If you’ve been following our latest travel adventures, you’ll have read my most recent blog on Thailand Travel Requirements, if you missed it you can check it out here. Now, I did promise a review of our SHA+ hotel in Patong but before we get into that, I’ll explain exactly what a SHA+ hotel is, and why they’re so important in a world post-covid.

OK firstly, SHA stands for the Safety & Health Administration. Hotels need to be approved by the administration in order to qualify and one of the requirements is that more than 70% of the staff have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, also the hotel (or apartments) must have the facilities to record and send test results as required.

There are plenty of SHA+ approved hotels and apartments in Thailand and they’re super easy to find via websites such as booking.com or Expedia as it will state SHA APPROVED next to the name of the hotel.

We found Tropica Bungalows on booking.com but to be sure we had the best deal we visited the hotel’s website and we managed to shave off around £14 per night by booking directly.

So let’s jump straight in, shall we…

TROPICA BUNGALOWS

location

Tropica Bungalows is located directly opposite the beach in Patong, around an hour’s drive from Phuket airport. As per the Thailand entry requirements, the hotel does arrange an airport transfer for you and cost us 800bht – approximately £18.25 as of writing.

The location here is both a huge plus and also a bit of a negative.

If you enjoy salty hair and sandy feet, then Patong Beach is perfectly located, just across the street and with its white sand and turquoise waters you could easily spend your days relaxing here. You’re also surrounded by cafes, restaurants and bars all serving up a variety of delicious dishes, cheap beer and local specialities, all foodies welcome.

However, as you leave the hotel and turn right you’re thrown directly into the madness of the famous Bangla Road, which by day is a quiet street filled with closed bars and nightclubs hiding behind colourful shutters, you might find the odd store selling t-shirts or souvenirs, but this place really comes alive at night. Once the sun has set Bangla Road is illuminated by neon lights, guiding you to numerous bars, nightclubs, live music venues, and ladyboy cabaret shows, it’s full of life, excitement and mystique.

If you love a party and find yourself falling into bed in the early hours then the location of this street may not be such a problem, but if you enjoy a restful night’s sleep I have to say, this probably isn’t the place for you. The bass from the club speakers can be heard, and felt until around 3am and just as you think you’re safe to rest those tired eyes you’ll be surprised by a 5-minute firework display – you can’t see it sadly, just hear it.

So if you’re a night owl, looking for live music, entertainment and late nights this place is perfect. If you’re more of an early bird, who has planned various activities and day trips, you might want to opt for somewhere a little more restful.

room

The hotel rooms are set in a tropical paradise, with palms and exotic flowers lining each and every pathway, you certainly feel a long way from home when you arrive.

We booked a deluxe room which was located on the 1st floor. A spacious open room with a king-sized comfy bed, a sofa for chilling, a decent-sized private bathroom with complimentary toiletries and a large covered balcony offering garden views and the sounds of nature. Tea & coffee making facilities were an added bonus, as was the daily water provided by the hotel. There were also a selection of drinks on offer from the minibar, which we definitely took advantage of after an afternoon swim and some sunbathing.

Top marks for the hotel robes – we basically lived in these for 7 days, turns out you can purchase these from the hotel reception for 800bht per robe – highly recommend.

Check out their website *here* for a little video tour and photographs of the rooms.

facilities

The pool area here is tucked away in the beautiful gardens, there are plenty of comfortable sunbeds available, all with umbrellas or shade from the trees to keep you sheltered from the blazing sun. The pool isn’t the biggest but the perfect size for a little swim or a quick dip. There is a small bar area here but as the hotel was quiet this wasn’t open during our stay.

The hotel also offers free towels which you can use by the pool or take to the beach. Another nice little touch were the umbrellas provided in each room, Phuket does see a fair bit of rain, think more tropical storm than winter in Manchester, and they were very much appreciated during our stay.

restaurant

Breakfast is buffet style and runs from 08:00 – 11:00, offering your usual selection of fruit juices and hot drinks, plus both continental and cooked breakfast options, but our favourites were the daily changing local breakfast dishes including rice soup, fried rice with a fried egg and vegetable noodles, all with a side of tropical fruits. Delish.

We did also eat here for lunch on a couple of occasions and can say that every dish we tried was fresh and flavourful, my personal favourite was the Panang Curry with prawns and the Papaya Salad – super spicy. I have read some reviews on the Western dishes which weren’t fantastic, but honestly, if you’re visiting Thailand why would you want to eat a lasagne?

OVERVIEW

We had a fantastic stay at Tropica Bungalows, the location was perfect and the team here are just wonderful. The reception staff, in particular, were fantastic in helping us with any requests, including printing several documents for us which we needed for our visa extension, all completely free of charge.

Honestly, the only downside was the noise from Bangla Road but for the short time we were here we managed (the ear plugs helped) and it definitely helps that the breakfasts are served until 11:00 and with plenty of coffee too.

A solid 4/5 from us.

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Join me next time when I’ll be explaining how you can extend your visa from 30 to 60 days, giving you more time to explore beautiful Thailand.

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Laus & Carlos x