Andaman House, Mai Khao Beach, as a Family

With modern, private, well-appointed homes along the shores of the Andaman Sea, the aptly named Andaman House is a modern escape from a fast-paced world. As a family of 6 we’re overjoyed to holiday in a space where we can relax and play comfortably. Whether you’re vacationing as a family or a group of friends, Andaman House can host you with style.

Originally built as a property for Centara, Andaman House relaunched on it’s own and this property very much is about where it’s going and not what is has been. Designed by renown architect C.Y. Lee (think Taipei 101 for all you architect geeks), this development was made to be eco-friendly from the ground up. This respect for nature did not stop with the original design but continues in many ways – right down to reusable containers for soaps, shampoos, and lotions. Andaman House sits in a sweet spot for resort sizes where it’s big enough to offer lots, but small enough to be connected to the local community. Many of the staff, food, and supplies for the hotel all come from the surrounding area.

Andaman House sits on Mai Khao Beach, an impressive 11km stretch of golden brown sand shaded by palms and pines. The surrounding town has small shops, restaurants, and bars. The night life isn’t wild and that’s one of the beauties of this area. On the road leading to the resort, you’ll find a number of small shops and restaurants so you can dine out, get your nails done, or pick-up a few needed / wanted items.

Click here to learn more about why Mai Khao Beach should be on your travel radar.

There are two neighbours to Andaman House that you won’t want to miss. The first is the Mai Khao Beach Airport Viewpoint. Just a brief stroll down the sands, you’ll find yourself at the end of Phuket International Airport’s (HKT) runway. From our private pool, we watched planes take-off but that doesn’t compare to standing on the beach with a jet overhead.

So, yes Andaman House is conveniently close to the airport. And yes, you’ll hear the airplanes. But no, not once did the planes disturb our sleep. With 4 kids, we couldn’t handle anywhere our kids cannot sleep! That struggle is hard enough on it’s own!

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The other neighbour to explore is Splash Jungle Water Park Phuket. Sadly, we missed out on this adventure as their current reduced (for COVID) hours are 10:00-17:45 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. One day we’ll be back either on a weekend or when this pandemic lets up, and we’ll water slide and lazy river our little hearts out. Andaman House has a special deal with the water park so be sure to inquire about this if you’re there on a weekend.

A slight tangent here, but only because we mentioned the pandemic – Phuket is working towards reopening to vaccinated foreign tourists (something Thailand has been dreaming of for over a year now). 80% of the staff at Andaman House have already been vaccinated. Add that on top of COVID protocols and physical distancing, and you know that your time here will be safe.

The AH Club, where we enjoyed breakfast, is only a 6 minute walk from our pool house, but electric golf carts were just a phone call away to whizz us to the club, beach, and pool or back to room. They are silent as they drive and we were thankful the staff drive carefully as you’ll never hear them coming behind you whilst out strolling.

The kids and parents agreed (a rare and beautiful event) that a true highlight of our time at Andaman House was the floating breakfast. With 4 little people we had visions of our meal ending like the Titanic, but with a pep talk and some ground rules on splashing, our children embraced the novelty of this experience. It felt indulgent in a way that seems reserved for childless couples who only backpack in Bali – Andaman House made this accessible to us as a family and it was a lot of fun.

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The main pool provides infinity views over the sea and is so big that you can easily steal a few moments of peace as you tell your kids you’re playing a water version of tag. An expansive deck with umbrellas and loungers wraps around one side of the pool and reaches to a smaller children’s pool and salas for massages. There is an oversized chess board here to keep the kiddos engaged. From the pool, you’re just a few meters from the beach. There is a small path used by motos to shuttle people to the Mai Khao Airport Viewpoint so do be mindful of your little humans. As the pandemic has slowed tourism, the pool and beachfront felt sleepy on these weekdays.

There are a number of accomodation types on offer at Andaman House. The Beach Houses boast 2 -4 bedrooms and their own private pool. Not every Beach House is right on the ocean and so if you’re wanting those ocean views, be sure to book an Oceanfront Beach House ( 2 – 3 bedrooms and also with their own private pools). The Pool Houses sit behind the Beach Houses and, as the name implies, each has their own pool and 2 bedrooms. With 1 -2 bedrooms and a kitchen, the Lagoon Apartments have garden and, of course, lagoon views. The Penthouse options have 2 – 4 bedrooms, kitchens, and private rooftop pools. With 1 -3 bedrooms and a living area, the Studio apartments are a great fit for families or groups of friends.

We made ourselves right at home in a 2 bedroom Pool House. It’s a contemporary space which blends in traditional Thai elements. The two bedrooms are off of the main living area. Both bedrooms have their own generous washrooms with rain head showers and lots of light. The bathrooms have pool access (great for shuffling the kids from the pool and into the shower) and both bedrooms have large sliding glass doors to the pool. So you can role from bed into the pool and then pop into the shower with no trouble at all. Andaman House provided an extra bed and a playpen so we put our 3 oldest in one bedroom and the baby stayed with us.

Our pool villa did not have a kitchen but the fridge, glass wear, tea and coffee, and kettle were all we really needed in the room. There were afternoons where we would simply lock the courtyard door and enjoy the privacy and playtime that our villa offered. The outside world just wasn’t our concern. Lounging in the sala, splashing in the pool, or playing games on the coffee table were all welcome breaks from the pushes and pulls of everyday life.