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Where to Stay in Phuket (2026): The Best Areas, 12 Hotels and the 17.7% “++” on Your Bill

By Casey, Gently Yonder editor

Kata, Patong, Kamala, Bang Tao, the Old Town and Nai Harn: 12 hotels, the 17.7% “++” (10% service charge plus 7% VAT), the entry-fee status and airport buses.

Last updated · 14 min read

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In this guide13 sections
  1. The short answer
  2. Phuket’s hotel bill: the “++”
  3. Getting in from the airport, and around
  4. Kata and Kata Noi: the first-trip bay
  5. Patong: nightlife and the widest choice
  6. Kamala: above the beach
  7. Bang Tao and Laguna: resorts and a lagoon
  8. Phuket Old Town: shophouses, museums and food
  9. Nai Harn and Rawai: the far south
  10. How to book Phuket
  11. All 12 at a glance
  12. Before you go
  13. Frequently asked questions

Phuket hotels often quote a price with “++” after it, and the plus signs are money: a 10% service charge, then 7% VAT on top of that, about 17.7% in all. On a room quoted at 3,000 baht that is 531 baht a night before you reach the lobby. There is no tourist entry fee to add yet: the plan for 300 baht on air arrivals has been replaced by a 450-baht proposal that is not in force. Where you sleep decides the rest, because Phuket’s beaches are strung along the west coast and the Old Town sits inland.

This guide covers six areas, from Kata to Nai Harn, 12 hotels, the airport buses and the bill. The hotels are researched picks, chosen for location, what each property publishes and consistent guest feedback, and each was checked as operating in October 2026. No hotel pays to appear here.

The short answer

If you want… Stay in Why
a first trip, a bay beach and a bus line Kata and Kata Noi Between Patong and the south on the Smart Bus airport line
nightlife, shops and the widest choice Patong Bangla Road and the Jungceylon shopping centre
a hotel above the sand Kamala A headland hotel and a rainforest villa resort above Kamala Beach
a resort with a lagoon Bang Tao and Laguna Laguna Phuket’s resorts, with a shuttle boat to the beach
streets, museums and food Phuket Old Town Thalang Road, Soi Romanee and the Thai Hua Museum
the far south Nai Harn and Rawai Hotels on Nai Harn Bay, at the end of the Smart Bus line

Not sure which area? Rank these areas for your trip: pick what matters and see the reasons.

A low sun above a dark, rounded island on the horizon, with waves rolling in under an orange sky
Sunset at Kata Beach. Photo: Siarhei Nester / Pexels

Phuket’s hotel bill: the “++”

A price quoted with “++” leaves out two charges, and Thai hotels add them in this order:

Charge Rate Applied to
Service charge, the hotel’s own usually 10% The room rate
VAT, the reduced rate, local tax included 7% until 30 September 2027 The room rate plus the service charge
Together about 17.7% The quoted room rate
Tourist entry fee Not in force Nothing yet

The Revenue Department announced on 27 July 2026 that the cabinet had approved extending the 7% VAT rate, which includes the local tax, from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027. Its VAT guide defines the tax base as the total value received for a service, fees included, which is why the VAT is worked out on the room rate plus the service charge. The service charge itself is the hotel’s own, so check the rate on your booking. Amari Phuket’s own site, for example, quotes rooms as “THB 4,160+++”, with three plus signs, so ask what each one covers.

Here is the arithmetic for a room quoted at “3,000++” (our arithmetic, not a hotel’s quote):

Line Baht
Room rate quoted as 3,000++ 3,000
Service charge, 10% 300
Subtotal 3,300
VAT, 7% of 3,300 231
Total for one night 3,531

Three nights come to 10,593 baht, not 9,000.

On the entry fee: Thailand’s plan for 300 baht on air arrivals and 150 baht by land and sea was replaced by a proposal, set out in a government notice of 17 August 2026, for a flat 450 baht a person for foreign visitors however they arrive. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports was then preparing a public hearing. On the ministry’s timetable, air arrivals would pay from 180 days after the announcement appears in the Royal Gazette, and land and sea arrivals about 360 days after that. We found no Gazette announcement by 19 October 2026, so no entry fee applies to an October 2026 trip. The only airport charge is the international departure charge, 1,120 baht since 20 June 2026, and it is already inside your airfare.

Getting in from the airport, and around

Kata and Kata Noi: the first-trip bay

Airports of Thailand lists the Smart Bus stops in order from the airport: Patong, then Karon, then Kata, then Rawai. That puts Kata between the biggest resort town and the south, on the line that costs 100 baht flat, which is why it suits a first trip. Kata Rocks overlooks Kata Beach. Kata Noi is a separate beach, and Katathani Phuket Beach Resort calls its stretch of sand a public beach.

Where to stay in Kata

How the hotel links work: a hotel’s name goes to its own website. “Check rates” opens it on Booking.com through our partner Stay22, which pays us a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.

Patong: nightlife and the widest choice

Patong is the lively end of the island. Amari Phuket’s site puts Bangla Road’s nightlife close by and Jungceylon beside it, and Lub d Phuket Patong lists Patong Beach 150 metres away, Bangla Walking Street 500 metres away and Phuket Old Town 15 kilometres away. The 50-baht Smart Bus from Bus Terminal 2 runs to Patong, and the airport line stops here too. It is the busy end, so choose it for the choice and not the quiet. Our Phuket first-timer’s guide compares the beaches in more detail.

