My wife and I have just come back from staying at the Amari for 10 nights Oct 2009. My wife stayed here 3 years ago with a friend and just had to come back, and we were not disappointed. The resort is situated on a slanting hillside peninsula 400m from the main beach of Patong, and faces South West. The situation ensures that wherever you are at the resort you get a good view of the sea and bay. This does result in some steps 75 if I remember from top to bottom, however it would be very unlikely if you ever needed to ascend / descend more than 20 at any one time. If this is a problem then you seriously need to take a look at your exercise regime.

We took a shared minibus from the airport for 300 baht each direct to the hotel. Takes approx 45 minutes and was good value, just exit the terminal and walk left about 50m.

From the moment when we arrived we were dealt with with the most sincere and hospital welcome, including iced lemon grass drink and cold towels. The hotels open air reception foyer is the most welcoming oasis in true thai style, and that theme continues throughout the resort.

The only negative things I could report on the resort, is the price of the food and snacks and also the cloudiness of the sea water, although I suspect the later was to do with the time of the year when you get quite I lot of heavy rain which washes dirt down the river.

Notwithstanding the above the snorkeling is excellent off the pier with a wide variety of reef fish on view.

The two pools are fantastic at the resort especially if you like doing lengths and I found the gym perfectly adequate for maintaining my fitness.

Patong town is what you will have read, and for us the Patong main beach held little attraction o/a of the jet skis and other sundry mass tourist activities on offer. A better alternative is to take the free bus from the resort to Karon beach which leaves circa 11 and returns 3 in the pm. We did this on a couple occasions and wish we had done so more often. Karon is prettier less seedy and has a much cleaner / clearer water for swimming in.

We walked everywhere rejecting the tuk tuks which are a rip off. No where s further than 30 minutes from the resort including the Jungcelon shopping centre which has excellent restaurants and shopping. It is easy to get a main meal for under 200 baht and a beer for 70-100 baht. Steak and wine are very expensive wherever you eat so be prepared to pay around 700 baht for steak and 300 baht for a glass of house wine.

I hired a scooter which is very good value at 300 baht per day all incl, and dispite the heavy traffic around Patong it remains a relatively safe and fun way to see Phuket Island. Take your license and passport when you book and they retain the passport as a means of security. Insurance is not an option when hiring scooters so take this in mind. Also don't do what I did and leave your license at the hotel. I got stopped by the local police at a checkpoint and received a 300 baht fine, for not riding with my license (not compulsory in the UK).

Book a return minibus back to the airport from any local tourist booth around Patong and be prepared to leave very sad and wanting to return as soon as possible to the Amari (pronounced AM ARE E)

We spent 14 days at the Amari Coral Beach in June. We chose this hotel because of its location and proximity to Patong. After reading all the complaints on Trip advisor re the steps and distance to walk to Patong I was quite concerned, because I suffered 2 severe knee injuries and had 2 go to Phuket on crutches. Well let me tell you - the complaints of too many steps are totally uncalled for. The walk up the hill is a breeze even in the severe heat and the 200 baht of a tuk tuk is nothing. So stop all those who can find nothing else to complain about - get a life!!!!. The Amari itself is spectacular. The setting couldn’t be better. We had a superior room right down on the water close to the smaller pool. It was kept immaculately clean by the most amazing housekeeper. The breakfasts were awesome and I gained quite a few kilos. The gardens are well manicured and the pools are sparkling clean. The staff at the Amari was the best. If you try and learn a few Thai words and show the staff the respect they deserve you will be treated like royalty. We fell in love with this hotel, its staff, its setting, the food, the linen, and everything it offers. And I have just booked my next trip there - 26 nights for July 2010 and cannot wait!!!!!!

We stayed in Phuket as my sister was getting married, (at the holiday inn) We stayed at the Amari mostly because of the great things we had heard about it on Trip Advisor. They picked us up from the airport (which can be a bit overwhelming when you first come out) with cold bottles of water and cold refreshing towels which were wonderful.

The moment we arrived we were treated like royalty. Whenever we went into reception they remembered our room numbers and treated us very nicely, we were even upgraded.

The views are absaloutly amazing! You cannot find anything better than sittin on your balcony 15metres from the beach, especially at sunset!

Tuk tuks are available from the hotel! Whatever time of the day or night which is great, you can normally get taken to the main part of the beach (which is only around 1.5 k away) for about 150baht. ($4.00 Aussie dollars) which is worth it on a hot day!

Breakfast was also amazing.. and always freshly made ;)

I would definatly reccommend this hotel to honeymooners! You cannot get anything more romantic that the beautiful restraunts at night and relaxing on the jetty!!

The only bad thing i will say is the STEPS!! The deluxe rooms (which are right near the ocean) are all the way down the bottom of the resort. I think we counted over 100 stairs at least to get back o our room and maybe even a 300 metre walk! So you leave the hotel feeling quite fit!

I have just check out of this hotel. I do travel a lot and I believe if you pay top dollar you should get a hotel that meets those needs.

I do travel a lot thru Europe, Asia, Africe and South America.

I have to say I have stayed every where from youth hostels in Bagkok and South Africe to the really 5 star hotels such as Sofitel in Bangkok and Le Meridan in Phuket.....so I do have experience of what I am talking about.

i always use trip advisor when booking a new hotel...as I did for this trip.

I have to say that some of the previous posts are from experienced travellers or honeymooners more intertestted in the trip than the standard of hotel.

Now ..what I experienced....I booked thru the company web site...turn up at the hotel...no record of the booking...I have the reply on email...great they said can you print it out for me...yeah...I was sent to waht they called the business suite to print the email. It was the souvenier shop on the floor below and was charged...80 baht to open an email and print it...just to prove I had made the booking.

On the internet...I am sending this from the internet in my hotel room in the Sofitel Silom Bangkok. It's free as are nearly 99% of other hotels now days...but not the Armari....4 hours is a cost on 560 baht.....in this day and age not accpetable.

I have an number other issues....If you book into this hotel you need to make sure you bring with you a sherpa from Nepal.....if the lifts are broken as they where during my saty for 1 day...if you are not fit when you arriveyou will be when you leave...the hotel is built on the side of a cliff nice view of the sea...but not very practical...unless you are an olympic athelite.

The rooms (delux ) in my case are basic....a travel lodge in the UK is the type of standard you should expect.

The stabdard of breafast is poor satndard and selcetion...its is hard to make a mess of a buffet but the Armari do.

Staff helpful but poorly trained....dirty dishes left on tables when the next course is served...long wait for requests etc.

The Armari good 3 star...very poor 4 star....but if that a five star.....I will be the first Irish Pope.