Thailand

Amanpuri occupies a 30-hectare headland on the southwest coast of Phuket. There are two beaches accessible from the hotel: Pansi Surin Beach is virtually private, while Bang Kao is a wide bay surrounded by resorts. It takes 35 minutes to get to the airport. Phuket Town and the Patong nightlife district are within walking distance and can be reached by the hotel’s limousine service at an additional cost.

As you step from the open lobby onto the hotel’s wide terrace and look down on the cozy Pansi Surin Beach, the atmosphere is simply magnificent. The triangular roofs of the buildings are reminiscent of the Ayutthaya period in Thailand. Russell Crowe is one of the hotel’s many celebrity fans.

The staff is very helpful. The main pool is large enough for a full swim, but the real fun is not here, but on Pansy Surin Beach, where kayaks and surfboards await you, and a floating platform invites sunbathers and snorkelers.

Adventure seekers can try water skiing, wakeboarding, hydrofoils and hoverboards, while for more relaxed ocean explorers there’s an electric pedal boat. Back on land, guests can enjoy free yoga, Pilates and Muay Thai classes. The glass-walled gym features the latest fitness technology, and the wellness center offers a variety of massages, as well as acupuncture, colon hydrotherapy, chelation therapy and vitamin infusion therapy.

The hotel’s 40 pavilions rise on high stilts among coconut trees, connected by concrete walkways. Some have infinity plunge pools overlooking the ocean, while others have spacious cabanas that offer magical sunset views. Inside, honey-colored wood floors and wall paneling are paired with heavy furnishings and traditional decorations, while the bathrooms, with rain showers and small bathtubs, also finished in warm wood, are the same size as the bedrooms, adding extra richness. The technology is modest, but from the 21st century: the digital-valet tablet controls the air conditioning and lighting, acts as a TV remote control and as a hotel guide, in addition to also calculating the bill.

Regarding restaurants. Visitors are spoiled for choice: Buabok, an open-air eatery by the main pool, serves Thai cuisine. Located on the beach, Nama Restaurant offers eclectic Japanese cuisine during high season. But the culinary highlight is Arva, Italian fine dining. The Sunset Terrace Bar also does not disappoint with its cocktail menu and evening views of the Andaman Sea.

The resort is located in the beautiful Mae Rim Valley, 30 minutes by car from the center of Chiang Mai. A taxi to the airport takes 45 minutes. The resort offers half- and full-day cycling tours through the surrounding rice fields and hilltop pagodas.

The tone here is set by a huge garden, quiet ponds, rice fields, surrounded by pavilions with turrets. Four Seasons Chiang Mai is a contemporary resort where traditional wooden furnishings and decor, with many references to village life and history, blend well with modern amenities. Despite the natural surroundings, the resort is designed quite skillfully, as if every tree knows its place.

The key areas of Four Seasons Chiang Mai are wellness and agriculture. In addition to two swimming pools, there is a well-equipped gym and the Wara Cheewa SPA center with 7 treatment rooms designed for couples. Multi-day wellness packages include a naturopathic consultation and spa program, yoga classes, meditation and a plant-based diet for those looking to give up sugar and carbohydrates.

There is also Chaan Baan, a recreated farm terrace that offers an immersive experience designed to introduce guests to the traditional rural way of life. It offers introductory pottery classes and guests can plant rice seedlings. Ceramics and tie-dye workshops are very unusual, and cooking classes are also offered.

The heart of the resort consists of 66 pavilions grouped around a central pond. The rooms upstairs and downstairs are the same. Beige and brown tones predominate in the decor, furniture, huge beds and spacious bathrooms with bathtubs and rain showers. All have outdoor gazebos, which are a great place to while away the quiet hours – those on the upper floors are definitely preferable.

There are also 12 large pool villas that offer more privacy but lack the outdoor views of the pavilions. A range of two and three bedroom residences with gleaming hardwood floors offer plenty of space and privacy.

