Katathani Phuket Beach Resort

We arrived at this hotel yesterday, August 14th, 2026. As soon as we received our rooms, we were hit with a severe and disgusting smell of mold and rot. ​I immediately contacted the front desk. They sent staff over who simply sprayed air freshener. Two hours later, the smell was even worse. They came back and cleaned the air vents, but it didn't help at all. ​When I complained again about the persistent stench and also pointed out that the rooms we received were not the ones we actually booked, the staff completely dismissed us. Their only response was that the hotel is fully booked and "this is what we have." ​The absolute worst part happened at midnight. We turned off the lights to go to sleep and started hearing scratching and gnawing noises. I thought it might be mice, but when I turned the lights back on, I saw a massive swarm of termites crawling right out of the wooden parquet floor! ​It is completely obvious that the horrible smell is coming from the rotting floorboards. The staff simply does not understand the severity of the situation, and there is absolutely no one to talk to who cares or takes responsibility. ​This hotel is absolutely horrific. Do yourselves a favor and do not come anywhere near this place!

Terrible check-in experience and poor room conditions

We are now staying at Katatani Phuket with two families, booking four rooms total (two rooms per family).

We requested in advance to be placed nearby and received a written email confirmation. However, upon arrival, we discovered that the property consists of three separate, standalone wings, and they had split us up into completely different locations far from each other. Kids and parents in different locations altogether!

To make matters worse, one of our rooms had a strong, unpleasant stench of mold.

When we tried to resolve these issues at the front desk, the staff shifted the blame, claiming our booking agent should have informed us about the layout—though our agent had no idea either.

Furthermore, the check-in representative refused to let us speak with a manager, insisting he was the only one who could help.

We spent over an hour sorting this out, and while waiting, we spoke with two other parties experiencing the exact same issue. Parents and kids - different buildings.

To top it all off, we were surprised to find out that chairs on the beach cost extra…

Overall, poor experience , unhelpful front desk service, and a super frustrating start to our trip.

Never coming back here.

We have been travelling throughout Thailand for more than 20 years and have visited Phuket around 20 times, staying in many different hotels and areas of the island.

So perhaps the greatest compliment we can give Katathani Phuket Beach Resort is this: we are already planning to return in 2027 for our sixth stay.

Our first visit to Katathani was with our family more than 20 years ago, and our most recent stay was this spring. Very few hotels manage to remain somewhere you genuinely want to return to after so many years, but Katathani is one of them.

For us, Kata Noi is still one of the most beautiful beaches in Phuket. It has everything we love about Thailand – a wonderful beach, beautiful sunsets and a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere – without the crowds and bustle of some of Phuket’s busier areas.

On our latest visit we stayed in a Junior Suite with a sea view and absolutely loved it. We would happily choose the same category again. If available, we particularly recommend the second floor – waking up and looking out towards Kata Noi and the Andaman Sea is a wonderful way to start the day.

But what makes us return is more than the room or the location. It is the whole experience: the warm welcome, the friendly staff, breakfast in the morning, relaxing by the beach or pool, dinner in the evening and that wonderful feeling of being completely on holiday. Katathani does this exceptionally well.

The resort has beautiful tropical grounds, an excellent breakfast buffet and a very good selection of restaurants. Despite its size, it still manages to have a relaxed atmosphere that we have always loved.

We have also stayed at The Shore at Katathani next door. The private pool villas are absolutely stunning and it is a truly special experience. It is considerably more expensive, of course, but certainly worth experiencing for a special occasion.

And anyone staying at Katathani should make time for an evening at Mom Tri’s Kitchen at Villa Royale, only about a ten-minute walk away. For us, it remains one of Phuket’s most memorable places for dinner – excellent food, a wonderful piano bar and a spectacular view over the Andaman Sea.

After around 20 visits to Phuket, as well as many trips to other parts of Thailand, we have experienced a great deal of what this wonderful country has to offer. There are hundreds of hotels and resorts we could choose from.

Yet when we start planning another Phuket holiday, we find ourselves coming back to the same place.

More than 20 years after our first stay, we will be returning to Katathani for the sixth time in 2027.

That is probably the best review we can give.

Thank you to everyone at Katathani for all the wonderful memories over the years. We are already looking forward to making a few more in 2027.