Escape to Paradise: Pet-Friendly Luxury at Blu Monkey!
Okay, buckle up buttercups, because we're diving headfirst into the gloriously chaotic world of Escape to Paradise: Pet-Friendly Luxury at Blu Monkey! This won't be your typical, bland travel brochure regurgitation. Prepare for the real, messy, and sometimes slightly deranged, experiences of a self-confessed travel junkie.
Metadata - Gotta get those SEO juices flowin', ya know?
- Keywords: Blu Monkey, Pet-Friendly Hotel, Phuket, Luxury Hotel, Accessible Hotel, Spa, Swimming Pool, Restaurants, Wi-Fi, Cleanliness, Safety, Accessibility, Family Friendly, Couple's Room, Food, Review, Thailand, Holiday, Vacation.
- Meta Description: Honest review of Blu Monkey Phuket! Pet-friendly luxury? Accessibility? Food? This chaotic tale will leave you wanting to book your escape!
Let's Get This Show on the Road - (And Hopefully, Find a Decent Cocktail!)
First off, let's be real: Blu Monkey isn't just a name; it's a challenge. Does the hotel actually deliver on this promise of paradise? Well, hold my Singha beer, because we're about to find out!
Accessibility? More Like Almost There, But…
Okay, so the website splashed around words like "accessible," and I was like, "YES!" This is crucial because – full disclosure – I occasionally shuffle like a dying zombie, and smooth floors are my best friend. Blu Monkey mostly delivers. The elevator gets you where you need to go, fantastic! The public areas are manageable, and that’s a plus. But… and there’s ALWAYS a but, isn't there? Some of the pathways could be a bit wider, and the ramp situation felt like they were just trying. Still, a definite improvement over my last "accessible" hotel experience, which basically involved the staff carrying me up a flight of stairs. So, high-fives for effort, Blu Monkey!
- Wheelchair accessible: Mostly accessible, but with some minor pathway issues.
- Facilities for disabled guests: Present, but could be improved.
On-site Accessible Restaurants/Lounges – Fingers Crossed!
Look, I NEED food. Don't we all? And I'm getting tired of the stairs. The poolside bar seems to be a safe bet, and definitely accessible…I'll circle back later for…research ;)
Internet – The Lifeblood of the Modern Traveler.
My biggest fear? No Wi-Fi. Shudder. I need to post Instagram stories of my delicious Pad Thai! Thankfully, Blu Monkey understands the desperate needs of the internet-obsessed.
- Internet access: YES!
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!: A godsend!
- Internet [LAN]: Available.
- Internet services: Everything you need and more.
- Wi-Fi in public areas: Check!
Things to Do & Ways to Relax – Oh, the Choices! (And the Impatience…)
Okay, let’s cut to the chase. Spa? Pool? Sauna? I’m a sucker for all three. This place seems to pack it all in.
- Pool with view: SOLD. That needs a cocktail.
- Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom: YES, YES, and YES. (I'm picturing myself melting into a puddle of zen already.)
- Massage: My aching muscles are already thanking you, Blu Monkey!
- Gym/fitness: Sure, I'll do a little exercise. After the massage. And the cocktail.
Then there is the Body scrub and Body wrap -- oh the indulgence! Not sure how much they cost, but let see, that needs an hour and a half…
Cleanliness and Safety – Because Germs are NOT My Friends.
Post-pandemic travel has me on high alert. Is this place clean? Is it sanitized? Is the staff wearing hazmat suits? (Okay, maybe not the hazmat suits, but you get my drift.)
- Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, First aid kit, Hand sanitizer, Hot water linen and laundry washing, Hygiene certification, Individually-wrapped food options, Physical distancing, all the usual steps are in place
- Rooms sanitized between stays -- Good. Good.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: That's always reassuring.
There's a Doctor/nurse on call! Not that I may need one….
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: My Expertise.
This is where things get really exciting. Food is life, people. I can't lie. If a hotel has terrible food – game over.
- Restaurants – Multiple!
- Asian cuisine in restaurant, International cuisine in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Western cuisine in restaurant: All present!
- A la carte in restaurant, Buffet in restaurant: Excellent.
- Poolside bar, Coffee shop, Snack bar: Crucial. Absolutely crucial.
- Breakfast [buffet], Breakfast service: Yes! (And I'm already drooling over the thought of Asian breakfast, yum!)
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Always a winner in my book.
- Room service [24-hour]: HEAVEN. Late-night Pad Thai, here I come!
