BEST WESTERN Allamanda Laguna Phuket is the new brand at Laguna Phuket and Hotel Manager Femke Beekers and General Manager David Coyle are both upbeat about its prospects.
''2009 was a tough year,'' says Mrs Beekers. ''But the high season was successful.''
She believes the visitors will keep coming, with expectations high for new and returning guests from China, Russia, Germany, Australia and Thailand.
Like most Phuket hoteliers, Mrs Beekers, 39, takes a wait-and-see approach about Thailand's politics.
''The political situation certainly has had an effect on tourism,'' she says. ''The case involving Mr Thaksin is worrying, as well as the health of HM The King.''
While the Allamanda has been a part of Laguna Phuket for 14 years, the Best Western part of the name is, well, brand new.
There's a healthy ''let's compete and cooperate'' attitude throughout all the Laguna brands, and the enormous reach of the Best Western brand is likely to help the newly-labelled resort find its niche.
Packages covering golf (Laguna has its own well-regarded course) spa treatments and diving are on offer.
Probably closest to the Best Western in terms of in-house Laguna competition is the Outrigger Laguna Resort and Villas, which opened last year outside the Laguna Phuket precinct.
The 129-unit Allamanda, which like the Outrigger is ideal for families, is just across a lagoon from Bang Tao beach and has a couple of pleasant large communal swimming pools.
Most of the watersports that guests enjoy at sea in high season can also be enjoyed on the placid lagoon in low season.
It's the fourth Best Western on Phuket, part of a chain of more than 4000 in 80 countries.
Importantly for staff, Mrs Beekers says that all jobs are safe this coming low season.
Best Western Allamanda Laguna Phuket Tel: +66 76 362 700 | Fax: +66 76 324 360
Andara, Smooth as Silk and a Cut Above the Rest''2009 was a tough year,'' says Mrs Beekers. ''But the high season was successful.''
She believes the visitors will keep coming, with expectations high for new and returning guests from China, Russia, Germany, Australia and Thailand.
Like most Phuket hoteliers, Mrs Beekers, 39, takes a wait-and-see approach about Thailand's politics.
''The political situation certainly has had an effect on tourism,'' she says. ''The case involving Mr Thaksin is worrying, as well as the health of HM The King.''
While the Allamanda has been a part of Laguna Phuket for 14 years, the Best Western part of the name is, well, brand new.
There's a healthy ''let's compete and cooperate'' attitude throughout all the Laguna brands, and the enormous reach of the Best Western brand is likely to help the newly-labelled resort find its niche.
Packages covering golf (Laguna has its own well-regarded course) spa treatments and diving are on offer.
Probably closest to the Best Western in terms of in-house Laguna competition is the Outrigger Laguna Resort and Villas, which opened last year outside the Laguna Phuket precinct.
The 129-unit Allamanda, which like the Outrigger is ideal for families, is just across a lagoon from Bang Tao beach and has a couple of pleasant large communal swimming pools.
Most of the watersports that guests enjoy at sea in high season can also be enjoyed on the placid lagoon in low season.
It's the fourth Best Western on Phuket, part of a chain of more than 4000 in 80 countries.
Importantly for staff, Mrs Beekers says that all jobs are safe this coming low season.
Best Western Allamanda Laguna Phuket Tel: +66 76 362 700 | Fax: +66 76 324 360
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