We recently spent a fortnight at By The Sea Residence and can honestly say that we had a quiet, peaceful and thoroughly relaxing holiday in an unspoiled part of Phuket Island.

If it's excitement and a lively resort with a bustling nightlife you are seeking then By The Sea at Khao-Khard Beach is definitely not for you. The more commercialised west coast resorts of Patong Beach and Karon Beach would be better suited to those that want to party late and enjoy crowded beaches and non stop noise.

By The Sea Residence is positioned in a very quiet area on a hillside overlooking the gorgeous Chalong Bay with its many islands. It is right next door to Novotel and there are signs of the development of more hotels and apartments on the hillside so the tranquillity of the area will probable not survive for much longer.

On the plus side, all the rooms at By The Sea Residence have fantastic sea views looking out directly across the bay. In addition, the rooms are very spacious with kitchen and lounge areas as well as large bedrooms. All rooms have satellite TV although very limited on English speaking channels.

The restaurant is at beach level alongside the small pool and the menu is reasonable although a bit limited. Pricing of food is more expensive than the two or three nearby beach bars and averages around 150 - 200 baht for a meal but there is a 10% service surcharge plus a 5% Government Tax both of which don't apply at the local beach restaurants/bars. We were able to buy a meal at these beach bars for as little as 50 baht!

The staff at By The Sea are excellent - always courteous, always smiling and the management went out of their way to make our stay comfortable and enjoyable.

There is very little to do in the evening at By The Sea and customers would benefit from having occasional entertainment by the pool - something which the Novotel next door did on a regular basis to good effect.

The beach is not particularly good at Khao-Khard and there are problems for families in particular. The sandy area is quite narrow and when the tide is out (which can sometimes be for most of the day) there are large rocks which makes swimming at low tide impossible. At high tide it is possible to swim safely but even then foot covering is recommended as it is not unusual to find broken glass on the beach and in the sea. We eventually paid 650 baht for a taxi to Kata Beach on the west coast which is wonderful for bathing and has a fantastic beach and is certainly a class above the Karon and Patong Beach resorts in every respect.

If you want to go into Phuket Town for some shopping, By The Sea provides a complimentary mini-bus service twice daily and it takes about 20 minutes door to door.

Also provided free of charge is the use of bikes and canoes for those who want a little exercise.

By The Sea Residence will suit those who are seeking a peaceful holiday and are happy to laze in the sun and have the occasional dip in the pool or the sea (when the tide is in). If you like relaxing and doing very little other than chilling out then this is definitely the place for you.