Hoteles (The Luxury Collection en Phuket

My husband and I recently spent a wonderful long weekend at Naka Island and would definitely recommend this hotel. From the airport, the property is a quick drive and then five-minute boat trip, but yet we felt so far removed from the crowds and noise of many other parts of Phuket. We stayed in a garden pool villa which had almost 360-degree windows making you feel connected to the natural environment even while inside. The room had everything you could need, want, and then some. It was a beautiful, serene space that also did a lovely job of honoring its Thai roots. Outside was completely private, and we could sit by the pool either in the sun or in the shade on our covered, separate porch. Although we had our own plunge pool, we loved sitting by the main pool and enjoying the incredible views of the Andaman Sea. The food was great at all the restaurants, but we especially enjoyed our dinner at My Grill (kudos to Kit), and loved sunset at Z Bar which is an absolute must! The ladies who served us each night were fantastic! We also enjoyed kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, and biking. All equipment is provided complimentary by the hotel and was super easy to take out. The views are beautiful throughout the property, so staying in a garden villa was completely fine. But I must admit that we were able to see inside one of the ocean view villas when the gate was open for the cleaning staff, and the view was so stunning that I likely will pay the added cost to stay in one of those when we return. Some resort “ocean view” rooms are not worth the cost; I believe at Naka Island they definitely are. So … lovely room, yummy food, fun activities and stunning views … all these features definitely make Naka Island worth visiting. But what makes it so special and worth returning are the people. The warmth of the staff and what seemed to me a genuine desire to engage, befriend, and provide top-notch hospitality in every manner possible sets the hotel apart. Kudos to Kris for his role in creating this lovely environment and personally setting an example for his staff on how to make guests feel both comfortable and special. We look forward to returning to this little slice of heaven.