All you want to know about Marriott Vacation Club Mai Khao

When people talk about Phuket, thoughts of Patong Beach, Phuket Big Buddha and island hopping typically comes to mind. 

However, there is another side of Phuket that is less explored further up in the northern part of the island in the Thalang district. 

In this article, we are going to share our Marriott Vacation Club Mai Khao review of our recent stay. 

Here is what you can read about in the following sections: 

• Why you should visit Marriott Vacation Club Mai Khao
• Review of the 2 bedroom apartment
• List of Activities you can do in the resort
• What to eat around Marriott Vacation Club
• The Surroundings and the Beach

Before you read on, you should know that we stayed here as an invitation from a member of the Marriott Vacation Club Phuket program, hence our accommodation was covered. Opinions, however, are entirely our own. The following might contain affiliate links, which helps us to keep the site alive, at ZERO extra costs to you. 

Why you should visit Marriott Vacation Club Mai Khao

For those of you looking for a relaxing vacation, a quiet place to stay, activities-filled resort, then Mai Khao Marriott Phuket is perfect for you.

Whether you are travelling as a couple or as a family with little ones, there are enough things for everyone to have a good time here. 

Phuket is famous for its beaches, and here on Mai Khao beach, you can find one of the most beautiful beaches in Phuket. 

Compared to the party area of Patong, the beaches here are less crowded by a mile, perfect if you wish to get away from the crowds. 

It is also here that you can still find 11 kilometers of white sandy beaches and almost clear blue waters, and barely a trace of umbrella-toting vendors trying to sell you something. 

The resort is surrounded by greenery which we love, and you can choose how much you wish to do, whether to relax and tan beside the pool or to take part in the numerous activities organized by the resort.

Getting to Marriott Vacation Club Mai Khao

If you have been to Phuket before, you would know to expect about 45-60 minutes of travel time to reach the popular areas of Patong or Karon. 

For getting to Mai Khao though, it is a short car ride north of the airport that takes about 20 minutes tops. 

Grab is the ride-hailing app used here and it costs 450 baht to get to the resort. 

Our friends hired a private driver that costs them 500 baht.

So you should cater for about 1000 baht for a return trip. 

We were lucky to get complimentary transport for this trip! 

Leave us a comment or send us a message if you wish to use the driver!

Mai Khao Marriott Vacation Club: Review of 2 bedroom apartment

The only accommodation type available in this resort is a two-bedroom apartment. 

They are housed in blocks that face either the greenery or the pool. 

They are all 4 stories high, and there is an option to choose the ground floor unit, which comes with a small outdoor “pool” and verandah. At an extra fee of course. 

The room we stayed in was the standard two-room, but we were quite fortunate in that we got a corner unit, which gives us slightly more privacy since there is only one unit bordering us only. 

Make sure to ask for a corner unit when you book! 

The apartment is pretty big, more than sufficient to cater easily for a couple or a family of up to 6 persons. 

Upon entering the apartment, the first bathroom and bedroom come into view. It is a large bedroom and has two queen-sized beds in it. 

Two! 

The bathroom is ensuite and comes with a bathtub, so remember to bring your rubber duckies along!

Walking down the hallway leads you to the kitchen, which is decked with cooking stoves and all the equipment you need to cook up a storm. 

But we were wondering, where would we be able to find the ingredients to cook then? 

Probably it would be a good idea if the staff shared this information with us. 

A dining table sits in between the kitchen and the living area, which consists of sofas and a flatscreen TV. 

Well, for us, we did not even switch on the TV once since there was enough to keep us occupied throughout our stay. 

A note here: the sofas did not look that clean, and we did find a few stains. 

The windows in the living room do not open up but are full-length windows that offer a view of the greenery and stream behind the block. 

Right next to the dining table is where the main bedroom is situated. 

The room is spacious, just like the first bedroom, and it has a king-sized bed. 

Storage options are plentiful and a safe sits in the wardrobe where you can keep your valuables while out and about. 

The ensuite bathroom is massive, and right in the middle sits a gorgeous bathtub. 

There are even 2 sinks that make life so much easier for couples in the morning. 

Right at the end of the apartment is a HUGE balcony. 

