VILLA SERENITY AT THE PAVILIONS PHUKET
We feel like we’ve been taken up into the clouds as the Pacific Swifts dart around from tree to tree and Brahminy kites glide gracefully past us. As the sun is setting over the Andaman Sea, our new neighbours start to get animated making lots of excited noises: The frogs, who are the loudest at this time of day and reside in the pool at the entrance of our suite, have been greeting us each evening with swimming and hopping displays – we’ve probably spent way too much time filming them.
Staying in an ocean-view pool villa within the tropical paradise that is The Pavilions Phuket is just about as relaxing as life can get. With far more floor space than our apartment at home, it contains a huge bath, big comfy sofa seating and large screen TVs – this is a place we could very happily reside in for the rest of our lives.
A buggy brought us up here to our suite, for the three nights we are calling the resort home, and we certainly needed it. Yes, you can walk, but it is so steep and winding in places that we tried and got lost, but the cute no-door pale blue Nissan March vehicles are available and zoom around to get you from villa or room to restaurant or bar with little waiting time. The resort is quite literally perched atop one of Phuket’s highest points so it’s a small price worth paying.
An app installed on our phones at check-in allows us to order food direct to our suite, and additional bottles of water or coffee capsules so there isn’t too much reason to leave the villa. Our infinity pool is big (12m x 4m to be exact), our loungers comfy, our daybed shady and our view spectacular.
The birds are tweeting all around us, hiding in the verdant exotic shrubbery, we catch glimpses of colour but can’t tell what species they are. Huge butterflies, tiny butterflies, black with yellow underbellies, striped, one’s that are a beautiful bright yellow colour flit around as we’re lazily reading our Kindles.
One morning we even have a floating breakfast. The day before we’d made some choices (pancakes, Thai omelette, fruits platter, yoghurt and berries – there was plenty more to choose from but given that we have been static since we got here we’re ‘trying’ to be a little healthy) and it arrives on a round tray at exactly 10am with some bubbles and coffee. It gets floated on our pool (we worry it will fall off but that’s just silly) and while the fruits and yoghurts are easier to navigate from the water we resort to the table for the omelettes. We’re land animals after all.
We do however leave the villa to see what else the resort has to offer. There’s an Italian restaurant, Don Vito, which offers up everything you would expect from a Southern Italian trattoria. Our clams in garlic, olive oil and white wine and Burrata Puglia starters are tasty and plentiful (hardly room for mains), the Barramundi Fish Fillet main is gorgeous and the seafood risotto is enough to feed three it’s so full of squid, clams, prawns and fish.
The Firefly is where the very good daily buffet is served (bubbles there too) with a mix of Asian food and international to choose from. We grabbed the tofu green curry one day and the very spicy pork Penang the next. For lunch and dinner, there’s a great selection of Thai dishes (the chicken Krapao was delicious) as well as the usual snack-type pizzas, pasta and burgers.
Each night we’ve popped upstairs for cocktails at the 360 Bar – it is pretty much next to our Villa so is the ideal stop-off point to round off the evening. We try a few specials from the cocktail menu but revert to form for an Old Fashioned and Gin & Tonic. There’s been a singer on one night and a DJ the next but they are quite subdued giving off relaxed vibes rather than party sounds.
The resort app tells us what offers, events, classes and celebrations we can book during our visit. Every Sunday evening from 6pm it is Sushi, Sake and Soul night, which does exactly as it sounds; we get a platter of perfectly presented Rolls, Nigiri, and Hosomaki with tuna, prawns, salmon and avocado plus a bottle of Sake. The only thing we miss is the soul (unless we’ve interpreted that too literally, but the music is more easygoing electronic than 70s Curtis Mayfield).
The area in Phuket where The Pavilions is based is fairly low-key. There’s a free shared tuk tuk style shuttle that takes you to the local beach. We’re by a national park which is untouched so the shuttle takes us to the Naithon beach resort where there are a few small restaurants, bars, a beach bar called Beach&Bubbles and a pristine stretch of sand.
Nothing feels too far away in Phuket. You can get to Patong beach and the night market if you want lively fun in about 30 minutes by taxi. Karon and Surin beaches are close by too so it feels easy to move around to the main areas. Plus the resort is about 6 miles from the airport if there’s an early start to factor into your travels.
We could have literally moved into The Pavilions Phuket but like all good things, we must say goodbye until next time. Packing away our suitcase it is too early for the frogs who are tucked away in their own private pool – the lucky things.
Great for: Locking yourself away for a much needed break and some serious privacy.
Suitable for: Couples who want to chill out, receive great service and have memorable experiences.
Find out more about the facilities and how to book here.