An aerial view of a long curved bay with pale sand and green-blue water, a town of tall buildings behind the beach and forested hills beyond
Patong Bay from above. Photo: Pimon Kumsri / Pexels

Where to stay in Patong

Kamala: above the beach

The Smart Bus lists Kamala between Surin Beach and Patong. Both hotels below sit above the sand rather than on it: Cape Sienna on a headland, Keemala in the rainforest. Kamala is a good choice if you want a view and a hotel pool more than a walk to the beach.

A wide stretch of pale sand seen from above, with surf along the edge, a few people under a parasol and a small red flag in the sand
Kamala Beach from above. Photo: Vladyslav Dushenkovsky / Pexels

Where to stay in Kamala

Bang Tao and Laguna: resorts and a lagoon

The Smart Bus lists Cherngtalay and Surin Beach on the way to Kamala, and this stretch holds Laguna Phuket, a resort estate whose hotels include Angsana, Banyan Tree, Cassia, Dusit Thani and SAii. It suits a stay in which the hotel is the destination.

Where to stay in Bang Tao and Laguna

Phuket Old Town: shophouses, museums and food

Phuket Old Town is inland, with no beach: Lub d’s own page puts it 15 kilometres from Patong. In its place are Thalang Road, Soi Romanee, the Thai Hua Museum and the Sunday walking street. The 8411 airport bus runs to Phuket Town, and the free Dragon Line shuttle links the Old Town with Central Festival. Our things to do in Phuket covers what to see.

An empty street at dusk between rows of two-storey pastel shophouses with arched windows and shuttered upper floors
A shophouse street in Phuket Town at dusk. Photo: Jom / Pexels

Where to stay in the Old Town

Nai Harn and Rawai: the far south

Rawai is the last stop on the Smart Bus line, and Nai Harn is not named in the airport’s list of stops, so ask your hotel how to cover the last stretch. Both hotels here are by Nai Harn Bay, which suits a stay that is mostly the beach and the hotel.

Where to stay in Nai Harn and Rawai

How to book Phuket

A red flag with a white no-swimming symbol on a pole on a sandy beach, with green hills across the bay
A red no-swimming flag on a beach. Photo: Vladyslav Dushenkovsky / Pexels

All 12 at a glance

Hotel Area Tier Best for Watch out for
Kata Rocks Kata Splurge A private pool and the sunset Villas only
Katathani Phuket Beach Resort Kata Noi Comfortable A full beach resort Choose the right wing
Amari Phuket Patong Comfortable A beachfront base by Bangla Road A large resort; “+++” rates
Lub d Phuket Patong Patong Budget Saving money near the beach Social events
Cape Sienna Phuket Gourmet Hotel & Villas Kamala Comfortable A terrace over the bay Non-refundable rates
Keemala Kamala Splurge A villa in the trees No private beach
Banyan Tree Phuket Bang Tao and Laguna Splurge A private pool by the lagoon Villas only
Cassia Phuket Bang Tao and Laguna Comfortable Kitchens and pets The beach is a boat ride
The Memory at On On Hotel Old Town Good value A 1927 heritage building No room sizes listed
Sino House Phuket Old Town Good value Parking and Old Town walks Near, not in, the Old Town
The Nai Harn Nai Harn Splurge The bay Lift stops at floor six
Sunsuri Phuket Nai Harn Comfortable A hillside pool and view Nearby construction

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

What is the best area to stay in Phuket for a first trip?

Kata and Kata Noi. The Phuket Smart Bus airport line lists Patong, then Karon, then Kata, then Rawai, so Kata sits between the biggest resort town and the south, on a line that costs a flat 100 baht. Choose Patong for nightlife and shops, Kamala or Bang Tao for resorts, and the Old Town for streets, museums and food.

What does “++” mean on a Phuket hotel price?

It means two charges are still to be added: usually a 10% service charge, then 7% VAT on the room rate plus the service charge, about 17.7% in all. A room quoted at 3,000++ costs 3,531 baht a night: 3,000, plus 300 for service, plus 231 VAT. The service charge is the hotel's own, so check the rate on your booking.

Is there a tourist entry fee for Thailand in 2026?

Not yet. The plan for 300 baht on air arrivals was replaced by a proposal, in a government notice of 17 August 2026, for a flat 450 baht a person for foreign visitors. On the ministry's timetable air arrivals would pay from 180 days after a Royal Gazette announcement, and we found none by 19 October 2026.

How do you get from Phuket airport to the beaches?

The Phuket Smart Bus airport line costs a flat 100 baht and stops at Bann Khian, Cherngtalay, Surin Beach, Kamala, Patong, Karon, Kata and Rawai, by Airports of Thailand's list. Pay by contactless card, QR code or cash. Taxis and limousines are also available, and the Airport Limousine counters are at Entrance 1 in arrivals.

How do you get from Phuket airport to Phuket Old Town?

Take the orange 8411 airport bus to Phuket Town from the public transport parking area: leave by Exit 3 and turn left. It runs every day from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm, fares are calculated on the distance, and tickets are sold on the bus or online.

Is Phuket safe to swim in during the wet season?

Not always. The wet season lasts about six months of the year, and in an advisory of 17 May 2026 the Thai Meteorological Department forecast waves of 2 to 3 metres in the upper Andaman Sea and told small boats to stay ashore. A red flag with a no-swimming symbol means keep out of the water.

Sources & further reading

Prices, fares and hotel terms change. Every detail here was checked in October 2026; confirm rates, room types and cancellation terms with the hotel before booking. These are researched picks, not reviews. This article contains affiliate links: hotel rates on Booking.com and other booking sites through Stay22, and tours, transfers and eSIMs through our partners; if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. No hotel pays to be included.

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