Restaurant North, designed by Bill Bensley, is an open-air terrace restaurant with an impressive wood-fired grill and stunning views of the central pond.

Khao has an excellent breakfast buffet.

The exceptional location of the Four Seasons in Ang Thong is evident upon arrival: the views from the open-air check-in area of Koh Phangan are breathtaking. The small, beautiful and mostly private beach is likely to attract many guests, even though Chaweng’s nightlife district is only a 20-minute drive away. The drive to the airport takes about the same amount of time.

The Four Seasons complex, created by independent hotel designer Bill Bensley, is located on a steep picturesque hillside. Both the dense foliage and the distance between the villas ensure greater privacy, although the beach area with its large pool, restaurant, bar and many entertainment options is likely to attract guests to nature.

The staff is disarmingly friendly and always helpful, but not intrusive. The beautiful Secret Garden Spa has 5 treatment rooms, 2 tennis courts, a well-equipped gym, a Thai boxing ring and a yoga platform with stunning views. Surfboards and kayaks await guests on the beach.

Conversations about corals and scuba diving tours with a marine biologist on the resort’s young home reef, billiards tournaments, Thai language lessons and tacro lessons (a Thai sport similar to volleyball but played with the feet) will occupy even the most restless. To top it all off, guests can book a day trip to Ang Thong Marine National Park on a cruise ship.

60 villas with pools rise on stilts in the middle of a palm forest, and all of them have a magnificent view from small landscape pools and wide wooden terraces. Inside, there is a comfortable king-size bed under a high ceiling and a huge bathroom with a rain shower and an oval bathtub, complemented by teak furniture, calm eclectic art and moody lighting.

Koh Thai Kitchen offers, as the name suggests, excellent Thai cuisine. The PlaPla restaurant located on the beach will appeal to seafood lovers and meat eaters: the weekly barbecue on the beach is recommended. The best place for a pre-dinner cocktail, other than the patio, is the Koh Bar. And there is also the Rum Vault, where tastings of countless different drinks from around the world are held.

Most of Bangkok’s best hotels can be found along the banks of the Chao Phraya River, thanks in large part to the prestige that Mandarin Oriental brings to the area. On the hotel’s waterfront terrace, you can easily while away the hours admiring the sight of rice barges, tugboats, ferries and longtail boats crossing the water and colorful prayer ribbons flapping in the wind.

The 12-room Oriental Hotel was built in a country known as the Kingdom of Siam it is the greatest hotel in the Kingdom of Thailand, with nearly 400 rooms and suites, Michelin-starred restaurants and an award-winning spa. Attracting everyone from Thai royalty (you’ll recognize them by their dazzling jewels) to heads of state, literary legends (Noël Coward, Joseph Conrad, Somerset Maugham and many more) to Hollywood superstars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando (among recent celebrities – Stanley Tucci, Michelle Yeoh and Russell Crowe).

Many of the hotel’s employees have been working here for decades and have undoubtedly seen it all. No request is too big or too small: Do you need a grand piano in your room? Fireworks? A team of bodyguards trained in Muay Thai? No problem. Perhaps you need another pad or cloth to clean your sunglasses? It will be done.

Almost all rooms in the River Wing have balconies with river views. The much more expensive rooms in the Garden Wing, which overlook the hotel’s original 19th-century building, are split-level and have separate sitting areas. All rooms have luxurious bathrooms with Japanese electronic toilets, large bathtubs and Thai silk kimonos. The collection of Author’s Suites pays tribute to past literary guests with individually designed interiors, antique collections and butler service.

With two Michelin stars and a celebrity chef, Le Normadie by Alain Roux is the hotel’s flagship restaurant, offering fine French cuisine with a subtle hint of Thailand.

