THE SPA HOTEL REVIEW: MANATHAI, PHUKET, THAILAND

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Review: Jennifer Bonfield

121/1 Moo 3, Srisunthorn Road, Cheng Talay, Thalang, Phuket 83110 Thailand

 

THE RESORT

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This chic award-winning boutique hotel is nothing less than a tropical oasis with pretty pools and lush, exotic vegetation all of which is simply drenched in tranquility. The décor is opulently Asian inspired and the hospitality is spot on. The expansive open air lobby is a desination in itself where guests can relax and enjoy pre dinner drinks. The resort is located mere minutes away from Phuket’s Surin beach, which has a host of traditional Thai restaurants and is home to the cosmopolitan open-air bar Catch Beach Club.

 

THE FACILITIES

52 rooms and suites | 1 Restaurant | 1 Pool Bar | Concierge | 2 swimming pools with sun loungers and umbrellas | Spa | Complimentary Wi-Fi | DVD library | Private library | Childcare services | Motorbike and car rental

 

THE ACCOMMODATION

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There are 52 air conditioned rooms in total with six room categories including Plunge Pool rooms and Duplex Suites. We stayed in a Deluxe Pool Access room which had sliding doors leading straight onto a private deck and straight down into the pool, which was a real highlight of our stay. Apart from wandering down to Surin beach now and again to sip on fresh coconut water, we didn’t venture far from our fantastic waterside spot. The room was flooded with light from the patio doors, décor was clean and bright in crisp white and sea blue with a spacious bathroom featuring huge monsoon shower and plenty of fluffy towels, robes and hotel branded toiletries. Complementary refreshments of bottled water , tea, coffee and a mini bar.

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THE SPA

The spa is compact with welcome blast of air conditioning. I had a 60 minute ‘Footloose’ reflexology session which started with a blissful face and scalp massage followed by 60 minutes of feet and leg massage with a base oil blend of peppermint. My guest had a tension relieving ‘Deep Soul’ massage; a firm Swedish massage which literally eased the whole body from the scalp to the toes which I was told felt like the ‘masseuse was extracting tension from the body with just the tips of her finger’. The spa staff were excellent and customer service etiquette was second to none.

THE DRINKING & DINING

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The hotel’s only restaurant Pad Thai, hosts breakfast lunch and dinner. In-room dining (Thai) is available from 11am – 11pm. The Pool bar serves light snacks from 11am – 8pm.

The breakfast menu offers a cooked to order menu (we recommend the omelette with English streaky bacon, feta, spinach and peppers) with fresh fruit, juices, pastries, cold meat and smoked salmon. Dinner is traditionally Thai and signature dishes include ‘kway teow pad,’ and stir-fried noodles, we opted for beef in a traditional spicy curry sauce with spiced potatoes and peanuts.
The wine list is expensive but like with all imported spirits and wine, your best to stick to Thai ‘home grown’ spirits and beers such as Singa and Chang, which work best all round in terms of product quality and value for money

THE HIGHLIGHTS

The boutique vibe of the resort.

Poolside access rooms.

Distance to Phuket Airport – just 20 minutes.

The fabulous spa.

 

THE RATES

Prices start from THB 5,900 (room only) / £127 per night

www.manathai.com/phuket

THE TRAVEL

Around 20 minutes from Phuket airport.

Cathay Pacific flies from London Heathrow to Hong Kong five times daily and from Manchester to Hong Kong four times per week, and onwards to over 190 destinations globally. For further information, visit www.cathaypacific.co.uk or call 0208 834 8888.

The Premium Economy return price from London Heathrow to Phuket, including taxes, starts from £1,839 per person.