GOIN’ BOUTIQUE, BAE!

SWITCHING THINGS UP AT PANWA BOUTIQUE BEACH RESORT, PHUKET

Hotels, especially ones in Thailand, are so predictable. You’ve got luxury, standardised great service, on-point spas and bloody brilliant massages pouring out of your ears, if you’ve lived here long enough, that is. The service and attention to detail is not this good anywhere else. But, with all the Mariotts, the Hiltons, the Shangrilas and the Novotels... it can get boring. They’re great and all but honey... sometimes you just gotta go boutique.

Instead of being hit with the same ol’ same ol’, immerse yourself in something different. An experience that can’t be replicated. This was our line of thinking when we hit up Panwa Boutique Beach Resort in Phuket.

The dated yet tranquil, Thai-style resort is situated along the still waters and powder soft white sands of Panwa Beach in Phuket. Now this alone is quite special. Panwa Beach, in our opinion, is far more attractive than a lot of the other beaches in Phuket. The sea is dotted with the distant bobbing boats of Chalong bay and the beach is pretty much a private one in itself. Not only are you away from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, but you’re also away from the hustle and bustle of Phuket too. Time to unwind, folks!

The resort’s laid back and tropical ambiance is inimitable; being that up close and personal with the beachfront is truly special. The highlight for us was grabbing the deckchairs from the beachfront garden and dragging them right onto the beach by the water, a short 10 metres, lying back and gazing into the distance. Time stood still. If you’re not a fan of getting into the ocean, then the resort’s small infinity pool, which overlooks the ocean, may suffice.

The masseuse gets up close and personal too. Take it from us, it ain’t no happy ending type of experience, but at some points it felt like it could have turned into one. You’ll probably never have a massage like it, and hey, you’ll walk out feeling super refreshed too, with your back knot-free and your legs less tense.

What we enjoyed even more was the Thai cooking class, instructed by the hotel’s very own head chef. Walking us through step by step what to do, after an hour in the makeshift kitchen chopping, slicing, measuring and swanning around in the aprons Panwa Boutique ended up gifting us, we sat down to eat a three-course Thai meal we had made using our bare little hands. Now, thanks to Panwa Boutique Beach Resort, we can make a pretty mean Thai beef salad, a tom yum goong and a green curry. Yes, incredibly common Thai dishes but hey, how many of you can actually make them?!

You’re also 15 minutes away from Sri Panwa; if you feel like going for sunset drinks at the highly trendy Babanest rooftop bar, you can. In fact, anywhere you wanna go, you can, as the resort will organise a private car to chauffeur you. What we liked most about Panwa Boutique Beach Resort was how attentive, interesting and friendly most of the staff were; not service with a smile, but service with personality and a story.

For more information on Panwa Boutique Beach Resort, or to make a booking, visit www.panwaboutiquebeachresort.com.