Le Normandie isn’t the hotel’s only exceptional dining spot: Takagi’s Michelin-starred restaurant Kinu offers an omakase tasting menu; Baan Phraya offers fine Thai cuisine presented in a 100-year-old traditional Thai house located across the river; The Ciao Terrazza waterfront has chef’s tables as well as excellent pizza. You’ll also find one of the best hotel breakfasts in the world at Riverside Terrace.

Overlooking Listerine green waters and the ancient limestone cliffs of Phang Nga Bay, Phu Lai Bay offers one of Asia’s most extraordinary landscapes. Although the hotel’s beach is rocky and not ideal for swimming, you can easily take a boat to some of the area’s most sensational sandy beaches, including James Bond Island, Phi Phi Island and Hong Island. The nearest airport is Krabi Airport, approximately 45 minutes’ drive from the hotel. The next closest airport is Phuket, which receives many more international flights and is a two-hour drive from the hotel.

The hotel’s design reflects Krabi’s Muslim heritage, combining gabled buildings and Thai artwork with Moorish-style pendant lights and vibrant shades of purple. Guests enter a dreamlike pavilion surrounded by reflective pools and high stone walls. In the evening, more than 2,000 candles are lit along the perimeter, emitting a magical glow. The gardens are stunning too, with bearded banyan trees, hot pink bougainvillea, tall palms and fragrant frangipani surrounding lily ponds and wooden walkways.

The lack of a beach is compensated by a huge infinity pool with a swim-up bar and stunning views of the bay. There is a 24-hour fitness center with a Muay Thai room, a water sports center with free kayaks and stand-up paddle boards, and daily Pilates and stretching classes. Mountain treks, walks to waterfalls, cycling tours, diving expeditions and golf can also be organised. If all this sounds too tiring, you can always flit between a hammock and a great spa.

The hotel’s villas come in a variety of categories and are as stunning as they are spacious. Some are set in gardens with verandas or roof terraces, others have sea views, private pools, direct beach access or all of the above. But it’s the Reserve Pool Villas that really steal the show, with sprawling terraces, stunning indoor and outdoor bathrooms set in private gardens.

Jamboon Restaurant serves a rich buffet breakfast. Sri Trang serves delicious Thai cuisine on the terrace overlooking the beach. The cozy Lae Lay restaurant specializes in seafood, while Plai Fah serves burgers, sandwiches and salads by the pool. At sunset, grab one of the huge sofas and a passion fruit mojito at the chic Chomtawan Beach Bar.

No one will tire of the stunning views of the Andaman Sea from the terraces in front of the villas, which rise above 16 hectares of dense foliage along Phuket’s tranquil northwest coast. A small but perfect beach surrounded by wooded headlands, virtually secluded but a bit rocky and more suitable for kayak exploration than swimming.

Guests wishing to venture beyond the hotel’s beautiful confines can explore the coastline on one of the resort’s yachts. The car ride to the airport takes 20 minutes.

Trisara 5* exudes traditional and luxurious hospitality without looking old-fashioned. The meticulously manicured jungle landscape is crisscrossed by narrow, steep streets, best navigated in one of the hotel’s buggies.

There’s always something to do besides relax on one of the sun loungers along the 48-metre pool: kayaks and surfboards are free to use, and wakeboards can be rented. Free yoga classes are also offered here. Several rocks off the beach allow snorkelers to encounter beautiful fish, and the luxurious Jara Wellness SPA center has six treatment rooms. Some overlook the ocean and invite guests to enjoy thermal therapy and skin detoxification sessions. There is also a small gym with state-of-the-art equipment.

The staff is very friendly and tries their best to make guests feel comfortable.

There are 39 pool villas, all with sea views, spread across vast grounds, creating a fantastic sense of privacy. The beige walls and sofas contrast beautifully with the wooden floors and chunky retro furniture complemented by northern Thai style carvings. Modern conveniences are not intrusive – the TV and smart box are hidden behind a sliding wall, and Bose speakers are discreetly mounted on the walls. The bathrooms, long and rectangular, feature large bathtubs, rain showers and sofas, while the very private patios, each overlooking the infinity pool, offer incredible sea views.

