The Memory at On On Hotel
by the TopOfHotel team
The Memory is a night inside the oldest hotel on the island, with a story that runs back to 1929 — it trades on history and the charm of the building far more than on modern-room convenience.
The Memory is a night inside the oldest hotel on the island, with a story that runs back to 1929 — it trades on history and the charm of the building far more than on modern-room convenience.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
The Memory at On On Hotel is no ordinary place — it is the oldest hotel in Phuket, open since 1929, which makes it 95 years old, and it sits on the corner of Phang Nga and Thalang at the heart of the Old Town. The building is genuine three-storey Sino-Portuguese, with a carved wood balcony, arched windows and a mix of Asian-European ornament that is hard to match. The 50-plus rooms are furnished mostly with original fittings — antique patterned floor tiles, 3.5-metre ceilings, old ceiling fans and period green-and-blue bathroom tile. No two rooms are alike, ranging from 18 to 30 sqm. Real reviews on Trip.com (9.5/10) agree the place keeps its original charm beautifully: clean rooms, new bedding and friendly staff who speak several languages. A few do mention motorbike noise from Phang Nga Road, which an upper floor solves.
Food and amenities
The Memory has no pool, no breakfast, no spa and no gym — it sells the experience of the building, pure and simple. Reception runs 24 hours, with staff who book tours, arrange motorbike rental and point you to the best Old Town restaurants and cafés. Inside is a small library holding antique photographs of Phuket from the 1930s to the 1970s and old hotel objects — a treat for history lovers, and a fine spot for a morning coffee. Every meal means stepping out, but that is barely a hardship: famous local spots are a few steps away, including O-Aew Lung (200 m), Mee Hoon Mae Kim (300 m) and Tim Sum Racha Tod (500 m), where breakfast, lunch or dinner runs about $1.50 to $6 a head. Every room has free Wi-Fi, air-con and a new-screen LED TV. Overall score 9.0/10.
Location and getting there
The Memory sits on the corner of Phang Nga and Thalang, the two main streets of Phuket's Old Town, lined with Sino-Portuguese shophouses and well-known restaurants and cafés you can photograph all day. The Sunday Walking Street (Lard Yai) is just a 3 to 5-minute walk away — closer than Casa Blanca, even. Well-loved cafés like Bookhemian, Campus and Sino-Café are 2 to 5 minutes on foot, and the local restaurants are all within walking distance. A Grab or taxi into the Old Town runs roughly $17 to $23 from the airport and $9 to $14 from Patong. Patong Beach is 17 km, about a 35-minute drive, and Phuket Airport is 33 km, about 45 minutes to an hour.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. First, understand that this is an old hotel, not a luxury resort — no pool, no free breakfast, no extras. Anyone expecting 4- or 5-star convenience will be let down, but anyone who loves old buildings and history will fall hard. Second, street noise: because it sits on the corner of two main roads, motorbikes and cars pass all day, and ground-floor rooms are louder. Ask for floor 2 or 3 and an inside room away from the street and it gets much quieter. Third, rooms are not big — 18 to 30 sqm for a Twin or Double, not suited to a family with two or three kids, and small children have nothing to do in the building. Families should pick Casa Blanca, which has a small pool, instead.
Our take
The Memory at On On Hotel is a pick with no real rival — the oldest hotel on the island, used to film Leonardo DiCaprio's The Beach, from about $34 a night. It is like sleeping in a museum that is still open for business. If your idea of a trip is touching real history rather than a replica, embracing the charm of an old building, and skipping the pool and the resort polish, this is the answer. A Trip.com score of 9.5/10 proves history and film fans worldwide love it. But if you want a spotless room with full amenities, this is not your place. Overall we give it 9.0/10 — best for backpackers, history-minded travelers, and anyone who wants a fresh Phuket experience at a low rate.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- It is the oldest hotel in Phuket, open continuously since 1929 — that is 95 years of history, and it feels less like a hotel than a working museum you can sleep in.
- The building is genuine three-storey Sino-Portuguese, with a carved wood balcony, arched windows and a mix of Asian-European detailing that is hard to find anywhere else, and it stood in for the Bangkok backpacker lodge in The Beach (2000).
- It sits right on the corner of Phang Nga and Thalang, the two main streets of the Old Town, so the photogenic shophouses, cafés and local restaurants are all on your doorstep.
- Rates are the lowest on this list, starting around $34, which makes it ideal for backpackers and anyone who loves old buildings over fresh-from-the-box rooms.
- Real Trip.com guests give it 9.5/10, praising clean rooms, brand-new bedding and friendly multilingual staff — proof the place wins over history and film fans from all over the world.
- This is an old hotel, not a luxury resort. There is no pool, no free breakfast and no in-room extras, so anyone expecting 4- or 5-star convenience will be disappointed — the trade is character and history for comfort.
- Because it sits on the corner of two busy streets, motorbikes and cars pass all day and the lower-floor rooms are noticeably louder. Ask for floor 2 or 3 and an inside room away from the street for a much quieter night.
- Rooms are not large — 18 to 30 sqm for a Twin or Double — and there is nothing in the building for small children to do, so families of four or five should look at Casa Blanca, which has a small pool, instead.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Phuket
Day tours, attraction tickets and experiences around Phuket — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
See activities in PhuketAffiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Insider Tips
- Ask for an upper-floor room (floor 2 or 3); it is quieter than the ground floor on the street, with far less motorbike noise.
- There is no breakfast, so walk to the dim sum and o-aew stalls just down the street — best value at about $1.50 to $3 per person.
- Photograph the 1929 Sino-Portuguese facade from the carved wood balcony for the most memorable shots.