Phuket, Thailand’s largest island, is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The only problem? Everyone knows about it, which makes it one of the most crowded tourist destinations there is (there are roughly 120 tourists to every local – the highest in the world). That’s not too much of an issue, though, with Phuket resorts renowned for their lavish offerings as well as the island boasting over 90 kilometres of coastline dotted with stunning beaches. So there’s plenty of space on the sand for everyone. Plus, the large, thrumming crowds make Phuket’s old town all the more charming.
But it does mean that you need to choose your island accommodation wisely. Your chosen Phuket resort will be your refuge during your holiday — you need somewhere serene and secluded. Or maybe you just need somewhere so incredibly luxurious that you’d never dream of leaving the property. Whether you’re a White Lotus chaser, a poolside operator, or you just need a holistic wellness recharge, the Thai island has ample luxury resorts to choose from.
Here are eight of the very best Phuket resorts to book for your next island getaway.
Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas
Best Phuket resort for The White Lotus fans
Everyone’s looking forward to the return of The White Lotus and its winning combination of miserably privileged people and beautiful locales. The HBO show’s first season, set within the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, led to a huge boom in bookings at the hotel. Sicily and its stunning San Domenico Palace at Taormina, another Four Seasons property, experienced a 300 per cent increase in demand following the airing of the second season. So when news emerged that Thailand would be the setting for season three, which is undergoing production in 2024, the guessing game for which resort would next benefit from The White Lotus effect began.
So far, two resorts have risen to the top of the speculation list. It appears that HBO will be sticking with the Four Seasons for the segment of the show set at Kho Samui, while the most likely contender for hosting the scenes set in Phuket is Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas. The reservations website is suspiciously blocked out for several weeks in April and May this year. Then there’s its location and aesthetic: this series of private luxury, southern Thai-style villas on the tip of Phuket Island, clustered around a lagoon, simply screams White Lotus. With its emphasis on wellness, leisure and amenities, it’s just a shame that Tanya McQuoid won’t get to experience Anantara. It’s also well worth checking out Anantara Mai Khao’s sister resorts in Phuket: Anantara Kho Yao Yai and Anantara Layan.
Prices from $530 per night.
Amanpuri
Best luxury Phuket resort
Aman Resorts might be a household name in luxury now, but back in 1988, its first hotel, Amanpuri in Phuket, was a gamble. Owner Adrian Zecha was opening a hotel with considerably higher rates than its competition – in many ways he was betting on Phuket as a tourist destination itself. That gamble paid off handsomely – Aman continues to go from strength to strength, and Amanpuri is still the final word in Phuket luxury accommodation.
Amanpuri is one of legendary architect Ed Tuttle’s most celebrated designs, and it’s easy to see why. It is a stunning resort of temple-like pavilions, where the indoors and outdoors seamlessly intermingle, and traditional southern Thai visual motifs are refracted through a contemporary lens. As is customary with Aman Resorts, a stay here certainly comes at a higher price point, but you absolutely get what you pay for. That means a peerless spa, a glut of cuisine-spanning bars and restaurants, and a range of bespoke experiences and activities. It’s all, of course, anchored by exceptional rooms – from private villas to secluded pavilions.
Room prices from $1050 per night.
Como Point Yamu
Best Phuket resort for new-school cool
Although Phuket doesn’t quite match Chiang Mai’s temples and cultural status, its overall aesthetic is still, by and large, traditionally Thai. While that may be a large part of the island’s appeal for most, the more cosmopolitan, design-driven traveller will want to stay at Como Point Yamu. This striking property at the tip of Cape Yamu, with a panoramic outlook over the beautiful Phang Nga Bay, boasts a design from esteemed Italian architect Paola Navone. Choose from a variety of rooms, suites and private pool villas, which can accommodate a vast array of family and group sizes.
Dining includes the Italian La Sirena and traditional southern Thai cuisine at Nahmyaa. For light snacks and all-day cocktails, there’s the poolside Aqua Bar. Holistic wellness is a large part of Como Point Yamu’s appeal, with a menu ranging from massages, and yoga lessons to workshops led by resident life coaches. The resort also makes the most of its proximity to Phuket’s old town with a variety of experiences on offer, from cooking classes to hiking to cultural tours. Parents can also make the most of Play By Como: a children’s paradise for little ones aged four to 12.
Room prices from approx. $300 per night.
