The 11 Greatest Hotels in Phuket, from Oceanside Villas To Wellness Retreats

Cross the island’s jungle-cloaked heart for a culture fix in Phuket Town, where good cafes and subsequent-gen cocktail bars breathe new life into the Sino-Portuguese warehouses lining its oldest streets. Nearby, the quiet and craggy coastline of Cape Panwa delivers eye-popping views over the island-dotted Phang Nga Bay. We’ve narrowed down the a whole bunch of locations to remain to a tight edit of our favourite Phuket resorts, in no explicit order. Every lodge on this list has been chosen independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has stayed at that property. When choosing lodges, our editors consider both luxurious properties and boutique and lesser-known properties that offer an authentic and insider experience of a vacation spot. We’re always on the lookout for lovely design, an amazing location, and heat service-in addition to critical sustainability credentials. There are just a few hotels of be aware on Phuket’s sunrise-dealing with east coast, with COMO Level Yamu being the brightest of the bunch-and in our opinion, among the finest motels in all of Thailand.

Life In + Phuket

Considerably confusingly, the villas-traditional Thai affairs with pointed roofs and teakwood floors-are spread over three distinct areas: e book the grownup-only Spa Sanctuary villas for all-you-can-spa perks, or the DoublePool villas for twin pools and heaps of area. But even the entry-level villas at the main tackle offer plenty of comforts, with open-air bathtubs, walled gardens, and pools lengthy sufficient for laps. Sprawled over a lush hillside (Full Statement) dotted with historical banyan trees and indigenous foliage, the Rosewood Phuket’s 71 elegant villas and suites really feel extra like island homes than lodge digs, due to their cozy dwelling room areas decorated with keepsakes, recent flowers, and coffee desk books. This resort could also be positioned inside eyeshot of Patong Seaside-the island’s rowdy epicenter-but from the second you turn up at its monogrammed entrance gates, it feels a world away. The Asaya spa is one in all Rosewood’s best in the area, the place serious spa junkies ought to book themselves into the Asaya Villa, a spacious day-use spa retreat with a non-public watsu pool and Himalayan salt sauna.

All merchandise and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something by way of our links, we might earn an affiliate commission. From coastal retreats to jungle hideouts, private beaches to personal butlers, muay Thai trainers to twin swimming pools-Thailand’s largest island and longest-standing vacation hotspot has lodge options aplenty, but selecting the appropriate one generally is a daunting job. Phuket is blessed with greater than thirty totally different bays and beaches, and while all of them rating high marks by way of postcard prettiness, their vibes (and therefore, their resort line-ups) range extensively. A lot of the trip motion occurs across the bays on its western coast, from the laid-back Nai Harn and Rawai beaches within the coral-fringed deep south to the seemingly endless stretch of crowd-free sand of Mai Khao on the island’s north. In between, there’s buzzy nightlife round Patong, household fun around Kamala, and an inspired restaurant scene around the expat hub of Bang Tao.

All come with sala-covered sundecks, some with private pools. Its Holistic Wellness Centre, the primary of its type throughout the Aman group, veers approach beyond the standard spa trappings and affords medical companies that include IV nutrient infusions and cryotherapy. Look for Phuket inspiration on Instagram, and you’re guaranteed to return throughout Keemala, a highly photogenic lodge pitched within the Kamala rainforest on the island’s west coast. Its hillside retreats range from glamorous safari tents to two-story tree homes and come with non-public swimming pools and adjoining sundecks (e book the Bird’s Nest Pool Villas if you’re after additional house). The interiors meld safari chic with jungle dwellings-teakwood walls, stone-carved bathtubs, and fabrics in earthy tones. If you manage to go away your cocoon, the nearest beach is a 10-minute drive away, however Keemala’s knowledgeable Mala Spa and health-targeted Mala Restaurant (opt for the southern Thai specialties) present simply as many opportunities to up the feel-good issue.

Set on the tip of Cape Yamu, this wellness-centered place balances out its straight-lined design with inherently Thai touches (gorgeous Buddhist artworks amongst them) and a pinch of Mediterranean aptitude courtesy of Italian designer Paola Navone. There isn’t any direct seashore entry, but COMO’s swish beach club, set on a semi-non-public islet some 20 minutes away, more than makes up for that-as does the stunning 330-foot pool. Sharing the identical seaside and architect-the late Ed Tuttle-as Amanpuri subsequent door, this lengthy-standing basic on Phuket’s west coast has garnered a loyal following for its well-priced rooms and outstanding service. Rooms are sleek, finished up in crisp whites and electric-blue hues, and have fabulous views over Phang Nga Bay. The dramatic Thai-impressed Lomtalay restaurant and sweeping granite staircases leading as much as it have Tuttle’s fingerprints all over it, as does the lounger-lined hexagonal swimming pool clad in chalkboard-black anthracite. Rooms, quite the opposite, are vivid and breezy affairs with palettes of white and gray warmed up with touches of gemstone-hued silk.

Probably the greatest-and priciest-locations to mattress down in Phuket is Trisara, an ultra-luxe resort set by itself cape on the northwest facet of the island. Its 39 secluded villas are as fairly as they’re spacious, designed in a trendy Thai type and every kitted out with ocean-view terraces, an infinity pool, and butlers on name. Trisara’s remote location means it’s far away from any vacationer sights, but there’s little reason to go away: There’s a gorgeous sunbed-lined pool for lounging and laps, in addition to a powdery white seashore solely friends have entry to. The Jara spa combines sensational ocean views with soothing Thai therapeutic massage remedies, and there are three wonderful restaurants for palm-shaded beachfront dining, together with the Michelin-starred Pru and famous barbecues at Seafood by Trisara. The adjoining stretch of Bang Tao beach may not be the most picturesque and the setting between condominium buildings not the most enticing-but none of that matters after you’ve checked in at considered one of Banyan Tree’s private pool villas.