Rawai Princess Hotel

Rawai Princess Hotel is a practical base between Rawai and Chalong, built for travellers who want a proper room, a pool, a restaurant and enough space to slow down between outings. The hotel has 90 rooms across two buildings, with lifts, air conditioning and a rooftop swimming pool with a swim-up bar.

You will be understood in English by the hotel team, which matters when you are arriving tired, arranging a transfer or trying to explain what time you need breakfast. The atmosphere is more useful than theatrical: somewhere to eat, cool off, sleep properly and set off again without turning every small task into an expedition.

Families are catered for with family rooms, while couples can choose rooms with balconies or sea views. A little comfort after a day in the heat is not a luxury; it is the difference between going out again and collapsing in front of the television.

The hotel stands in Rawai, Thailand, between the Rawai and Chalong areas. Rawai town centre is around 2 miles away, while Chalong Beach, Chalong Bay and Kok Chang Safari are among the nearby places to explore.

The location works well if you want access to several sides of southern Phuket rather than a hotel planted directly in the middle of a resort strip. The property has access to the beach on foot, and a complimentary beach transfer is available.

Phuket airport is around 22 miles away. The hotel also offers airport transfers, either privately or by shuttle, to be arranged with the hotel. Free on-site parking makes the address more practical if you are travelling with your own vehicle or hiring one for the island.

The room choice is mainly about how much space and outlook you want rather than a radically different style of accommodation. Couples have double rooms, including versions with a balcony, partial sea view or full sea view. Twin rooms give two separate beds, useful when you are travelling with a dive companion and would rather keep the sleeping arrangements uncomplicated.

Family rooms and family triple rooms provide the more flexible option for three guests or a family group. The family rooms with balconies are the sensible pick if you expect to spend time cooling down between excursions rather than treating the room as a place to leave your bags.

Air conditioning, a refrigerator, a safe, television, a private bathroom and a hairdryer are available across the room offering, although equipment varies by category. Some rooms add a desk, tea and coffee facilities, slippers, toiletries or a balcony. Soundproofed rooms are available, and room service runs from early morning until late evening. After a warm, salty day, the useful details are the cold drink from the fridge, the air conditioning and the chance to shut the door on the outside world.

The Rawai Princess Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner indoors from 06:30 to 23:00. Breakfast is a buffet, while the wider menu ranges from Thai and Chinese dishes to Western, international, local and seafood cooking. Phuket and southern Thai specialities are part of the offer, including som tam and other local dishes.

There is one bar: the Swimming Pool & Bar on the rooftop pool. It serves cocktails, drinks, snacks and light meals, so you can stay by the water without turning a simple afternoon drink into a logistical exercise.

Room service follows the restaurant’s broad opening window, from 06:30 to 23:00. Vegetarian dishes are available, and healthy options can be requested. The meal arrangement depends on the booking selected, so check whether you are taking breakfast only or another meal option before you arrive.

The main after-hours feature is the outdoor rooftop pool, complete with a swim-up bar and views towards the Andaman Sea and the Rawai–Chalong area. There are also beach and pool towels, a children’s pool and a water park listed among the hotel facilities. That gives you a few ways to get wet without putting a mask on your face, which occasionally has its merits.

For a slower afternoon, the hotel has a garden, terrace, outdoor furniture and a sun terrace. A gym and fitness equipment are available for anyone who still has energy to spend, while cycling, fishing and barbecues provide alternatives to another horizontal hour by the pool.

The hotel can help with excursions. The programme includes Coral Island, Promthep Cape, the Gypsies’ Village, the Shell Museum, Nai Harn Beach, Big Buddha, Chalong Pier and Chalong Temple. Boat excursions are also available, giving non-diving companions plenty to do while you are occupied elsewhere.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 18:00, with check-out by 12:00. Reception is open around the clock, and express check-in and check-out are available. The hotel also has luggage storage, a concierge service, currency exchange and assistance with tickets and excursions.

Airport transfers are available and should be arranged with the hotel using your arrival details. Shuttle services are also offered. Free parking is available on site, alongside garage and nearby parking options, which is handy in this part of Phuket where a car can make beach and sightseeing plans less fiddly.

Laundry, dry cleaning and ironing services are available, along with a wake-up service, room safe and baggage storage. The property is non-smoking, has accessible facilities and wheelchair access, and the upper floors can be reached by lift. Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Thailand’s Digital Arrival Card must be completed online before arrival by foreign visitors entering the country.