Impiana Phuket Cabana Resort and Spa
Phuket Hotel Review
Review
by Sam Wilkinson - Photos by Stephan Audiger
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Impiana Phuket Cabana Resort and Spa is one of the leaders
in the Phuket hospitality league.
Impiana was one of the first high-level hotels on the island
yet you’d never guess it as the resort has a ‘just
built’ freshness to it. Everything – from the large
lobby to the 76 guest units to the flagship Sala Bua restaurant
– is well maintained and squeaky clean.
The only resort in Patong actually on the beach, Impiana
has had a running start on its competitors right from the
word go.
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Patong
Beach - Location
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Lobby
Cabana's lobby
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Impiana’s impressive lobby is indicative of what is to be
found in this resort. Reception is placed at the lobby’s east
end, by the cobblestone car park.
The west end features a comfortable and breezy lounge area with
sofas and reading material and a view out to Patong Beach and the
Andaman Sea.
There is also a small library and a free Internet room with a large
multilingual selection of tour literature.
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Pool
Swimming pool
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The resort’s pool has an ‘on the beach’ feel to
it yet is completely private, giving guests the option of getting
sand between their toes on the actual beach just a few metres away
or staying in private resort mode. In fact, most people do both
as Patong Beach itself is an amusing place to be at any time of
day.
Jet-skis scud across the water while speedboats pull parasailing
tourists overhead – this is fun in the sun and Impiana is right
in the middle of it. There is a children’s section of the pool
and the ‘adult’ part is never deeper than 1.40m.
Surrounded by wooden sun loungers and a non-slip wooden deck, the
resort’s pool is a wonderful all-day-round location in which
to take it easy.
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In the heart of the matter
Patong Beach in front of Impiana
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On the resort’s east side just outside the lobby, Taweewongse
Rd. can get very busy with a constant flow of one-way northbound
traffic, strolling tourists and shoppers and the obligatory rows
of tailor shops and clothes stalls yet, once inside the lobby, guests
can relax in the calm and serene atmosphere.
In other words, you’re in the heart of the beach and commercial
action and yet peacefully ensconced away from it.
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Rooms and features
Superior room
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The ‘Cabana’ moniker comes from the resort’s room
arrangements – all of the 76 rooms are at ground level, lending
a luxury cabin-like feel. The resort has six different types of
rooms, ranging from the opulent poolside 73sqm Impiana Suite to
the 28sqm Superior Room.
We stayed in a Superior Deluxe arrangement – a two-room, two-bathroom
affair that can be used as separate rooms as well. The Superior
Deluxe in its two-room version features a bedroom with a living
room but the living room had been temporarily converted into a bedroom
for our little boy – something that made him beam with contentment
as he flipped on the Cartoon Channel on the 46” flatscreen
TV.
The rooms at Impiana are air conditioned as well as having ornate
ceiling fans. Both of our rooms featured a clever electric control
panel to work the many lighting and ventilation choices, thus changing
the mood of without actually having to get up and search for switches.
The living room also had a beautiful wooden writing desk while the
king-size bed in the bedroom was complemented by beautiful woodwork
at its head.
Deluxe room
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The only difference between the two bathrooms was that one had
an open-sided shower while the other had a step-in bathtub –
both with a ‘rainforest’ shower. The toilet itself featured
western-style swinging salon doors – an unusual feature, and
both bathrooms provided acres of wardrobe space with personal digital
strong boxes along with bathrobes, slippers, full-length, sink and
shaving mirrors, hygiene accessories, mountains of bath and beach
towels and a set of weighing scales.
One extremely attractive feature was the faux-marble off-white
floors – actually polished and coated concrete, but convincing
nevertheless. It is this pleasing balance of the traditional with
high-tech that sets this resort apart. The leitmotif running through
the rooms and eateries as well as the spa and lobby is the classic
Thai ‘bua’ – lotus flower. You will find lotuses
throughout the resort, discreetly placed in jars, vases and even
glasses and this is a beautiful touch. Both of our rooms had a fully
stocked minibar/fridge and tea and coffee-making facilities.
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Restaurants, a champion chef and music
Beach Bar & Grill
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Impiana has four food outlets, each with its own distinctive character:
Three Spices, featuring Australasian cuisine and a direct
view on Taweewongse Rd.; La Salsa, an air-conditioned cocktail,
Tapas and cigar bar; Beach Bar, an excellent location for
a light lunch and/or sundowners, and Sala
Bua, for many the last word in dining in this area.
Sala Bua is the stomping ground of award-winning Filipino chef
Ronnie Macuja – a chef whose innovative cuisine has earned
him accolades upon well-deserved accolades in the culinary press.
If you enjoy unusual, surprising and perfectly accomplished food
in an impeccably well-appointed restaurant then look no further
than Sala Bua.
La Salsa
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Each outlet except Beach Bar features excellent live music. Sala
Bua is also the venue for the breakfast buffet and breakfast time
is the only time that there are a substantial amount of people in
the same room at this resort.
You can choose to eat in the opulent surroundings of the restaurant
or sit outside near the beach and admire the view of Patong Bay.
On a sunny morning it’s hard to think of a more pleasant breakfast
location in Patong.
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Spa
Impiana’s spa, the Swasana, is located beachside next to the
Sala Bua. Open from 00:09 to 20:00, the spa features outdoors Thai
traditional massage, herbal steam room and five treatment rooms
with a generous massage, wrap, scrub and reflexology menu. Guests
are required to reserve in advance and to arrive 15 minutes before
their treatment time.
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Summary
Impiana Cabana has its feet firmly on the ground when it comes
to guest satisfaction. The resort’s staff, wait staff, musicians
and chefs are all of the highest quality. Staying there was an uplifting
and edifying experience and I wouldn’t hesitate to go again.
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