JW Marriott Phuket Review: Is It Worth It?

The short version: JW Marriott Phuket is a big, open-air, very Thai resort on Mai Khao beach, at the quiet north end of the island. It’s relaxed but well run, with a lot going on: Thai music and dancing, elephants on the beach, a nice spa, good Thai food. The room is fairly standard, and for Southeast Asia the price is a little high. But it’s a relaxing, lively, happy place, and I’d definitely go back.

I stayed at the JW Marriott Phuket from December 19 to 22, 2024, over the Christmas period. The trip was not sponsored. Prices below are for one person: the room, plus one person’s share of the food.

Pros

• Relaxed, lively and well run. Not stuffy, not chaotic
• Very Thai: open-air buildings, traditional architecture, music and dancing at night
• Lots to do: pools, dance classes, tennis, a very nice spa, elephants and turtles
• Good Thai food, especially the pad thai and the mango sticky rice
• A wide, beautiful beach, with hills in the distance
• A terrace with garden access, so you walk straight out into the resort

Cons

• The beach isn’t really meant for swimming
• A fairly standard room, and some of it is a little older
• A quiet part of the island, not near a lot of things to do
• The breakfast area is smallish, so you often wait for a table
• It’s still quite hot in December
• For Southeast Asia, the price is a little high

Arriving

The JW Marriott is on Mai Khao beach, at the north end of Phuket, about 15 minutes from the airport. It’s a nice welcome: Thai women in traditional dress play traditional instruments as you come in, and you’re handed a welcome drink.

The lobby is open air, like at a lot of resorts, and wide open. Actually, the whole hotel is basically open air. There aren’t really any indoor hallways; you walk outside to get everywhere, which is nice. It was quite warm when I went, but they do a pretty good job of keeping the lobby comfortable, and it doesn’t feel too hot.

The architecture is traditional Thai: terracotta-style buildings, wood browns and greens. It feels like it was designed with Thailand in mind. From the lobby you look over the water feature, and beyond that, the ocean. Since it was Christmas, there was also a large Christmas tree out back, lit up in white. That said, aside from the tree, it didn’t feel especially Christmassy. There were no Christmas lights, for example, though we wouldn’t have expected any, and I didn’t stay long enough to see whether they did anything for the holiday itself.

The room: 7 out of 10

I had a Family Guest Room with a king bed. The room feels very Thai too, with a lot of brown wood tones and brownish tile, which gives it a tropical feel. One nice feature is a little daybed, almost a sofa, in the corner by the windows. It’s a good spot to lie down, read a book, take a nap, or just look outside.

The best part is the terrace. The room is on the ground floor with garden access, so you step off the terrace and you’re out in the resort. It makes getting around very convenient, and I used the terrace a few times just to sit and read.

The bathroom is traditional Thai in style as well, and the bed is nice. Everything is fairly comfortable, and we had no issues: everything worked, and it’s a quiet room. Beyond that, it’s a fairly standard room, and some of it is a little older, though that’s part of the design. Room service is decent, too.

The food: 7.5 out of 10

The food is all quite good. They have very good pad thai, which I really liked, and good chicken satays. I also recommend the mangoes. Thai mangoes are very tasty, and the mango sticky rice here is one of my favorites. A nice touch: they shape the sticky rice into a heart.

The Thai restaurant is Ginja Taste, and it’s a nice one. It’s a little farther out from the main hotel, close to the water, with an indoor area and an outdoor area. It has that typical Thai beach style, with a lot of brown wood, and it can feel a bit romantic. We sat inside, and it wasn’t too crowded when we were there, which was also nice. It just feels like a happy place.

There’s also an Italian restaurant, La Cucina, and the pasta there was great. Still, my favorites were Ginja and Sala Sawasdee, the restaurant off the lobby with the live music, just because both of them capture the setting of Thailand more. Thai food by the beach at Ginja, and the music at Sala Sawasdee.

