Luxury Hotels - Honeymoon in Phuket - Hotel Suggestions?

Hey all,

I am going to be honeymooning in Phuket this November and started to search for a hotel. It seems like these hotels keep coming up as the top hotels there are: Amanpuri, Trisara, Sri Panwa, Sala, Bayan Tree, Chedi, and Twin Palms. Anyone have any experience with these hotels or have any other suggestions?

I should be in Phuket for 6-7 nights (Spending some time in HK and Cambodia while I'm there as well). Budget is flexible.. of course I would love to get the best deal possible but if the rooms cost $1000 a night and people think that it is well worth the price, I could be okay with it. We would also be open to splitting up the time into 2 resorts as well. A private villa and our own private pool would be ideal, and it would be great to have an outdoor area where we can lay out and have a great ocean view.

About us.. we are in our late 20s, both have stressful jobs in NYC, love to travel, and enjoy great food.

There is a nice thread discussing Amanpuri vs Trisara HERE (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxury-hotels/1341069-trip-report-amanpuri-trisara-amanpulo.html). The poster clearly gave Amanpuri the edge. Neither would really come in just under 1k. Perhaps consider Saumi or (as I always suggest) northern thailand

. . . We would also be open to splitting up the time into 2 resorts as well. A private villa and our own private pool would be ideal, and it would be great to have an outdoor area where we can lay out and have a great ocean view. . . .

It sounds like a Pool Villa at Trisara would meet your requirements perfectly, but even the entry level suites have plunge pools and views.

Seven nights would be enough to split between Amanpuri and Trisara.

You might also look into R-C Phulay Bay and Rayavadee in Krabi, or Four Seasons or Karma in Samui.

Four Seasons Koh Samui has private plunge pools in all categories, and larger private pools in the Beach Villas.

Split your stay between Amanpuri and Trisara. Both great and very different. Do not think anymore, just go. Nothing else in Thailand comes close.

$910 trisara ocean view pool room
$1320 trisara ocean view pool suite
$1430 trisara ocean view pool villa
$1750 amanpuri partial ocean pool pavilion

Nothing else in Thailand comes close.
assuming you mean beach, excluding northern FS and MO

will be interesting to see soneva kiri reports here
there are some fans of six senses here
now six senses mgmt co has been sold, with founders focusing on soneva mgmt

Wow. Rates are going up. I would still spilt between Amanpuri and Trisara. Save money at Amanpuri by booking a non-view pavilion and spend much time at the beach and enjoying view from main areas and then splurge on a ocean view pool villa (possible to get an upgrade maybe by some TAs??) at Trisara.

And yes, Kage. I meant beach. Have not been to Northern Thailand, yet. Waiting for my son to grow old enough to go to Tented Camp etc.

The Naka Island at Starwood

Wow. Rates are going up. I would still spilt between Amanpuri and Trisara. Save money at Amanpuri by booking a non-view pavilion and spend much time at the beach and enjoying view from main areas and then splurge on a ocean view pool villa (possible to get an upgrade maybe by some TAs??) at Trisara.



^

No question!

Amanpuri for better food & beach .. Best gym with a view if you have time for it instead of the spa :)
If you have the time, stroll over - on the beach - to The Surin & have a meal there too

Should mention honeymoon when booking , there will be pleasant surprises ;) :cool:

At Puri now after a few days at FS Tented Camp. I've stayed here a half dozen times and two or three times at Trisara.

I would definitely choose Puri. Nothing in Thailand comes close. The pool villas at Trisara are the best villas of any resort I've been to, but with the beach and beautiful pool(s) at Puri, you won't mind not having a pool pavilion. Spa is very nice at Trisara also, but other than the villas and the spa, Puri is much better in every respect.

That being said Trisara is really nice and if you ask, they sometimes can be very flexible on rates.

I like the ocean view pavilions at Puri much more than the garden view. If I was budget constrained, I would consider splitting between a garden pavillion at Puri and an Ocean View (pool?) pavilion at Trisara.

You can't really go wrong, my only advice would be to spend at least part of your time at Puri.

Seems like everyone loves the Amanpuri and Trisara and I am going to spend some time looking into them. Has anyone been able to get any significant discounts off their published rates?

Also, if you wanted to go one step down from there at a cheaper price point, what resorts would fall into that category and how do they stack up against each other?

Seems like everyone loves the Amanpuri and Trisara and I am going to spend some time looking into them. Has anyone been able to get any significant discounts off their published rates?

Also, if you wanted to go one step down from there at a cheaper price point, what resorts would fall into that category and how do they stack up against each other?

For Trisara , do check with Anthony Lark.

