Phuket is one of those destinations that rewards you for choosing your hotel carefully. The island is large, the beaches vary enormously in character, and the difference between a good hotel and an exceptional one here is wider than almost anywhere else we have visited in Southeast Asia. Get it right, and your resort becomes as much a part of the holiday as the island itself.
We have stayed at and visited properties across Phuket over many years — from the Laguna complex on the northwest coast to Kamala Beach on the west. Every hotel in this guide is one we have experienced personally. These are our honest assessments.
Planning your time in Phuket? See our Best 5-Day Phuket Itinerary for a complete guide to getting the most out of the island.
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Quick Comparison
| Hotel | Area | Best For | Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banyan Tree Phuket | Bang Tao /
Laguna |
Couples,
wellness, ultimate luxury |
Private pool villas,
serene |
| InterContinental Phuket | Kamala Beach | Families, foodies,
and eco-conscious |
Beachside, active,
sustainable |
| Angsana Laguna Phuket | Bang Tao /
Laguna |
Families, groups,
multigenerational |
Lively, lagoon-side,
great pool |
| Saii Laguna Phuket | Bang Tao /
Laguna |
Couples, families,
first-timers |
Colourful, fun,
well-designed |
Understanding Phuket’s Key Areas
Before choosing a hotel, it helps to understand where you are staying on the island.
Bang Tao Bay and the Laguna Complex on the northwest coast are where three of our four recommended hotels sit. The Laguna complex is a self-contained precinct of five-star resorts sharing a private beachfront, a network of lagoons, a golf course, and a small shopping village. It is quieter and more upscale than the southern beaches, 20–25 minutes from the airport, and well away from the noise of Patong. If you want a resort holiday rather than a party holiday, this is where to be.
Kamala Beach is on the west coast, south of Bang Tao and Surin Beach — around 15–20 minutes by road from the Laguna complex. It is one of Phuket’s most beautiful beaches — a long, curved bay lined with casuarina trees, calmer and less developed than Patong. The InterContinental sits here, and it is one of the finest positions on the island.
Banyan Tree Phuket — The Ultimate Luxury Pool Villa Experience
Address: 33/27 Srisoonthorn Road, Choeng Thale, Thalang, Phuket
Distance from airport: 30 km / approximately 35 minutes
Best for: Couples, honeymooners, wellness seekers, anyone who wants complete privacy
Few hotels anywhere in the world can match the Banyan Tree Phuket for sheer luxury combined with a genuinely fascinating back story. The resort sits on what was once an abandoned tin mine — land so contaminated it was declared unfit for any development by the United Nations in 1977. Banyan Tree’s founder spent three years transforming it into one of the finest luxury resorts in Southeast Asia. Lush tropical gardens now surround the property, the lagoon is a saltwater haven, and Bang Tao beach is a short walk from the villas. The transformation is extraordinary when you know the history.
The Banyan Tree opened in 1995 and remains the flagship property of a group that now operates across 17 countries. Coming here, you are visiting where it all started.
Accommodation
The Banyan Tree is a villa-only resort, which immediately sets it apart from the broader hotel market. There are no standard rooms — every guest has their own private pool villa, and the sense of space and seclusion that creates is unlike anything a hotel room can replicate.
The Banyan Pool Villa at 170 sqm is the entry point, and it is exceptional — a king-size Japanese bed, an outdoor bathtub, a private pool, and complimentary bicycles for exploring the grounds. For two people, it is more space than you will know what to do with.
The Grand 2-Bedroom Pool Villa at 380 sqm works beautifully for four — a king bedroom and a twin bedroom, each with their own bathroom, sharing a private pool and living area.
The Double Pool Villa at 1,500 sqm is in a category of its own. The master bedroom has floor-to-ceiling glass walls on three sides, surrounded by your own private pool — you wake up with the tropical garden literally outside the glass. There is a 15-metre infinity pool, a whirlpool, a spa pavilion, and an office. One of the most impressive single accommodations we have encountered anywhere in the world. Breakfast can be delivered by boat on request — do it at least once.
All villas include complimentary Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, and complimentary bicycles.
Veya Wellness
In 2022, the Banyan Tree launched Veya — a structured wellness programme built around eight pillars: sleep and rest, bonding and connection, dietary understanding, physical vitality, mindfulness, development and learning, harmony with nature, and sustained wellbeing practices. A personal consultation on arrival maps out your programme for the stay, combining spa treatments, guided activities and healthy cuisine.