Okay. Deep breath. Honestly? The sheer variety of dining options is overwhelming in the best possible way. Time to get stuck in. So, I took some notes. Let me find it…
The Buffet: An Exercise in Control
I'm at the buffet right now, and there's a moment of quiet panic. The sheer volume of food is almost paralyzing. I do a quick recon, my stomach performing a happy jig: International cuisine, Asian cuisine, and a whole dessert section that is calling out to me. In the end, I grab some Pad Thai. The noodles are fine, not the best I’ve ever had, and the sauce is a bit bland. The staff is wonderful, the food is passable. But then, I see the pastry selection. A chocolate eclair winks at me. I grab it. Worth it!
The Poolside Bar: The Verdict.
Okay, the pool is just as gorgeous as the pictures suggested, with that view. It's hot, I'm sweaty, and my toes are practically begging for a cocktail.
- The drink: I went for a classic Mai Tai. It was…adequate. Not the best, not the worst.
- The service: The staff? Super friendly, super efficient.
Room for Improvement
The buffet could offer better quality food, and the cocktails could have more kick!
Dining Overall
- Safe dining setup: Yes.
- Alternative meal arrangement: Yes.
- Bottle of water, Essential condiments: Yes.
Services and Conveniences – The Little Things That Make a Difference.
I need a travel partner for this next section.
- Air conditioning in public area: Yes.
- Cash withdrawal, Currency exchange: Check!
- Concierge, Doorman: Always appreciate a friendly face.
- Daily housekeeping, Laundry service, Dry cleaning, and Ironing service: HELL YES!
- Luggage storage: Very useful.
Business Facilities? Nope, I am here for fun!
- Meeting/banquet facilities, Seminars: Not for me.
For the Kids – Bringing the Fam?
- Family/child friendly, Kids facilities, Babysitting service
- Kids meal: Good to know!
Access, Security & all that boring stuff.
- CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Front desk [24-hour], Security [24-hour]: All good.
- Fire extinguisher, Smoke alarms: Reassuring.
Available in all rooms, like a good list.
I'm a huge fan of a decent room. I spend so much time there!
- Air conditioning: Essential in a hot country.
- Alarm clock: Still use them.
- Bathrobes and slippers: Luxury!
- Blackout curtains: Sleep is important!
- Coffee/tea maker: YES!
- Free bottled water: The best.
- Hair dryer: Mandatory.
- In-room safe box: Always.
- Mini bar: Gotta have one.
- Non-smoking: Check.
- Private bathroom: Obviously.
- Separate shower/bathtub: Lovely.
- Satellite/cable channels: Good for chilling.
- Seating area, Sofa: Good for relaxing.
- Wake-up service: Always.
- Internet access – wireless, Wi-Fi [free]: Perfect.
Okay, Let's Get Down to Brass Tacks: The Room!
My room is lovely, all things considered. It’s clean, a little more plain than I was expecting, if I am honest. The bed is comfortable, and the air con blasts (thank god!). The bathroom is spacious, and, oh glorious day, there's a bathtub. The balcony is a real winner. I
Chez Nous Taipei: The BEST French Restaurant in Taiwan? (You Decide!)
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's travel itinerary. This is my potential reality check-slash-escape plan to the Blu Monkey Pooltara Krabi Hotel and Villas, and trust me, it’s going to be a rollercoaster. Prepare for mild chaos, questionable life choices, and the unvarnished truth about one perpetually tired woman.
The Blu Monkey Krabi Whirlwind: A Semi-Planned Chaos
Day 1: Arrival, Reality Check, and Coconut Water Dreams
- Morning (6:00 AM - shudders): The alarm. The relentless, soul-crushing alarm. My brain feels like a fuzzy sock. The only thought? Coffee. Must. Have. Coffee. Drag myself to the airport, trying to remember if I packed deodorant. (Spoiler: I probably didn't. I always forget deodorant.)
- 7:30 AM: Flight delayed! Classic. Time for more coffee. Vibe: anxiety about missing connections, and, you know, the meaning of life and what I'm doing with my limited time on Earth.
- 12:00 PM (ish): Land in Krabi. The humidity hits like a warm, wet slap to the face. Glorious, actually. Find my transfer. Pray the driver doesn't think I'm a crazy person (I probably look like one).