At Amanpuri , if you are an Amanjunkie , book the lowest / garden pavilion & ( likely ) get upgraded :)

Then a step down? - there's The Surin next to Amanpuri - sharing the lovely beach.
They work ' closely ' together as Antonio S, the GM, was from Amanpuri .. As was Anthony - the pioneer.
Worthwhile to check it out .
( Can 't really comment on others, perhaps if you like ' crowds ', the JW Marriott has a range of decent restaurants, spa and pools to choose from.)

So it the order of stay can be Surin , Amanpuri then Trisara .

Another option is perhaps the RC at Krabi - closer to Aman standard.

For less $, besides Saumi, The Sarojin in Khao Lak north of Phuket is popular with the UK honeymoon crowd.... not really on the North American radar. I don't think the other Phuket options are worth the compromise

For Trisara , do check with Anthony Lark.

At Amanpuri , if you are an Amanjunkie , book the lowest / garden pavilion & ( likely ) get upgraded :)

Then a step down? - there's The Surin next to Amanpuri - sharing the lovely beach.
They work ' closely ' together as Antonio S, the GM, was from Amanpuri .. As was Anthony - the pioneer.
Worthwhile to check it out .
( Can 't really comment on others, perhaps if you like ' crowds ', the JW Marriott has a range of decent restaurants, spa and pools to choose from.)

So it the order of stay can be Surin , Amanpuri then Trisara .

Another option is perhaps the RC at Krabi - closer to Aman standard.

Happen to have the contact info for Anthony?

Agree totally about Amanpuri and Trisara. However, if budget becomes a little tight, or even if you want something more relaxed on the beach, then how about Anthony Lark's new baby, The Boathouse. Anthony's ex-second in command, Marie-Laure Fleury is GM there and she is excellent. http://www.boathousephuket.com/

Oh, and avoid, at ALL COST, Naka Island - the food is inedible.

Agree totally about Amanpuri and Trisara. However, if budget becomes a little tight, or even if you want something more relaxed on the beach, then how about Anthony Lark's new baby, The Boathouse. Anthony's ex-second in command, Marie-Laure Fleury is GM there and she is excellent. http://www.boathousephuket.com/

Oh, and avoid, at ALL COST, Naka Island - the food is inedible.

Funny that you recommend The Boathouse, I asked Gallivanter's this morning for advise on something off the beaten track in June and she came up with that as well. In saying that when I went to check on the website the entire month of June is blocked out for bookings so I'm still waiting on a reply to my e-mail :)

We'll be staying at the Banyan Tree for the first 6 nights (I know, I know, but I want to try their Double Pool Villa's and like the spa, besides, our stay at Banyan Tree Al Wadi was actually quite enjoyable), Amanpuri is closed the entire month, we've been to Trisara twice already and wanted something new. Also thinking of Rayavadee perhaps.

Anybody ever stay at Sri Panwa. I met the owner on my flight from HKT to BKK. Extremely personable. He used to always stay at Puri as a kid but said it's worth trying Sri Panwa. The pics on the website look nice.

Having been going to Thailand since the mid late 90s i personally would head Krabi way rather than Phuket or Samui, Rayvadee would be a shout, its pricey but the beach and general atmosphere is far less touristy than Phuket

We spent three Weeks @ The Sarojin in 09 and it was excellent. Especially the a la carte breakfast (one great Bircher Muesli), the staff and the quietness. But during our stay there were some new hotel developments on their way and I don`t know if the area is still as relaxed as it was.

We would be delighted to welcome you to Trisara and our rates include private airport transfers and full daily breakfast. Please see our website for the latest promotions during the next few months. Trisara

Funny that you recommend The Boathouse, I asked Gallivanter's this morning for advise on something off the beaten track in June and she came up with that as well. .

The Boathouse no matter how nice it is, is definitely not off the beaten track! It is surrounded by all the shops and bars on Kata Beach.

Having been going to Thailand since the mid late 90s i personally would head Krabi way rather than Phuket or Samui, Rayvadee would be a shout, its pricey but the beach and general atmosphere is far less touristy than Phuket

Perhaps looking at Krabi as a whole. But I have seen pictures of the Rayvadee beach with literally hundreds of people on it. :td:

Man... $1000 a night for the crappiest base room at Amanpuri seems insane. Is that worth it?

Are there any good hotels you can get a pool ocean-view villa at for $600-$1000 a night?

Man... $1000 a night for the crappiest base room at Amanpuri seems insane. Is that worth it?

Are there any good hotels you can get a pool ocean-view villa at for $600-$1000 a night?

I definitely say yes, but it depends on what you want, what you can affoard, which hotels you have enjoyed before, how important is excellent service, great food/spa/gym, timeless beautiful design etc. to you. Some people would surely be more than happy by staying at a suite in a Hilton, but if you want to enjoy the very best, Amanpuri and Trisara are the magic words in Phuket. This forum specialises in the very best hotels, so if you ask us, that is what you will hear. Ask someone else and they will rave about other hotels.