A sample day includes a neighbourhood cycle at 7:30 am, yoga, pilates, herbal massage, and sleep meditation in the evening. The programme is genuinely comprehensive and not merely a spa menu dressed up with wellness language. If you are coming to Phuket to properly reset rather than simply relax, Veya is worth structuring your stay around. The 23-villa Veya sanctuary within the complex operates its own pool villas and restaurant.
Dining
Saffron is the signature restaurant and the destination for dinner — exceptional Thai cuisine in an intimate, beautifully designed setting. Book ahead.
Watercourt Restaurant handles breakfast (from 6:30 am) and international dinner service (from 6:30 pm) in a romantic lagoon-side setting.
Banyan Café overlooks the golf course and serves breakfast through to early evening — a more relaxed option for days when you don’t want to move far from the grounds.
Tre Restaurant opens for dinner from 6:30 pm with views across the resort.
Veya Restaurant serves wholesome, health-focused cuisine from noon to 3 pm and from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm — available to all guests, not just those on the Veya programme.
Lobby Bar Hi-Tea runs daily from 2 pm to 5 pm — a civilised afternoon ritual that fits the Banyan Tree atmosphere perfectly.
Facilities
Three tennis courts, a par-71 18-hole golf course, the award-winning Banyan Tree Spa, and the Rangers Club for children and teenagers. The resort also has direct beach access to Bang Tao Beach.
Our Verdict
9.5 / 10. The Banyan Tree Phuket is the finest resort we have visited on the island and one of the best in Southeast Asia. The pool villas are extraordinary, the wellness programme is genuinely world-class, and the history of the property adds a dimension that newer hotels simply cannot replicate. It is expensive — appropriately so. If you are going to splurge once in Phuket, this is where to do it.
Book your rooms here at the Banyan Tree Phuket
InterContinental Phuket — Michelin Dining and Exceptional Sustainability on Kamala Beach
Address: Kamala Beach, Kathu, Phuket
Distance from airport: Approximately 35 minutes
Best for: Families, food lovers, eco-conscious travellers, anyone who wants a beachside position
The InterContinental Phuket opened in 2019 on one of the island’s most beautiful stretches of coastline — Kamala Beach, a wide, curved bay lined with casuarina trees on the quieter west coast. The timing was unfortunate: COVID arrived barely a year later and the hotel closed. What the team did during that period, however, was remarkable. Rather than simply waiting to reopen, they used the time to implement one of the most comprehensive sustainability programmes we have seen at any hotel in the region.
The result is a property that delivers genuine five-star luxury while operating with a seriousness about its environmental impact that is rare in this industry.
Sustainability — Worth Understanding
The InterContinental holds Gold Certification in the LEED programme (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) — one of the most rigorous sustainability standards in the world. Achieving it required 100% LED lighting throughout the property, energy-efficient air-conditioning with superior insulation, and a rainwater harvesting system that collects, treats and reuses water for flushing and landscape irrigation.
The IHG Green Engage system has reduced energy usage by 25% compared to baseline. Single-use plastics have been eliminated — glass water bottles in every room, edible straws, and wooden keycards replacing plastic. The hotel works with local fishermen and growers to supply its restaurants, operates a fermentation lab at Jaras for locally sourced produce, and is a major sponsor of the Oceans For All Foundation’s coastal cleaning catamaran. Monsoon Tea, grown in the forests of northern Thailand, is served in the Devas Lounge — supporting forest communities and reducing deforestation simultaneously.
If any of this matters to you — and it should — the InterContinental Phuket is the most impressive example of genuinely responsible luxury travel we have encountered in Thailand.
Accommodation
221 rooms, suites and villas configured across hillside and beachside positions — one of the few Phuket hotels where your choice of hillside versus beachside genuinely changes the character of the stay.
The Classic Room at 43 sqm sits on the hillside with a balcony or terrace, available as mountain view, pool view or pool access configurations.
Premium Rooms at 46 sqm offer pool view or ocean view options with slightly more space.
The Club IC Lagoon Villa at 104 sqm includes full Club InterContinental benefits — private check-in, lounge access, and the elevated service level that makes a material difference on a longer stay.
The Beachside Suite Ocean View at 61 sqm is the one to request if you want the best position — a king bed with direct ocean views on Kamala Bay.
Club IC Pool Villas in 1, 2 and 3-bedroom configurations are the standout accommodation for families or groups — private pools, villa-level space, and the full Club service package.
Dining
Jaras is listed in the Michelin Guide Thailand for 2022 and 2023. Modern Thai cuisine using produce sourced from local growers and fishermen, with a fermentation lab on site. The 9-course dinner (available from 6 pm, 24-hour reservation required) is one of the finest meals available on the island.
