Thavorn Palm Beach Resort

A Beachfront Hotel in Karon

Thavorn Palm Beach Resort is one of the oldest large resorts on Karon Beach, sitting right across the road from the sand. The property spreads across 12 acres of gardens, which is huge for Phuket. Tortoises wander around, rabbits live in a small petting area, and roosters will wake you up in the morning. Kids love it.

The resort has been around since the 1980s. Some wings have been renovated more recently than others, so room conditions vary depending on which building you’re in. It’s more of a family resort than a couples retreat.

The Pools and Slides

Four pools wind through the property. The main attraction is a set of four-storey waterslides that keep children busy for hours. There’s a swim-up bar for parents who need a break. If you want quiet, head to the smaller pools away from the slides. During school holidays, it gets loud around the main pool area.

Rooms and What to Expect

The resort has 214 rooms spread across several low-rise buildings. Room categories range from Deluxe Terrace rooms at 37 sqm to two-bedroom family suites that can sleep five. Most rooms come with private balconies overlooking either the gardens or the pools. The Seaview Infinity Pool Access rooms let you step straight into the water from your terrace, which kids find exciting.

Design follows a mix of contemporary Thai and Sino-Portuguese style, with wooden furniture and neutral tones. All rooms have air conditioning, a minibar, a safe, a TV and free WiFi. Beds are on the firm side, which some guests like and others don’t. The resort has been around since the 1980s, and while many rooms have been updated, some wings feel newer than others. If room condition matters to you, request a recently renovated building when booking.

Food and Restaurants

The resort has eight dining spots spread around the property, from pool bars to a wine shop. Most guests end up at three main restaurants. Breakfast is included with most room rates and served as a buffet with both Thai and Western options. For lunch and dinner, you can eat on-site or walk five minutes to the restaurants along Karon’s main road.

Ocean Rhyme is the main all-day restaurant serving Thai seafood and international dishes, and it’s where breakfast happens every morning.

Ciao Pizza and Grill does Neapolitan-style pizza, pasta and steaks, and it’s probably the best Western food option in this part of Karon.

Coffee Talk is a beachfront café along the road, good for coffee and light bites while watching the world go by.

Facilities

Thavorn Palm Beach is built for families who want to stay busy without leaving the resort. Four pools, waterslides, a petting zoo, gardens to explore, and enough food options to last a week. The spa is basic but does the job. There’s no structured kids club, but the playroom and animals keep younger children occupied. A small gym covers the essentials. It’s not a luxury resort with all the trimmings, but for a mid-range family hotel, it covers a lot of ground.

Spa and Wellness

The resort offers massage and wellness treatments in on-site treatment rooms. These are standard Thai massage and beauty services rather than a branded destination spa. Good for a post-beach rubdown, nothing fancy.

Kids Facilities

There’s an air-conditioned playroom with toys and games for younger children, though it’s not a structured kids club with scheduled activities. Outside, the Animal Village is a small petting zoo where kids can feed rabbits, tortoises and other small animals at set times. Organised craft sessions are available but charged separately.

Other Facilities

A fitness room sits on the ground floor with cardio machines, free weights and views over the gardens. The botanical gardens themselves are worth a walk, with almost 100 species of Thai plants spread across the property.

Who Should Stay Here

Families with young children get the most out of Thavorn Palm Beach. The pools, slides, gardens and animals create a lot to do without leaving the resort. The beach is just across the road, one of the longer stretches of sand in Phuket.

What’s Great For Kids

The Kids Playroom does NOT have supervising staff. Parents must watch their children at all times. The air-conditioned room behind the restaurants has fun and educational toys in a safe indoor environment.

Animal Village sits just outside the playroom where children can interact with farm animals during feeding and petting sessions at designated times.

The pools are the main attraction. Four large swimming pools with panoramic views plus giant four-storey waterslides worthy of a dedicated water park. Very few Phuket beach hotels have slides this size. A shallow children’s pool sits near the slides at Blue Heaven Pool Bar.

Direct centre beachfront on Karon Beach. Perfect sunset viewing spot. Multiple restaurants and cafés, including Coffee Talk with beach views, Sweet Talk ice cream café, and Ciao Pizza and Bistro serving Neapolitan pizza across from the sand.

Kata Beach is a 15-20 minute walk south along the connected beach.

Good for: Families wanting giant waterslides and direct centre-beach access, with parents supervising their own children.

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