When I went on honeymoon 14 years ago (Amalfi Coast, Italy), we stayed in very good hotels, but nothing comparable to Amanresorts. We had a wonderful time and have later step by step learnt to enjoy the very best hotels around the world. Actually I am happy that I did not go to the top hotels already back than - there is a time for everything.

The Boathouse no matter how nice it is, is definitely not off the beaten track! It is surrounded by all the shops and bars on Kata Beach.

I thought the OP meant 'off the beaten track' - in a hotel sense, not a location sense. The Boathouse is in a popular location, but it is refreshingly quirky and different fro the usual suspects.

Don't get me wrong - I love the Boathouse but I do hate the overdevelopment that's happening in Phuket generally.

Man... $1000 a night for the crappiest base room at Amanpuri seems insane. Is that worth it?

Yes.

How's the SALA?

I think I might want to revise what we are looking for after seeing so many places. We are still on the fence about the Aman and Trisara - it is just hard to justify paying $1k a night for just a basic room, when there are other resorts that offer your own private pool villa for half of that. We are still thinking about it though.

It would be great to have a 1br pool villa type place that is around $600-$800 a night with taxes/fees. What are the top places that offer something like that?

i posted triasara rates
why phuket and not amanpulo etc?
if not amanpuri and you want beach then surin (no other beach compares)
mentioned/pictured in last amanpuri report - they water the beach so you can walk on it

deals >
just noticed sri panwa has started doing this >
1BR residence villa - "nestled within a larger Three Bedroom Residence Villa"
2BR residence villa - "nestled within a larger Four Bedroom Residence Villa"

currently only 2BR is loaded online, but its not much more than base villas...
http://www.sripanwaresidence.com/3-4_Bedroom_Sri_Panwa_Residence_Pool_Villa_Phuket.pd f
could ask six senses yao noi (mgmt) whether hilltop reserve will still be open to guests
not phuket - charitybuzz soneva kiri
I have seen pictures of the Rayvadee beach with literally hundreds of people on it.

rayavadee
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/2582/picture1iqe.png
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=rayavadee&ll=8.005867,98.836538&spn=0.007554,0.008272&client=safari&oe=UTF-8&fb=1&gl=us&hq=rayavadee&cid=0,0,16445563102209184144&t=h&z=17&vpsrc=6

Phranang beach...gets busy with daytrippers during the day

i posted triasara rates
why phuket and not amanpulo etc?
if not amanpuri and you want beach then surin (no other beach compares)
as mentioned/pictured in last amanpuri report - they water the beach so you can walk on it

deals >

could ask six senses yao noi (mgmt) whether hilltop reserve will still be open to guests
not phuket - charitybuzz soneva kiri

I agree that the Sarojin is a good alternative if you want to spend less. Not in the same league in terms of luxury as Trisara or Amanpuri, but very relaxing nonetheless.

Trying to make the same decision now for a trip in December. Leaning towards the RC at Phulay bay. 650/night is right in my comfort range, although Amanpuri is tempting.

If you've never stayed at Pulo, Puri, etc. you'll be fine someplace else like RC or FS. The Amans are like a good set of speakers or a nice car, once you've tried them it's hard going back to anything else. I was at FS Golden Triangle recently and had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't a dump.

Sometimes depending on the season, Trisara or Puri will provide a complimentary room upgrade. If your budget is tight you might try calling them and seeing if they can accommodate you a little on rates.

The Amans are like a good set of speakers or a nice car, once you've tried them it's hard going back to anything else.

Probably better I don't open that door just yet then.

Trying to make the same decision now for a trip in December. Leaning towards the RC at Phulay bay. 650/night is right in my comfort range, although Amanpuri is tempting.

It ' ll be lovely if you can swing both ;)

And it's a nice drive between them .. Enjoy

It ' ll be lovely if you can swing both ;)

And it's a nice drive between them .. Enjoy

+1 Even a day at Puri or Trisara would be nice. Check in early and check out late.

I was at FS Golden Triangle recently and had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't a dump.



Hilarious! :D

Anybody ever stay at Sri Panwa. I met the owner on my flight from HKT to BKK. Extremely personable. He used to always stay at Puri as a kid but said it's worth trying Sri Panwa. The pics on the website look nice.

Just read earlier that he was attacked and injured in a bar in Phuket.
http://www.hotelmanagement.com.au/2012/01/11/sri-panwa-general-manager-seriously-injured-after-knife-and-axe-attack/

Anybody ever stay at Sri Panwa. I met the owner on my flight from HKT to BKK. Extremely personable. He used to always stay at Puri as a kid but said it's worth trying Sri Panwa. The pics on the website look nice.

Villas are brillant, food very good - beach situation sadly bad.

Other beaches in Phuket have been damaged in a storm earlier this month -
http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phuket-beaches-battered-blown-away-photo-special-16117/