Katathani Phuket Beach Resort

If you want a beach vacation where nobody has to compromise, this is the Phuket resort I'd point families toward first. It takes up most of the Kata Noi beachfront, spread across low-rise wings with six pools between them and lawns that run onto the sand. Kids' clubs, connecting rooms, several restaurants and spa pavilions mean the grandparents, the parents and the six-year-old can all have completely different days and still meet for dinner.

Kata Noi itself does a lot of the work here. The water is sheltered and swims well for most of the year, and the sunset drops straight off the front of the beach rather than round some headland you have to walk to. It's a quieter bay than Kata proper, which is about five minutes over the hill if you want more choice for eating out.

Honestly, this is a big resort, and it feels like one. If you're after something small and personal, or you want to walk out of your room into a busy street of bars, look elsewhere. If you want ease, space and a genuinely good beach at the door, it's hard to beat on this coast.