6 Best Hotels in Phuket and the Andaman Coast, Thailand

The rain forest meets the stunning beach at Pimalai, where the seductive yet unpretentious luxury attracts guests from far and wide. Sleek Thai-style accommodations (including deluxe rooms, beachfront villas, and spacious hillside pool villas) are outfitted with teak floors, Thai silks, and private outdoor spaces (many also have infinity pools and outdoor showers). Nestled in a lush, delightfully cacophonous hilly jungle and overlooking stunning water vistas, the property is a paradise unto itself. The main areas are surrounded by hundreds of hectares of verdant land, which further honors the promise of privacy. Check in to relax by the pool, play on the beach, take a yoga class, and indulge in a sumptuous pampering session (booking ahead is essential).

Nestled on the coastline of Koh Yao Yai, a quiet fishing island, Anantara Koh Yao Yai offers breathtaking views of the sea. Suites are large, airy, and furnished with blonde wood; pool villas and penthouses come with standalone pools and private treatment rooms. Children will love the family suites and extensive kids’ club facilities. The hotel can also arrange for visits of the island on a motorbike and sidecar.

Located right on a long pristine expanse of Khao Lak Beach, this resort is so big that it almost feels like a small village. Guests of all ages love the wave pool and water trampoline and many rooms have direct access to the longest lagoon pool in Southeast Asia that meanders 2½ km (more than 1½ miles) through the resort. The resort also has the largest organic hotel farm in the area where guests can learn about sustainable crops like nipa palm and the mangrove forest.

This ecofriendly retreat has secluded bungalows and villas all with bright contemporary interiors. The accommodation is spread out across a well-maintained garden offering plenty of privacy. There is a huge curvaceous pool and easy access to an 800-meter-long beachfront. There are several restaurants and bars, including a coffee shop, which serve good food. The Marine Discovery Center educates school kids and guests alike about the local ecosystem and coordinates the resort's efforts to regenerate coral and repopulate endangered species.

The luxurious private villas here come with high ceilings, two-seat jacuzzi bathtubs, private patios and pools, and an enormous dressing room, as well as a personal butler who is on call throughout your stay to look after your every need, from booking a restaurant to drawing your bubble bath. The Akoya Bar is perhaps the island’s most dramatic rooftop bar, with daybeds set by an infinity pool that makes it look like you could walk off the edge and right into the sea.

Weatherworn yet luxurious, the villas at Six Senses have outdoor bathrooms, infinity pools, and terraces where you can soak up the view of the karsts scattered across Phang Nga Bay. At the spa, guests are examined and connected to an oximeter to determine the best personalized treatments. The on-site mushroom farm, goat pen, and chicken coop are all working features of the hotel that guests can take part in.