Can you suggest what hotel we should stay at to get a private beach front bungalow with full amenities of a gorgeous location, privacy and a fabulous spa for 4-5 days relaxation. We are not on a budget for this. Looking for the best...

There are quite a few properties in a variety of places in Thailand that would meet your criteria. Which part of Thailand are you interested in? What size hotel?

The Amanpuri, the Pimalai, the Sarojin, Evason Samui, the Rayavadi, Tubkaak...the list could go on and on. You might try browsing the listings and pictures on sawadee.com for ideas.

do you care which island this is on? do you mind being in a complex of bungalows??
what month?
unlimited budget or a range?

other services besides the spa...and how much of a spa do you need?? full services??

we just returned from the phi phi island village and resort on koh phi phi....it was paradise....excellent location on a quiet island but only 20 minutes by boat to ton sai where there are nite clubs and a town that is rebuilding after the tsunami.

phi phi island village has beach front bungalows that are 4 star. the view is unbelieveable, there is a huge pool with slide, cool jacuzzi, swim up bar, restaurants at each end of the property and exclusive dining on top of the hill. there are multiple bars, the food was great and affordable considering you are pretty much stuck there.
there is a beautiful spa on the hill, overlooking the bay. they have private boats for snorkeling, fishing, diving...all the watersports.

there is also internet /coffee cafe...everything you need but very secluded and a 20 minute walk takes you to a very secluded deserted beach.

we loved it there...4 nights but could have stayed longer and we plan to go back next year.

Thank you all for replying. We are looking to veg out at a fabulous resort. I want the fabulous beach scenery and my husband wants the great pool. I really want privacy and seclusion with service. We do not have a budget but were thinking about Krabi and Phuket, however, were are very open as we have only been to BKK.

If you are not on a budget, you should check out the Amanpuri first. This is a very small property with exceptional service visited by "Aman-junkies" from all parts of the world. Again, if budget is not a concern, check out their "villas" first. Truly amazing. The villa(s) have been visited by the likes of Pierce Brosnan, etc. Anyone who has been dissapointed by the Amanpuri has typically been in their cheapest accomodation in the back of the property without the stunning ocean view.

there are lots of wonderful places without paying aman prices as well

As others have said, you will be spoiled for choice for great hotels in Thailand. I note that your post seems to indicate that you might want a villa right ON the beach, so you might have to be quite particular in your search in Thailand. Thailand has set back rules on beach development, and a lot of hotels do not offer units which are right on the beach. The Aman and the Banyan Tree, both of which are spectacular hotels which offer all that you are looking for, do not have units right on the beach. The Aman has wonderful sea views and views from units up on the hills offer endless sea views, but are not really close to the beach. Some Banyan Tree units don't really even have sea views, but have large private pools and lagoon views. I don't know whether the resort which divediva mentions have beach front units. The Chedi has some units very close to the beach, but IMO the Chedi lacks some of the other things you are looking for, like a great pool, and it not really quite up to the luxury standards of some of the other hotels.

If you are looking for a unit where you can step onto the beach from your bungalow, you will may have to search a bit it, and you may want to broaden your search to someplace like the Maldives which offers beachfront and over water bungalows.

I agree on the time of year question, in the summer months, you might want to consider the east coast of Thailand or Mayalaysia for better weather than Phuket, esp if you are a diver.

We really do want to be on the beach with a resort that has a great pool for my husband. Your discussion is a good one as I had been considering the Chedi. We have stayed at the Maldives Four Season and thought it was magnificant. Considering our time, it is not realistic to return there, unfortunately.

I am sure you will hear howls of disagreement with me on the Chedi, and having just looked at their website, the pool looks very impressive in the pictures, but in real life isn't as spectacular IMO. I note the spa only has 2 indoor treatment rooms, which may limit the number of treatments and your ability to get a reservation. (Outdoor treatments in the tropics are not that great in my experience, a little too hot and humid to be enjoyable.) The hotel is quite spread out over a big hill and requires a lot of walking up and down on wooden stairways to get to reception, your unit, the beach, etc., more so than at the Aman next door, IMO. On the plus side, the food is good and their beachfront seafood restaurant is worth going to if you are not staying at the hotel. The main thing I did not like about the hotel are the rooms, which I thought were small and on the dark side and it seems that a good number of the rooms do not have bathtubs, which I find a big drawback in a luxury hotel where a good long soak in a big tub (preferably with a view) is a part of the relaxation for me, not to mention a good long soak with one's significant other. . . .

OK, if you have stayed at the Four Seasons Maldives you are going to perhaps have a hard time finding something similar in Phuket. In the first place, the beaches are not going to come close to being as beautiful. Still very pretty and nice water color, but not the white white sand and that gorgeous water color as in the Maldives. You will find some of that in offshore islands, so be sure to take day trips. You may be better off in the Phi Phi or Krabi area which may give you a bit more scenic beauty than Phuket itself. I don't really know hotels there as I have done mostly live aboard diving in those areas.

Look at the beach front villas at the Pimalai on Koh Lanta. In February we are staying at a beach front villa at the Andaman White Beach resort on Nai Thon beach in Phuket. All the info we've read suggests that the beach is powdery white sand and water is clear, and the beach and location very quiet and private. THe photos look great -- hope that it is as good as it looks!

Are there other areas beyond Thailand that might be easy enough for you to get to? You mention that the Maldives is too far. Could you get to Indonesia? Or perhaps the Philippines? We might have some other ideas if that is the case.

Has anyone stayed at Trisara on Phuket?

I have no personal experience, but I know most of their units are pool villas and pool suites with incredible oceanfront views. The pictures are AMAZING - make sure you have a look. The property is also very new which means the decor is very beautiful but they are probably still working through a few service kinks.

Koh samui has a lot of beachfront luxury places where you can find some quite amazing accommodation.

Some that sound like they are what you are looking for:

Beachfront, Garden Spa or Villa at the Napasai:

http://www.r24.org/phuket-luxury-hot...ansea/details/

Beachfront Pool Villa at the Buriraya / Renaissance

http://www.r24.org/phuket-luxury-hot...iraya/details/

Sala Samui Pool Villas

http://www.r24.org/phuket-luxury-hot...samui/details/

Pool Villas at the Peninsula Samui

http://www.r24.org/phuket-luxury-hot...nsula/details/


On Koh Yao Island, very very quiet roughly between Phuket and Krabi area, very out of this world, Paradise Koh Yao
http://www.r24.org/phuket-luxury-hot...adise/details/

On Koh Lanta the Pimalai, though very quiet
http://www.r24.org/phuket-luxury-hot...malai/details/

That gives an idea, but time of year is very relevant, May to october is rainy monsoon time down Phuket/Krabi/Koh Lanta way.