V Villas Phuket
Best new Phuket resort
V Villas opened in 2021 and instantly made its mark on the local scene. Fans of the MGallery brand of hotels will find plenty to like about this boutique resort, which only has about 25 rooms. This picturesque pool resort sits atop a hill that looks out over Ao Yon Bay – and it might just boast one of the best sunsets in all of Phuket — particularly if you’re watching it while you sip away at a cocktail at Akoya Bar, the main building’s buzzy rooftop. (But if you’d prefer to take it in from your private infinity pool, we wouldn’t blame you.)
Although the sea-view villas are obviously hot property, you shouldn’t overlook the hill-view villas – they offer a verdant escape, and you can still get your water-view fix from Akoya. Villas range from one-bedroom stays to the four-bedroom presidential villa. Each villa has a personal butler assigned to it, who’ll cater to your every whim. Whether it’s an afternoon tea or a whisky night, there’s also always an interesting event going down at Yon Ocean House, the resort’s central restaurant.
Room prices from $1400 per night.
Keemala Hotel Phuket
Best Phuket resort for wellness
Let’s get one thing straight – it’s nearly impossible to take a bad photo in Phuket. You’d have to be trying pretty hard for any photo you take of your hotel not to be grid-worthy. Having said that, if you want a guaranteed winner of a post, a photo of Keemala’s bird’s nest villas is as close to a cheat code as you can get.
Keemala is a lush resort on the western coast of Phuket, midway between the jungle and the cool vibes of Kamala Beach. Appropriately, there’s a large focus on wellness and clean eating here (you can even book a holistic retreat), and those seeking to deepen their appreciation of the Thai philosophy and cultural outlook will appreciate Keemala’s emphasis on it. Although those distinctive bird’s nest-shaped private pool villas are a visual highlight – the other villas, from the one-bedroom tent pool villas to the Avatar-esque tree houses, are all well worthwhile, too.
Room prices from $750 per night.
Trisara
Best Phuket resort for food lovers
A hotel’s dining options are, of course, of utmost importance to us here at Gourmet Traveller. As exhilarating as it is to dine locally, an excellent hotel simply needs to have an excellent restaurant. Trisara Resort meets – and exceeds – that brief. Its restaurant, Pru, was the first restaurant in Phuket to earn a Michelin star, and it still retains it – holding the distinction of being the only Michelin-starred restaurant on the entire island of Phuket. In addition to Pru, Trisara’s other diners are no slouch: Cielo, Jampa, Seafood at Trisara and Dala Bistro and Bar are all sublime.
But it’s not all about the food here – whether your idea of the perfect holiday is to burn through books by the pool or you’re after some spa pampering, everything you’d expect from a top-tier resort is on offer, executed to an exacting standard. Activities range from water sports to private cooking classes (parents, there is, blissfully, a kids club). One highlight is the Trisara Cruise line-up, which includes a half-day excursion to the iconic Phang Nga Bay (made famous by James Bond).
Room prices from $1345 per night.
Banyan Tree Phuket
Best Phuket resort for families
Beyond just having a kids club, a good resort for families is about convenience and ease. Banyan Tree Phuket’s sheer volume of things to do (and types of things to do) within the resort is what makes it such a good choice for families. The location itself is beautiful – this traditional southern Thai-styled resort is well situated between Bang Tao Beach and a series of coastal lagoons, on a large property.
It makes the most of that footprint to offer an 18-hole golf course through the lagoons, a series of tennis courts, a wellness centre, a spa, as well as an abundance of lagoon-based activities such as kayaking (not to mention the all-important kids club). There are also seven restaurants, offering a wide variety of cuisines. There’s a range of villas to choose from, but it’s hard to go wrong here.
Room prices from $510 per night.
The Nai Harn
The best classic Phuket resort
When it opened in 1986, the Nai Harn, which was once the Royal Phuket Yacht Club, was the island’s first true luxury resort. It hasn’t missed a step since then – this is still one of the finest resorts you’ll find anywhere on Phuket Island.
What’s the secret to its longevity? Well, it might be the stupendous drinking and dining (with a particularly honourable mention to Reflections, the glimmering rooftop bar). It could also be the thoughtfully designed spa and wellness menus – delivered with impeccable service. That postcard-perfect view over Naiharn Bay certainly doesn’t hurt either.
The Nai Harn is also an excellent option for those hoping for a more conventional hotel room set-up, rather than the whole-villa-style arrangement that’s popular in Phuket.
Room prices from $270 per night.
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