EASTERN coast resorts aren't as plentiful as those on the west coast, especially up towards the north of the island.
But they do offer something at a different pace, in a different way.
The odd thing is that one of the newest of a brace of east coast resorts is a Best Western, the Premier Supalai Resort and Spa.
When east meets Best Western, the expectation is that occupancy rates will move north this high season, not south.
Spread across four buildings on a substantial plot, ??this is much more than a boutique resort.
Premier Supalai, situated at Ao Poh in Paklok, has Chandara Resort and Spa as a neighbour and contains 80 deluxe sea view rooms, 40 super deluxe sea view rooms, plus 24 grand deluxe sea view rooms.
That's enough of a sea view to warrant one eatery being called the Pano Restaurant ??? short, we suspect, for Panorama rather than a misspelling of Piano ??? and the less inventive Sand and Sea Restaurant.
There are also 38 poolside villas, with property sales envisaged, a two-level swimming pool, a substantial spa and a drinkery named the Zooth Bar. The alphabet is certainly getting a workover these days, along with the gin and tonic, and there's plenty of room for conventions.
Chokdee Chunpoon, the General Manager, sees good times ahead for the Supalai as the high season approaches.
The soft 10 percent occupancy rates since the February opening will soon be just a dim memory, he believes.
And the beauty of a resort like the Supalai is that while the visitors come from Korea, other international destinations and elsewhere in Thailand, the 119 staff are mostly drawn from the surrounding villages.
Local workers tend to be extremely loyal and as Khun Chokdee says, there's something special about the east coast compared to the west coast.
"The resort sits amid beautiful green forest hills overlooking a glorious view of Po Bay," Khun Chokdee says. "The resort is only 20 minutes from Phuket City, 15 minutes from the airport, 10 minutes from a top-class golf course, and a few minutes from the main pier."
Those looking for the relaxing kind of holiday for which the east coast is already noted won't need to be convinced.
While Khun Chokdee is hoping that the number of telephone connections in the region increases quickly to meet demand, he would like the local forests to be preserved at the same time. Progress and preservation, like Yin and Yang, seem to be in balance on the east.
Supalai tel: 076 302302
Website: www.supalaiphuket.com
E: reservation@supalaiphuket.com
But they do offer something at a different pace, in a different way.
The odd thing is that one of the newest of a brace of east coast resorts is a Best Western, the Premier Supalai Resort and Spa.
When east meets Best Western, the expectation is that occupancy rates will move north this high season, not south.
Spread across four buildings on a substantial plot, ??this is much more than a boutique resort.
Premier Supalai, situated at Ao Poh in Paklok, has Chandara Resort and Spa as a neighbour and contains 80 deluxe sea view rooms, 40 super deluxe sea view rooms, plus 24 grand deluxe sea view rooms.
That's enough of a sea view to warrant one eatery being called the Pano Restaurant ??? short, we suspect, for Panorama rather than a misspelling of Piano ??? and the less inventive Sand and Sea Restaurant.
There are also 38 poolside villas, with property sales envisaged, a two-level swimming pool, a substantial spa and a drinkery named the Zooth Bar. The alphabet is certainly getting a workover these days, along with the gin and tonic, and there's plenty of room for conventions.
Chokdee Chunpoon, the General Manager, sees good times ahead for the Supalai as the high season approaches.
The soft 10 percent occupancy rates since the February opening will soon be just a dim memory, he believes.
And the beauty of a resort like the Supalai is that while the visitors come from Korea, other international destinations and elsewhere in Thailand, the 119 staff are mostly drawn from the surrounding villages.
Local workers tend to be extremely loyal and as Khun Chokdee says, there's something special about the east coast compared to the west coast.
"The resort sits amid beautiful green forest hills overlooking a glorious view of Po Bay," Khun Chokdee says. "The resort is only 20 minutes from Phuket City, 15 minutes from the airport, 10 minutes from a top-class golf course, and a few minutes from the main pier."
Those looking for the relaxing kind of holiday for which the east coast is already noted won't need to be convinced.
While Khun Chokdee is hoping that the number of telephone connections in the region increases quickly to meet demand, he would like the local forests to be preserved at the same time. Progress and preservation, like Yin and Yang, seem to be in balance on the east.
Supalai tel: 076 302302
Website: www.supalaiphuket.com
E: reservation@supalaiphuket.com
