All you need to know about the land of silk and smiles
Villa Royale
This resort is exclusive, elegant and expensive and is located at the northern end of Contact details: 
cars and even make medical appointments. An English language newspaper is delivered to the room every day along with fresh fruits and delicacies from the superb kitchen. Head Chef Jean-Noel Lumineau ensures the restaurant here is one of Phuket’s finest with incredible service, magnificent views and a truly international menu. For us the big plus is the privacy and the magnificent views from the balconies
Golden Tulip Mangosteen Resort
and Spa
The fantastic views from the high ground on which this luxury resort sits
are just one of the attractions of this 40-villa complex set inland from the
Chalong to Rawai road. Each of the suites has garden bathrooms and a private
Jacuzzi. Nice touch: All the terraces come with a comfy hammock from which to
enjoy the views.
There’s a stunning swimming pool featuring a water curtain with 14 waterfalls,
a swimming channel with powerful stream jets, an inbuilt Jacuzzi plus it has an
infinity edge. It’s worth checking on the Internet for package deals that
include excursions, well-priced considering the luxury offered. From the
expensive and extensive restaurant you get views of several bays and similar
vistas from the highly ranked spa. Nai Harn bea
ch is a five minute drive
away.
All the villas have satellite television, wireless Internet access, a large
separate sitting area, in-room safe, CD player, IDD telephone, dimmer lights,
rain showers and a hair dryer. The resort also supplies mosquito spray,
something which few Thai hotels do. Managers have told me that if they supply
this it is an admission that there is a mosquito problem.
Something I enjoy here is the Sunday brunch which has now become a popular
attraction for the many expatriates living in the area. There is a package
price which includes a good bottle of wine – your choice of red or white – which is reasonable considering the expansive array of good food that is
offered. Theme of the brunch changes each week.
One minor snag: Because of the high terrain it is a healthy climb from the
guest parking to the resort lobby. But one lives and learns. On my last couple
of trips there I drove up to entrance, left the car, and walked to the lobby
where very obliging bell boys were happy to park the car and retrieve it
whenever it was needed. It was well worth a tip which was gratefully received.
Contact details: 99/4 Moo 7, Soi Mangosteen,
TwinPalms
This is an elegant, modern boutique hotel with
only 76 luxury rooms and suites surrounded by palm trees and cleverly arranged
around a large swimming pool. The TwinPalms (their way of spelling it without a
space) has an excellent spa with nine treatment rooms, gym, wellness center,
well stocked library and h
as free internet access in every room.
We particularly enjoyed the very lavish Sunday
brunch here, which attracts many of Phuket’s expatriate population. Surin is a
very upmarket part of Phuket and many of the homes in the area cost more than a
million-dollars. We also appreciated the underground parking, which is
available at no charge to guests. It meant you vehicle is kept away from
Phuket’s hot sun. Fifteen of the resort’s rooms have direct entry to the lagoon
pool and all the rooms have special mattresses, which can be turned to provide
firm support for Asian guests or to a softer level for Europeans. The rooms are
furnished in modern style with two IDD telephones, flat screen TVs with
satellite channels, in-room safe, silent air conditioning, minibar and 24-hour
room service.
The beach is 175 meters away and the hotel
operates a shuttle in high season. There is a reserved area on the beach for
hotel guests and there’s no extra charge for sun beds. The 24-hour front desk
can organize island tours, elephant trekking or arrange tee-times at one of the
island’s golf courses. The resort’s excellent Oriental Spoon Restaurant
and Oyster Bar is very much an up-market eatery and its high prices are
reflected in the top quality dishes and splendid service. If you are staying at
the hotel and are looking for a cheaper meal there are several good spots
within walking distance. A very helpful young team of workers here all eager to
please. Expect to pay $175 a night and that does include Internet access.
Contact details: TwinPalms,106/46 Moo 3,
The Aspasia Phuket
This is an unusually designed and decorated resort in a wonderful location overlooking
There are two swimming pools, a well-equipped gym and a great spa where we spent a wonderful ninety minutes being revitalized. The prices are
reasonable and many times there are special deals available only to those staying here.The all day Melina’s restaurant has a varied menu and at lunchtime there is a special Issan menu featuring dishes from
If you want to be in Patong, but still prefer a quieter place to stay, this is an ideal choice. The resort is perfectly suited to the budget traveler who stills wants some luxury. It is well worth paying the additional money for a room in the nicer Busakorn Wing.
This is an excellent place to stay in Patong, Phuket’s busiest and noisiest tourist center. The property is divided into two wings - the main wing and the newer and superior Busakorn Wing. The location across from the beach is deal and outside the entrance gates there is a hive of activity. Enter into the hotel and it is a quiet oasis offering good accommodation and facilities at reasonable prices.
