Advice on where to stay in Phuket over Christmas with teens

[StillSittingInACornerIHaunt]

Very excited to be in Thailand for Christmas.
Me, DP and 2 teens.
We're flying in to Phuket international, arriving 21:20 on the 20th Dec.
Flying to Bangkok on 27th, then on up to Chiang Mai for New year.
I'm looking for recommendations on areas to stay, open to hotel or air BnB. Not into the big proper touristy bit. Keen for beaches, restaurants, and some atmosphere.
Budget is small, we're not fancy!
A puzzle is we land at 21:20, having come via Beijing, so I'm trying to decide if we do 1 night close to the airport then travel on, or if we commit so somewhere further from the airport and travel to it late that night.
Keen for any personal recommendations of magic spots, happy to be a bit adventurous to find somewhere special.

we did Christmas in Nai Yang 2 years ago - was brilliant.. its not built up like Patong and places further south in Phuket. It's 5 mins from airport. we stayed at a hotel but there was lots for all budgets there. Highly recommend and lovely beach

Thanks @trying29 I was wondering if places so close to the airport would be ok but it sounds like they are. Did you do any day trips or anything?
Also, did you go out for Christmas day food, is there much to choose from?
Thanks so much.

Phuket Town is great for a few days. Loads of restaurants and roof top bars and interesting architecture. It's super easy to get a boat out to Koh Phi Phi from Phuket. Great for diving and beach time.

we did not do any day trips but there was tons on offer. Everywhere has special menus for Christmas Day, but we just ate at one of the beach restaurants. Our hotel had a big gala dinner on if you wanted to do that. Everywhere made an effort to celebrate Christmas which was lovely considering its not a national holiday

I haven't been since pre-covid but would advise NOT staying in Patong. Crowded, full of girly bars and European men with young Thai girls. Further along the coast is Karon and Kata beaches which are/were much quieter. We stayed in Kata and even that is only 1hr from the airport. Personally, I'd get to the hotel when you arrive, rather than staying near the hotel then moving yet again the next day.

Kata beach is dominated by the club med and some hotels are up on the hills, so you'd need to check reviews carefully. We stayed at this place which was almost across the road from the beach, near the shops, not up a hill and also had a pool. It was very reasonably priced at the time. https://www.sugarmarinahotel.com/fashion/

I've since read good reviews about Nai Yang but strangely, its somewhere I'd never heard of in the 4x I've been to Phuket.

Ah so is Phuket Town worth a visit? I thought it was over touristy and a bit grim? But perhaps that is just Patong which yes I know to definitely avoid!

We go just before Christmas every year ( back for 21st Dec) normally go to Khao Lak but stayed just by Patong last year for a change and hated it!
It was seedy and just not as chilled and friendly.
We find Khao Lak a great base for trips etc and there is a great market, close to walks with waterfalls that you just jump into a cab to get to, cheap amazing food, beautiful warm people and it feels safer plus you don't see the horrid sex tourist as it's more for families.
Depends on what you want.

Thanks @Ezzee would it be straightforward to get up to Khao Lak from the airport? It'd be 10pm ish by the time we're through immigration etc?
I really like the idea of being somewhere that has lovely beaches, cafes and restaurants, markets and I love the idea of being able to jump in a taxi to get to a waterfall.

We just get a taxi outside the airport, it’s about an hour 20 transfer. Go to bed as soon as you get there ( if late flight) wake up refreshed and ready!
Food in the beach restaurants are fab, plus the massage every day. All inexpensive.
No seediness that we’ve seen and been going for years.

I'm loving the sound of Khao Lak. I'd really like a nice chilled vibe but still with some life and music etc. Not necessarily 'nightlife' meaning loads of nightclubs, but definitely some life and music and vague drinking options after dinner...?

I've been doing more research and I'm now wondering if Kamala Beach might be best for us. I am thinking that being a bit further south of the airport means a day trip to phi phi is more doable as the drive to the east coast for those days trips is closer.
Has anyone been to Kamala Beach? 🙏

Phuket is seriously overcrowded especially in high season including Xmas. I’ve been going to Phuket for 15 years and I no longer recommend it to friends or family. The beaches are packed, it’s very popular with Russian tourists since the travel ban. The roads are gridlocked. Some of the smaller resorts in south Phuket have had so much development with blocks of condos going up on every corner. There is no infrastructure to cope with all the extra people and there are issues with sewage, water shortages and power cuts. It’s also very overpriced compared to the rest of Thailand. I go up to Khao Lak for the beaches now and enjoy the empty roads, but there isn’t much else to do there.