Rosewood Hotels and Resorts
Apr 4, 2019, 10:36 am
#136
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NYC
Posts: 427
3 different architects were employed on this project - the first two were fired and the third was basically hired to try and put things right.
The resort is built right on the edge of Patong, which is Phuket's red light district, and yes, you can see it from the resort.
The 'beach' is a narrow strip, which is a public beach. The resort cannot put its own loungers on it, so you have to sit inside a little fence or around the pools (which are lovely). The 'beach' is accessed via a gate in a low picket fence.
If you take a beach villa, you can often hear noisy revellers from Patong getting drunk on the beach outside, which is not ideal, as these are meant to be the best accomodation.
Otherwise, you take a suite in the resort's concrete jungle, which can only be reached by calling for a buggy.
Basically, you enter the resort from a winding road at the top. The resort itself is built on concrete terraced platforms that go down to the lower level, where the pools are. I have rarely seen so much concrete in one resort.
The access roads are like concrete fairground slides that wind upwards - quite narow for the buggies and very ugly.
Butler service seems to revolve around them driving you in buggies from room to pools, to restaurants etc. Tip-hungry for sure.
Restaurants are quite good and nicely designed by the third architect on the project.
To sum up - wrong location, no beach, ugly, awkward design (although the interiors are quite nice) and tip-hungry butlers.
Why anyone would prefer this to Trisara is beyond me.
The resort is built right on the edge of Patong, which is Phuket's red light district, and yes, you can see it from the resort.
The 'beach' is a narrow strip, which is a public beach. The resort cannot put its own loungers on it, so you have to sit inside a little fence or around the pools (which are lovely). The 'beach' is accessed via a gate in a low picket fence.
If you take a beach villa, you can often hear noisy revellers from Patong getting drunk on the beach outside, which is not ideal, as these are meant to be the best accomodation.
Otherwise, you take a suite in the resort's concrete jungle, which can only be reached by calling for a buggy.
Basically, you enter the resort from a winding road at the top. The resort itself is built on concrete terraced platforms that go down to the lower level, where the pools are. I have rarely seen so much concrete in one resort.
The access roads are like concrete fairground slides that wind upwards - quite narow for the buggies and very ugly.
Butler service seems to revolve around them driving you in buggies from room to pools, to restaurants etc. Tip-hungry for sure.
Restaurants are quite good and nicely designed by the third architect on the project.
To sum up - wrong location, no beach, ugly, awkward design (although the interiors are quite nice) and tip-hungry butlers.
Why anyone would prefer this to Trisara is beyond me.
Thank you for this detailed post! Unfortunately I'm already locked into a 4-day stay in Nov. At the time of booking an ocean view pool suite was half the price of a junior suite at Trisara, so I thought "how bad can it be?"
We do plan on just hanging by our private pool most of the time, so hopefully won't be too bothered by the beach aspect.
Good luck to me! I'll certainly report back as well on how it went!
Apr 4, 2019, 12:28 pm
#137
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: LA
Programs: Perennial Free Agent
Posts: 270
And regarding the point about the Manor Club. I agree that it would greatly enhance your hotel experience and I look forward to trying it out. But that said, you are in Hong Kong! There are much more fun and interesting dining and bar experiences waiting outside the hotel. It's a choice you should think about and the answer will be different for each person.
Apr 4, 2019, 3:20 pm
#139
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Apr 5, 2019, 2:06 am
#140
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 323
It's a huge island and there are still beautiful and relatively unspoilt parts. Why Rosewood chose this location is beyond comprehension. By contrast, Como made an excellent decision to put their resort in a fairly remote part on the exact opposite side of the island from Rosewood and the setting is wonderful.
Apr 5, 2019, 2:52 am
#141
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Luxembourg
Programs: LH Senator
Posts: 256
3 different architects were employed on this project - the first two were fired and the third was basically hired to try and put things right.
The resort is built right on the edge of Patong, which is Phuket's red light district, and yes, you can see it from the resort.
The 'beach' is a narrow strip, which is a public beach. The resort cannot put its own loungers on it, so you have to sit inside a little fence or around the pools (which are lovely). The 'beach' is accessed via a gate in a low picket fence.
If you take a beach villa, you can often hear noisy revellers from Patong getting drunk on the beach outside, which is not ideal, as these are meant to be the best accomodation.
Otherwise, you take a suite in the resort's concrete jungle, which can only be reached by calling for a buggy.
Basically, you enter the resort from a winding road at the top. The resort itself is built on concrete terraced platforms that go down to the lower level, where the pools are. I have rarely seen so much concrete in one resort.
