Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
While Phuket is technically the name of the island province upon which it sits, the actual city of Phuket sits on the south of Thailand’s coast and takes up the country’s largest island. Not only is its location and important status as a city impressive, but Phuket is also one of the very oldest cities in the region and is thought to have existed for thousands of years since the initial spread of Chinese immigrants throughout the surrounding area.
Thailand is well known for its strong tourist influx, but there’s a lot more to the country (and Phuket in particular) than just the stereotypes we’re all used to hearing about. But rest assured; there are gay hotels in Phuket to provide whatever you are looking for here.
Those who stick around to truly appreciate the uniqueness and strength of the city’s communities and culture will be rewarded in a way that many superficial travelers have completely missed out over all the years that Thailand has been a hotspot for foreigners, and that in itself is an opportunity too good to miss out on.
Phuket is home to many amazing suburbs and neighborhoods, with the historic Old Phuket Town being perhaps the most important of all. There one can see the original Sino-Portuguese buildings that make up the city’s original quarters and experience a more authentic taste of the city’s heart.
If you’re not much of a city wanderer, there are also the surrounding micro-islands and the stunning beach, all of which lend themselves perfectly to a beach-centered holiday feeling you will remember for years to come.
We could write a whole article on the state of LGBTQ affairs in Thailand, but it’s Phuket that’s important here. Thus we’ll focus on the city itself when it comes to our overview of the queer communities surrounding our selection of gay hotels in Phuket. Most of the city’s queer hotspots belong to the aptly-named Paradise Complex, where tolerance and kindness are the norms, and a wild time is almost guaranteed.
There are a lot of other gay-run and gay-targeted businesses and venues throughout the city, as well as a truly massive array of opportunities for activities such as shopping and sampling the local cuisine. After all, what kind of tourist would you be if you didn’t factor in some amazing food and restaurants?
Obviously, in most cases, there aren’t going to be hotels out there marketed directly towards gay people or queer people in general. We know that, and therefore we’d like to note that the hotels on this list follow the same logic. Most of them have been listed as accommodating, friendly, and unjudgmental to, for, and by queer people in general, as well as being highly rated in general.
Excited for what’s yet to come? Good, because we most certainly are. If you’re looking for an in-touch cultural experience unlike any other, and if you’re ready to explore one of South-East Asia’s hidden gems, get your bags packed and your plane tickets ready because it’s time to check out Phuket’s very best gay hotels!
In this article we will cover...
The Nap Patong
We’ve started a lot of lists off recently with expensive five-star hotels, so when it comes to the Nap Patong, readers will be relieved to know that we’re in for a much more affordable experience that nonetheless ticks all of the boxes and provides a wonderful location for exploring Phuket.
As you will quickly notice, thanks to the similar names between this and several other hotels on this list, The Nap Patong is located along the world-famous Patong beach, as are the next three hotels to come. This means that it has unparalleled access to relaxation and wonderful sands and that you will have wonderful views of the beach and the Andaman Sea beyond your very room.
The Nap Patong is a modern paradise of relaxation, and every one of its rooms and common spaces reflects this dedication to luxury to a tee. The hotel may only be four stars, but – like many other hotels on this list that don’t have the five-star label – if one didn’t know that, one could immediately assume that it had all five.
So strong is the professional, top-shelf attitude of the Nap Patong’s services and the way it holds itself as a resort and hotel.
If you’re not the type to go wandering down to the sea for aquatic fun, or if you’d like to spend time relaxing a little closer to home, the Nap Patong comes to impress with its sizable pool and lounging area, backed up doubly by a selection of other indoor relaxation amenities such as a spa, a dining room, a breakfast room with complimentary food every morning, and a fitness center for those looking to keep up their exercise regimes.
La Flora Resort Patong
Taking a step up in price, quality, and scale from the Nap Patong behind it, even though the La Flora Resort is located in the same bay and street as that hotel, it could not be more different. It is closer to the beach, for one, enabling guests to touch down in the warm sands and enjoy the lapping waves with less than a minute’s walk or to cut across to the famous nightlife of the Bangla Road in three.
Not only does the La Flora have a beautiful name, a wonderful design as a name, and a fresh, modern approach to accommodation that makes it quite easy to check in and out whenever you’d like to, but the building itself also includes more than enough amenities to make sure that you’re satisfied no matter what you need during your hotel.
A few examples of the services offered are the hotel’s spa and fitness center, which both work in tandem to make sure that you stay in peak condition both physically and mentally during your stay in Phuket, and La Flora’s in-house restaurant and bar ensemble, which provide some excellent food that you don’t even have to walk out of the hotel’s lobby to enjoy.
