|
As such, there are more than a few stairs. A shuttle patrols the
path on the hotel’s perimeter and carts guests between high
and low elevations, but door-to-door service isn’t an option.
If you find walking difficult or undesirable, this isn’t the
place for you. On the bright side, the hillside location means more
rooms get sea views. And you stand a good chance of leaving in better
physical shape than you arrived in.
Two islands are better than one
 |
| View
on Bon Island from a room terrace |
|
These days, being seafront doesn’t make an island
resort unique. But having a second island is something
few can offer. Visible from the resort, Bon Island
is a 15-minute (complimentary) boat ride away. The
island has a restaurant, bar, and plenty of activities
(volleyball, snorkelling, wind surfing, Hobie Cats)
to keep the restless entertained. Salas (Thai pavilions)
– with daybeds, minibars, showers and sun chairs
– overlook Evason Phuket’s private beach
and are available for hotel guests to rent for the
day.
The bad news: it’s literally a day rental; at five o’clock
in the evening everybody heads back to the mainland (well, the main
island). Everybody, that is, except the residents of the breezy
Honeymoon Suite. With only one bed available for all-night occupancy,
Bon Island becomes a romantic deserted island fantasy-come-true
just before the sun goes down.
Picking my jaw up off the floor
 |
| Evason
Pool Villa Suite |
|
A private island is tough to beat, but Evason Phuket
has 28 private pools … and 28 luxurious rooms
attached to them. The Evason Pool Villa Suites are
the pinnacle of holiday highlife. Two pavilions –
one a bedroom, the other a living room – sit
on opposite sides of a stone walkway and overlook
the Andaman Sea, private swimming pool, outdoor bathtub,
lily pond and the inevitable puddle of drool that
forms at the feet of anyone who steps through the
gate. The couches in the poolside salas are perfect
for shaded rests between swims or evening drinks in
water-centric ambiance. With an outdoor shower and
a wall of windows that slides completely open –
who needs glass between their bed and the sea? –
the line between outdoors and indoors is erased. The
one bedroom Evason Pool Villas are similar to the
Evason Pool Villa Suites, but with only one pavilion
and a slightly smaller pool.
Parents take note
 |
| Duplex
swimming pool & sea view |
|
Available in both one- and two-bedroom models, the
Evason Duplex Pool Suites aren’t freestanding
like their posh villa siblings, but they bring their
own set of charms to the game. With two levels, they
allow for a balance of privacy and togetherness that’s
perfect for travelling families.
Dad can say “Kids, go downstairs and swim” while keeping
a watchful eye from the balcony above. The two-bedroom suite is
especially indulgent, with a master bedroom on the upper floor and
a second bedroom, living room, and swimming pool on the ground floor
– just a spiral staircase away.
Hints for the budget-minded
 |
| Deluxe
Seaview room |
|
The remaining room types – Studio, Deluxe, and
Junior Suite – share the Evason Phuket’s
wispy-luxury-meets-chunky-colours theme, but offer
differing amounts of room to roam. Large furniture
make the Evason Studio feel smaller than it is, while
the Evason Deluxe is a better balance of space for
price; in either case, spending a little more for
the sea view option is recommended.
The Evason Junior Suites trump them both with cavernous amounts
of space, broad balconies, and separate living and sleeping areas.
And if you’re lucky, it’s possible to score a partial
sea view without paying the extra cost.
A lot to do and plenty to eat
 |
| Into
The View Restaurant |
|
Nearly 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of the airport,
between Chalong Bay and Rawai Beach on the island’s
southeast coast, Evason Phuket is a bit out of the
way. And for most guests that’s the point. But
the resort offers enough ‘dining and doing’
options that leaving the hotel isn’t required.
First, the food. Into The View is the main restaurant, and the
views justify the name. The breakfast buffet is huge, with plenty
of Western and Asian choices, and an especially well-stocked selection
of fresh juices. The dinner buffets are good too, and follow a theme
that changes nightly.
 |
| Into
The Med Restaurant |
|
The other restaurants are the waterfront Into The
Beach (sand floor, lose the shoes), Into Thai (yes,
Thai food), and Into The Med (fine dining Mediterranean-style).
All menus highlight which dishes are vegetarian, contain
nuts, or are especially healthy. Room service is available
24 hours a day.
Evason Phuket has three swimming pools (which also serve drinks
and light munchies) surrounded by lounge chairs, but action at the
resort isn’t limited to doggie-paddling. A pair of tennis courts
– not called Into The Net – light up at night to keep
the racket-swingers happy, while the gym has just enough equipment
to ensure your holiday doesn’t hurt your fitness levels. Also
onsite is a tour desk, dive shop, and shops featuring jewellery,
wine, and nose-exciting spa products.
Lessons in sustainability and personality
Buckets of good karma come from the resort’s
relentless pursuit of making the planet a better place.
A recounting of every Earth-friendly measure taken
would fill a book (it’s called The Little Green
Book; there’s a copy in every room).
From composting to solar panels to having a totally
self-sufficient water supply, it’s as much a
paradise for tree-huggers as luxury-lovers.
And it’s the only resort in Thailand that is
Green Globe Certified. The warm-fuzzies don’t
end there. Management makes a very tangible effort
to give the resort a soul and provide a personalized
experience.
 |
| Into
The Pondering |
|
It starts with the hotel information book; that often
basic introduction to the hair dryer and ironing board.
Not so at Evason Phuket. The first three pages are
detailed schedule of the month’s activities,
followed by seven pages of profiles – with phone
extensions – for everyone from the general manager
to the executive chef to the head accountant. You’ll
also find a nature guide, complete with pictures and
descriptions of the areas winged, finned, and furry
creatures. It may not sound ground-breaking, but it’s
representative of the unique vision and attention
to rarely-considered details that earned Evason –
in Phuket and elsewhere – its luxury credentials.
|
