We booked our flight with San Michele who are Australian Asia specialists which included 7 nights at the Holiday Inn, Busakorn Wing and 7 nights our own arrangements.
Our motto is/was never return to the same hotel/resort no matter how much we enjoyed our time there... we said this before we stayed at the Busakorn Wing of the Holiday Inn, Patong and have just returned after our 3rd stay there.

Busakorn is a 5 floor hotel with lifts and security.
This was our first time back since the Boxing Day Tsunami and even though it was closed for some time after that tragic day it has not changed one bit. It was wonderful to see some of the same old faces in reception, dining areas, around the pool and management.

The rooms in the Busakorn wing are spotlessly clean and quite large, each have a king size bed or two 'king singles' (Brits would call a king single a 3/4 bed) Each room has a window settee/couch, which is large enough for a child to sleep on and a chair. Also, a suitcase stand and table with large TV and writing desk and chair.
Each room has a very large walk in shower with a marble seat (great for shaving legs) and adjustable shower head with great water pressure. Also, there is a separate sink next to the shower with shampoo, conditioner and other goodies. Hotel provides tea, coffee and packet 'creamer' daily (we take coffee and skim milk from home)

At the other end of this spacious en-suite area is a separate toilet and outside of this there is a mirrored dressing table area with stool and hair dryer. Also, a wardrobe, shelves, safe, ironing board and iron. Hotel has a turn down service which leaves an orchid on each pillow (I personally can live without this service but they also change all the towels... again)

The fridge at the Holiday Inn is unique to any other hotel we have ever stayed in. The fridge is empty and the shop in the hotel sells beer and soft drinks at supermarket prices... they don't seem to mind if you take your own drinks to the pool area. Sun beds are plentiful as are the beach towels (most people took 2 sometimes 3 towels each... however, I thought that a bit rude as they wouldn't do that at their house but the staff didn't mind)

The food around the pool is well priced, not too expensive, delicious and the service was great. We ate at Sam's steak restaurant but found (in my opinion) it was not as good as in previous years. The bar at the hotel was a tad expensive for us but it had a great atmosphere.

The hotel staff are wonderful... I had a 'moment' on arrival and for the life of me I couldn't hold back my tears... the staff thought it was because we were 'home' but to be honest it was the emotion of the tsunami that got to me as I know this hotel was badly damaged that day.

I never thought it possible but they managed to fine tune their arrival procedures even further and after the initial 'Sawadee' in the air conditioned office and welcome garland of prayer flowers, plus a quick swipe of our credit card... all other formalities was completed in our room... the same room I had confirmed via email which was a ground floor one facing the main pool of the Busakorn wing.

Breakfast was very yummy and something to suit everybody. It has the usual egg station of eggs anyway you want plus the wonderful omelette's made specially to order with the filling of your choice made by an ever smiling person.

I've always thought the Holiday Inn to be on the edge of things in Patong and in 2004 it was. However, not any more. As you walk out of reception it's all there and heaps of places to eat at and lots of night markets and even a departmental store. The 'other side' of Patong still resides down the Bangla Road which isn't my scene and it happily continued to thrive without my patronage.

I love this hotel and cannot recommend it highly enough.