Pinto handles all-day dining from 6:30 am — a broad international breakfast buffet using local produce, followed by Thai-inspired lunch and dinner service.
Pine is the beachside bar and restaurant directly on Kamala Beach, open from 8 am to midnight. Breakfast overlooking the bay, casual lunch, and cocktails at sunset. The Sunday brunch from noon to 3 pm is popular with both guests and locals.
Devas Lounge is for afternoon tea with mountain views — and the Kad Kokoa single-origin chocolate, made from cacao and organic cane sugar sourced from local Thai farmers, is genuinely among the best we have tasted. The Jaras Silver Needle white tea from Chiang Rai is exceptional.
Tengoku serves Japanese teppanyaki cuisine Thursday to Monday from 6 pm. Book ahead.
333 At The Beach is the all-day beach club from 10 am to midnight — oysters, lobster, wagyu beef from the BBQ, craft beer and champagne on the deck at sunset.
Facilities
Five swimming pools, the Sati Spa, fitness centre, Planet Trekkers Kids Club (open 9 am to 6 pm with a jungle-themed play area), beach power walks, bike tours of Kamala Village, pilates, yoga, boot camp, Muay Thai demonstrations, water polo, and EV charging stations.
Our Verdict
9 / 10. The InterContinental Phuket is an exceptional hotel on an exceptional beach. The sustainability programme puts it in a different category to its competitors, and Jaras is the finest restaurant we have eaten at in Phuket. The range of accommodation, from hillside classic rooms to three-bedroom beachside pool villas, makes it suitable for every type of traveller.
Book your rooms at the Intercontinental Hotel Phuket here
Angsana Laguna Phuket — A Lagoon-Side Resort That Works for Everyone
Address: 10 Moo 4, Srisoonthorn Road, Cherngtalay, Thalang, Phuket 83110
Distance from airport: 20 minutes
Best for: Families, multigenerational groups, conference travellers, anyone wanting a lively activity-rich resort
The Angsana Laguna holds a particular place in our history with Phuket. Our first visit was in 2004 — back then under the Sheraton brand — with a young family who still speak warmly about the pool, the artificial beach and the Thai food. Returning years later to attend the TBEX travel conference, and staying again more recently, the 2011 rebrand under Banyan Tree’s Angsana label had clearly improved the experience while keeping the scale and energy that make this resort special.
With 409 rooms across three floors and a 323-metre free-form pool, this is a big resort. It does not try to be intimate — it is designed for guests who want activity, variety and energy. For families and multigenerational groups in particular, it is one of the strongest options on the island.
Going with the whole family? We have written a dedicated article on multigenerational travel at the Angsana Laguna Phuket with more detail on the family experience.
First Impressions
Arriving at noon — three hours before check-in — the open-air reception was busy, but the welcome was warmly Thai: a refreshing drink, a cold towel, a golf buggy to whisk me to the room once it was ready. The covered walkways throughout the resort make walking comfortable even in the heat or during a rain shower.
The Laguna Premier King Room stopped me in my tracks. A calming palette of purple throughout — artwork, cushions, floor and wall coverings — tied together by fresh orchid flowers and an aromatherapy burner already lit on arrival. A private balcony with lagoon views completed the picture. It was one of the more considered room designs we have encountered at a large resort.
Accommodation
409 rooms across 14 categories, ranging from 40 sqm to 224 sqm and accommodating 2 to 6 guests — Laguna rooms, Grand rooms, Premier rooms, Beachfront rooms, Poolside rooms, Lofts, Island Suites, Island Duplexes, Pool Suites and the Grand Angsana. All include air-conditioning, iron, coffee-making facilities, LCD TV, minibar and complimentary Wi-Fi.
The Pool and Beach
The 323-metre free-form pool is one of the finest hotel pools in Thailand. It winds through the grounds with shallow sections, swimming lanes and a lazy river current. The artificial beach alongside it is the feature that makes it exceptional for families — a safe, calm water entry that removes the unpredictability of ocean swimming for young children. Very few resorts execute this as well.
Dining
The Market Place handles breakfast with a generous buffet, including a dedicated children’s section. The lagoon views make it difficult to leave.
Poolside dining for lunch is the move — the vegetarian spring rolls are among the best we have eaten at a Phuket resort. A chilled Leo beer alongside is the right call.
Xana Beach Bar, from 11 am to 10 pm, is the natural gathering point for happy hour. Further options include Azura for Italian, Loy Krathong Bar for drinks and snacks, Baan Talay for dinner on Monday and Thursday evenings, Bodega & Grill for international cuisine daily, and Atoll for dinner from 4 pm.
