Usually when I travel, I’ll retire for a 3-4 star hotel, sometimes 5-star, it depends. My idea of a holiday is to stay in a nice hotel where I can unwind myself from my normally hectic lifestyle. When I was in Phuket last week, I decided to opt for a motel just for a change. It’s been years that I’ve not stayed in hotel apek (dodgy hotel). I remembered during my university days, we would cramped ourselves at Hotel Changloon on Wednesday nights after drinking sessions at the Chinese restaurant downstairs.
I googled Phuket hotels and found Harrys Beach Hotel, strategically located in the center along the Patong stretch, two minutes hop across the road to Patong beach and five minutes stroll to the notorious Bangla Street. McDonald’s, Burger King, Starbucks, laundry and pharmacies are within 100 meters reach. The motel is tucked in a quiet pedestrian street, above Harrys Steakhouse & Pub and Soi Big One (a 24 hours convenience store). There’s no proper reception counter. The steakhouse cashier counter is also the motel’s reception counter. Truly cowboy style!
Before I arrived in Phuket, I’ve booked a room by emailing Harrys. The guy who replied to my enquiry said that he had secured my booking and payment is to be made when checking out. Upon arrival, the friendly staff at the reception informed that her colleague who dealt with me earlier had forgotten to secure my room. Fortunately, there was one room left so I took it. Bloody hell, it was on third floor and there was no elevator. They made me carry my luggage up the steep and narrow staircase.
If you ask me, I wouldn’t grade Harrys with any star, to be honest. Perhaps if I’m being too generous, I might give away half a star but what I like about Harrys is it’s accessibility to everything within the Patong radius. The room is below than average. The moment I entered the room, I can’t stop sneezing until the day we checked-out. Something about the air ventilation in the room that caught my sensitive nose with slight flu on my first three days in Phuket.
My Mrs labelled the room as ala-Flinstone’s house because it was decorated like a cave. In fact, the bed frame is also made of concrete but the thick mattress pad made sure I had a good night rest and wake up with no body ache or stiff neck the next morning.
Eventhough the room is furnished with a safe deposit box, I wasn’t comfortable with leaving our valuables and passports in the room. The door is fixed with a normal doorknob with a screw-style axle or a spindle. A naughty person could easily compromise the door by picking the latch using a credit card or a wire.
However, I must also give credit where it’s due. For an 800baht per night rate, they actually make the room, change the towels, bed sheet and pillow cases on a daily basis. But for that 800baht also, you get a balcony view of a quiet back alley.
The shower is spacious, in fact taking too much space from the attached toilet, which fits me quite comfortably but not to a person larger than my size.
Overall, if you’re not looking for a luxury type of a holiday, in other words if you’re on a tight budget, this motel is suitable for you. In fact I’d recommend it to budget travellers, back-packers, long-stay holidaymakers or students.
However, if you’re looking for relaxation, to de-stress from your busy life, this motel is not suitable for you. Honeymooners are also not recommended to stay here. Definitely won’t turn you on for any romantic ideas. 
For more info on Harrys, click here.
