Stayed here for 2 nights as a solo traveller. On the + side, bed was comfortable, quiet for sleeping, centrally located in Phuket Town (about 15 min. walk to Robinson's Dept. Store) and food (incl. dinner) in the main floor restaurant was good and fairly priced.
Service at reception and in dining room was friendly. Building is a multi-floored, concrete structure with approximately 200 rooms. It is old and tired. The fact they charge for WIFI was an irritant to me as I felt the room rate should have included this. I think it worked out to about US$3.00 for 2 hours. That is a total RIPOFF!!. Necessary to buy Internet card at front desk and enter card # on one's laptop to get connection.
Wtih planning ahead for my next trip to Phuket Town I checked out a couple of other places in the vicinity and came up with what I feel is a better alternative, Phuket Crystal Inn. I didn't stay there but I checked it out quite carefully, including going into a room. It is situated about 1 block from Robinson's Dept. Store, public areas and room I checked out were clean, nicel appointed room had a good bed and separate shower and breakfast is included in the 950 THB (about US$28.) double per night vs. US$36. I paid at the Pearl Hotel. WIFI is US$3.00 PER DAY, rather than the same amount for only 2 hours. I can understand charging for WIFI in a budget hotel but the rate charged at the Pearl was usurious. The only downside I could find at the Crystal Inn was that the level of English spoken was considerably lower than at the Pearl.
My memory is like that of an elephant when I sense I'm being ripped off and that's the impression the WIFI charge at the Pearl left me with.....'once bitten....twice shy'. I won't return.
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