A family reviews their budget Aldi Holidays trip to Phuket, Thailand, highlighting pros and cons
Consensus Summary
A family took a budget holiday through Aldi Holidays to Phuket, Thailand, for under $4000, including flights, an eight-night stay at a Novotel, meals, drinks, and a free Thai massage. The trip was designed for convenience with a young child, offering a kids’ club, indoor playground, and predictable daily activities. While the family faced minor issues like toilet lines on the flight and an administrative hiccup with the Coral Island tour booking, they ultimately found the experience smooth and enjoyable. The package included a full-day island tour, despite initial problems, and the family praised the helpful staff and amenities. The writer emphasized the value of rest and simplicity for parents with young children, calling the trip worth far more than its cost.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The family booked a return trip to Phuket, Thailand, for three people through Aldi Holidays for $3965 after negotiations
- The package includes eight nights at a Novotel hotel in Phuket, free daily buffet breakfast, and a choice of lunch or dinner daily
- The package also covers return flights for three, a full-day Coral Island and Racha Island tour, daily drinks from the main bar, and a free Thai massage per guest
- The family traveled with a three-year-old child named Evie, who enjoyed the trip and asked when they could return
- The family experienced a 40-minute car ride from the hotel to Phuket proper, which they found prohibitive for frequent visits
- The hotel included a kids’ club with beanbags, toys, games, and a giant TV, with staff supervision during the day
- The family stayed in a room with a cot prepared for Evie beside their king-size bed, complete with a tiny pillow and doona
- The family arrived at the hotel by 10:15 PM after a one-hour drive from the airport
- The family encountered toilet line issues and occasional odors during the eight-hour flight to Phuket
- The family’s trip included a free transfer to and from the airport, eliminating the need to book a car
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The writer mentions Aldi-branded Tim Tams are less caramelly, bread is less crisp, and soft goat cheese is not as good as Meredith’s
- The writer notes the buffet features breakfasts commonly eaten in the West, many parts of Asia, and Russia, highlighting her Polish background enjoying vegetable and egg salad with cold meats
- The writer specifically mentions the indoor playground at the hotel is free for the first hour and a small fee for each additional hour with trained staff
- The writer describes the Coral Island tour company initially forgetting to inform the third-party tour company of their participation, requiring direct messaging to the Aldi chief marketing officer on LinkedIn to resolve
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- No contradictions found between the two articles as they are nearly identical in content
Source Articles
I booked a bargain trip through Aldi Holidays. Here’s how it went
Sometimes the products Aldi sells are just a little bit off the mark, but eight nights in Thailand – including return flights for three – for less than $4000 was too cheap to resist....
I booked a bargain trip through Aldi Holidays. Here’s how it went
Sometimes the products Aldi sells are just a little bit off the mark, but eight nights in Thailand – including return flights for three – for less than $4000 was too cheap to resist....