Breakfast isn’t included. It’s at Siam Deli, open from 7 to 11 a.m., which is nice if you want to sleep in, since it’s a vacation. The buffet is pretty good. The only thing is the space is kind of small, with an indoor part and an outdoor part, so you do often have to wait for a table. They come by and bring you drinks while you wait, though.

The setting: 8.5 out of 10

The setting is probably the hotel’s strongest point, and I really like it. Some hotels, especially the higher-end ones, can feel a little stuffy. Other, less expensive hotels can feel loose and a bit chaotic. This one felt relaxed, yet well managed and well operated. Everything felt smooth. I think that’s the overall theme here: a relaxing, peaceful experience. The landscaping is beautiful, and it runs all the way to the beach and around the whole property.

It’s a nice place to just walk around. The resort is quite large, so you can wander the grounds and the beach, and you’ll come across things along the way. The elephants or the turtles, a dance class, the musicians playing traditional Thai instruments. There are little pool tables, tennis courts, and cheap massages on the beach. Full disclosure, I didn’t try those, but they’re there. It’s hot, so stick to the shaded paths under the palms in the middle of the day.

At night, there are Thai performers playing instruments and dancing, and live music at Sala Sawasdee over dinner.

The pools

The pools are nice too. They feel fairly clean, and with all the palm trees around them, it really feels like you’re somewhere very tropical, which you are.

The beach

One thing to note is that the beach here isn’t really meant for swimming. That said, it’s a beautiful beach, and I’d say it’s better than some of the Mexican beaches. The sand is a little darker, a nice beige, you can see the hills in the distance, and there are palm trees everywhere. And sometimes there are elephants on the beach, which is very Thai and pretty unique. I’m honestly not sure whether they belong to the hotel, but I saw them being walked around by a caretaker who was also watering the grounds, so I imagine they’re part of the resort.

The spa

The spa is quite nice. Very high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows onto the gardens, and two floors, one at lobby level and one above. I had a full-body Thai massage, and it was good, though a little expensive by Southeast Asia standards, where it should be about half the price or less.

The gym

I honestly forgot to take photos of the gym, but it’s well equipped. It’s not too large, the treadmills face the garden, and it’s kept very cool, which is good given how hot it is outside. One thing: flip-flops aren’t allowed, and they won’t let you in wearing them.

Service: 7.5 out of 10

The service is good and quite friendly. One of the staff was especially nice, and helped bring our things to the room.

You get a welcome drink, which is nice, and honestly I have no complaints about the service, or about the hotel.

It’s not the type of place with a dedicated butler or personalized touches, though, and at breakfast you sometimes wait to get to the buffet. But it’s very good service.

What it cost

All prices here are for one person: the room, plus one person’s share of the food.

My Family Guest Room, with a king bed, a terrace and garden access, came to THB 51,930 for three nights in December 2024, with the 10% service charge and taxes. That’s about THB 17,300 a night, or about US$510. Over the three nights, my share of the food and drinks was about THB 7,000, or about US$205, which works out to about US$580 a night for the room and food together. Breakfast at Siam Deli wasn’t included, and ran about THB 970 a person per day.

A massage at the spa runs about THB 4,600, or about US$135. I got a few more than that, but if you have one massage during a three-night stay, you’re at about US$625 a night all in.

Value: 7.5 out of 10

You get a very nice setting, and the price isn’t too expensive. But honestly, for Southeast Asia, it can be a little high. Keep in mind that I went in the high season, around Christmas, and that’s where the 7.5 comes from. In the low season, say September, rooms run around US$170 to 200 a night on the booking sites, and the value jumps to about an 8.5. The Hyatt Regency Da Nang is cheaper, and the JW isn’t that far off in price from the St. Regis Langkawi, which is a step up in luxury. So I don’t think it’s an incredible value. It’s a good value by US and Western standards, and certainly by Mexican resort standards. But there are better values in the region. The Peninsula Bangkok, for example, is an incredible value, and so is the Grand Hyatt Manila at off-peak rates.

