A 5* peaceful urban escape, only a 10 minute walk from Patong beach.
Pool villa 
Chilling in the lobby 
Gorgeous lobby
We stayed at The Grand Mercure for 6 nights in July 2021 during Phuket Sandbox. We debated for a while whether to stay in this area due to it’s party reputation but given the demise of tourism since COVID19 we thought it might be one of the fastest areas to get back on it’s feet during Phuket Sandbox, plus the beach is gorgeous! We were happy with this decision to stay here.
You can read all about the area of Patong here and some of the restaurants and bars we visited during our time in Patong here.
The location
Immediately outside the hotel looks a little sad, what used to be a big market area opposite all shuttered up and closed down and most of the restaurants and shops in the immediate vicinity are closed. The busy roads to the right and left of the hotel have a handful of restaurants/bars open but not much. The best option is taking a walk or tuk tuk down to the main beach road.
market immediately opposite the hotel 
turn here to get to the beach
It is about a 10minute walk to the beach, just turn right out of the hotel lobby, cross the main road to the left and turn right at Hooters, walking past the Holiday Inn. At the end of that road is a good restaurant (Terrazzo) that does a brilliant happy hour from 4-6pm.
There is a 7eleven if you walk out of the hotel lobby and turn right and right again walking along the main road, it is about a 10minute walk before you hit Bangla Road. The hotel is great at recommending places close by.
The room
We spent 6 nights in a 1-bedroom pool villa which was perfect for a family of 4. An extra bed was put up in the lounge area and there was also a small sofa so for the boys (aged 7 and 5) it was ideal. The bed in the master was huge and comfortable and the ensuite with a rain shower, giant bath and double sink was like an additional living space.
Lounge Area/Kids Room 
Our room 
Huge bathroom
We loved the outside area with the small splash pool, the boys had a great time jumping in and out, and it’s the perfect spot for an afternoon beer or morning coffee. I loved sitting quietly in the chair outside listening to the birds and the hotel waking up.
The Spa
We were both lucky enough to have a Thai Massage here at the Ryn Spa. It is right next to the pool and they had a great offer on, a very relaxing experience with a lovely lady who really listened to my requests for a ‘light’ massage.
Kids Club
The kids club is a small room next to the pool which offers a welcome escape from the heat. There are many different toys, soft toys, Lego and arts and crafts as well as TVs with movies. It is supervised and you can leave the kids there, signed in.
The Pool
The pool is like a river snaking around the hotel rooms. A lot of the rooms have direct pool access but their pools are adjacent to the main pool so you don’t feel like you are swimming in someone’s garden! There are steps going into the main pool which are good for little kids and there are some sunbeds right inside the pool which I love when reading in the sun – a great way to cool down.
There is a small kids pool with a little slide which the boys loved. It is nice and shallow and gets lots of shade in the morning.
There is also a swim up bar with stools in the pool and some great drinks offers, perfect for hot afternoons!
all the floaties 
steps for easy access 
kids pool
Restaurants
We had breakfast everyday at Bubbles the poolside restaurant. There was so much choice; pancakes, egg station, sausages and bacon, local food like noodles and soup, salads, fruit, cereal and toast – anything you can think of!
Also a local coffee stall which churned out great hot coffee and even takeaway cups!
7 pancakes a day! 
The best coffee 
All the pastries
We had lunch a few times at the pool and the food was great – sandwiches, salads and Thai options perfect for lunch.
We also ate dinner here one night and it was amazing. We had the ‘Jewel of Phuket’ set menu for 2, I am still thinking about that spicy yellow crab curry, belly pork and salmon. There was so much food, we were really full afterwards. There is a good kids menu with lots of different choices and desserts and an ample cocktail and wine menu. It was one of the best meals we had on the trip and would 100% recommend trying it out.
Such a feast! 
Crab curry and noodles 
Crab curry was unreal!
Staff
They were amazing, we had to return with Dylan for an additional PCR test because of inconclusive results and they came with me explaining in Thai to the nurses our problem then staying with us to arrange what we needed to do. The restaurant service was quick and the staff came to know us over the 6 days looking out for the kids and checking on us to make sure we were OK.
They were also great at giving recommendations, phoning different places to see if they were open and organising transport for us. Thank you!
We are always happy to answer any questions you have about travelling to Phuket during Sandbox. Please reach out to us by email thewanderingwhites@gmail.com or on Social Media. Follow us on Social Media for our Instagram stories, posts and Tweets whilst we are here in Phuket.
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