The hotel’s mission statement – as proclaimed on its website and many pieces of its associated media – is to provide a relaxed and convenient environment where guests can branch out to get the very best that Phuket has to offer, and it must be said that this is the goal that the La Flora Resort achieves best of all.
Not only do the Resort’s facilities make for a self-sustainable good time, but its proximity to nearby important streets means that it is just as well connected as a normal hotel.
Patong Lodge Hotel
The third location in a row to be located on the very cusp of the Patong, the Patong Lodge Hotel is nonetheless more than special enough to warrant its entry into this list, largely thanks to its excellent location in the area and the sheer amount of services that it gives out completely free, over the top of what even the strongest members of its accommodation competition in the area would dare to do.
As one could assume from the hotel’s name, the Patong Lodge takes on a much more casual approach to providing accommodation and, for the most part, serves merely as a place to relax and spend your time between trips to the Peach or into Phuket proper.
As such, the Patong Lodge’s prices are lower than the two hotels that came before it, and the energy there is much more relaxed than – say – that of a five-star establishment.
We’ve spoken a lot about the Patong Lodge’s price by this point, but not it must be said that the fact that this hotel is affordable does not mean that it is in any way unsatisfactory or a place that exists only to be cheap.
To the contrary – not only does the Patong Lodge have a full-sized and highly rated pool, which not many places of accommodation in the area offer, but it also has a wonderful bar seating area, a fitness studio, and direct beach access.
No matter whether you’re visiting with a family or if you’re looking for a romantic retreat alone with a loved one, the Patong Lodge’s privacy and safety are top-notch and truly serve to show exactly how much value one can get for small amounts of money if they choose the right place to spend it.
The Kee Resort and Spa
As guests to hotels in Phuket quickly find out, the price tag for a room quite often has little to do with the quality of the experience you’re going to have to stay there, and thus it’s even more important than usual to read guides like this or the reviews of hotels on major sites to determine whether the money is worth it, or whether any particular hotel is simply siphoning off of the notoriety of another nearby establishment.
However, the Kee Resort does not belong to the latter category – else, it wouldn’t be on this list. As this hotel’s name may imply, the Kee Resort and Spa’s amenities and services focus very strongly on the two facilities in its name, nurturing and growing the self-health of its guests in every way possible.
The Kee Resort’s actual spa facilities are considered to be wonderful by reviewers, and what little relaxation they can’t achieve is quickly provided with a quick dip in the hotel’s large pool or some time spent sunbathing in the large sitting area around said pool. Additionally, guests are easily carried to and fro from the hotel thanks to the Kee Resort’s shuttle services.
However, not everything about the Kee Resort depends on its spas and other facilities, as the hotel’s rooms alone are equally impressive.
Each of the hotel’s rooms has access to stunning views thanks to balconies, and upgraded suites add an impressive array of additions to the quality of the room, such as hot tubs, separate sitting and dining areas, and direct-to-sea balconies. The hotel also has sizable business and event facilities, making it another wonderful option for guests who want to hold an event, no matter what the end.
Keemala
Although it’s not as extreme in luxury, cost, and location as the Trisara villas later on this list, the Keemala resort nonetheless hits all expectations out of the park, no matter in what kind of group you’re traveling – alone, with a loved one, or as a family for example – and no matter what you’re looking to get out of Phuket and its beaches as a whole.
One of the strongest benefits of staying at the Keemala is the fact that guests are treated to more than enough articles of convenience to make a sizable positive effect on the cost of their hotel in general – including free parking and charging stations for owners of electric vehicles, allowing you to be both safe when it comes to your car and ready to reach out to wherever you’d like in the surrounding areas.
There’s also a comprehensive laundry service on offer, not to mention that you needn’t even hire a car, as the hotel has an in-house airport shuttle service that is good for complimentary trips to and from the airport itself and any surrounding suburbs of Phuket.
Even what you do have to pay for – such as the Keemala’s rooms and the services that come with them, such as food and room service – comes in at incredibly low rates and never fails to impress either. The Keemala resort is also well known for the quality of its breakfast and the cleanliness of its rooms, which is to be expected from a hotel of its caliber.
There are also hot tubs in most rooms, an available airport shuttle service with every booking and a restaurant downstairs if you’re not feeling quite like going out. The rooms are also incredibly well-cooled and aired, keeping guests cool 24/7.
Aquarius Gay Guesthouse and Sauna
Before we even begin to describe exactly what the Aquarius does well, it’s amazingly refreshing to see a gay-orientated hotel outside of areas primarily targeted towards queer people, such as nightlife neighborhoods and other relevant districts.
