Its remoteness only lets the Sri Panwa spoil its guests more
Breathtaking views of the Andaman Sea give Sri Panwa the edge.Sri Panwa Phuket is ideally the place to go if you want a hilltop room with a stunning view of the Andaman Sea, a tranquil place to declutter your brain, tranquility to reflect upon matters, ample privacy, fun activities to boost your vacation and superior service.
Run by 24-year-old Worasit "Pla Waan" Issara, the son of the noted property tycoon who owns Charn Issaran I and II towers in Bangkok and other estates, Sri Panwa has been growing in popularity among those finding a quality vacation.
We were in Phuket to join the launch of a Mont Clair sparkling wine, the latest offering from Siam Winery, which sponsored last month's Phuket Regatta.
Upon arrival at Sri Panwa, one steps into a romantic hideaway in the heart of a lush tropical forest that provides camouflage for the numerous pool villas sprouting on the green slopes of Phuket's Cape Panwa.
For nature lovers, it feels like a few steps away from paradise as villas blend seamlessly with tall trees in deference to Mother Nature.
Getting to the lobby from the main gate is quite a challenge. With the steep slopes of Cape Panwa, calm gives way to excitement, but ultimately the higher you go, the more breathtaking the views of the Andaman become.
And that's the reason why Sri Panwa is perched atop a hill: You get a panoramic view of the sea from every room.
Seen from afar, Sri Panwa doesn't look that big, but in fact it boasts 60 villas tucked away on one side of a hill overgrown with trees of different types.
For many, the place gives off an atmosphere of Khao Yai with a pleasant cacophony of the jungle, but here there's an added bonus of a deep blue sea that makes Sri Panwa one of the best spots to wind down in Phuket.
The staff members were all smiling, friendly and ready to help. We often saw Khun Worasit running around making sure things were okay. He's not the kind of boss who just enjoys sitting his air-con office. He prefers to approach the guests himself and tend to their needs.
We checked into a pool villa costing about Bt40,000 per night (at last December's rate), complete with a private swimming pool wrapped seamlessly around the glass-enclosed bedroom. Just slide the glass panel and off you go into the crystal clear water overlooking the Andaman.
Not there for decorative purpose, the pool seems to seduce a splashy frolic. We did just that, and we achieved total relaxation with a dip in the pool 60 metres above sea level while taking in the sight of the endless blue expanse down below. This happened in absolute privacy - no other guests were going to see us.
For a hotel of this high standard, everything you want is in the room, from the state-of-the-art entertainment system that provides soothing background music to first-rated toiletries to the wide range of snacks to choose from.
Once inside the room, one wouldn't want to venture out if you're a writer or any other professional who's looking for peace to figure things out or dream a big dream.
For outside the room, it's blue and green. Inside, it's brown and white. One can spend time just watching the blue oval, or a luxury cruising ship passing by.
Going out, there's quite a lot to do. At the hotel's 100-metre-long pier, a yacht is waiting. Besides, there are two tennis courts and a fully equipped gym with private instructors. The hotel has a private fleet of cars that can whiz you anywhere in southern Thailand.
We met young Worasit again at dinner, still busy chatting up guests. Sri Panwa's Baba Phuket Restaurant presents a stylish menu of contemporary Thai and international cuisine alongside panoramic sea views.
The menu fuses home-cooked comfort food with Thai specialities and Western favourites. The restaurant has big, long tables like those in school canteens, just to conjure up a Thai atmosphere in which everyone shares the food and forges new friendships over good eating.
We tried a six-course dinner, starting with chicken wings with crispy lemongrass followed by Tom Baba (with veggies, roasted ground jasmine rice and herbs).
This was followed by Crispy Morning Glory, deep-friend with chilli paste and coconut dressing, and White Truffle Rib Eye, which was very yummy. Up next was PassionSake Tiger Prawn with passion fruit sake sauce, followed by Jasmine Creme Brulee.
We stepped out of the restaurant to find the hotel illuminated in the solemn halogen glow. We can't wait to see the morning and the Andaman.
AT A GLANCE
High point: The resort offers maximum privacy and superior service in addition to the breathtaking views of the ocean that adds inspiration and beauty to your vacation.
Low point: The resort is quite a long way from the airport. And, since most rooms are on a steep slope and a long way from the restaurant and the lobby, you might need to wait a little while for pickup service. But you can always walk down the hill on your own if you like.
Find it: Cape Panwa near Phuket Deep Sea Port
Phone it: (676) 371 000
Browse it: www.SriPanwa.com