- 1:30 PM: Check into Blu Monkey Pooltara. Okay, okay. This is happening. The room looks… pretty much like the pictures! Success! Quickly unpack, find the pool, and dive in. (Note: I’m a terrible swimmer but the thought of floating in that turquoise water is calling my name.)
- Afternoon: This is where I intend to unleash my inner sloth. Sun, reading, and the promise of endless coconut water. But let's be real: I'll probably burn to a crisp. I always do. Also, I'm sure the reading will be interrupted by the siren song of my phone (Instagram, you temptress!).
- Evening: Dinner at the hotel restaurant. I’m eyeing that pad thai like it's the last meal on Earth. And maybe it is, because I’ll probably eat enough for a family of four. My actual plan is just to sit and melt.
Day 2: Monkey Business and Island Fever? (Let's Hope Not)
- Morning: Breakfast. Scramble and toast and maybe a desperate attempt to find some fruit that won't kill me.
- 9:00 AM: Book a trip to Railay Beach and surrounding islands. The pictures are stunning. Hopefully, the reality lives up to the hype. Prepare for potential seasickness (I’m 50/50 on the water).
- 10:00AM - 4:00 PM Island hopping.
- Focus: That turquoise water. Imagine the sun, the sea, the snorkeling, the photo ops… (Yes, I'm that person).
- Reality check: Maybe I’ll get seasick, maybe I'll get a sunburn, maybe I'll accidentally feed the monkeys and they'll steal all my snacks. But the photos will be epic, even if they’re blurry.
- An anecdote: There was that one time I tried snorkeling in the Maldives. I thought I was going to die. In what I thought was water, they turned out to be jellyfish. I spent most of the time swimming back to the boat, hyperventilating and yelling "HELP!". Good times… not. Hope this time is different!
- Quirky observation: Monkeys are cute but also terrifying, like tiny, furry, opportunistic gangsters.
- Evening: Back to the hotel. Shower. Dinner. Maybe a massage if my bank account allows it. If not, self-massage with coconut oil in the tub. (Don't tell anyone.)
Day 3: Beach Bumming, Sunset Vibes, and the Existential Dread of Departure
- Morning: Sleep in! (God willing.) Then, more sun. More pool. More doing absolutely nothing. (This is my kind of hardcore adventure.)
- Late Morning: Explore Ao Nang beach or somewhere near. Buy a few souvenirs. (Probably going to buy one of those elephant pants that are so comfy, but I'll never wear them anywhere else.)
- Afternoon: Back to Sunbathing.
- Late Afternoon: Sunset cocktails at a beachside bar. The air buzzes with the promise of the "golden hour" (aka Instagram heaven). Emotional reaction: pure, unadulterated bliss mixed with the creeping, insidious dread of knowing this all has to end.
- Evening Pack! The worst part about traveling.
- Night Last Dinner, this time at hotel or nearby.
Day 4: Sighs, Coffee, and the Long Journey Home
- Early Morning: Wake up and say goodbye to my hotel, the sunshine, and the bliss.
- Morning: Breakfast. (Repeat.)
- Late Morning: At the airport.
- Afternoon: Fly home. The flight back will be a mix of exhaustion, euphoria, and the crushing realization that real life is waiting.
- Emotional Rambling: Okay, so maybe this trip isn’t going to solve all my problems. I might get sunburned, eat too much, and probably embarrass myself in some spectacularly memorable way. But you know what? I'm going to embrace the messiness. The imperfections. The utter, ridiculous humanness of it all. Because that’s the real adventure, isn't it? And in the meantime, I'm going to find some killer pad thai. Wish me luck.
Escape to Paradise: Blu Monkey - The Real Deal FAQs (Because Let's Be Honest, You're Thinking of Booking!)
Okay, spill. Is this place *actually* paradise, or just another Instagram trap?
Alright, real talk. Blu Monkey? It's *close* to paradise. Let's just say my expectations were sky-high, fueled by those perfectly staged photos. Did they deliver? Mostly. The beach IS stunning, the infinity pool DOES look amazing (even if a screaming toddler decided to take a bath while you were trying to relax – more on that later). It's the kind of place that makes you go, "Wow," then sigh, "Okay, back to reality..." you know?
The Instagram filters are *good*, but the raw beauty is genuinely there. Beaches you can *actually* walk on without a million other tourists breathing down your neck (most of the time). Picture this: me, fresh out of a blissful massage (their spa? Worth every freaking penny), drink in hand, sun setting, and my dog, Winston, happily digging in the sand. Moments like *that*? Pure, unadulterated magic. Don't expect perfection, expect a really good, messy, often imperfect, but truly memorable vacay. Think of it as paradise with a little bit of "life" thrown in, if that makes any sense.