Three very different restaurants surround the beach. Pru offers eclectic West Asian cuisine, prepared locally or grown on the resort’s own farm. The Michelin-rated seafood restaurant lives up to its name, serving locally sourced fish and shellfish.

Between these two restaurants, The Deck offers excellent Thai cuisine as well as popular Western dishes. Breakfast is served at The Deck Restaurant.

The hotel is located on Ko Yao Noi, a quiet, quiet island in the middle of Phang Nga Bay, halfway between Phuket and Krabi. Facing east, the resort sits on a jungle-covered hillside overlooking a cluster of impressive limestone sea cliffs – it’s worth setting your alarm for at least one morning to admire the purple sun rising behind them.

Candy-colored butterflies and rare tropical birds flutter through the lush rainforests. Stone paths wind through this wonderful greenery leading to chic rustic restaurants, lotus gardens and organic vegetable gardens. The hotel’s remote location, away from tourist hubs, allows you to forget about the outside world.

The hotel’s signature feature is its insanely photogenic hilltop infinity pool, but there’s also a gorgeous white beach that guests only have access to, and its rocky corners offer scuba diving and snorkeling. There’s a long list of free daily classes – qigong, yoga, mini-massages, reflexology workshops – and the watersports center has free stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and windsurfing boards. Yacht excursions, island hopping tours, Muay Thai training, diving and cooking classes can also be arranged. The SPA center is one of the best in the region and offers wellness programs lasting from three to seven nights, as well as Asian and Ayurvedic treatments.

With an emphasis on space, privacy and nature, each of the thatched villas are set on different levels, with large terraces, outdoor gazebos, dining areas and private pools. Each villa has its own GEM (Guest Experience Manager).

The lounge’s outdoor terraces overlook the beach at the heart of the hotel, serving international cuisine throughout the day. And the dining room, hidden in the jungle, is home to impeccable local cuisine. Find appetizers, cocktails and traditional Thai dancing at The Den, romantic dinners by moonlight at Hilltop Reserve, and free ice cream all day in the parlor.

Located on the southwest coast of Phuket, approximately 90 minutes from the airport. The location of the hotel on the coast of Emerald Bay gives the impression that it is completely far from the bustle. The pebbly sand and rocky coastline mean the beach isn’t ideal for swimming, but is great for kayaking, paddleboarding or just admiring.

It is by far the most expensive luxury resort built in Thailand, with about half of its budget spent on eco-friendly architecture and sustainable practices such as 100 percent rainwater harvesting and coral reef restoration for Phuket’s largest solar power system and villas.

Constructed from local stone and wood, its minimalist lines blend into the lush greenery of the jungle; tin-roofed restaurants sit beneath century-old banyan trees; and retractable glass panels reveal views of the Andaman Sea, with hanging ferns and fabulous rattan sculptures providing an added treat for the eyes.

The staff is friendly, sociable and always smiling. At ground level there is 600 meters of bright white beach plus a stunning free-form pool surrounded by palm trees and floating platforms. Tucked away among the lush foliage is a fantastic kids’ club with a wooden pirate ship and treasure hunt, as well as a state-of-the-art fitness center.

On the hillside lies Asaya, the Rosewood Group’s first spa, which is already one of the best in the country, boasting a world-class wellness centre. More than just a beautiful place for a (wonderful) massage, it offers life and relationship coaching, holistic bodywork therapy and personalized retreats designed to help you eat, sleep and overall become a happier, more well-rounded person. You can also organize an original range of extraordinary impressions; from private longtail boat rides to secret beaches, to art tours and visits to the island’s only ethical elephant sanctuary.

The 71 spacious suites and villas are covered in organic rooftop gardens and set into the jungle landscape. Categories range from hillside pavilion suites with plunge pools and sweeping sea views to spacious two-bedroom villas with infinity pools, grassy courtyards and direct beach access.

