Patong-beach apt, Cr-tophotelsphuket.com
The Front Apartments & Hotel is located in the southern part of Patong Beach in Phuket, Thailand, just off of the main Beach Road. While they advertise and show pictures as if you are staying right on the beach, you should be aware that there is a main road that separates the hotel from the actual beach.
The Space
Because we were looking to stay for a long period of time, we started out by renting for a week at The Front Apartments, which is next to the hotel. We had a one-bedroom apartment that was very spacious. There were two bathrooms, one ensuite with the bedroom and the other near the entry/kitchen. The kitchen was fully equipped with a microwave, full oven as well as a four-burner stovetop. It also had a full-sized side-by-side refrigerator and freezer. All the dishes, cups and cutlery were decent. The living room was a good-size with a 42” plasma television screen and a large sofa. All of the apartments faced the Andaman Sea, so the glass sliding doors offered a lot of sunlight and nice views. Finally, both the bedroom and living room had balconies with outdoor furniture to enjoy the sunset or morning cup of coffee.
The Service
The ladies at the front desk were always smiling and friendly. They had passable English and were happy to answer any questions we had.
Housekeeping came everyday; however, they were not necessarily the friendliest or happiest duo. They often came in the early afternoon, which just coincided with our either getting ready to go out or just returning. So, we were somewhat in the way, which seemed to bother them quite a bit. There were no options of notifying them to come back at another time, so we just endured.
The Verdict
Despite the generous amount of space and reasonable price of USD75 per night found on Agoda, we did not particularly enjoy our stay.
First of all, although they advertise that they are at the quieter end of the main Patong Beach Road, there is still a great deal of noise that can be heard from not only during the day, but also all night long. Fireworks go off on the beach throughout the night as well. Due to the sliding glass doors not fully sealing shut and a lack of insulation or other sound-absorbing materials in the building, the sound from the road enters in easily. Of course, you do get to enjoy the sound of the waves crashing on the beach across the road as well.
Next, the kitchen is a great feature, but there were constant rows of ants to contend with every day. Although we were careful to put just about everything perishable in the fridge, we still found ants streaming around and if even a small amount of sugar was spilled, there was no hope of getting rid of them for days.
Finally, the pretty poor reception on the TV compounded with the sofa being one of the most uncomfortable pieces of furniture we have ever had to sit upon, made for the final straw for our move out of The Front Apartments.
If you have a large group or family and only intend to stay for a short period of time, then it is a good place to stay for the price. It is pretty close to everything and just far enough off the beaten path to be relaxing.
However, if you had hoped to roll out of bed and be on the beach, it’s not that kind of place. Or, if you plan for a longer stay or have concerns about noise, then there are nearly a million other choices in the area you can choose from.
