Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, Choeng Thale

From what we know, Dusit is a local chain hotel but it has established itself to the international standards, comparable to the Marriotts, Sheratons and Hiltons. It prides itself in taking care of all the details, thai-style. What is the point of staying in Thailand if you don't stay in a Thai-style hotel? Loved the property, especially when it's just steps away from the beach. You have the entire garden and beach to yourself, no overcrowding here. The service is fantastic as well, smiles everywhere. I would seriously recommend this hotel if you crave quality but don't want the "normal" international hotel brand names.

We have visited this hotel twice June 2004 & June 2005. We love it! The staff are superb, nothing is to much trouble. We bought some souvenirs and needed package to get them home. One of the staff, on his day off, not only sourced and bought the packaging for us but actually wrapped the goods! When we went (June) you could buy a discount card (�20) and you got 15% discount on all your purchases (inc food and drink) at this hotel, at the 6 or 7 other hotels and at the shops on the the Laguna complex. The hotel is right on the beach, with a great pool and fantastic massages given by local women at a much lower rate than in the spa. All the restaurants are good but the Banyan Tree is sublime. That's one of the great things about this area all of the facilties of the other hotels are available to you. you can catch a trolley bus a the lobby of the hotel and be taken to any of the other hotels for free. There are elephants and elephant rides, boat tours of the lagoon, windsurfing, horse riding, sailing, ping pong, internet, pool table, the list goes on and on. Phuket town is a taxi away but if you ask the driver will wait for you - we stayed about 4 hours and it cost less than �15. Phuket is a necessary stop for all your designer label purchases at a knock down price. If there's a down side it's that all the Thai people seem to be massive Manchester United fans - I support Manchester City!! Enjoy

The Dusit Laguna Resort is nothing short of fantastic! We received outstanding service from the moment we arrived and I can't say enough about the friendly staff, the comfortable rooms, or the very nice beach with its miles of perfect sand. All the little things are taken care of here and the attention to detail is obvious. You can use amenities from all 5 Laguna Resorts, so there is truly nothing lacking here. The only real downside was that the hotel was a bit quiet as people are still staying away in the aftermath of the tsunami and recent bombings in Southern Thailand - please don't! Go and support these friendly people who will provide you with a vacation that you'll never forget! I highly recommend the Dusit Laguna Resort.

The hotel is part of the Laguna Phuket group of luxury hotels in Bang Thao bay (about half an hour away from the town of Phuket -- which is a good thing.) Dusit is beautifully landscaped, the rooms are nicely appointed and spacious, the pool is nice if a little small, the beach is great (a good number of "outside" vendors selling their wares -- but not too many), and even the lagoon is worth a visit -- you could get in a quick kayaking-session. The restaurants are pretty decent. Overall, I'd give this resort a 4-star rating. It doesn't have the resplendence of a 5-star, but it has everything else, oh, including service!