Modeled after a traditional Thai fishing village and helmed by local chef couple Uncle Noon and Aunty Yai, Ta Khai Thai Restaurant has already become one of the most talked about dining spots on the island. Stop by the salad bar for catfish cooked before your eyes, or sit under the stars for a Southern Thai evening of massaman curry, roti and Thai seafood.

There’s also The Shack, which serves seafood, pizza and char-grilled burgers, and Red Sauce, an all-day, fresh Mediterranean restaurant overlooking the beach and pool.

Hugging the golden sands of Tab Kaek Beach on one side and the rolling jungles of Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park on the other, Banyan Tree Krabi is located on one of Krabi’s most beautiful stretches. As the northernmost resort on the city’s palm-fringed Andaman coast, it is also one of the few places on the mainland to offer panoramic views of the massive, moss-covered karst formations that rise above Phang Nga Bay. Krabi International Airport is a scenic 40-minute drive away, and many shops and local restaurants are within a 15-minute radius.

For its fourth outpost in Thailand, the Banyan Tree brand has ditched its signature teak wood design in favor of a fresher, more contemporary style. Drawing on local folk tales, the design is inspired by the naga, a serpentine dragon said to roam the surrounding jungle in ancient times. References are found throughout the resort, from the wavy wall panels that evoke the creature’s serpentine movements to the scaly patterns in the bathrooms, carpets and wallpaper.

The resort maintains Banyan Tree’s reputation as one of Thailand’s leading wellness brands, with a spa center the size of a small village. Its centerpiece is a hydrotherapy complex with all the amenities: ice fountain, wellness pool, hydromassage pool, heated beds, steam bath, sauna and much more. There’s also a large pool with sun loungers overlooking the beach, a kids’ club with its own mini water park, a gym, clear kayaks and stand-up paddleboards for exploring the nearby hidden cove.

It’s all managed by a smiling team who are always ready to help with spa reservations, cocktails by the pool and advice on hiking in the adjacent national park.

Each of the resort’s 72 rooms, from entry-level suites to two-bedroom beach villas, have their own private pool and spa – some span three sides of the villa, others span the entire length of the balcony.

Book suites if you want a sea view; villas if you’re looking for extra space and a little more privacy.

Hilltop Saffron Restaurant serves Thai cuisine in an elegant glass dining room surrounded by jungle or in rattan bird’s nests nestled between the treetops.

Breakfast is served all day at The Naga Kitchen.

Located on the northernmost tip of Thailand, on a hillside amidst a dense bamboo forest with picturesque landscapes of Myanmar and Laos. For those who want to explore the area, there are off-site excursions such as day trips across the Myanmar border or private Chiang Rai city tours.

Luxurious tented camp designed in the style of a 19th century safari adventure, with handcrafted leather furnishings, parquet floors, mosquito nets and hurricane lamps. A vintage military jeep used to transport guests around the hotel adds to the old school romance of the hotel.

With a full capacity of just 51 guests and only one restaurant and bar, service is personal, intimate and discreet, with staff keen to remember individual preferences. There’s no fitness center, but outdoor activities include early morning hikes at Camp Peak, which also offers yoga or meditation classes.

Muscles tired after a morning of mingling with elephants and their mahouts can be soothed in the SPA, a spectacular open-air cantilevered treatment room surrounded by tropical jungle and the sound of birdsong.

The 15 air-conditioned tents are generously spread across a 1km stretch of land, each with a charming path leading off the main trail. Inside, there are king-size or twin beds, a separate wrought-iron bath in the living room, and a separate toilet and outdoor shower. There is no TV, but there is a spacious outdoor viewing deck (some with private wooden hot tubs) with views of Myanmar and the mountains of Laos.

