Originally Posted by
deer
- Sri Panwa Villas look brillant, but the beach seems to be lousy.
@vuittons: What do you mean by "whacky" Sri Panwa?
Do the 1-bedroom-ocean-villas feel as private and modern as at Trisara?
- The Racha - does it really qualify as luxury, or is it more kind of a well designed, but noisy 4-star?
- Six Senses Yao Noi: The views on the rock formations in the ocean seem to be fantastic - but the reviews are really mixed... Has the ex-Aman-GM turned it to the better in the meanwhile?
The Racha - don't go there. Very funky, but not very good service wise.
- Or: Has anybody any idea how to get a Pavillion/Villa at Trisara or Amanpuri, despite their saying, that the waiting list for christmas period is very long?
I have stayed at the JW Marriott Phuket and it is not in the same arena as Trisara and Amanpuri - very package-tour. The gardens with water features and flaming torches at night are spectacular (Bill Bensley design) and the suites are acceptable, but the food is just so-so and the beach is not really swimmable. Also, the location is not great - quite a drive away from everything else. Next door is the new Anantara which is owned by the same guy that owns the JW Marriott. This is smaller and smarter, but is still only a four star plus. Food is good though.
Sri Panwa is wacky because it really caters to an affluent young hip market. Big villas and lots of disco and mood parties. It's a happening sort of place whichis fine if that's what you want, but it is nowhere near as chic and elegant as Trisara and Amanpuri. The 1-bed ocean villas are nowhere near as well designed and built as Trisara.
Six Senses Yao Noi is overseen by Henry Gray (ex Aman) but he is not the GM, just the area VP. They had a lot of problems with the build when it first opened - too cheap, so things were falling apart. Maybe that has improved, but even so, this is seriously rustic, like most Six Senses.
Best way to get on the Trisara wait-list is either to have a connection, say, with a serious high-end travel advisor like Bill Fischer in NYC, or one of the high-end travel newsletter editors, or e-mail Anthony Lark personally and see what he can do.