It is big enough that you can actually hire a private chef to prepare a barbecue dinner for you and your travel mates on the balcony itself.

The balcony is accessible directly from the main bedroom, and also through a side door from the living room. 

Individual locks ensure that the bedroom is fully private. 

The apartment is well appointed and has the right amount of amenities such as a kitchen, refrigerator, and toaster. 

The staff is very generous with their service and there is even an ice dispensing machine on the second floor near the lift lobby. 

The size is perfect for small families up to 6-7 persons or simply 2 couples on a trip together. 

Overall a great accommodation but for us the small setback would be the dated (and stained) furnishing and poor pillows. 

Activities you can do in Marriott Vacation Club

This is the part where we feel that the resort has done a solid job in keeping their guests entertained, whether you are an adult or you have kids in tow. 

At the front desk reception area, there is a concierge desk where you can ask for services such as transport or booking day trips to nearby attractions. 

These are paid services and as we did not use them, we will instead focus on the activities provided free of charge. 

Swimming Pool

Any self-respecting resort is going to have a swimming pool, and while this one at Marriott Vacation Club is not a huge one, it is sufficient for the guests to all share in it. 

There are a couple of sections here.

For the little ones, there is a shallow wading pool where they can mess around in the water or play with the pool balls provided. 

There is also a smaller pool at the area near the restaurant where the kids can play on the water slide. 

Next to it is the main pool which overlooks greenery in the background. 

There are a few water features here and resting platforms where there are propulsion jets to simulate the feeling of a jacuzzi. 

And right at the other end of the pool, a volleyball net is installed where you can have a nice game out with your friends or family. 

Bonus perk: It is right next to the bar and you can relax and enjoy a cool beverage right inside the pool as there are stools in them. 

Lounge chairs are ample and you can pick up towels from the small hut right beside the pool. 

The staff here are really friendly and constantly supply ice-cold water (with lime or cucumber!). 

Here is where you can pick up table tennis rackets for a game. The tables are right behind the hut

Kids Club

The Kids Club is located beside the main reception block and provides activities for the little ones, as well as serves as the point of contact for picking up bike rentals. 

There are activities arranged for kids every day, ranging from cookie making and face painting to rock climbing and scavenger hunts. 

In the evenings, movie screenings are available with complimentary popcorn too. 

Right outside the Kids Club is a unique game named Snook-Ball.

Essentially it is a combination of snooker and football, where there are pockets on the court to score the balls into. 

Really fun game! 

Mini Golf

One neat thing about the resort is that it is not overly big, and as such, you can very easily walk from one activity to the next. 

Just like the 9-hole mini-golf, which is located just behind the wading pool. 

Golf clubs, balls, and scorecards are found in a mini hut at the start of the course. 

A water dispenser is also found here. A thoughtful touch! 

The course itself is pretty straightforward, but can easily offer an hour of good fun and competition. 

While it does not have crazy setups like the Dino Park Mini Golf down at Karon Beach, it is certainly entertaining enough. 

Leisure Room

Right behind the main reception area is the Leisure Room, where guests can seek reprieve from the heat and sweltering sun. 

There are a few things you can do here, like shooting some pool on the classy table, chilling out on the sofa and watching some TV or reading a magazine. 

For those who can’t sit still, there is a foosball table to keep you entertained. 

And for the itchy hands, there is a mahjong table to keep you in this room for hours! 

And did we mention they have one of those automated tables? Those in the know will understand what I mean. 

Outside of the Leisure Room is where you can find the bikes available for rental. 

Remember to register over at the Kids Club!

Fun Court

Wanna have a kickabout or maybe up for a 3-on-3 basketball game? 

Pick up a ball from the Kids Club or the activities hut beside the pool and head over to the Fun Court.

Behind the bushes lies a court the size of a futsal court that has 1 basketball hoop, perfect for a half-court pick-up game. 

Make sure you slap on the sunscreen first or choose the evening to play. It is super sunny! 

Other Activities at the Resort

There are some other activities that you can take part in, such as using the gym, the tennis court and more. 

Do check them out too if you are staying here. 

Overall, we would say that the activities here are varied and suitable for guests across a wide spectrum. 

You definitely can enjoy yourselves to the fullest over a 3-night stay here. 

