Can't say enough good things about the Summer Breeze. If you like
being close to the Night Life of Phuket there is no better place to stay.
Staff is excellent and put up with all my shinanagins with a smile.
Do your self a favor and book with the Summer Breeze.
Clean, inexpensive, super friendly staff. What else could you ask for? They have a bar & restaurant. The prices are very reasonable, and you can meet a lot of travellers on the way.
Its close to everything, literally seconds away from Bangla road and the mall, I wouldn't hesitate to come back again. To Patong beach, you'd need to travel through Bangla road, so to get there it would be 5 minutes max. Make sure to say Hi to Bill who is the owner. He makes sure to say Hi to everyone and give tips to travellers so they dont get ripped off.
I've stayed at the Summer Breeze on numerous occasions and know the place quite well. I have also previously stayed at a number of other hotels in Patong and although some have been very good, all, with the exception of one, have lacked that sense of familiarity you get when you stay at the Summer Breeze. Situated on Soi Sansabai, it is a five minute walk from the Jung Ceylon shopping centre and the entertainment of Bangla Road and ten minutes from the beach, so it's an ideal place to stay.
It's a relatively small hotel with four floors and I'd guess at around twenty something rooms. All are comfortable and clean and bright although natural light levels vary from room to room depending on where the room is situated. The rooms are cleaned and the bed linen is changed every day and there are two complimentary small bottles of water. The laundry service is quick and relatively cheap, and you also have an option of taking it next door where there is another independant laundry. As with many other similar hotels there is no lift, just stairs, which has never been a real problem and the staff will help you with luggage if necessary. The bar and restaurant area is spacious and airy and looks out onto Soi Sansabai which can be very entertaining at times. Breakfast isn't included in the price of the room but there is a wide selection to choose from and it is relatively inexpensive. If there's one thing that wasn't too good it was the television. Out of seventy or so channels, there were only a few that were in english and only one or two film channels. But it was a minor point and didn't detract from my stay.
As with any hotel, the staff form an important part of the experience. Impolite and poorly trained staff can be a nightmare and can make an otherwise nice stay into a very good reason not to return. Here lies one of the Summer Breeze's strengths. All the staff are polite, courteos and well-mannered. Most speak good English. They are professional yet at the same time friendly and informal and make any stay a real pleasure. Their relaxed and humorous attitude brightens up every day and there's always a warm greeting no matter which staff are present. The hotel owner is American and he manages the day to day business well, which can be seen in the way the staff respond to customers. He should be proud of his staff.
My stay was in July and August this year and unfortunately I had to be taken to hospital urgently. The staff were brilliant, checking up on me throughout the day as I became unwell and organising transport to the hospital when it was realised it was more serious. They were genuinely concerned and so caring, even visiting me in hospital in their own time. They also packed my bags and kept them safe until I returned. It's this level of personal service that sets the Summer Breeze apart from other hotels I've stayed in. I can't thank them enough for looking after me when I really needed it. Well done to them all.
So, will I return? Of course. A great hotel with excellent staff. Why wouldn't I?
This was my second stay at the Summer Breeze and it did not disappoint. I stayed for just over three weeks this time (July/August 2012) and felt very sorry to leave.
The location is excellent, within easy walking distance of the large Jung Ceylon shopping mall and also the Bangla Road nightlife.
However, the friendly and attentive staff meant I stayed in many nights. The food is very good, offering a mixture of Thai and Western cuisine.
A special thank you to the owner, Bill, who was always available to offer useful advice and to the bar staff who kept me company during my stay.
Looking forward to returning in 2013.
I stayed in two different rooms, a superior and a junior suite. The superior was 33 dollars US and the junior suite was 40 dollars. I write this for the novice traveler to Phuket, as if you are seasoned, likely you don’t need my advice. Patong is a place that should be on ever man’s bucket list. If you have a pulse and a wallet, you have to go. If you have never been to Asia or Thailand, Summer Breeze is a great starting point.
Summer Breeze is located on Soi Sansabai, basically a small street off the main road. It is about a block to all the action and night life without itself being too loud or busy. You have Bangla road to the west and if you are gay, Paradise Complex to the north – literally minutes away. Most guest houses or small hotels are similar. The ground floor is usually a bar, restaurant and lobby which is open day and night, maybe not the restaurant. Most of the these guest houses do not have elevators. But otherwise they are charming, have a local owner and staff.
Summer Breeze is owned by an American named Bill. You can usually find him in the morning hours in the lobby and he’ll be happy to talk to you or answer any questions. Need laundary done? It’s about $1.50/kg, and it will take maybe two hours. If you do it through the hotel they will put it in your room folded or hung. Need a taxi? It can be arranged. It might be cheaper to get a taxi down the street, but I enjoyed the security of having them arrange it and the driver was polite, the car was clean and pumping the A/C.
Want to do a side trip, rent a motor bike, looking for a legit massage or tailor? Bill will personally help you out.
The rooms are clean and the staff is very friendly and kind. You will not find geckos chirping about. Most of the staff speak English quite well. There is a terrific night watchman (his name escapes me), who will take care of things in the evening hours, and look out for your welfare. The Thai people are kind and if you respect them and show that respect, you will be repaid 100 fold. One night there was a power outage and while Summer Breeze did not have a back up generator, there were battery operated emergency lights on every floor, and the night watchman was alert with flashlights. Summer Breeze is a guest friendly hotel. If something seems amiss, the night watchman will call your room to make sure everything is okay.
I would definitely book at the Summer Breeze again. The prices are quite reasonable. For my preference, I would get a junior suite at the back of the house, as things can get quite noisy around 4am in the street when people start to leave Bangla. For some, this might not be a big deal. In fact, when I go back, I would probably just book for the entire duration, and take side trips. HKT has direct flights to Koh Samui, Penang and other destinations. You also have the option of leaving your major baggage securely with hotel staff if you are coming back. This is very nice.
I've been coming to Phuket since 2000. This was my first time staying at this hotel and it was recommended by a friend. This is my last night here and I am actually sad to leave. Everything at this hotel is perfect. The room is great, super clean, the staff is exceptional, food is great, location is perfect and I will start staying here from now on. You can very much tell the owner cares about his establishment and has done an excellent job. The reviews aside from mine are spot on and I would encourage you to stay here first before anywhere else.
