Maya Bay (of The Beach fame), jungle-sheltered Freedom Beach and a host of sandy idylls are just a hop, skip or long-tail-boat ride away in Phuket, so it takes something extra special to draw sunseekers inland; embedded in Kamala’s lush hinterland, on the sunset west of the island, Keemala Resort fits the bill.

There’s a hint of Hobbiton to this fantastical stay: guests stay in thatch-roofed pool villas, luxurious tented abodes, sleek bird cages or stilted woven huts peeking through tropical greenery; however Lord of the Rings comparisons fail to convey the romance it inspires ”“ a waterfall trickles around the spa (purveyor of holistic rituals and bespoke fitness programmes), cocktails are shaken up at sunset and each private pool comes with a view.

There’s a true sense of place too, with locally sourced and grown food, and region-based staff; and some unique touches: a mosaic in the lobby depicts the resort’s slightly mythologised history, and its name is a respectful portmanteau of the owners’ grandmother’s name, Kee, and Kamala.

For the beach bereft, Kamala’s quiet stretch of coast is a 10-minute drive away; but in this exception, digging your toes in the sand isn’t quite as restorative as a dip by your jungle-surveying villa.

http://www.keemala.com/

Keemala Resort Phuket
10/88 Moo 6, Nakasud Rd, Kamala,
Kathu District, Phuket 83150, Thailand
+66 76 358 777

As part of Mr & Mrs Smith’s editorial team, Kate Weir has been dispatched to some of the world’s most luxurious and unique hotels. Aside from subsidising her travel addiction, she’s previously flitted from gallery to gig as an arts correspondent for Spoonfed London, covered artsy miscellany The Journal of Wild Culture and Eye See Sound, and surveys west London’s cultural scene for the Kensington & Chelsea Review.

(Images courtesy of Keemala Resort Phuket)

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