The nutter driver skilfully meandered the taxi on the coastal roads without apprehension, winding through jungly hills and hairpin turns as if they were nothing. The journey may have yielded stunning sights along the west coast of the serendipitous island of Phuket, yet the queasiness, exacerbated by peaking anxiety from the seemingly endless and hazardous ride, hindered me from taking it all in. That pretty much sums up my airport transfer en route to Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort.
I let out a huge sigh of relief as the car pulled up at the gravelled courtyard of the property, located at the Kamala Bay, with a friendly porter eagerly anticipating our arrival. As he swiftly ushered us in for check-in formalities, I caught a glimpse of a soon-to-be wedding setup right outside at the verdant garden affording sweeping views of the Andaman Sea, adjacent to the breezy open-concept hotel lobby thinking to myself, “Wow, what an unforgettable wedding venue it’d be.”
It didn’t take long for me to realise that the entire property is built on a lush hillside descent, cascading down towards the ocean. Its 201 guest rooms and suites command the back half of the hotel vicinity nearing the peak of the hill whereas the hotel lobby, massive infinity pool and Pool House restaurant take centerstage at the foot. The swamp of buggies parked at the courtyard then made sense – it was a feat to casually ascend the steep, craggy cobblestoned pathways by foot.
The expanse of our 44-sqm 1 King Bed Club Access Room with Terrace rendered me speechless. A contemporary palette of dark wood fused with beige and a pop of lime green adds a sense of lightness to the bedroom, while the bathroom is kitted out with twin vanities separated by a swanky bath as well as individual rooms for the shower and toilet. The pinnacle of the room though has to be the 65-sqm private terrace, ample enough for a party of 10 and possibly more.
It’s safe to say we spent most of our time out here instead of retreating to the plush bed inside. Replete with a cushy couch, a dining area, sun beds and decadent hot tub for romantic sunset dips, the sight extended at the terrace was near hypnotising. Surrounded by tropical lushness and unexpected privacy with only the soothing melody of birds chirping in the background, time stopped as we indulged in the spellbinding seascape, intermittently enveloped by the ocean breeze.
Peeling away from the sumptuousness of our room, the colossal infinity pool, one of the largest in Phuket, coaxed us boundlessly from the moment we set our eyes on it. Alas, it wasn’t an adult-only pool as we had hoped, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. We evidently then made full use of the smaller yet more exclusive pool at the club lounge, whereby all-day refreshments as well as an unbeatable happy hour furnished with booze and tempting treats were at one’s disposal.
Those not eager about suntanning by the pools may take delight in the 24-hour, fully-equipped fitness centre or the Nahm Spa for rejuvenating spa treatments, dislodged from the cares of the outside world. Should that be the case, parents keen on alone time away from their little ones will greatly appreciate perusing the Kids Club, fully supervised with activities aplenty to gradually tire them out. It’s a win-win all around.
There are not one or two but three F&B joints at this five-star resort. The breakfast buffet for all guests and all-day dining featuring local and international cuisine is available at the Pool House neighbouring the infinity pool, while the Sunset Grill, opened only in the evenings, offers mouthwatering BBQ whether that involves premium cuts of meat, fresh seafood or market vegetables. For evening tipples, we found the Pool Bar to be adequately pleasing.
Accessibility-wise, there is no other way than the taxi or Grab, although Hyatt Regency Phuket does extend a two-way tuk-tuk service to guests looking to explore the quiet stretch of sands at Kamala Beach and patron the many restaurants or beachside massage parlours at the area. Meanwhile, a shuttle van is available to and from Jungceylon in Patong at a cost of THB100 per person. Guests in club lounge access rooms may take advantage of this service for free.
Hyatt Regency Phuket’s considerably remote location signifies that its serene surroundings are only accessed by niche crowds that are rarely rowdy – sufficient of an excuse for us to return in the near future. It is worth noting that most, if not all, the guest rooms and suites at this property, located about 45 minutes from Phuket International Airport, are accessed by way of staircases given the nature of its terrain, thus it may not be the most disabled-friendly of lodging.
16/12 Moo 6 Tambon Kamala,
Kathu, Phuket 83150, Thailand.
Phone: +66-76231234
Email: phuket.regency@hyatt.com
Social media: Facebook/Instagram
