Sri Panwa Phuket

I arrived at the Sri Panwa just before sunset so I was hasty to check in and catch the last flickers of red in the sky. After being refreshed with lemongrass iced tea and escorted to my room, I walked out onto the veranda to my private pool just as the sun sank into the horizon and I had to pause for a second. Was this real life? It seemed far too surreal and far too beautiful to be reality. That’s how the Sri Panwa makes you feel during your entire stay. There are moments of magic around every corner, from eating breakfast bathed in sunrise light to sipping on cocktails overlooking the Andaman Sea to swimming in the jungle-fringed infinity pool. So what exactly does make the Sri Panwa so special?

Nestled into the rocks of the Cape Panwa peninsula, the location of this hotel is on-point. Majestic views over the Andaman Sea greet you at every turn. Breakfast is served in sunken tables overlooking the horizon and yoga is enjoyed with breathtaking views over Phuket. No matter the activity or the restaurant you choose, you’re sure to be met with a picturesque panorama due to the hotel’s location atop a mountain.

If infinity pools with breathtaking views over the Andaman Sea are your kind of thing, then the Sri Panwa is the ideal hotel choice for you. It doesn’t just have one infinity pool, it has multiple. One surrounding a 360-degree bar, one nestled within a jungle-clad interior and one overlooking the hotel’s private beach and pier.

The Sri Panwa had long been on my radar because of Baba Nest which featured on Condé Nast as the best rooftop bar in Phuket. For this reason I was quick to book a table for sunset cocktails at this famous evening hangout. It didn’t disappoint. An infinity pool surrounds the 360-degree bar, slouchy cushions and low-level tables replace bar stalls and the soundtrack is the perfect mix of chill-out and feel-good tunes. Perhaps the best part about this mellow bar is taking a sunset dip with a cocktail never far away.

With multiple restaurants on site, guests are spoiled between the choice of spicy Thai, authentic Chinese or top-of-the-notch Japanese. Being in Thailand, there was only one choice of cuisine for me. I ate some of the best Thai food in the whole of Thailand during my stay here. I would highly recommend the scallop salad with coconut to start and the Andaman crabmeat yellow curry to follow.

Life is sweet in the Sri Panwa suites. I was fortunate enough to stay in one of their luxury penthouses which offer a lounge area, a kitchen with a complimentary mini bar and a private pool which turns into a Jacuzzi at the touch of a button. Lighting can be adjusted to suit the mood and playlists selected with the surround sound system. All you have to do is kick back, relax and make sure to the make the most of every blissful second.