Imagine a perfect place, a paradise on earth, in a region completely reborn from the ashes… that paradise is JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort and Spa.
It is located in Khao Lak, province of Phang Nga, one of the most affected areas of Thailand by the 2004 Tsunami. A vision of blue sea, palm trees, the horizon as background and the feeling of the fine sand in our feet makes us feel in heaven!
The amazing thing about JW Marriott is that it’s able to combine perfectly the luxury and all the commodities of a great resort with the natural beauty of Khao Lak.
The excellence of this resort gave it, in 2010, the Condé Nast World’s Top New Hotel’s award.
First impression:
What can I say about first impressions when the feeling we get is that we just found one of the most beautiful places on earth? When we headed to Khao Lak all I could think about was that area had been completely devastated by the tsunami and I asked myself how will it be right now, ten years later? We knew JW Marriott was quite recent and we had pretty high expectations, due to everything we read and seen about the hotel. Oh…, how it makes me happy when something exceeds my expectations!
At the arrival we were received by an authentic welcoming committee, the lobby is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen and as we waited we had the chance to take a look around and realize the Hotel immensity. We can see the ocean and its horizon, a picture that praises the beginning of any stay right from the start.
The resort has traditional Thai architecture and decoration, Lanna style, but with many modern style notes. Tradition mixes with luxury in every detail.
But, a wonder never comes alone, and because JW Marriott does not leave anything to chance, in the afternoon of our arrival and after an outer world massage in the Hotel’s Spa , we were gifted with a “Welcome Sunset”, an event with pleasant cocktails, delicious snacks and with the best view possible, the amazing sunset at the Andaman Sea. This initiative serves for the management team of the hotel to properly welcome the guests and for them to realize everything will be done to transform their stay in their best holidays ever (at least I felt that way)!
Rooms:
The hotel is constituted by 293 bedrooms, of eight types; we stayed in a Deluxe Lagoon Pool Access, yes, pool access! Our room had direct access to the 3km pool that surrounds the entire hotel! The decoration is similar to the rest of the resort, combined with all the luxury.
The bathroom was huge, and the bathtub was more like a pond than a bathtub! As we entered, the bedroom was properly prepared for us, chocolates, fruits and a true moment in the art of welcoming was on top of the large bed, an elephant made with towels and a “welcome” made of small flowers.
At each second passed, and with every new detail, I fell more in love with JW Marriott and with Khao Lak. .
Restaurant Olive
Restaurants/Bars:
We can say the hotel has everything for every taste, and that is well noticeable in everything, including the several gastronomical options. And there are eight of them!
From the most traditional Asian, like the the Thai Ta-Krai, or the Japanese Sakura to the most European, like the Italian Olive, passing through the pool bars, like the Infinity Pool Bar or the Aquamarine Pool Bar. And in between, the Czar Bar, The Deli and the Waterfront Restaurant.
But don’t worry, about our gastronomic adventures in this paradise we’ll talk about in a next post.
We’ll just make reference to the breakfast for now, one of the highlights of the day in any Hotel, is not an exception in this JW Marriott, served in the Waterfront, in a wide room and full of natural light, not to speak of the view over the sea. Here we find one of the biggest and most varied offers of breakfast among all the hotels we ever visited. Each space of the room is divided by sections where everything is prepared in the moment, from the fresh fruit smoothies, to the classical eggs Benedict or French inspired breads. And being in Asia, its proper area is also present, with excellent broths and noodles. A must.
Services:
The resort itself offers a series of activities for everyone, like enjoying its 3 km pool, the biggest in Southeast Asia or simply walk by the paradisiacal beach and have a bath in the Andaman Sea. This alone would be enough, but obviously, this great oasis has a lot more to offer.
Whether it is with sea activities like Windsurf, Kayak, Snorkeling and Sailing, or activities in plain land, like tennis, bike or beach volleyball; activities outside the hotel, like visiting the markets, the villages, or the closest islands (the Similan Islands, quite close to Khao Lak are the country best destination for Snorkeling lovers), everything properly organized by the hotel.
We can also enjoy the gym, as well as several classes, like yoga, for example.
If you bring children and wish for a moment alone, JW Marriott also assures a very fun and didactic place for the little ones.
On the other hand, if you’re not traveling for leisure but for work, the hotel is also prepared for meetings, congresses and conferences, and these rooms have the capacity for 250 people, including, the restaurant Waterfront, which being in front of the sea assures the perfect location for several events.
But, in my opinion, the highlight of this hotel is the Quan Spa, what a perfection! I wish I could have a place like this near home! The decoration meets the expected when imagining an Oriental Spa, with the Lanna style even more noticeable than at the rest of the Hotel, with everything combined to assure the full relaxation of our senses. No doubt the best massage experience I had in Thailand.
Service:
I don’t know what more to say about the Service of Thai people, probably you can’t stand reading the same thing again “loving, caring people, polite, etc., etc.”! Yes, it’s all that and even more. And here at JW Marriott the effort was even bigger and the result more brilliant. From the Welcome Sunset to the fact that during the entire day, in each place, was present one of the responsible checking that everything, but really everything was pleasing the guests, and yes I said responsible, not just an employee, from the marketing director, the Spa responsible to the Hotel Director.
The kindness is pleasant but not enough, it is necessary that all our needs are taken care of even before we know we’ll have them, and that is how JW Marriot works.
Khao Lak is an authentic phoenix, reborn from the ashes, that although being completely destroyed by the 2004 tsunami, was able to regenerate and be even more paradisiacal, JW Marriott is the oasis that makes us believe that Earth is a marvelous place to live in.
I’m sure there are lots of places like this around the world, but this one, is for sure on my top of “Paradises on Earth”!
JW Marriott Khao Lak
Rooms from 190€
41/12 Moo 3, Khuk Khak, Takuapa, Phang Nga – Thailand
+66 76 584 888
Photos: Flavors & Senses
Text: Cíntia Oliveira | Flavors & Senses in Thailand with the support of Emirates.