The Rawai Palm Beach Resort offers a beachfront location with Thai decor and tropical landscapes. The resort’s entrance is under a lovely pitched roof with stairs that lead to the front desk, where guests are greeted with a welcome drink upon checking in. The curbside appearance, though, is tarnished by the presence of power lines. The lobby is open-air with rattan chairs, Thai gold decor, wood latticework, and pitch ceilings.

It’s a two-minute walk to the beach. Rawai beaches, however, are not great for swimming -- several boats moor there, and when the tide is out, mudflats predominate. So most guests opt to take the hotel shuttle to other nearby beaches, or to sit by one of the three on-site lagoon-style pools, which meander through the lush landscape, under rope bridges, around islands, sandbars, and large Thai sculptures. Wooden cushioned lounge chairs, umbrellas, and showers are on the pool deck. A tiki bar offers swim-up stools. There are also waterfalls, and a lovely man-made sandy shore with fountains. Stylish wood accents create a  pleasant atmosphere in the spa, which offers canopy beds on the pool deck for outdoor treatments. The small fitness center has large windows that open outward, weights, and cardio equipment. There's also an on-site kids' club with its sandy playground.

The Rawai Palm Beach Resort is in Rawal, home to several popular seafood restaurants, on the southeast end of Phuket. It's a two-minute stroll to the beach. There are several restaurants, bars, shops and cafes on Wiset Road. The hotel is within a four-minute drive to Promthep Cape, with beautiful scenic views. The hotel’s shuttle goes to beaches at Nai Harn (eight minutes), Yanui (two minutes), and Kata (13 minutes). Patong Beach is about a 30-minute drive. Phuket town, with lively bars, is a 17-minute drive away.  It’s a 10-minute drive to the Wat Chalong Temple, and a 45-minute drive to the airport.

Wooden latticework, white-tile floors, colorful silks, and comfy furniture impart style. All rooms come with coffeemakers, air-conditioning, umbrellas, safes, minibars with  free bottled water, bathrobes, slippers, flip-flops, microwaves, and flat-screen TVs. The resort offers Superior, Deluxe, and Family Rooms. Balconies, available in some rooms, offer wooden patio furniture and views of the pool. Bathrooms are sleek and stylish, and have ceremonial-looking soaking tubs, separate areas for the shower and toilet, and rainfall showerheads. Deluxe Family Rooms with pool views have two bathrooms and kitchenettes with microwaves. Upgraded rooms have comfy sitting areas. Pool Access Rooms have blue-tiled pools with built in chairs, lounge chairs on decks, and  passageways to the main pool.

The Raja Restaurant  -- with a buffet and stage for live entertainment -- serves Thai and Western cuisine in a stylish open-air environment with green-tile accents and touches of metal latticework. The small Jamaican restaurant serves fast food on a terrace with ceiling fans. The pool bar offers ice cream and swim-up stools.

The resort also has a meeting room that seats up to 130 people, providing microphones, flip charts, projector screens, light equipment, podiums, and other modern audiovisual equipment.

An Internet corner is equipped with three PC computers on separate desks, built-in sofas, and books.