We have just come back from 6 days at the chedi, phuket.

on arrival we were shown our roooms which were very dissapointing, dark, no views and miles away from anywhere, close to the road. We negotiated to upgrade to sea views for 2,500 thai bahts per night per room on top of what we had originally paid. it was worth it even though it was an added expense.

the hotel is in a fantastic location with a wonderful beach, however it is very tired and needs updating.

the staff were friendly but the management were very much in the background which was a pity.

The food was average and expensive, apart from the breakfasts which were excellent.

Would we return no - really felt that the hotel staff were after every single baht they could get from us, charging for the internet, charging for water at meal times when we could not drink the tap water, ridiculous price of hotel taxis, expensive meals and the general shabbiness of the hotel which has been left to go to seed. A huge shame as the setting is fantastic.

My wife and I have just got back from 5 nights staying at the Chedi for a friend's wedding. We really enjoyed it, and will certainly be returning.
The beach is truly fantastic - pretty much deserted, and with beautiful sand and water. The pool is dramatic, and nicely located. We had a deluxe room very close to the pool and beach, so everything was close by. However, a lot of the rooms are miles away, up loads and loads of steps.
Interestingly, my friend who has stayed there several times said that our deluxe room was exactly the same as the cheaper hillside cottages, just in a better location. So the extra cash you spend on a deluxe cottage just improves your location, not the quality of your room.
Food and drink were pretty good, a bit expensive, but that's what you'd expect. I guess. You can get cheap beers off the vendors on the beach, and there are several great restaurants and bars just outside the hotel.

My partner & I recently spent 12 nights leading up to the Easter weekend at the Chedi, with the intention of total relaxation after an active few days in Luang Prabang, Laos.

When we arrived at the Chedi, we very much liked what we saw. At the end of our stay, we loved it. I can’t really put my finger on why ‘like’ turned to ‘love’ because the Chedi is not without its faults, but the longer we were there, the negatives were easily outweighed by the positives. All the things that make the Chedi what it is (the design; the rustic chic; the notorious steps; the beach and clear sea; the people; the food and the location) combined to make us not want to leave.

The Chedi is not a brand new resort and in places it shows. However, a certain weathering adds to the charm of the place and a complete refurbishment (as suggested in some reviews) would probably be detrimental. The walkways could do with a little attention and in particular the shower stalls cry out for lots of attention. The tiling in ours looked dreadful – dirty looking and badly repaired – but was the only thing about our cottage that looked tired. A bit of careful planning by the management could get them re-tiled during the low season.
During our stay we had problems with the hot water in the shower ( hot, then cold & so on), the air-con had one temperature only - very cold, and one night we had an insect problem – flying ants and a large cockroach. We spoke to the management about these occurrences and each was dealt with swiftly: hot water adjusted; new air-con control unit installed and the cottage was re-sprayed with insecticide. We were impressed at how quickly our problems were attended to and we were surprised and grateful to receive a complimentary dinner at one of the restaurants in recognition of the problems we had had.
That meal, and all the others we had at the Chedi, was of excellent quality. The breakfast buffet supplied all that we could want and more, and the Thai food at Lomtalay was superb, as was everything at the other two restaurants. We did think however, that the prices were excessive and, judging by the amount of guests eating out, we were not alone. We ate out at Lemongrass and The Terrace – both were great! Our only other niggle was the charging for internet use in the lobby. It should be complimentary in a hotel of this quality.

Location is a big thing for the Chedi and boy, is the beach fantastic or what?!! Very private with only the Amanpuri sharing it and the clear, warm water enticing you in. The sun-beds are great and we had no problems with people doing the towel thing until we got close to Easter. It is very annoying to see beds “reserved”, and not occupied until noon or later!! The local girls and kids that sell drinks and fruit etc are lovely and don’t hassle, as are the masseuses – give them your patronage, they deserve it. Also, the little “café” at the far left of the beach serves great food throughout the day, especially the bbq fish.

There are many hotels/resorts on and around Phuket that can offer more up to date facilities with minimalist rooms that look like they could be in New York. If that is what you want, do not go to the Chedi, but if you want a relaxed, comfortable resort with a certain “je ne sais quoi”, then the Chedi is for you. It most certainly is for us!

We stayed at the Chedi last year 'm just abit slow to write all my reviews,I can tell you this is no 5 star hotel,But i still rate it as one of the best hotels i have stayed in.Service is great the beach is one of the best in Thailand I do not say this lightly as I have been to Thailand approx a dozen times.The food at the hotel is great also if you love food Surin beach is also good for cafes,rest.

I won't give you any false ideas the hotel rooms are very clean but are alittle old,i'm a bit fussy and I STILL THINK THIS HOTEL IS WONDERFUL WITHOUT ANY BLING BLING.If your children are not use to quite 5 star hotel this might not be the place for you.If THEY ARE HAPPY TO PLAY ON THE BEACH IT IS GREAT,.Also if you are not fit forget it as their are a lot of stairs and i mean alot.