For larger groups, there’s Explorer’s Lodge, a 6-person retreat located at the far end of the camp where two en-suite bedrooms flank a cantilevered pool that juts dramatically into the lush jungle.

Watch the sun set over the jungle with a cocktail at Burma Bar, then head to Nong Yao Restaurant, an outdoor thatched pavilion where breakfast is also served the next morning. There are two daily changing set menus available each evening, one featuring Western cuisine and the other featuring the best of the region, including Thai, Burmese and Laotian dishes. There are also daily wine and cheese tastings and private dining can be arranged, including picnics and candlelit dinners at the elephant camp.

The view of the water and cliffs from the lobby is stunning, and that feeling of awe is repeated every time you move to a new location in the 10-hectare resort. The villas, restaurants and spa are designed in contemporary Thai style, with interiors in soothing beige and brown tones interspersed with framed tapestries and Buddhist-inspired sculptures.

The staff are friendly, personable and know what guests expect. The highlight is the SPA center with six treatment rooms and a sauna with a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the sea. The well-equipped gym has great views, and the small beach offers paddle boards, kayaks, jet skis and a long boat for excursions. If the water is too choppy for swimming, a 30-metre pool is a good alternative.

The 66 one-bedroom villas are scattered along the steep hillside, all opening onto sweeping patios and infinity pools—the perfect retreat for couples. The bathrooms are the same size as the bedrooms and feature round baths with views of the sea below.

The food is especially good. Azure Restaurant by the main pool, decorated in blue tones, serves Mediterranean cuisine; A little further up the hill is the modern, spacious Zest Restaurant, which offers a range of excellent Thai dishes, including a good selection of vegetarian and vegan options. Kong Van Ruam is a great introduction to local food culture.

A visit to Botanikka. Coffee beans are roasted on site, there’s an impressive mushroom growing chamber, and the cafe produces its own kombucha, as well as beers flavored with pineapple, ginger and papaya.

Much of The Conrad’s food is grown on a nearby farm. The hotel also produces bacon, sausages and ham, and smokes its own salmon, best enjoyed at the hearty breakfast buffet. Another great touch is the DIY juices in a mixer driven by a guest pedal.

The resort is located on the shores of Ko Kood, one of Thailand’s largest and perhaps least developed islands. Tall palm trees, clear ocean and white sand create all the attributes of a vast paradise.

It’s an 80-minute flight from Bangkok on the hotel’s private jet, landing on a nearby island. From there, guests travel to the resort by speedboat. The island is also well located for travel to Cambodia. Private charter available.

A village of villas in the middle of the jungle, most of the buildings are made of wood and natural materials, giving the whole place a Robinson Crusoe atmosphere. The natural look is not for show. The resort has a fairly robust sustainability policy which includes producing biofuel and growing its own food on site. Instead of creating a chic feel, the emphasis is on ease, naturalness and real life – for example, no one wears shoes, and there are free yoga and Pilates classes every morning. There is also an excellent SPA center with an extensive menu of stress-relieving treatments.

Each villa has a Mr or Mrs Friday on duty 24/7, meaning you don’t have to worry about anything you might need during your stay at the resort. The staff on site are equally helpful.

The villas are located either by the sea or in the forest, and have from one to five bedrooms, all of which have ample space for relaxation and privacy (even from other people staying in the same villa). There is a lot of wood and large windows allowing natural light into the rooms. The bathroom is creatively designed – you can take an outdoor bath or shower under the sun, for example in some villas.

Restaurant Khun Benz is the highlight of the gastronomic offer, an off-site restaurant in a sea bay where the eponymous Thai chef prepares traditional Thai storm. Other restaurants serve a decent mix of Thai and pan-European cuisine. Most of the ingredients are quite local (even Camembert, which is produced on the mainland). The local chocolatier also supplies the “chocolate room,” a refrigerated room filled with truffles, chocolate milk and other treats. Along with ice cream (in delicious homemade flavours), it is available to guests as part of the room rate.

