Chilling out in paradise

Set in lush vegetation facing the deep blue Andaman Sea, JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa makes for the perfect getaway

Mai Khao beach, Phuket's longest, stretches nine kilometres along the island's northwest coast. If you're looking for sun, sand, sea and solitude, this is the place for you.

JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa is a perfect getaway for honeymooners, families and leisure travellers who don't want to be in the middle of bar-land. Located 15 kilometres north of Phuket airport, the hotel is set amongst lush, tropical landscaped gardens adjacent to the Sirinath National Park and a protected sea turtle nesting area.

You can use the hotel's buggy or stroll to the Turtle Village shopping centre nearby to find gifts, Thai souvenirs, a fair selection of clothes, snacks and dining options. But if you want to soak up the fast paced action of Patong beach, you'll have to spend 45 to 50 minutes on the road.

You do, however, get a stunning view of sunset over the Andaman Sea from huge round-loveseats on the beachfront, and the Out of The Blue Drink, a bar claimed as a trend setter in world cocktail mixology, is a great place to start the night.

On the downside, the sea off the resort's beach is not ideal for swimming, as the waves rush in hard and fast but the hotel more than makes up for this by providing three magnificent swimming pools. The Main Pool has a children's pool, a water slide and statues of turtles for families with kids; the North Pool is surrounded by lush vegetation is designed for those wishing to spend some quiet time, and the Blue Pool with Hydrotherapy Beds and Lap Area and the swim up Out of the Blue Splash bar in the middle of it is great for anyone to wants to hang out with friends.

All 265 deluxe rooms, of which 13 are suites, face ocean with magnificent views of gardens and pools. Rooms are spacious and elegant with comfortable living space, balcony and an indoor sala, a traditional Thai-style raised area, with twin soft mats and triangular cushions facing floor-to-ceiling windows.

As I step inside the room, the folded towel in the shape of an elephant brings a smile to my face. The rich silk fabrics from Jim Thompson add to the Thai ambience in the room. Lying on the mat with a book in my hands, I can hear the wind whispering through the coconut palms. Tonight, I am sure that the natural lullaby will lull me to sleep.

After a day full of activities in the corporate teambuilding programme offered by the resort, a quick shower in the shower cubicle followed by a lazy warm bath in an oversized tub is extremely relaxing. The wooden louvered sliding partitions between the bathroom and the bedroom allow me to watch TV and the view outside from the bathtub.

The polished tile floor tends to be slippery even when walking barefoot so caution is needed when wearing slippers.

The next morning I am booked for a cooking class at Ginja Cook, the resorts' cooking school offering Thai and personalised classes. Knowing that I have to eat what I cook for lunch, I plan to skip breakfast.

Hunger is the best sauce, wouldn't you agree?

At a glance

High points: The property is kid friendly and very serene. It is also close to the airport.

Low points: The sea off the resorts is not really swimmable because the waves are rough, and it's quite far from Phuket's tourist spots.

Find it: The hotel is in Mai Khao, Talang, Phuket province.

Pay for it: Contact the hotel for the best rates and offers.

Phone it: (076) 338 000 or e-mail jwmarriott.phuket@marriotthotels.com.

Browse it: www.JWMarriottPhuketResort.com.