An open, light-filled design makes the new resort a must-explore
October 20, 2021: Slated to open in December 2021, Meliá Phuket Mai Khao will be a 30-suite and 70 villa resort spread across eight acres of Phuket’s northwestern coastline, overlooking the sky-blue Andaman sea.
Close to several attractions such as the Sirinat National Park, the Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation and the Wat Phra Thong temple, it is just a 15-minute drive away from Phuket International Airport. Authorities plan to open Thailand to fully vaccinated tourists from countries deemed low-risk from November 1.
A part of a roll-out of the Meliá brand in key destinations across Thailand, including Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Bangkok, the five-star resort is being launched by Meliá Hotels International and is owned by Phuket Villa Group, Thailand’s leading residential real estate developer.
With the overarching design paying tribute to contemporary aesthetics and traditional Thai touches, the new resort features saltwater swimming pools, private villa pools, a reflection pond with sunken seating areas, water gardens, vertical falls and irrigation mist, evoking a restorative atmosphere.
The resort has contemporary, light-filled and spacious Mediterranean-inspired suites and one-bedroom villas, catering to up to two adults and two children, and all featuring outdoor bathtubs, open-air showers and vast outdoor terraces.
Measuring 78 sqm, the suites are complemented by cabanas, and the villas, measuring 85 sqm, have private plunge pools. There are 15 ‘wellness villas’ which feature an open-air Vitamin C shower, daily massages, ultrasonic essential oil diffusers, GermGuardian air purifiers, Tempur-Pedic pillows, fit balls and yoga mats.
The resort will also explore a diverse culinary landscape from four outlets. The chic Gaia Beach Club is ‘the place to be’ with its cabanas and sun lounges near the beach pool. It draws on Meliá’s Spanish origins and celebrates Spain’s gastronomy by serving Mediterranean and fusion cuisine from an open kitchen and an imaginative cocktail selection from a long bar.
Specialising in Southeast Asian cuisine, SASA is the elegant all-day dining restaurant with a warm and intimate setting, offering casual fine-dining by night. The Elyxr Café serves locally brewed liquors and freshly squeezed juices.
The resort’s design is shaded by a broad spectrum of native plants, employing a neutral palette of colours. Complementing Mai Khao’s sandy shore, and taking advantage of the natural surrounding and abundance of sunshine, are high ceilings, decorative metal screens and floor-to-roof glass panels.
The signature YHI Spa of Meliá has five treatment rooms, an extensive menu of massages, facials, body scrubs and wraps. Spa therapists also provide in-villa and poolside treatments. The resort’s fitness centre is completely quipped with treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes and weights machines, and the kids club, Kidsdom, has workshops to keep the little ones entertained.
The Managing Director of Phuket Villa Group, Maetapong Upatising, expressed his optimism about the launch, and said that through this partnership with Spain’s leading hotel group, they are thankful to be able to significantly contribute to Phuket’s recovery in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, by creating much-needed jobs for the local tourism sector and setting a new benchmark for hospitality on Thailand’s largest island.
Magdelana Martorell, the General manager of Meliá Phuket Mai Khao seconded his views, and said that the breathtaking beauty and serenity make Mai Khao beach one of the most desirable places to be and that they are incredibly looking forward to unveiling a leisure resort defined by a distinct focus on customer wellbeing with Meliá’s sunny Spanish hospitality and passion for service.
Post your comment