Vs. a Bangkok stay

I’d pick Phuket over Bangkok if you want something more relaxing, and a beach. Bangkok is very lively and has tons to do, including excellent food, but it isn’t really for relaxation. Phuket isn’t necessarily cheaper, and it’s equally good for families. Often, when I go to Thailand, I split the trip between Bangkok and Phuket to get a mix of typical beach relaxation and urban liveliness. That’s what this trip was: a relaxing family stay around the holidays before heading to Bangkok. I honestly didn’t leave the resort at all.

Vs. The St. Regis Langkawi

I stayed at The St. Regis Langkawi the Christmas before, and it’s the natural comparison. The St. Regis is more luxurious, and the room is fancier. But in my opinion, the setting is actually better at the JW. It feels more relaxed, and honestly a little more beautiful, with more foliage, and it’s easier to walk around. The service is better at the JW too: friendlier, warmer and more personable.

Who it’s for

It’s great for families, for people who want to relax, for people who want things to do around the resort, and for couples.

It’s not for people who want to be near a lot of things to do. It’s lively and peaceful at the same time, but it’s at the quiet north end of the island, not in the middle of a city or near the nightlife.

Tips if you go

• Get the pad thai, the chicken satay and the mango sticky rice.
• Have dinner at Ginja Taste.
• Breakfast at Siam Deli runs until 11 a.m., so you can sleep in.
• The breakfast area is small. Expect to wait a bit for a table; they’ll bring you drinks while you do.
• Book a Thai massage at the spa.
• Don’t wear flip-flops to the gym. They won’t let you in.
• Walk the grounds and the beach, and keep an eye out for the elephants.
• The beach isn’t really for swimming. Use the pools.
• It’s still quite hot in December. It’s hard to just lie on the pool beds in the middle of the day, even the shaded ones. Go early or late, and walk in the shade.

Verdict: 8/10

It’s really a nice hotel. The setting is the strongest point: they’ve done a great job of creating a resort that’s relaxed but still well operated, and that feels like it was designed with Thailand in mind. The service is good, and it’s a good value. The room is fairly standard and the price is a little high for Southeast Asia, but it’s a very relaxing, very pleasant, lively, and honestly a happy place. Thailand is called the land of smiles, and this hotel embodies that.

Would I stay again? Yes, I definitely would.

FAQ

Is the JW Marriott Phuket worth it?

Yes, for a relaxing, lively resort stay, at about US$625 a night all in. It’s a good value by Western standards, though in Southeast Asia there are better values, like The Peninsula Bangkok.

Where is the JW Marriott Phuket?

On Mai Khao beach, at the north end of Phuket, about 15 minutes from the airport. Patong, the main nightlife area, is at the other end of the island, about 45 minutes to an hour by car.

Can you swim at the beach?

The beach isn’t really meant for swimming. But it’s a beautiful beach to walk on, and the pools are nice.

Is breakfast included?

It wasn’t in my rate. Breakfast is at Siam Deli, from 7 to 11 a.m.

What’s the best restaurant?

Ginja Taste for Thai food, or Sala Sawasdee for the live music. Get the pad thai and the mango sticky rice.

When is the best time to go?

I went just before Christmas, and it was still quite hot. The resort was lively, with a big Christmas tree in the pool. If value matters more than timing, the low season, around September, is far cheaper.

JW Marriott Phuket or St. Regis Langkawi?

The St. Regis for a fancier room. The JW for the setting and warmer service.

Phuket or Bangkok?

Phuket for relaxing and the beach. Bangkok for liveliness and food. I usually do both.

Is it good for families?

Yes. There’s a lot to do: pools, dance classes, tennis, elephants, turtles, and Thai music and dancing at night.

Is it good at Christmas?

There’s a big tree in the pool, but aside from that it didn’t feel especially Christmassy, and there were no Christmas lights. I didn’t stay long enough to see whether they do anything for the day itself.

Does the JW Marriott Phuket have a Michelin Key?

No. In Phuket, Amanpuri has three Keys, and Keemala, Rosewood Phuket, Trisara and the InterContinental have two. The only three-Key hotel I’ve stayed at is the Bürgenstock Resort in Switzerland.

Would you stay again?

Yes, definitely.