Siam Hotel is located on the outskirts of Bangkok’s historic centre, offering easy access to the city’s main temples and museums. Guests can reach almost anywhere in the area using the hotel’s river boat. The hotel is a long way from the shops and nightlife of the city centre, but is ideal for those who enjoy sightseeing.

Designed by renowned hotel guru Bill Bensley, The Siam offers a host of luxuries. Quiet marble corridors are set around a central glass-enclosed courtyard with incredible vegetation and superb natural light, and rooms are furnished with a fantastic collection of antiques, including breathtaking wooden Buddha statues dating back to the 16th century.

In addition to the 23-metre swimming pool and grand Opium SPA, The Siam offers a range of other activities – yoga, meditation, library, cinema, Muay Thai – in a well-equipped gym that is sometimes used by members of the Thai royal family.

The hotel encourages its guests to explore the surrounding area accompanied by staff. Another exclusive experience is a sunset cruise on a traditional rice barge, optionally with a private dinner. Incredibly, guests can also get a “sak yant” here, a sacred Thai tattoo based on Buddhist and Hindu traditions.

The 28 standard rooms are actually suites, with high wooden ceilings, massive beds and large bathrooms with stylish bathtubs. The walls are lined with original artwork, documents and photographs from the 19th and early 20th centuries, complemented by heavy dark wood furniture and giant bronze ceiling fans.

There is also no shortage of modern amenities.

Chon Restaurant, located on the banks of the Chao Phraya, serves classic Thai cuisine, while Deco Bar & Bistro, with its walls decorated with brass instruments, offers a selection of Western dishes. Tha Nam Siam – This nine-course Thai tasting menu is served on the pier, weather permitting, which is also the best place for a pre-dinner cocktail.

Café Cha is a classic patisserie perfect for afternoon tea. The culinary school offers small group classes. Breakfast is a modest but tasty buffet with a stunning selection of egg dishes a la carte.

Tall ocher walls surround this gem of a resort, a bit reminiscent of a Moroccan kasbah. The equally impressive spa, accessed through a long narrow corridor divided by light shafts piercing the walls, uses many Khmer design elements, such as typically ornate window columns and a serene central pool that seems to have escaped from Angkor Wat. All this conveys a feeling of calm and security, which is complemented by the resort’s emphasis on wellness.

Each suite has a personal butler who will do everything possible to ensure a pleasant stay. As for amenities, there is a 30-meter swimming pool in a luxurious building with purple walls, but the highlight, of course, is the huge SPA center. This is perhaps one of the most visually impressive spas in Thailand: there are 18 treatment rooms hidden in a labyrinth of courtyards and corridors; it is reminiscent of the inner sanctums of Khmer temples.

Barai Spa also offers the “Lifestyle Collection,” a series of supervised three-, five- or seven-day wellness programs designed to help guests disconnect from their stressful lives. Treatments range from healthy weight courses to detox packages; During the programs, guests do not eat gluten, wheat, dairy products and are vegan. The Body Composition Analyzer measures various health indicators before and after treatment, allowing The Barai to provide effective rejuvenation in just a few days. Guests can also use the facilities of the Hyatt Regency.

8 suites are lined up and convey the same serenity as the SPA center. The rooms are divided into a living room with a large daybed and desk, and a large bedroom. The latter has a very comfortable huge bed, in front of which there is a sofa large enough to disappear into for several hours. Arched ceilings create a futuristic look, but the highlight is the bathroom, with a massive marble spa bath in the center.

While guests at the Hyatt Regency can eat anywhere, most choose McFarland House. Adjacent to The Barai, this casual beach restaurant serves modern European cuisine with an emphasis on healthy food and organic ingredients.

Guests can also visit the Hyatt Regency’s Club Lounge buffet or enjoy breakfast in their room. Sunday brunch is popular with locals and expats alike and should be booked in advance.