"This hotel may be located within eyeshot of Patong Beach—the island's rowdy epicenter—but from the moment you turn up at its monogrammed entrance gates, it feels a world away. Sprawled over a lush hillside dotted with ancient banyan trees and indigenous foliage, the Rosewood Phuket's 71 elegant villas and suites feel more like island homes than hotel digs, thanks to their cozy living room spaces decorated with keepsakes, fresh flowers, and coffee table books. The Asaya spa is one of Rosewood’s best in the region, where serious spa junkies should book themselves into the Asaya Villa, a spacious day-use spa retreat with a private watsu pool and Himalayan salt sauna. The four restaurants, providing treats from Italian comfort food to poolside surf and turf, are roomy and relaxed, with Ta Khai (modeled after a Thai fishing village, dishing up authentic Thai plates from open kitchens) being the rightful signature spot. There’s also a seriously good kids’ club—wooden toys, educational activities, the works—making it a great stay for the whole family." - Chris Schalkx