There are thousands upon thousands of hotels available for tourists to stay in Phuket, and one can only appreciate that at least one caters especially to queer guests.
This wonderful start only develops further when one arrives at the Aquarius or even when one reads the hotel’s reviews and looks over what it offers prospective guests.
Even though the Aquarius only holds three stars, it has plenty of the checkmark that five-star establishments abide by – a wonderful, private, and cool pool to spend your days in, a pet-friendly set of incredibly maintained rooms with laundry and room service, and – most importantly of all – top shelf service from the hotel’s staff, no matter what you might require.
There’s a restaurant downstairs if that interests you, as well as hot tubs in many of the Aquarius’ upgraded suites and perfect access to the famous club scene of Bangla Road.
And now on to discussing Aquarius’s prices. We’ve had more than a fair share of quite affordable locations on this list already, but it must be said that the Aquarius Guesthouse takes the cake.
The room fare itself is already a paltry sum without considering how well-outfitted the hotel is, and one could also include the Aquarius’ offered free airport shuttle service as saved money. This hotel almost seems too good to be true, but we suppose you’ll have to go there to try it out and believe it.
Hotel Clover Patong
It’s about time we returned to the good old Patong beach that we spent so much time along at the beginning of this list, and what better establishment to do it with than the Hotel Clover?
Boasting four stars, surprisingly affordable rates, and an infinity pool with direct views out over the bay and the ocean within it, the Hotel Clover is amazingly decorated and maintained both on the inside and the outside, and its comprehensive amenities and kind treatment of guests is just the cheery on the cake.
As sweet in practice as its name makes it sound, the Hotel Clover is truly one of the most comprehensive and polished hotels on this list, giving off an atmosphere of friendly inclusiveness and hands-on care that nonetheless allows one to feel at ease and with the rest of the city at their fingertips.
An excellent beachside location paired with modern, convenient signing-in and out practices means that there’s nothing to do while staying at the Hotel Clover other than to lay back, put up your feet, and prepare to enjoy one of the most relaxing times of your life.
If you’re the kind of traveler that likes to put good energy and the homeliness of a place over impressive figures and fancy services, then it must be said that the Hotel Clover is undoubtedly the place for you.
Even though the Patong area is strongly tourism-based and many hotels nearby make a business practice out of turning out guests with the highest efficiency possible, the Clover manages to keep the feeling of a smaller establishment while still having enough room for just about anyone and anything, including larger events and groups such as weddings, birthdays, business getaways and foreign family get-togethers.
Trisara
Now – we know that we’ve been praising affordability from the very start of this list of gay hotels in Phuket, but there has to be one truly top-shelf entry here, and the Trisara fits that bill simply too well to be passed up.
However, one thing needs to be understood before we dive into what exactly makes the Trisara special. When we say that this hotel is top-shelf, that is meant in the most literal extreme. This place is the embodiment of decadence and luxury, and those who even visit the hotel are in for the best time of their lives.
To start with, it must be said that the location of the Trisara is wonderful. Even just arriving at this villa range’s lobby is a breathtaking experience, and guests can be sure that the hotel takes full advantage of this effect to enhance the overall accommodation experience.
This is thanks to the fact that staying at the Trisara is not like spending time at a hotel – rather an in-depth luxury experience for the ages.
One of the factors that the Trisara is most famous for is that some of the suites, rooms, and villas come with a wonderful outfit of furniture and space and a lot of private services and amenities for you alone.
But what kind of services and amenities? The possible list includes – but does not stop at – private pools for each room, decks looking out over the bay, and even outdoor showers. As for services, private cooks and housekeeping services are very much on the table, and you can expect to have every single one of your needs pampered after and kept in the highest regard for your entire stay.
Gay Hotel Map Of Phuket
Feeling a bit lost while planning your journey to Phuket? No worries, darling! Our detailed LGBTQ+ tailored map is here to guide you. We’ve pinpointed all the vibrant gay-friendly bars, exhilarating clubs, extravagant parties, cozy hotels, relaxing saunas, and soothing massage parlors to ensure you find the perfect spot.
And these aren’t just any spots; we’re talking about the creme de la creme of locations in the heart of the city’s vibrant gay scene. Think panoramic views, easy access to nightlife, and all the amenities to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
But hold on to your feather boas! These hot spots are fabulous; they vanish quicker than a drag queen’s five o’clock shadow. Don’t delay; book now to secure the best deals and locations. Remember, the early bird catches the best deals in Phuket! So, pack your rainbow flag, and get ready to experience the ultimate gay-friendly holiday in Phuket.
