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We were met at Phuket airport by a limo and a pleasant driver who whisked us to Chalong Pier. The driver even telephoned ahead and asked the boat to wait for 10 mins until we arrived. As soon as we arrived at Chalong Pier we boarded an open-sided bus that took us out to the end of the pier. At the end of the pier we boarded the boat and put on our life jackets. After a very pleasant 40 mins boat journey we arrived at The Racha. Each guest was greeted by a Racha rep and taken straight to their villa. We had to complete our paper work at the reception before going to our villa as didn't have time to complete the paper work at Chalong Pier.

The villa was breathtaking! It had fantastic views out across the bay and all the modern amenities that you could ask for. Our villa was very secluded and no-one who walked passed could see in. Some of the standard villas are right beside the paths that snake through the resort and if you have booked one of these then be prepared to have people walking past your villa.

The Racha has two pools, the infinity edged pool as seen on their website and a newly built pool at the back of the resort. The new pool looked really nice but not many people used it as the path was still under construction around that area. The tennis court lay just beyond the new pool and it was also still under construction. All construction is being undertaken by hand to reduce the noise level.

The breakfast was fantastic with a very wide choice of food. The service could get a little stretched during the peak hours but nothing to complain about. The Racha has 3 restaurants, the Earth Cafe, the Fire Grill and the Sunset restaurant. The Sunset restaurant had a relaxed atmosphere set right on the beach and specialised in bbq seafood as well as meat. The Earth Cafe is The Racha's main restaurant serving a selection of reasonably priced Thai dishes along with some western fare. The Fire Grill seemed to aim itself at the more refined diner with a fine selection of western influenced dishes. We tried all three and I must admit that I can't find anything to complain about, yes I'd agree that the service could be slow at times but definitely not worth complaining about. If I was pushed to recommend one of the restaurants it would have to be the Fire Grill but if you are going for Thai then definitely the Earth Cafe. The Ice Bar was very quiet with very little atmosphere but offered free pool and reasonably priced drinks.

The Racha offers a great selection of free non-motorised sports from snorkeling to mountain biking. The library has two decent PCs with internet access so you can keep in touch with the outside world. The gym is located inside the Spa complex and offers a good range of equipment and free weights. The airconditioning in the gym was useless to the extent that you had to go either early morning or evening. The Spa itself is beautifully set in the complex, we went for the traditional Thai massage which was superb with no sign of workmen! I can't see how anyone could see over the walls into the Spa.

Every Friday night the management throw a free cocktail party on the roof of the library which is definitely worth attending. We were a bit dubious at first but thoroughly enjoyed it! It was interesting to talk to some of the management about the hotel and last years disaster. The Racha has about 200 staff who live in a complex just in behind the resort so they are never short of staff. One of the managers told me that they are working very hard to try and improve their staff but it will probably take time. I must admit that I couldn't fault the staff while we were there.

On Saturday nights the Earth Cafe put on a Thai buffet with traditional Thai music. The food in the buffet was OK but we both really enjoyed the atmosphere. Sitting out on the edge of the beach listening to the waves and the Thai music was definitely a highlight.

Although the beach outside the resort can become crowded with all the diver's coming on shore for lunch you'll still be able to find enough space. After 4pm the beach becomes more or less empty. After sunset take a stroll along the beach and you'll only be sharing it with the crabs! If you would like seclusion during the day then take the 5 min walk over to Siam Bay which really is empty most of the day.

We couldn't fault The Racha and really enjoyed our stay. The food was excellent, the staff friendly and we found time to relax and wind down. Definitely highly recommended. We will return!

See som pics at http://3travel.blogspot.com/2006/02/...006-racha.html