Facilities
Angsana Spa, a fitness centre with Thai boxing, pilates and yoga, a golf course, windsurfing, sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, a kids’ club with indoor and outdoor play, a children’s spa, and a shuttle boat service connecting the resort to the other Laguna hotels and the shopping village. Conference facilities are genuinely impressive — we saw them handle 300 delegates across two full days with ease.
Our Verdict
8.5 / 10. The most versatile property in the Laguna complex. The pool is exceptional, the room design is more considered than the resort’s scale suggests, and the family facilities are among the best on the island. For energy, activity and a resort that works for everyone from grandparents to toddlers, this is the standout choice.
Book your room at the Angsana Laguna Phuket here
Saii Laguna Phuket — Bold Design and Thai Hospitality Done Well
Address: 323 Moo 2, Srisoonthorn Road, Cherngtalay, Thalang, Bang Tao Bay, Phuket
Distance from airport: 25 minutes
Best for: Couples, families, first-time visitors to Phuket
The Saii Laguna is the most design-forward property in the Laguna complex — 255 rooms with a personality that is immediately apparent from the moment you step into the lobby. Where the Banyan Tree is serene, and the Angsana is lively, the Saii is bold: vivid colours, sculptural lighting, an interior that takes a position and commits to it.
The arrival sets the tone: a cool drink and chilled towel presented with the graceful attentiveness that only Thai hospitality delivers at its best. The reception extends in front of you — bright prints in yellow and red, cushioned sofas beneath intricate layered lighting, a pool feature at the far end drawing the eye toward calm. Walking through to the accommodation, the lagoon opens on one side and the Andaman Sea on the other.
Accommodation
255 rooms across nine categories on four floors, all carrying the resort’s signature palette of gold and red. The standout feature is the sunken shower — a design detail rarely seen in Thai hotels. Most rooms also include an oversized daybed on the balcony, large enough for a child or as an afternoon reading spot.
Club rooms add private check-in and check-out, breakfast in the Club House overlooking the lagoon, and afternoon tea and evening cocktails — a meaningful upgrade worth considering.
Dining
Locavore handles all-day dining from 6:30 am in a space designed to evoke a traditional Thai home.
Miss Olive Oyl serves Mediterranean cuisine from noon with a serious cocktail list and extensive wine selection.
Mr Tomyam is the dinner recommendation — Thai cuisine with a European fusion touch, served inside or on an alfresco terrace with Andaman Sea views. The sunset from that terrace is one of the more memorable dining settings in the Laguna complex.
Pools, Beach and Activities
Three pools, the largest with direct beach views. The Laguna beachfront is wide, clean and well-managed. The Mafeung and Mafi’s Beach Club and Camp runs a comprehensive daily children’s programme. Tennis, kayaking and windsurfing for adults. The Massage Sala for spa treatments and Thai massage.
Our Verdict
8.5 / 10. The Saii Laguna punches above its weight on design and atmosphere. The interiors are more considered than most Phuket hotels at this price point, the Thai hospitality is consistently warm, and Mr Tomyam’s sunset terrace is reason alone to book dinner here even if you are staying elsewhere in the complex.
Book your room at Saii Laguna here
Which Phuket Hotel Should You Choose?
For the ultimate luxury experience: Banyan Tree Phuket. The pool villas and Veya wellness programme are in a category of their own.
For beachside position and exceptional dining: InterContinental Phuket at Kamala Beach. Jaras alone is worth the trip.
For families and multigenerational groups: Angsana Laguna Phuket. The pool, artificial beach, kids’ club and dining variety make it the most complete family resort in the complex.
For design-forward style at a more accessible price: Saii Laguna Phuket. The boldest interiors in the Laguna complex with consistently warm service.
If you can’t decide between the Laguna properties: All three — Banyan Tree, Angsana and Saii — sit within the same complex and share beach access, the shuttle boat service and the shopping village. The difference is in character and price point rather than location.
Practical Information
Getting to Phuket: Phuket International Airport (HKT) receives direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, among others from Europe and Asia.
Don’t pay more than you need to for flights. We use Skyscanner to compare fares across airlines and find the best deals for our travels—check prices for your trip here.
Getting around: Grab is the most reliable option for airport transfers and day trips. Most hotels can arrange transfers on request.
Best time to visit: November to February is the cool season and most popular. March to May is hot and dry. June to October is the monsoon season — less crowded with lower rates.
Staying connected: An eSIM is the easiest way to stay connected in Thailand. Purchase your Thailand eSIM here.
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More Phuket and Thailand Reading
- Best 5-Day Phuket Itinerary
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- Review: Nora Beach Resort & Spa Koh Samui
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