Best Family Friendly Hotels in Thailand

Classic Thai and contemporary design come together at the Mövenpick Phuket Bangtao. Choose to stay in a king-size bedroom, or a residence, suite or penthouse with your own living and dining areas, kitchens and outdoor space (some also have private pools and jacuzzis). Bordering Bangtao Beach, the low-rise resort incorporates the Blossom Spa and a sprawling pool area. Dine on the likes of freshly caught lobster at The Palm, either inside, or on the poolside terrace, followed by drinks in the bar. And if you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss the daily Mövenpick Chocolate Hour when you can feast on all things cocoa for a full 60 minutes.

This historic resort’s classic luxury is in keeping with its past as the summer home of the Thai royal family, and today, Thai design meets state-of-the-art facilities such as a fitness centre, spa and sporting opportunities. Swimming pools, a traditional lily pond and an ornamental lake sit amongst the tropical vegetation. A selection of dining and entertainment options round off the evening, when guests can gaze in wonder at the sunset over the soft sands of the adjoining beach, which overlooks the Gulf of Siam.

This themed resort resembles a Thai village built around a lily-pond. Set in fourteen acres of lush grounds, Thai tradition permeates through to the 190 rooms and suites. Here, visitors will enjoy elegance and luxury with all modern amenities, including terraces or balconies. Guests can swim in a pool, walk barefoot over soft white sand, or keep fit with a game of tennis or table tennis. A spa treatment is the ideal prelude to a meal in an on-site restaurant serving international or local cuisine, or in the busy town centre, where excellent golf courses also await.

Less than half an hours’ walk from the beach, the accommodation at this IHG resort is formed of two wings: The Beach Wing and BluPort Wing. Whichever you choose you’ll have amenities like BOSE sound systems and iPod docks at your disposal, as well as soundproofed windows. Shared areas include the large outdoor pool, multiple restaurants (including Pirom Restaurant and Azure Restaurant & Bar), a newsstand, a florist, a souvenir boutique, a jacuzzi, a steam room and a fitness centre with a programme of classes.

Set among tropical gardens in the Kao Takiap area the Hyatt Regency Hua Hin is known for its royal legacy, golf courses and stunning beaches, and close to a shopping village, the hotel boasts an award-winning spa, gym, tennis court, water slide and several pools. Air-conditioned rooms and suites sport balconies, flat-screen televisions, free WiFi and iPod docks, coffee makers and mini-bars, with a business centre, laundry service and free parking also available. To complete their all-round sense of well-being, guests can choose between five restaurants and bars, including a beach location and a pool-side bar.

Stay just a few minutes’ from the Night Market and Hua Hin’s many highlights, at this Marriott Resort & Spa. It’s set within carefully manicured grounds and is built around a long winding lagoon (with bridges over), making it feel somewhat of a village. Onsite you’ll find five swimming pools and several dining options including a beachside seafood restaurant, the Greatroom and the Amber Kitchen. Double, king-size and family rooms are available, some with direct access (via sliding doors) to the pool and others with their own terraces. Quan Spa offers a range of treatments and packages.

Book a Junior Suite with a pool view, a Terrace Suite with a lagoon view or a one or two-bedroom Private Pool Villa with up to 200 square metres of space to yourselves. The Mövenpick Asara Resort & Spa is home to one of the best seafood eateries in town; the Baan Dum Ocean Front Restaurant, which hosts live music during the weekends and holidays. Head to the Kampu Restaurant for a daily chocolate hour, or for brasserie-style food at any time of day. Cocktails are mixed in the Ocean Bar and you can order artisanal cakes for a celebration (gluten-free options are available).

This hotel’s Air Bar was featured in The New York Times bestseller 1,000 Places to See Before You Die”. The InterContinental Koh Samui has a private beach with a pier (a magical spot for a yoga class) and six swimming pools, one with 360-degree views of the sea and surrounding coconut plantations. Its Baan Thai Spa by HARNN is designed in the style of a traditional Thai house, with five treatment rooms (each of the rituals concludes with a tea ceremony). Stay in one of the main building’s bedrooms, with 67- square metres of space, a balcony, a daybed and a dining area, or in a suite or multi-bedded villa. There’s a bi-weekly sunset dinner on the beach and a fire show, as well as numerous restaurants.

Perched beside Choeng Mon Beach, Kimpton Kitalay Samui offers refined island living. Its highlights include a palm-flanked Olympic-sized swimming pool, loaner fat-tyre bikes to explore further afield, pet amenities and the 500-square metre split-level Junio Kids Club for a programme of non-digital activities. Kimpton Kitalay has 138 rooms, suites and villas, 21 of which have private pools; five restaurants and bars; a pristine stretch of beach; and the organic Pimãanda spa, offering a 14-step sensorial ritual created especially for the resort by HARNN.

Set on a private 100-metre white sand beach, the Conrad is built into a cliffside proffering panoramic vistas. Book a villa on stilts, with your own 10-meter infinity pool and spa bathroom. Dine on fine farm-to-table cuisine crafted with ingredients from the onsite organic farm. Take yoga classes on the beach, sunset boat tours, go kayaking and snorkelling and let the kids burn off some energy at the Little Explorer’s Academy. Or book an excursion from the hotel to nearby attractions, like the Samui Elephant Sanctuary, the Samui Zip Line and the Santiburi Golf Course.

Set on a 58-acre plot on the north-east of the island, the resort was once a coconut plantation and continues to use the fruit’s fibres in its architecture. It’s home to Thailand’s only sea pool (open seasonally), as well as two beaches, a beachfront infinity swimming pool and a swim reef where you can spot more than 50 species of fish. You’ll find a Muay Thai ring, tennis, basketball, volleyball, mini golf, swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, jogging, cooking classes, a Ritz Kids programme and multiple restaurants onsite. Plus there’s an entire Spa Village, with eight treatment suites, a yoga pavilion and a lap pool with cabanas. 175 bedrooms, suites and pool villas are decorated in neutral colours.

Set on the edge of Bangtao beach, the Banyan Tree is one of Phuket’s best-known luxury hotels and combines traditional Thai class and elegance with modern creature comforts and pampering that guests have come to expect from this well-established brand. The hotel’s huge grounds play host to a wide range of activities and amenities such as golf on a stunning course, tennis courts, a yoga pavilion and two large swimming pools. Each of the onsite villas and suites is sumptuously decorated and fitted so that it serves as a luxurious retreat, while guests are provided with private beach access and invited to indulge in a little pampering in the world-class spa.