My recent trip through Asia was a trip of many firsts for me. It was my first visit to Thailand and, as much as I’d like to say I would’ve already been perfectly happy if they had picked me up in an old tuk tuk, I really appreciated the fact the Aleenta sent a large luxury car to pick us up at the airport. It had been a long day of travel and the fresh drinks, cold towels and smooth ride really brought me back to life!

 
The Aleenta Phuket Resort & Spa is one of those small luxury resorts that I just love. It is part of the Akaryn Hotel Group, which manages several such exquisite resorts in Thailand. The moment I arrived I immediately felt at home, which is a rare experience but great when it happens! We stayed in a beautiful pool villa with our own plunge pool and jacuzzi, surrounded by a lush garden with lovely hedges to ensure maximum privacy for guests. The entire resort is beautifully landscaped and offers all the amenities, from a full luxury spa and full size swimming pool to wonderful restaurants and a gorgeous beach that -I’m almost ashamed to admit it – I never left the Aleenta for the entire two days I stayed there!

 
The Aleenta offers several great excursions to exotic places in the area, like the James Bond Island, that in all honesty I had to look up on YouTube but then remembered having seen in one of the older movies. It looked beautiful, but I enjoyed the villa, the pool and beach so much that I didn’t want to go anywhere else to have a fantastic time. It’s a bit of a drive to get to the busier parts of Phuket and I really just wanted to relax and unwind at this little piece of paradise.

 
The restaurants at the Aleenta are so good and so varied that I was perfectly happy there! The Edge, located right on the beach next to the pool, is the place to go for breakfast and lunch. I kicked off each morning there with a truly amazing breakfast from the huge buffet and some of the a la carte options. I just love it when hotels offer a la carte options in addition to the buffet, even though it does test my self control… it was nice and quiet and no queuing at the buffet, which nobody likes.

 
At night we went to The Natai, which serves truly spectacular Thai food. I had curry and seafood and both were fantastic. The only regret I have about The Aleenta is that I only spent a few days there, so I will try to come back soon!

X Merel

LOCATION // Aleenta Phuket Resort & Spa