The Happy Eight Resort — apartment-style rooms with kitchens in a garden in Rawai that long-stayers rebook
Not a big resort, but a small place of 8 rooms in a tropical garden in Rawai that people stay at for a week and then come back to. The Happy Eight Resort positions itself as an aparthotel — every room is apartment-style with a full kitchen, fridge, stove, microwave and a separate living area. At the centre is a pool with a small waterfall that every room faces. The owner, Tom, runs it himself, speaks good English, and helps with motorbike rentals and transfers. It's about 800 m from the Sinbi Muay Thai camp and roughly 3 km from Nai Harn and Rawai beaches. From approx. THB 1,100/night. Scored 9.4 from 51 reviews.
What sets The Happy Eight apart from similarly priced hotels is that it's more an apartment than a hotel room. Each room has a full kitchen — a fridge with freezer, a stovetop, a microwave and a separate dining nook — and a living area apart from the bed. This is exactly why long-stayers, who stay for weeks or months, love it: you can cook for yourself, save on food and don't have to eat out every meal. Rawai has markets and supermarkets nearby, so stocking the kitchen is easy.
There are only 8 rooms here, all arranged around the garden and pool at the centre. Entry-level rooms are Economy and Triple types, while the larger Suites with pool or mountain views run to around 55 sqm with a King bed. Almost every review says the same thing about cleanliness — the cleanliness scores on the platforms are especially high, with daily housekeeping. Rooms are simply furnished, not luxurious, but spacious, comfortable and well kept. Many say the beds are more comfortable than they expected at this price.
"Stayed 25 nights — the room was spotless every day, I cooked in the kitchen, walked to the supermarket, and the Muay Thai camp was close by. It felt more like having a little home in Phuket than staying at a hotel."
The heart of the place is the outdoor pool with a small waterfall in a tropical garden that every room faces. It's not a big, fancy pool, but it's leafy and quiet — good for lounging in the afternoon or an easy swim. There are garden corners and patios to sit out and catch the breeze. Extras include massage, bicycle and motorbike rentals, and airport transfers and tours. The point guests praise again and again is the owner, Tom, who looks after guests himself — he speaks good English, recommends restaurants, arranges transport and sorts out problems quickly — a warmth a big chain can't match.
Be clear about the location. The Happy Eight is in the Rawai area on the south of the island and is not on the beach — it's about 3 km (a 5–10 minute drive) from Nai Harn and Rawai beaches. Its real draw is being close to the Sinbi Muay Thai camp, about 800 m away, which is the main reason people who come to train Muay Thai stay here. The neighbourhood is quiet, with restaurants, cafés and supermarkets within easy reach. But because it's not on the beach and public transport on the south side is sparse, nearly every review recommends renting a motorbike to get around.
To be honest about the weak points: because it's a small place in a residential area, some rooms hear motorbikes from the lane at times. Not being on the beach and relying on two wheels can feel inconvenient if you don't ride — you'd lean on Grab or taxis, which are slower to get here than over in Patong. And with only 8 rooms, high season fills up fast, so you need to book ahead. Overall, a 9.4 from 51 reviews and a #9-of-96 ranking among similar stays in Rawai on TripAdvisor show that those who fit its style are genuinely very happy.
To be clear, The Happy Eight Resort isn't the pick for a short trip where you want to walk to the beach from your room, or for full big-resort facilities. It's a place for people staying in Phuket longer — to train Muay Thai, work remotely, or live with their own kitchen in a quiet local neighbourhood. If that's your trip and you can ride a motorbike, it offers value and warmth that are hard to find at this price. But if you're here for a short beach break and want everything within walking distance, look at a beachfront stay in Kata-Karon or Patong instead.
A tip from reading many reviews here: message the owner ahead about motorbike rental and an airport transfer — he arranges both at good, reliable prices. Ask for a pool-view Suite if you want the larger room facing the garden. And if you're planning a long stay, ask about weekly/monthly rates directly with the owner — they're usually better than booking nightly through a platform.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Apartment-style rooms with full kitchens, ideal for longer stays
- ✓ Very clean, with daily housekeeping
- ✓ Owner (Tom) runs it himself, friendly and helpful with transport and rentals
- ✓ A quiet garden pool with a waterfall that every room faces
- ! Not on the beach — about 3 km from Nai Harn / Rawai, you need a vehicle
- ! Sparse public transport on the south side — a motorbike is almost a must
- ! Only 8 rooms — high season fills fast, book ahead
- ✓ Rooms larger than the price suggests, with comfortable beds
- ✓ Full in-room kitchens you can genuinely cook in
- ✓ Close to the Sinbi camp, ideal for Muay Thai trainers
- ✓ Friendly staff and owner who go out of their way to help
- ! Some rooms hear motorbikes from the lane
- ! You really need your own transport to get around easily
- ! A simple property without big-resort facilities
- 💡If you want to walk to the beach from your room, or you're here for a short beach trip — this is about 3 km from the sand and not on the beach → a beachfront stay in Kata-Karon or Patong fits better.
- 💡If you can't ride a motorbike — Rawai has sparse public transport, so you'd rely on Grab/taxis that are slow to arrive → budget for fares, or pick an area where shops and the beach are walkable.
- 💡If you're planning high season (Nov–Feb) — there are only 8 rooms and they fill fast → book several weeks ahead, and for a long stay ask the owner about monthly rates.