The access roads are like concrete fairground slides that wind upwards - quite narow for the buggies and very ugly.
Butler service seems to revolve around them driving you in buggies from room to pools, to restaurants etc. Tip-hungry for sure.
Restaurants are quite good and nicely designed by the third architect on the project.
To sum up - wrong location, no beach, ugly, awkward design (although the interiors are quite nice) and tip-hungry butlers.
Why anyone would prefer this to Trisara is beyond me.
The resort is built right on the edge of Patong, which is Phuket's red light district, and yes, you can see it from the resort.
The 'beach' is a narrow strip, which is a public beach. The resort cannot put its own loungers on it, so you have to sit inside a little fence or around the pools (which are lovely). The 'beach' is accessed via a gate in a low picket fence.
If you take a beach villa, you can often hear noisy revellers from Patong getting drunk on the beach outside, which is not ideal, as these are meant to be the best accomodation.
Otherwise, you take a suite in the resort's concrete jungle, which can only be reached by calling for a buggy.
Basically, you enter the resort from a winding road at the top. The resort itself is built on concrete terraced platforms that go down to the lower level, where the pools are. I have rarely seen so much concrete in one resort.
The access roads are like concrete fairground slides that wind upwards - quite narow for the buggies and very ugly.
Butler service seems to revolve around them driving you in buggies from room to pools, to restaurants etc. Tip-hungry for sure.
Restaurants are quite good and nicely designed by the third architect on the project.
To sum up - wrong location, no beach, ugly, awkward design (although the interiors are quite nice) and tip-hungry butlers.
Why anyone would prefer this to Trisara is beyond me.
Everything was too walled in, and we had an odd feeling of not being near a sea/beach despite the beach front location.
The plants looked like wild growing weeds, and there was plenty of plastic litter on the rather unattractive beach.
The only good thing about having stayed there, is that we now appreciate Trisara more than ever. Coming back here felt like going to paradise.
Apr 5, 2019, 9:17 am
#142
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
I disagree that Phuket is over - if you stay within the national park at Trisara or Anantara Layan, then all you can see is forests and ocean. It is incredibly unspoilt and beautiful. It is only if you stay in the tourist areas that you encounter the tacky side of the island.
Apr 5, 2019, 12:36 pm
#143
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 1,644
I disagree that Phuket is over - if you stay within the national park at Trisara or Anantara Layan, then all you can see is forests and ocean. It is incredibly unspoilt and beautiful. It is only if you stay in the tourist areas that you encounter the tacky side of the island.
BTW, did you see the story that the Indonesian government is to close Komodo to tourists from 2020?
Apr 22, 2019, 9:51 am
#145
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303
I know, see, understand etc where you are coming from Vuittons, but my memories of Phuket from the 1980s and 1990s are so strong that I can't ever return. Even sitting in the luxo-bubble of somewhere like Amanpuri or Trisara I couldn't help but shudder at the thought of what was going on outside the compound. Yes I know that might apply to almost anywhere in the world but I think that resorts are rather different. Take Siem Reap, yes it's become a ravaged, over-touristed place but there is still Angkor to wonder at and I'd go back. I'm not sure about Bora Bora, though, or Bali, and Phuket falls into the same category.
BTW, did you see the story that the Indonesian government is to close Komodo to tourists from 2020?
BTW, did you see the story that the Indonesian government is to close Komodo to tourists from 2020?
Apr 22, 2019, 2:29 pm
#146
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,599
I am not too sure about Phuket architects, the interiors were done by Melbourne-based BAR Studio (they also did Beijing and various Hyatts). I would actually have to commend them for dealing with this nightmare.
Apr 22, 2019, 3:28 pm
#147
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,028
I have to be in the area of the Rosewood Phuket for a wedding. Are all the bad comments in regard to it being a luxury resort or just a resort in general. If it's the latter, I might just stay at the Marriott next door for a fraction of the cost.
Apr 22, 2019, 6:28 pm
#148
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
Programs: TPPS, UA, EK ...; Marriott BONVOY , HH, GP, GC..
Posts: 4,217
It's a huge island and there are still beautiful and relatively unspoilt parts. Why Rosewood chose this location is beyond comprehension. By contrast, Como made an excellent decision to put their resort in a fairly remote part on the exact opposite side of the island from Rosewood and the setting is wonderful.
COMO site was selected by Adrian ZECHA
, for an obviously project of his
Apr 24, 2019, 3:25 pm
#149
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: BER
Programs: Amanjunkie, LH SEN
Posts: 750
Now the interior design is a bit more boring, but the location and the room sizes are great.
Apr 25, 2019, 9:56 am
#150
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Here there and everywhere
Posts: 6,303