Let's talk dogs. Are they *really* dog-friendly? Like, REALLY? Beyond the "dogs on leashes, only in lobby" nonsense?
Listen, I am *obsessed* with my dog, Winston. If a place isn't truly dog-friendly, I'm out. Blu Monkey? They get it. They genuinely *get* that dogs are family. Winston practically ran the place. We had zero issues (besides Winston's occasional attempt to "fraternize" with the local lizards – that was a learning experience).
They provide dog beds, bowls, even some cute little treats. They let dogs eat (and nap!) on the deck of their dining room. We even had a special doggie welcome pack! *That* is how you win my heart. They let him on the beach, as long as we picked up after him, of course. The staff LOVED him. He got more attention than I did, honestly. And honestly, I didn't hate it! It's the little things, folks. The fact that I could relax and know Winston was happy made the whole trip a million times better. If your dog is chill, they'll be fine.
Oh, and one more thing: I noticed some dog-friendly villas had their own private courtyard, so Winston wandered around like the king he thought he was (and to be fair, he *is*). My advice to other dog parents? Book a villa! It makes the dog's vacay even better. Think of it as a private doggie park. Plus, you can leave your room without having to have to worry about everyone staring.
Is it *clean* clean? Because "luxury" doesn't mean much if the place is grimy.
Okay, this is important. Cleanliness is next to godliness in my book, especially when I'm paying a premium. Blu Monkey? Generally, yes. Very yes. Rooms were spotless when we arrived. The linens smelled divine. I may or may not have sniffed my pillow. Don't judge me.
However... (and there's always a however, isn't there?) ... I did spot one tiny, teeny, *itty bitty* spider in the corner of the shower. It was dead (thankfully) and I'm sure it was just a random accident BUT this did make me start examining the place very closely every day there on out. However it was still incredibly clean. So overall A++ on cleanliness.
The food. Tell me about the food. Is it as good as everyone says?
Alright, the food. Ah yes, the eternal question. Depends. First off, the breakfast buffet is a MUST. Seriously, get the omelette station going. The fresh fruit was amazing. I spent most of my mornings trying to recreate their guava juice. I failed. It never tasted the same. And I'm not usually a buffet person, but they did it right.
The rest? Hit or miss. Some dishes were *amazing*. Others? Well, let's just say my expectations were higher for the price. Specifically, the Pad Thai I ordered one night was… underwhelming. Like, "sad noodles" level underwhelming. But then the next night, I had this grilled fish dish that practically made me weep with joy. So, my advice? Explore the menu. Don't be afraid to try new things. Take risks! And if something isn't working, be *vocal*. The staff is generally accommodating. I mean, I'm glad I took that risk!
What about the location? Is it convenient or isolated?
This is where things get interesting, because there's a bit of a trade-off. Blu Monkey is a bit further out from the main tourist throngs. That's a *huge* plus if you want peace and quiet. You won't be tripping over other tourists every five seconds. This makes it ideal if you have dogs with you. Just lots of empty beach to run around in.
However, it's not smack-dab in the middle of everything. You'll need a taxi or scooter to get to the main attractions, restaurants, and… well, anything beyond the hotel. Taxis can get expensive, so renting a scooter if you are comfortable, is a good option. Make sure you're prepared to travel. But I found that "isolation" was part of the charm.
The pool - worth it?
The pool. Yes. Absolutely yes! The main pool? Gorgeous. Infinity edge, overlooking the ocean... it's all the right things. I spent a good portion of my vacation just floating there, pretending I'm on a commercial for something fancy.
However, I also caught a glimpse of the "reality". Let's just say I saw a screaming toddler (again, the toddler!) and then the same toddler *peeing* in the pool. This did, however, have zero impact on the gorgeous view. So, it is totally worth it. Just be aware that, as beautiful as it is, sometimes reality crashes in. Still though, the pool is a major highlight, especially if you can snag a good spot. Get there early to secure those prime sunbeds!
Are there any downsides I should know about before booking?
Okay, let's get real about the not-so-perfect parts. First, as touched on before the occasional screaming kid. I'm not saying it's the hotel's fault, of course. But if you're seeking absolute tranquility, be prepared to embrace the sounds of childhood.
Also, and this is a minor thing, the Wi-Stay Finder Review
