Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket

The hotel handled my birthday sweetly: I had mentioned it by email beforehand, and they surprised me with a cake and a card. I also had a limited sea view room with a balcony, a bath and a shower. The two single beds were pushed together into one huge super king bed, far more than one person needed and plenty for two. There are lots of steps, so wheelchair access would be difficult. If you can walk with a stick, it should be manageable, with seats and rest spots around. The road up to the hotel is steep, though once you're there the walkways connect everything. I liked walking through the villas to the beach because it felt close to nature. There's also a tram cart from the hotel that takes about two minutes, and the beach is private. My room's TV had a problem, but staff fixed it in about 20 minutes. They were very helpful. Breakfast is buffet style with loads of choices, and the spa is well worth trying. Pony gave a great massage and was easy to chat with. Highly recommend.

The hotel feels nicely tucked away from Phuket's busy roads, so it was a peaceful place to unwind. Our room was spacious, clean and private, with a lovely view across the bay. The private beach was just as inviting, with clear water and plenty of shade around the sunbeds. You can also hire SUP and snorkel gear there. Breakfast had so many options that we couldn't try them all, and everything we did taste was great. Staff were always around to help. The hotel team were friendly and helpful throughout, and seemed genuinely glad to see us each day. You could feel how much they cared about their work.

Cape Spa and Beauty Salon was exceptional, and the small shop in the hotel was fairly cheap. The hotel also runs return shuttles for 200 Baht per person to Phuket Town and Central Festival Shopping Centre, or 400 Baht per person to Patong Beach. We really recommend breakfast and dining at Cafè Andaman. It was among the best breakfasts we've had on our travels, and Chef Nattavut ran the kitchen so well. His food was delicious. The sunset dinner and fire dance were a letdown, though. The dancing seemed uncoordinated, and we didn't think much of the food, so we'd have been better off eating at Andaman Cafè. At check-in, the young Thai woman was very informative and spoke English very well. There were western staff members there too. We'll come back for another short stay.

The beach scenery is stunning, and the water felt only a few degrees cooler than the air. The walk down takes you to that beautiful view, so it's a pleasure despite the distance. Back at the hotel, our balcony had an amazing outlook, and the rooms were spacious and luxurious. There are lots of dining options, though some have a dress code. An incredible stay, and this hotel deserves a place high on your list.