Kelly - South Africa Phi Phi Hotel
21 December - 26th December 2009

We have just returned from a 3 week holiday in Thailand. One of the hotels that we stayed in was the Phi Phi hotel. This hotel is located right next to the pier so when arriving in is great you can just walk to the hotel. The reception staff were helpful and friendly when we arrived. the hotel is in a great spot as it is 2 mins walk away from the beach where you can take the longtail boats, do kayaking and just spend the day on the beach. It is very close to the market and shopping there is pretty good execept we found the locals unfriendly and could not be bothered. As if they were so tired of barganing that when you walk into their shop they ignore you. Most of the dont bargain and things can be quite expensive.

The island is PACKED with day visitors coming in during the day which is also not great as you cant move if you are trying to shop.

On the NEGATIVE side:
Our room faced the bars on the beach and we had fire dancing until3 or 4am. The music was so loud that the windows were shuddering. Impossible to sleep.
We had men staying between ourselves and our 2 daughters who entertained ladyboys late at night and there seemed to be no control from reception even though there is a sign that says no visitors after 10pm. Walls are thin and we could here the goings on....Not great for children aged 12 and 14 to hear.
Our room was never cleaned proberley, just the basics. Coffee and tea never replaced.
the duvet on my husbands bed was torn and also never replaced.
Our toilet was blocked for the 3 days out of 5. We asked housekeeping to sort if out which eventually was done with a lot of fuss. Had to ask for toilet paper to be replaced. The lady at reception was REALLY rude and said that we must look at the sign that says dont throw paper in the toilet. Our family had 4 rooms and not one of them said dont throw paper in the toilet.

We were very dissappointed with Phi Phi and thought we were going to a nice quite island. Quite the opposite. It is noisy, full of youngsters who are there to get either doped up or just to have a major party. Sad to find out only when we get home that it has the reputation of being the place to go where you can get "anything and anything goes"

We took a walk up to the view point and walked home through surage and piles of waste matter. Absolutly shocking.

In the defence of the island and the people we were visiting it at its busiest time and maybe they are just not equiped to handle all those people coming through, including all the day visitors that come and eat at the hotel.