Vivi Boutique Resort Room (SHA Plus+)

In Rawai, Vivi Boutique Resort Room offers a small resort setup with 14 rooms, a garden, a terrace and an outdoor pool. It is a straightforward base for a diving holiday: somewhere to cool down, keep your things secure and return to after a day out on the island.

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside Spanish and Italian. That matters when you are arranging a transfer, asking about a taxi or sorting out the practical details of a diving day. Wi-Fi is available throughout the property, and pets are welcome.

The place is geared towards simple, independent stays rather than a full-service resort programme. You have a pool, a shared kitchen and room service, with the useful basics covered.

The resort is in Rawai, close to the town centre in the south of Phuket. The surrounding area includes Rawai Beach, Phuket Shooting Range and Kok Chang Safari, giving you a choice of beach time, an outing or something more active when the sea is off the agenda.

A public beach is part of the local setup. That distinction is worth keeping in mind when you are choosing between a place for direct sand access and a base from which to explore Rawai.

Parking is available, and the hotel can help with taxis, airport transfers and car hire. In other words, this is a useful starting point for getting around rather than a resort designed to keep you on site all week.

The room selection covers everything from single occupancy to larger arrangements for four or six guests. For a couple, the double rooms with a double bed are the obvious fit; twin-bed versions are available when two divers want separate sleeping space. The larger superior and deluxe categories are the practical choices for a group sharing a base.

Private bathrooms are available across the economy, standard and superior categories, as well as some deluxe rooms. Take care when choosing a deluxe room: some of these use a shared bathroom. That is a small line in a room description that becomes rather more important when you are tired, sandy and trying not to wake the whole room.

Room facilities include air conditioning, a fridge, minibar, shower, hairdryer, bathrobe, toiletries, wardrobe, cable television and an alarm clock, with equipment varying by category. A safe and room service add a little convenience, while pool-view rooms give you a more outward-facing option. For a simple post-dive routine, the fridge and air conditioning are the useful details: cold drinks and a cooler room win their place quickly.

The food setup is practical rather than restaurant-led. A shared kitchen, microwave and tea and coffee facilities give you some control over breakfast, snacks and the inevitable food that appears in your luggage after a day outside.

Room service is available when the prospect of going back out feels like unnecessary exertion. Meal inclusion depends on the rate booked, so check the individual room terms before assuming that breakfast or another meal is part of the arrangement.

The strength here is flexibility: use the kitchen, order to the room or head into Rawai for the wider choice of places to eat.

The outdoor pool is the main on-site pause button. It gives you somewhere to cool off without organising another outing, while the garden and terrace provide a place to sit with a drink, a book or the day’s accumulated tales of current and visibility.

The public beach is another option when you want to leave the property but keep things simple. For a more organised day away from the pool, the resort offers excursion assistance, so you can ask for help putting an outing together rather than spending your evening comparing options on a phone screen.

There is also a television in the lobby for the particularly committed non-diver, plus the option of staying in with room service. The menu of downtime is modest but useful: swim, sit outside, arrange an excursion or do very little.

Check-in runs from 14:00 until midnight, with check-out by 12:00. Reception operates around the clock, and express check-in and check-out are available. Luggage storage and wake-up calls are also part of the practical service, useful if your travel plans do not line up neatly with the room clock.

Airport transfers can be arranged through the hotel, either as a private service or a shared shuttle, and taxi booking is available. Car hire is another option, with parking on site and nearby. Arrange the transfer with the hotel before travelling and provide the arrival details they need.

The property has air conditioning, heating, security staff, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and a safe. Smoking areas are provided, while the accommodation is non-smoking. Pets are admitted, and the hotel can assist with excursions as well as local transport.