We have just been advised by our travel agent that there will be renovations in July school holidays at Patong Merlin we have booked to stay there for 2 weeks with our 10 & 13 yr old sons, the renos will effect building 4 and part of pool 3. As we have never been to Phuket before could anyone shed some light on wether we should risk it and stay there or change our accommodation plans now while we still have time?? Any advice will be appreciated. We have emailed the resort but not heard anything back yet...
Thanks, Kylie

I'd lean towards changing, renovations in Thailand are not fun, usually bloody noisy and messy, Thais shouting to each other, plus it'll be unsightly and you won't have much of a "tropical paradise" atmosphere. Look to changing.

I havent been to the Paton Merlin for years so must have changed?

When i went there was only 3 buildings and one at the beach end with the pool table near the tailors!

But like Bobmac said,try to change if you can becase if it is still the same then you will enter most times from the beach road where the 3rd pool is! Also the 3 pools were one of the good things about the Paton Merlin,and wouldnt be as good with one shut.

Den

If it were me and it's not... but if it were, I would change hotels. Over the years we have been placed in hotels where there is hammering, knocking and sawing away... not a good peaceful holiday experience.
As they have notified you of the renovations then I expect that you won't be charged an amendment free.

This is a good website that includes all hotels in renovation in South East Asia including Thailand and Bali (keep in your favourites, it come in handy)

Renovations

Cheers Geri

I would change - two weeks is a long time and no matter how much you think you can put up with it you can't! You'll be climbing the walls after a couple of days.

__________________
Alison

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It's Better to Burn Out than just to Fade Away!

Yes ... Id agree with everyone, and if its possible to change without losing any or too much money - then I would. We stayed at the Merlin for 10 nts and it just wdnt be the same "tropical paradise" if there were renovations, noise and mess going on everywhere. We actually stayed in building 4 and I thought they looked like they were ready for a makeover!!!

Den... there are actually 6 buildings at the Merlin and 3 pools. Building 1 and 2 are closest to Beach Road, building 3 and 5 are next to No. 1, Building 6 is near the reception and then building 4 is on the other side, near the tennis court. Yes ... there are 3 pools there are they are great, and it wdnt be the same if there were only 2!! But I dont know which pool is Pool 3, Im assuming it would be the one near building 4, which we thought was the best pool and the only one we swam in.

Anyway .. yes if you can, Id suggest you try and change.

Kitty

Yes kitty its some years since I stayed there so I stand corrected!

The old memory seems to get a bit confused with hotels

I will have to dig out some old photos to refresh my memory!

The pools were good though!

I spent most of my time in Phuket kick boxing at the Paton boxing club and may have taken one too many to the head

The trainer Phelem and his wife used to take in all the stray kids so it was more like an orphanage than a gym,great people.

Den

I know the Patong Merlin well, never stayed there but have had family members stay there over the years, so I went there daily to visit them and use the pools. I think it's a real nice resort, those pools are great and the location is good, right across from the beach, there's a 'farang-style' supermarket nextdoor, it's close to many good restaurants. But with renovations going on from dawn to dusk, I wouldn't like to be there for that.

About 16 years ago we stayed at the Paton Merlin and they were extending the Holiday Inn next door, there was a bit of noise but didn't bother us, I've spent many years in the construction industry in Perth so perhaps I'm not so sensitive to construction noise, but my wife wasn't concerned.

But we aren't ones to just sit around the pool either, were usually away form the hotel during the work hours so that probably is relevant as well.

We stayed at a hotel in KL a couple of years ago (Cant remember name) there were renovations happening, room rate was heavily discounted, we didn't hear a thing.

Another time stayed at the Hyatt, Scotts road in Singapore, again discounted because of renovations, didn't hear a thing.

Singapore again, stayed at the Crown Plaza hotel (Used to be the Holiday Inn Grand Paza) on Scotts road, again discounted for renovations, didnt hear a thing.

It probably looks like we hunt down hotels under renovation but not so, just worked out that the hotels were convenient to where we wanted to be and rooms were available at short notice (For business reasons we never book more than a couple of weeks a head)

I would check room rates and then look at other places, your travel agent should be advising you and producing alternatives, that's what they get paid for.

Asia Rooms Phuket Hotels Thailand, Phuket Hotels Accommodation, Phuket Hotels Discount, Cheap Hotels in Phuket, Hotel in Phuket is a pretty good site to check room rates if you can't get response out of the Travel Agent.

Good Luck.

Is it a package holiday? If so you may have to pay more for a better hotel or down grade! It all depends on which hotels have what deals with what travel company.

Den