The airport is far away from most of the beaches. Many, if not all, hotels offer a pick up service, but check the charges before you order hotel transportation. We've seen hotels charge $50 or more for an airport pickup.
Be very wary of van services offered in the airport. We've heard many reports of these vans stopping off at tour offices on the way to hotels to sell people day trips. Your safest bet is to walk the short distance to the taxi stand in the airport parking lot. These taxis charge according to their meter, plus a 100 Baht (2.60 USD) airport fee. The total for a trip to Patong or Karon will generally be around 500 Baht (12.99 USD) which is what a 'limo' from the airport counter will cost. If you want to save yourself some hassles, you can book one of the transfers below in advance.