All the 265 rooms here are large. The deluxe rooms in the main wing either face the pool or the
ket prices. The studio rooms in the Busakorn Wing give you a choice of king size or two single beds and all have a pool view. Additional facilities are a sitting area and writing table and tea and coffee making facilities, an iron and ironing board and a large shower room. Non-smoking rooms are available. Quality inexpensive dining is available throughout the property. There are four good restaurants to suit everyone's taste. You can enjoy Phuket’s famous seafood; prime US imported steaks, Italian favorites and authentic Thai cuisine. Great buffets every evening at the Seafood Café attract a lot of patrons from outside the hotel. In-room dining is available 24 hours a day. There is a fine spa and beauty salon with a fair price structure, far lower than prices charged by other area hotels. Some of the attractive Thai operators are not proficient in English. However they make up for that with their smiles and skills. Two nice swimming pools, attractive landscaped gardens and a reception desk packed with ideas for excursions are other plus factors for this resort.
Contact details: 52 Thaweewong Road,
The Racha
This is one of the premier resorts of the world, which opened all its facilities in 2005. It is a millionaire’s eco-friendly piece of paradise set on island that has the whitest sand and the most modern accommodation and spa that money can buy. Its minimalist stark décor blends incredibly well with the natural beauty of the island that it dominates. The 69 villas are fully equipped – 24-hour internet connections, outdoor showers in a small garden, big bathrooms, and entertainment center are all standard features - but there is not one curtain in the entire development. Washing those takes valuable water and damaging detergent. Instead, wooden slats and blinds keep out the light and give a more natural feel. In creating this special haven, everything was done to protect the environment. Only seven trees were cut do
wn (and they were replaced by fourteen) and holes were made in roofs or in walkways to accommodate the existing trees. The most expensive villa has everything a hideaway seeker could want - a private infinity pool overlooking the beach and beyond, a bath that could house a football team and its own espresso machine. There are some negatives about staying in on this fantasy island. Getting here involves a 12-mile crossing of
Courtyard Phuket at Kamala Beach
The 180 all-suites Courtyard by Marriott Phuket at
The two and three bedroom suites have private balconies, separate living areas and a kitchenette with refrigerator and microwave oven.
The resort’s MoMo Café, pictured here, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The MoMo
2 Go is open throughout the day with a full range of snacks, sandwiches, salads and beverages. Room service is available from 6.30am until 10pm. There is also a pool bar. Other amenities here include the outdoor swimming pool with water slide, 24-hour front desk, concierge desk, car rental desk, babysitting service, valet-dry cleaning and copy and fax services.
The hotel has six meeting rooms for business or social functions. The largest can accommodate 140 guests. The resort has a special opening rate of 2,999 Baht per night – a bargain for this quality resort.
Contact details: 100/10 Moo 3,
This is a small, spotless hotel, with large airy rooms, in a great location and with low rates and friendly service. The hotel comprises 42 rooms – half of them face out over the
w room in low season to $52 for a sea view
room in high season. The property also has special monthly rates. In low season, you can stay here for a month for $450. These prices include a full American breakfast, taxes and service. All the rooms have air-conditioning, satellite television, minibar, refrigerator, private balcony, telephone and bathroom with a bathtub. There are computers with Internet connections available in the lobby.
The hotel is just yards away from
Hilton Phuket 
Arcadia
Three spectacular swimming pools with a waterfall complement this five-star resort, which became a Hilton late in 2004 with a major new look for its rooms. The resort was given a more modern look in many of its public areas too, with new furnishings and tile flooring in meeting rooms and reception areas, and a spa added in a new building beside the property’s central lagoon. Tiles in the guest rooms were replaced with varnished wood floors and modern Thai furnishings and wall hangings added. The Hilton Phuket is the biggest quality hotel in Phuket with 685 rooms set in 75 acres of tropical gardens.
Dining choices are two cafes and three restaurants all offering a choice of Thai or western cuisine at reasonable prices. There are also numerous restaurants and bars within easy walking distance of the resort. There is something here for everyone. In addition to the pools, the
re are squash and tennis courts and a children’s playground. The vast grounds are ideal for evening strolls and the resort’s tour desk can suggest and arrange day trips around Phuket or to the neighboring islands. The hotel offers a free SCUBA diving class and can later organize dives around the island. The new spa and fitness center are well worth a visit. A big plus is that you are within walking distance of numerous shops and entertainment areas. The resort is fully equipped to hold large business meetings and seminars. Good priced packages make this an affordable family vacation spot. Major drawback is the large size and the fact that the hotel is not directly on the beach. Offsetting that is the great number of facilities and a large team of employees determined that you will enjoy your stay. Contact details: 333 Patak Road,
