Our family of three stayed a week during new year Dec 2012/Jan 2013 and found the hotel quite average. Of course the prices are at their peak at this time of the year but I wouldn't consider this hotel by any standard being worth closer to 400 €/night even on new year's time. 100 €/night is more like it. We had our 9-year-old son with us and therefore did not stay at the Privilege Club -side of the hotel so we are not really able to comment on that part of the jotel.

Positives: Good service on the breakfast, pretty good location, walking distance to restaurant and beach street, steep hill was not a problem for us (but may be for some people so that should be considered).

Negatives: Even though the facility is still quite new (built 2005) the premises would need a lot of maintenance. Rooms were cleaned up daily but the floor in the room seemed to be dusty always. Cleaning of the premises was not even on average level. Balconies were never cleaned up and weren't really that appealing. Pool area looks better in photos than in real life. We usually like to hang around in the pool area but for some reason pool area did not attract us. We preferred going to Karon beach instead. Communication is often a problem in Thailand even with a reception people at good standard hotels and so it is here as well. At arrival the first thing they told us was thay we were asked to pay extra for the new year's dinner for which I luckily had printed a confirmation that it was included in the (sky-high) price we paid for the room. They had to call in a manager to sort this out (and she by the way spoke very good English).

I would say this is more like a three star hotel and ok place to stay is you get a reasonable price, for say 100€/night.

We have been to Phuket before staying in hotel. This Christmas (2012) we decided to stay in this Karon hotel. The main bedroom is big (probably too big) as my mother in law and 12 year old were put on foldaways in the lounge room (not that they saw this as a problem). I just think that the main bedroom is a waste of space. The service throughout the hotel is great and they were always willing to answer questions and point us in the right direction. Christmas Eve dinner was sensational! Breakfast was excellent with a wide selection to choose from - the omelettes were to die for! Special thanks to the egg chefs who made them each morning. Yes there are a lot of stairs in this hotel as there isn't a lift - my 70 year old mother in law found them a challenge at first but by the end of the stay she was getting up them in one go. The hill from the hotel to the road is also a bit steep but not really a challenge - there is a tuk tuk to take you up and down the hill. There is also a free shuttle bus to take you in and out of Patong. The only things that I can think to improve on is having uht milk in the rooms for tea and coffe - you have to buy it at the little store in the hotel. There is no free wifi - you have to purchase that too. The tuk tuk that takes you down the bottom of the hill could take you a little bit further to the markets near the round a bout. Karon is nice and quiet however it depends on what you are looking for in a holiday - we preferred the hustle and bustle of Patong.

We stayed at the Horizon Karon Beach in December 2012 and were very, very happy with the service we received.
We stayed in the Privilege Club part of the hotel, and the rooms were very spacious, spotlessly clean and well serviced. With no children in the Privilege Club areas, it was a nice quiet, relaxing holiday.
The service from all staff was absolutely faultless. The concierge staff were very helpful, organising taxis at all times of day and night and the hotel's tuk-tuk down to the beach was great. The hotel is located in the tsunami safety zone, being up a steep hill, so the tuk-tuk is handy, but it is possible to walk up the hill. It's just very hot in Phuket, so you may not want to.
The hotel is located in Karon Beach, which is near Patong, but far less busy (and a lot more classy!) There are nice restaurants located nearby, and plenty of shopping opportunities.
The hotel has a wonderful day spa and if you book online before your stay, you can save lots of money on their services. You have to go the spa. It's an absolute must if you enjoy luxurious treatments and relaxing pampering. We loved it.
The meals at the Bordertown restaurant are very reasonably priced and delicious. And the breakfasts were fantastic, with different options available each day of our stay. For Privilege Club visitors, there is also a two hour "happy hour" from 12 pm to 2 pm each day.
We did a Thai cooking class in the restaurant and had a fantastic time. The chef spoke limited English, but one of the staff, assisted her by translating.
Overall, we had a wonderful, relaxing and very luxurious holiday thanks to the Horizon Karon. I would thoroughly recommend.

Great hotel to stay at. The rooms are lovely and the pool is divine. Karon is a much better option compared to Patong and I will always stay here in in Kata when I return.

The hill is a bit of a challenge, but a little exercise never hurts anyone!