You've spent months looking forward to your tropical vacation in Thailand and you can't wait to just grab a towel and a book, perhaps even your iPod and relax by the pool, or drift off to sleep listening to the sound of the beach as the azure waters of the Andaman Sea lap gently onto the smooth white sands of your Phuket resort.
However your kids are bored and looking to you for entertainment. Or perhaps they are happy to play on the beach contentedly, but you'll still want to keep an eye on them, and how many times will you read the same sentence in that novel before you just give up and put it down?

What you both need is a hotel or resort that has the needs of both the parents and their children in mind. Family friendly resorts understand that once the kids are happily occupied, it's a lot easier for their parents to truly relax and unwind.

So what is it that makes a hotel or resort "family friendly"? There are several factors but a short list would comprise of the following factors:

• Comprehensive on-site children's activities programmes.
• Kid's clubs and games rooms that accommodate children of different ages i.e, toddlers up to teenagers.
• Specially designed kids rooms/ family sized suites or interconnecting rooms.
• Babysitting services.
• Restaurants with menus that accommodate children.
• Buffet breakfasts (included in the room rate).

We have complied a list of what we think are the best hotels and resorts in Phuket that are great for families to stay at. Check out our list of Top Ten hotels and resorts in Phuket that are great for families below.

JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa

The Kid’s Club is separated into 2 areas, 1 for the younger kids and another for teenagers. The Little Turtles program for children aged up to 12 years old provides supervision by fully trained child care providers, and offers much to keep the little ones occupied, including movies, computers, swimming activities, games, karaoke, a dolls house, and hair beading as well as a variety of activities where children can make jewelry, dream catchers, origami, sand castles, baskets, wind chimes and more.
For the teenagers there is a large movie screen, pool tables, table tennis, a Playstation and another section of computers with filtering of inappropriate sites.

It’s not just the Kid’s Club, with their great line-up of activities and facilities that make the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa and Marriott’s Phuket Beach Club our Number 1 choice for family friendly vacations in Phuket. The resort also offers an extensive range of daily activities for the whole family to enjoy together. The long list of activities available include mountain biking, beach volleyball, aerobics, tennis, a spirit house tour, a photo tour, a garden tour, yoga, cardio funk and diving. As well as these activities, a wide range of cultural activities and classes are available including Thai cooking, dancing and language, Thai massage, kick boxing, fruit carving, origami, Batik and an introduction to Thai Buddhism.

Rooms available. Check rates at The JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa.

Holiday Inn Phuket Resort

Holiday Inn Phuket Resort is a favorite among kids and great choice for family holidays in Phuket with their specially designed rooms for families. There are the "Kid's suites", children themed rooms within a room (pirate, jungle or circus theme, your choice), where the children have their own personal space with bunk beds, TV and video, video games and toy box. These rooms are suitable for 2 adults and 2 children under the age of 12. Also available are Family Suites, which are 2 connected rooms- a standard room and a specially designed themed kids room. Inside the kid's room they have their own TV and video, an Xbox and games, toy box, beanbag and a toy box. Parents can relax in their own room, knowing that their children are playing safely next door through the connecting door.

The newly re-invented Kids’ Club is designed to keep the youngsters happily and safely amused and entertained all day long. The Club has four zones offering TV, XBox, art and crafts and games. Outside are two dedicated kids’ pools, complete with slider, water cave, water guns and whale and turtle statuary. There are Thai culture classes, with lessons in Thai dancing, music, language, costumes as well as arts & crafts.

For the teens, there is Club 12, a “parent-free zone” with Internet access, 34 inch TV with MTV and DVD movies. PS2 Playstations, soccer table, games, books corner and karaoke corner.

Rooms available. Check rates at Holiday Inn Phuket Resort.

Laguna Beach Resort

Laguna Beach Resort offers a huge range of activities for the whole family with their 3 pools with water slides, games rooms and indoor and outdoor tennis courts.
With one of Phuket’s most extensive programs for children, The Kid’s Club offers a revolving 2 week program with alternative activities planned for rainy days, so regardless of the length of your stay, the kid’s won’t get bored.
Children between the ages of 4 and 12 can enjoy the facilities without a parent or guardian. The children can be split into two groups, 4-7 year olds and 8-12 year olds so that the older children can enjoy more challenging experiences.

