, tired and slightly over-salted.

The on-site restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, giving you a straightforward option on days when the easiest journey is the one involving a lift and a table. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible, which is a useful practical point for mixed groups.

The meal arrangement depends on the booking selected, so check what your stay includes before you assume breakfast is part of the deal.

There is also a food vending machine on site. Not glamorous, perhaps, but potentially useful when you need something small without turning dinner into an expedition.

The Blue Splash Pool is the main daytime option: an outdoor pool with space for swimming, water polo and a children's area. It gives you somewhere to cool down or occupy the family without adding another excursion to the schedule.

For a slower afternoon, Spa By The Beach offers massage treatments, while the fitness room covers the more energetic interpretation of recovery. The garden, terrace, outdoor furniture and picnic area provide places to sit out when you want fresh air but not another organised activity.

The kids' club adds a practical option for families, and the concierge can help arrange excursions. With accessible facilities, a lift and an accessible restaurant, the resort also works for guests who need fewer architectural obstacles between room, pool and meal.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 18:00, with check-out by 12:00. If your arrival falls outside that window, contact the hotel before travelling rather than leaving the matter to chance. Phuket International Airport.

Free Wi-Fi and free parking are available. The resort also offers concierge assistance, excursion support, luggage storage, laundry and dry-cleaning services, which are the sort of details that become useful once wet kit, travel clothes and several days of island dust begin competing for space.

Massage appointments require advance booking. Children aged 11 and under can stay free when using existing bedding in a parent or guardian's room, while connecting rooms can be requested subject to availability. No pets or service animals are allowed. A deposit is payable at the property, and a mandatory gala dinner charge may apply in Thailand, so check the final booking conditions before arrival.