MKB

I didn't make the opening night, but was there for the second night yesterday with my partner. (Just a one-night stay sandwiched between Le Méridien stays.)

We arrived at the Ao Po Grand Marina in a car arranged by Le Méridien (at a cost of 1010BHT. - Naka Island Resort offered the same transfer in their BMW Series 7 for 3000BHT.) Their speed boat was waiting for us and transferred us to Naka Yai island in just under five minutes. All room rates seem to include this transfer at the moment, but I was told that, when charged separately, the cost is 1500 BHT per person each way which seems very pricey for such a short journey.

As you can see from this map, the resort is on the North-Eastern tip of the island, having closed as the Six Senses Wellness Resort on July 31. The resort has its own private pier where you arrive. The fishing village to the south has a public pier.

We were met by Pol, our excellent and very enthusiastic butler and greeted by Erich the General Manager. Pol took us in a buggy directly from the end of the pier to our villa where he showed us around and did check in. This villa definitely had a wow! factor. We had been upgraded to a Seaview Pool villa as a Platinum, but all villas seemed to be equally impressive from what I could see, the differences being only in view and whether they have a pool. (I'm excluding the Royal Horizon villa, which I think is the enormous complex in the top right of the resort on the map, and dwarfs all the others.)

Accommodation consists of a large air-conditioned bedroom with glass windows on all sides. The rest of the accommodation is outdoors and surrounded at the sides and rear by a high wall to ensure privacy. Behind the bedroom is an open garden area. Behind this is a covered vanity area with two sinks. A wardrobe and combined shower/steam room lie behind this. Off to the side is a door to the toilet. To the other side of the garden is a semi-enclosed sunken bath with shuttered blinds that can be opened to look out on to the sea. Next to the bath "room" there is an outdoor shower.

The outdoor location of the toilet and sinks may not appeal to everyone as you are at the mercy of the mosquitoes and other insects and creepy crawlies -- there are plenty! -- but we loved it. Candles are placed along the paths to the bathroom at night, and mosquito coils are burned. An incense burner is also lit.

In front of the bedroom, steps lead out to the covered sala with ceiling fan and loungers. This is next to the plunge pool. Two more loungers lie on the other side of the pool with their own sunshade.

As a Platinum, we were offered late check-out and one free drink per guest per day at the Z Bar on the North-Western tip of the resort. We were also sent two vouchers for a complimentary welcome 30-minute massage at the spa. I don't know if this was a Platinum gift, an opening offer or standard. The treatment was pleasant, if brief, consisting of a 3-minute foot wash and 15-minute massage. The spa facilities look extensive but sections, such as the Chinese Spa, were not yet open.

The main pool looked very inviting but we did not use it. We found a second semi-circular pool with glass side, reminiscent of the seal show tanks at theme parks, but that was not yet open.

The food was ok. We had the two vegetarian Thai options at dinner and they were a little underwhelming - nowhere near as good as the food at Le Méridien's Thai restaurant. The background music in the restaurants and Z Bar was poorly chosen. I suspect they were aiming for a chilled Ibiza sound, but we got an ultra bland muzak with occasional hints of funk and jazz.

We borrowed a couple of DVDs from the Concierge to play in the room (complimentary). The seats in the room don't face the tv, nor will the tv swivel to face the bed. You have to physically move the base of the tv to achieve the latter, and then prop yourself up on the bed. Housekeeping will have lowered the mosquito nets around the bed at turndown, so you have to tie them up again to watch tv in the evening.

Today, we walked to the fishing village to the south, and then across to the beautiful sandy beach on the east of the island. After a few hours enjoying our private pool and sala, and also the fast wifi connection in the room, we were checked out in our room by Pol and escorted back to the speed boat by buggy.

All of the staff are very keen to please and the location itself is pure heaven. My only regret is that we didn't have time to stay longer. I would return in an instant.