Activities include elephant rides with the two baby elephants, Chang and Nong, snorkeling, mini-olympics, tennis Krazy Kayak, ferry rides, movies, indoor and outdoor games as well as arts and crafts including face painting wind chime making.
Excursions and activities are also available for extra cost including golf lessons with a Laguna Phuket professional for 350 Baht (Fridays 2pm), Batik painting and sculpture painting.
For the older children aged 8 to 12, and also available for teenagers, Camp Laguna offers a wide range of professionally supervised outdoor adventure activities including rock climbing as well as high and low rope activity courses. These activities are held at Quest Laguna Phuket Adventure, amongst 7 acres of natural beach side forest.

The Kid’s Club is from 9am to midday, 1pm to 5pm everyday, and also from 6pm to 9pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. There is a menu for lunch and dinner for 280 Baht, which can be charged to your room. A babysitting service is also available from 8am to 11pm for 120 Baht per hour, with 24 hours notice required.

Rooms available. Check rates at Laguna Beach Resort Phuket

The Ramada Resort Karon Beach

Wow. The Ramada Resort Karon Beach really knows how to not only make kids feel welcome, but to make them want to stay a lot longer.

The moment you arrive, kids are greeted by a team of "rangers", who take care of the kids and introduce them to all of the fun activities and facilities awaiting them at the resort.

The center piece of the hotel is the Siam Adventure Club, which organizes all in house activities and services as well as tours for both kids and adults.

The Kidzclub is a multi-activity station hat is bound to keep the kids occupied for days. The is a ball room, dress up games with a very large selection of costumes, slides, and a wealth of games and activities. Large screen tvs are also provided with of course many video game consoles and games.

The Dino-Pool is a special kids pool with a long slide and plenty of shade provided by a huge "mushroom" so there are no worries about your children getting sunburned while playing in the water.

Accommodation choices are vast with a number of child-themed rooms as well as a two bedroom family suite. The two bedroom adventure rooms are decorated in either an outer space theme, or underwater theme and are two 32 sq. m interconnecting rooms with one king size bed for the parents and twin beds for the children. The two bedroom gamily suite is 60 square meters and also features a jacuzzi. Both room types come with a 32 inch flat screen TV with international channels

Rooms available: Check rates at The Ramada Resort Karon Beach

Mercure Patong Phuket

Mercure Patong Phuket offers supervised activities for children aged 4 and over at their Pluto Kid's Club.

Parents can relax and enjoy their holiday shopping, sightseeing or relaxing by the pool while safe in the knowledge that their children are being taken care of in their own private club.

Facilities include a big screen for family movies, PlayStation video games and soccer tables. The children also have their own dedicated pool which is only access able through the Kid's club.

There are a number of paid and complimentary activities planned on the weekly schedule including sculpture painting, golf putting tournaments, soccer table tournaments, sculpture painting, candy hunts, pool games, Thai boxing lessons as well as cinema time twice a day.

A children's menu is available featuring snacks, meals and ice cream. Children under are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult. A babysitting service is also available on request with notice.

Rooms available. Check rates at Mercure Patong Phuket

Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa

Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa's kid's club, called "Just Kids" is unique in that it actually offers closely supervised "sleepover" services, for the ultimate in childminding services and privacy. Now you can have both a family holiday AND romantic getaway all at the same time at the same beautiful 5 star resort!

From their website:

"In keeping with the Six Senses philosophy of providing excitement with an element of learning, we believe that all kids have potential and are natural and active learners. At Just Kids!, the dedicated management and hosts offer a unique blend of great activities, educational toys and puzzles that challenge the mind and provide opportunities for children to satisfy their curiosity and interests. At the same time feel that they are important people and can do something and have learned something that excites them. The philosophy behind Just Kids! allows parents to choose how much time they wish to spend with their children while staying at the Evason. This sense of accomplishment and confidence is the foundation for success at school and in life!

Just Kids! is the premium children's club concept in Asia. It treats your children like VIP's. Just Kids! has been specially set up as a center for kids, catering to children between the ages of 4 to 12 years old. Children under 4 are welcome at Just Kids!, if accompanied by their babysitter or parents where they can explore, experiment, express their ideas, talents and creations, and have a jolly good time!"

Babysitting is available at Just Kids for 150 Baht per hour (200 Baht per hour between 7 and 9 am) and for 200 per hour in your guest room.

Rooms available. Check rates at Evason & Six Senses Spa Phuket.

Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket

Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket boasts the largest kids center in all of Phuket, as well as generously sized accommodations including 2 bedroom family suites and 2 bedroom residences.

The Play Zone is billed as a complete children's entertainment center and features PlayStations, a DVD lounge, internet room, arts & crafts, an outdoor playground, indoor games, jungle gym, table tennis and other sports activities. Children of guests can stay all day, even enjoying the lunch programme as well as a variety of exciting daily activities planned for the children's entertainment.

The hotel also has 4 pools (with a slide), 2 tennis courts, and a fully equipped fitness center. Next door to the fitness center is the Game Lounge which features a full sized snooker table, a pool table and a table tennis table. Access is free and available 24 hours a day.

Rooms available. Check rates at Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket.

Katathani Phuket Beach Resort

Image © Ketil Martinsen

Katathani Phuket Beach Resort rests upon 850 meters of beautiful white sand beach and features 6 pools (!) and 3 jacuzzis. The resort offers Chang Noi kid's club for the kids with a variety of activities in their daily program including Thai kite making and balloon painting free of charge and a number of other activities such as oil clay making, bead necklace arrangement, and doll painting for a 100 Baht charge each.

There are a number of indoor facilities to keep the young ones occupied including a ball house, PlayStation, videos and cartoons, creative games and books. On weekends outdoor activities include a mini Olympics, treasure hunting and sand castle making.

During the high season there is a nightly family themed musical revue to keep the whole family entertained.

While this 5 star hotel provides plenty for the kids, there are also superior facilities and services for everyone including Air Conditioning, Bathrobes, Hair Dryer, Internet Access , In Room Safe, Television LCD/Plasma Screen, Mini Bar, Balcony/Terrace. The hotel boasts Room Service 24hr, Shops, Bar/Pub, Laundry Service/Dry Cleaning, Meeting Facilities , Restaurant, Salon, Hotel/Airport Transfer as part of its superior facilities and services. The hotel provides superior recreational and leisure facilities including Massage, Gym/Fitness Facilities, Sauna, Tennis Courts.

Rooms available: Check rates at Katathani Phuket Beach Resort

Sheraton Grande Laguna

Kids (and parents alike) will be thrilled by Ning Nong and Yum Yum, the 2 resident baby elephants at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket. The popular pachyderms drop by everyday for a frolic with the kids and rides are available.

Kids are treated like VIPs at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket, indeed they have their own VIKC (Very Important Kids club), where they are issued their own registration cards, VIKC bagpacks full of goodies, toys, safety kits, as well as a tippy cup. There are plenty of games, crafts and activities organized on a daily basis to keep the children busy. There are a wealth of both indoor and outdoor activities and facilities including an outdoor playground and Asia's longest freshwater swimming pool, at 323 meters long. There is also an 18 hole golf course within the Laguna complex, to keep dad happy while the kids are looked after.

It's not just the activities for the kids that make the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket an ideal choice for family holidays. The resort offers two and three bedroom island villas, as well as four bedroom private pool villas and residences which come supplied with cooking facilities.

Rooms available: Check rates at Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket

Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa

Inside Kidz Paradise is a Playstation, board games and the options to watch cartoons or to rent out DVD movies to watch in their rooms.

Staff members are hands-on at Kidz Paradise and actively organise and assist junior guests in scheduled art projects such as batik painting, plaster of Paris sculpturing, sand art, Thai toy making, paper rocket making and good old-fashioned painting to name but a few. Games include banana horse racing, badminton, scavenger hunt, mini soccer and a whole lot more.

The three large freestyle swimming pools are at the heart of Hilton Arcadia's make up and a day exploring these huge aqua-marvels is a day well spent. The Lost Horizon pool overlooking Karon Beach and the Andaman Sea with ample sun loungers and shade. It also features a handy café. The Garden Pool is a shady nook with an exciting slide and is adjacent to Sails Restaurant, offering all-day dining and breakfast buffet. an attractive feature of the grounds with one overlooking the beach. The second pool is a generous 2,500 sq. m. and has a large waterslide linking its two levels along with water games facilities. The third pool, the Seafarer Pool is set in an exotic garden and also has a whirlpool, waterfall and slide. All pools have poolside service.

The resort also features large freshwater pools and lakes throughout its premises and these lend an extra cooling touch.

Rooms available: Check rates at Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa