The Access Resort & Spa

We flew from Chiang Mai to Phuket, and took an hour ride from the airport to our hotel. Every hotel should welcome us in such style! We sat down on a modern chic couch with cool cucumber towels and cokes and the reception came to us - what a way to check in! The hotel was staffed with what seemed like a 3:1 ratio per guest and we found friendly hospitality following us around even when we were just wandering.

We walked into a dream hotel room with lace canopy bed drapers, an opening to a gorgeous master bath with a peek-a-boo window between the beds and bath, and...

...direct pool access outside our sliding glass doors and just beyond our private lounge chairs. The hotel is reportedly the only hotel in the world with direct pool access from every room.

This was our view from breakfast each morning. It was really rough.

Katie wasted no time hopping into the pool. There were conveniently located stepping stools by each room, which we leap frogged around the pool.

And here it is at night.

Oh, have I mentioned the swim-up pool bars yet? Oh yeah!

After a swim in the pool and a wander around the resort, we walked through Karon Beach and hailed a tuk-tuk to Patong to check out the nightlife. We wandered past more night markets (didn't even stop to look!), ate dinner, and found the main bar street, Kathon Bangla just off of Patong Beach Rd. We were surprised to hear lots of creative greetings: "Howdy Partner", "G'day Mate", "How you going?", "Hello!" followed by clapping as if calling a dog, "Where are you from?", "You're beautiful", "Ping Pong Show?", etc.

There were lady boys everywhere and surprise, surprise, more girly bars. We did find a couple normal spots at Aussie Bar and Scruffy Murphy's. We scored a great deal on a tuk-tuk home at the end of the night, but we quickly learned you get what you pay for. We had a "I think I can..." tuk-tuk that struggled up the hills with a driver who got lost. It's a good thing we knew where we were!