The Kee Resort and Spa @ Patong Beach

Patong Beach is of course Phuket's busiest tourist beach, and right at the center of everything is Soi Bangla, which has always been full of bars, girls, boys pretending to be girls ... and restaurants, shops and hotels. Patong is a bit too much for my taste, but a lot of people like it! If you go back 12 years, when I first came here, Soi Bangla was a little different, indeed the whole of Patong was different. There is now the Jungceylon shopping mall where once used to be a dirty market, and although Soi Bangla is still the nightlife center, things are changing. Many people would like to see a more family oriented Patong, less bars, less bar girls, and I guess more shops and cafes. It's a personal call whether you think Patong (or parts of Patong) is seedy, or maybe you think it's just a whole lot of fun. I tend to think of the Soi Bangla area as a fun party zone, actually anyone can hang out there, it's not full of old male tourists looking for girls, although some people like to see it that way. The bars don't quite dominate as they used to, and in 2011, with the opening of The Kee Resort, and The Kee Plaza, the area gained a new, modern face. The old street called "Soi Sea Dragon" is gone. Replaced by something much nicer!

 

(above) The Kee Plaza, a shopping center attached to the resort, and the Sky Lounge - on the roof, got to be a good place for a sunset! I might have to try it, though I am guessing the prices are Sky high!

The Kee Resort is not huge, there are about 250 rooms, along with a big pool in the center of the resort, a restaurant (but then again, you're in the middle of Patong, so there's plenty of dining options nearby), and the Sky Lounge with 360 degree views. There's also a fitness center and (as the full name suggests) a Spa. The thing with a resort like this - it's in the middle of Patong, but once you are in the resort, it's like an Oasis. I wondered if the proximity to Soi Bangla might mean the hotel gets a noise problem, but I have read through some of the reviews and see comments like "Extremely close to the craziness of Bangla road without the noise!" .. might depend what room you get. You'd have to expect some noise I think. Probably a good place to stay if you want some nightlife, and if you want quiet in Patong, think again (or stay somewhere like the Amari, at the far south end of the beach).

 

The Kee Resort and Spa - Booking & Information

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