I would recommend the Busakorn Wing of The Holiday Inn in Patong it has a great reputation. it's lovely hotel and will suit your needs. It's across from the beach and a short walk to the Bangla Road for party time. Lots of restaurants nearby and you'll be spoilt for choice where to eat and shop.

Cheers Geri

Thanks for the suggestion Geri, I'm looking extensively at options so not to be disappointed if that's even possible I know.

How about flights, I've flown previously with Thai airways & Qatar airways, both of them still had me feeling restricted with the leg room. I'm 5'11, is my only option to pay the the extortionate upgrade fee and try and hope fore a fire exit seat?

I'm coming from a different direction as I live in Australia I love Thai Airways but the aircraft from MEL-BKK are different to the LHR-BKK run. Aus. flights has IFE in the back of the seats as I've read Thai don't which makes for a long and boring flight from LHR.

We always request the back two seats as there is a little more room. Only thing is people congregate for the loo, once I had an Asian man come stand next to me and did his FULL exercise program... after a while I started tutting and giving him dirty looks lol.

Check out Malaysian (seat pitch same as Thai at 34") they are having a silly sale at the mo and hopefully, their sale dates suits you.

We are going to Phuket in October but these days we head for Kata Beach as it's got everything we want. Hotel is on the beach and heaps of very lovely restaurants just outside the front of the hotel. Patong is 20 minutes tut tut ride away. As it's the low season we get a two for one deal and so much more affordable.

You could take a look at Eva Air for the Economy Deluxe upgrade which is usually reasonably priced should you wish for the extra room.

I tried for the Malaysian flights at the weekend £300 to KL or £349 to Phuket, almost too good to be true. Most of the flights had been snapped up (I was looking for Jan/Feb 2012). Offers are on till 17th May.

We've stayed at the Kata Beach resort a couple of times, Kata's a lovely beach but the area is far too busy for us now. We go to Naithon which is like Kata was when we first visited twenty years ago.

Its worth noting that the seas get rough in Phuket in the low season, so much so that its dangerous to swim and many tourists have lost their lives.