What to eat around Marriott Vacation Club?

It’s not a secret that the prices that resorts charge in their restaurants can be on the high side. 

Over here at this resort, while the prices are not sky-high, there are a number of options available not far away. 

At the Marriott Vacation Club, there is one restaurant on site that serves up a blend of Western and Eastern cuisine. 

We opted in for the breakfast option at check-in, which was offered to us at 620 baht, instead of the usual 720 baht. 

However, a glance at the room menu shows that it does cost 620 baht, so we are unsure if there is actually an offer at all. 

Breakfast is held at the restaurant Zest and comprises a spread of salads, pastries, and bread. 

There is an eggs section where the chef can prepare a variety of styles to your liking. 

Other choices include eastern-style porridge and Hainanese chicken, but overall, we think that the breakfast is slightly overpriced and might warrant a miss. 

Right outside of the resort, you can find Turtle Village, a small square that has a few restaurants, retail outlets, and a supermarket. 

Although the resort does provide buggy service to Turtle Village, it doesn’t take more than a 3-minute walk to reach it. 

Tip: Visit the Turtle Mart located at the basement of the village to stock up on snacks and drinks

For a taste of authentic local Thai food, check out the following restaurants: 

JJ’s Bar and Food

Take the exit behind the carpark of the resort. This roadside shack is located right in front of the exit. 

Prices are very reasonable, ranging from 100-180 baht per dish. The tom yum goong was well worth it. 

Singh Seafood

This small family restaurant is located just beside JJ’s and is a solid option for seafood and local dishes. 

While the selection is not overwhelming, the food is up to mark and delicious. 

We had a bit of a chat with the friendly owner, and he told us that this is his fourth spot in the vicinity as others copied his name! 

The original is called Mai Khao Wheel Bar Seafood, but it is no longer run by him.

Try out the grilled prawns and stir fry octopus in black pepper. They are excellent! 

Prices are from 100-200 baht per dish while large prawns are 150 baht each. 

Kin Dee Restaurant 

The final recommendation is not within the area of the resort, and thus you will need to get a taxi service to reach it. 

The cost is 500 baht return and we requested the car from the resort concierge. 

While it does incur an extra fee, this is by far the best meal we had during the trip. 

They serve up excellent Phuket dishes that you won’t easily find elsewhere. 

To name a few: 

• Phuket Fern Salad
• Kin Dee Duck Quak Quak
• Phuket Crab Meat Curry

Dinner for 4 costs us 1800 baht including 5 dishes, rice, 2 desserts, and a couple of beers.  The setting is simple but lovely, surrounded by potted plants and well ventilated.

All the restaurants we recommended here had something in common: They provided impeccable service, and their staff despite not knowing much English, was really warm and hospitable. 

They are also found on Google Maps, so make sure to add them to your itinerary! 

The Surroundings and The Beach

The Mai Khao resort is actually one of four properties that Marriott owns in the area. 

As a guest here, you can make use of the buggy service to hop over to JW Marriott and check out some of the amenities they offer. 

There isn’t a lot going on besides the few resorts and Turtle Village, but hey, you are here to relax isn’t it? 

On the beach, it serves as a great spot to work on your tan and laze the afternoon away. 

There are no sea sports here, so if you are interested in that, speak to the resort concierge to make an arrangement for you. 

Take note that there isn’t a beach attached to Marriott Vacation Club, as it is inland. Mai Khao Beach is accessible through JW Marriott, a sister property just 4 minutes away

Final Thoughts

We came here without much expectations and left feeling relaxed and sun-kissed for sure. 

For those seeking a short getaway and not wanting to be near the crowds, Marriott’s Mai Khao Beach Resort is a superb choice to do just that. 

What are your thoughts? Share them in the comments section down below! If you are looking around for other options, check out this post on the best beach resorts in Phuket.

Before you go, check out some of our other posts to keep the wanderlust going: 

• Phuket vs Krabi vs Koh Samui vs Phi Phi Island: Which of the 4?
• 19 Bucket Lists Ideas
• Travel Planning Resources
• Places to stay in Singapore based on your interest
• Visit Singapore on a Friendly budget
• Destinations Guides

If you liked this post, make sure to share it on your social media platforms and pin it to Pinterest! 

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