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Relaxed and loving it! The Chedi Phuket
The beach is deserted at 6:00am. The sand, stiff and cold from
the receding tide, shimmers with the pinkish luminescence of the
approaching dawn. The sea is calm, almost sluggish in sending waves
to the shore. I can see them building on the horizon, moving rapidly
but effortlessly into shallow waters where they seem to stop mid-stride,
dip their heads and bow gracefully before sinking back down and
gliding up the sand. The day's first beams of light creep over the
steep headland behind me, warming my face as I turn to welcome the
dawn. The streaks of sunlight reach far out to sea, immediately
altering the colour of the ocean where they fall, from the deep
blue of night to the aquamarine of another perfect Phuket day.
I scramble up the rocky headland that encloses the southern end
of the bay, find a semi-flat place to perch and turn back to face
the beach. The Chedi's nightlights are still twinkling, for the
resort will not be roused by the sun for another hour or so, such
is the niche that it occupies on the steep slopes of Pansea Beach.
I could easily have stayed in bed; many of the cottages face directly
out to sea, I'd have needed only to lift my head for this same view,
but I woke up feeling so energized, that I just had to get moving.
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Last night was memorable, my partner and I indulged in what establishments
like The
Chedi Phuket are famous for serving: pure, unadulterated relaxation.
Mr. Daniel Meury, General Manager of The Chedi was candid in his
comment, "In a resort like this you don't have an enormous
choice of activities, of course we offer day-trips etc but sometimes
when you have all these activities at your disposal, they make you
feel like you want to do them, even wrong to ignore them, when really
you just want to relax on the beach." The Chedi finds nothing
wrong with spending hours lazing on the beach, in fact admits Mr.
Meury, "that is exactly the kind of environment we try to foster."
We arrived on a hot Friday afternoon. The traffic driving north
on the island was quite heavy and by the time we reached the Chedi,
we were both tired and a little cranky. Quintessential Thai hospitality
simmered our frazzled tempers with beaming smiles, an icy cold towel
and a long glass of fruit juice. The reception area and adjacent
lounge does not dazzle the eye with glittering silks or shiny statues,
rather the muted colour scheme and clean lines of sand stone and
granite, act to guide attention to a single focal point; the sparkling
Andaman Sea. The reception occupies the top level of a three-story
polygonal pavillion that sits boldly on towering columns rising
from the swimming pool on the beach level. This striking building
also houses a library, giftshops, the Lomtalay Restaurant and the
Sunset Cafe.
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After a speedy registration, we were led to our deluxe cottage.
The 108 one and two bedroom cottages at the
Chedi Phuket are dotted along the hillside in small clusters;
their simple thatched roofs imposing an air of modesty that the
interiors defy. Mr. Meury explained, "Like all GHM hotels,
The Chedi has a strong sense of place, this is why our architecture
and design has a very low impact on the surrounding environment
for it is this scenery that people come for." The resort was
originally designed some 21 years ago by Edmond Tuttle, the distinguished
architect of the Amanpuri Resort, which resides on the northern
side of Pansea Beach. His design capitalized on the natural beauty
of the location. The interiors were decorated with subtle earthy
hues so that colour was drawn from the natural environment. While
the resort has recently undergone a complete refurbishment, today
the rich earthen tones of teak, hardwood and slate blend subtly
with crisp white cotton bedding and mosquito nets, retaining that
original subdued elegance.
About the room, tresses of tropical orchids and Asian artifacts
donate other touches of the exotic. Everything, from the tea and
coffee making facilities right down to the cue tips in the bathroom,
was beautifully presented. These small touches in the cottages exemplify
the resort's overall attention to detail, a service principle that
ensures that visitors always receive a little more than they expect.
"Attention to detail is something we always try to highlight.
We have only 108 rooms, so we can take the extra steps to make guests'
stays more personal."
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After a thorough inspection of every nook and cranny of the cottage,
my partner and I quick-changed into swimming apparel and headed
out to explore the resort and beach. The cottages are connected
by an intricate system of staircases that rise and fall with the
natural topography of the area, leading one through an aerobic tour
of the coconut canopy. The Chedi staff joke that they are the fittest
group of hotel employees on Phuket Island but the steps preserve
more than the physiques of the staff as Mr. Meury illustrated, "Yes,
there are a lot of steps but they protect the natural environment,
to take away the steps would have meant that half of the headland
would have to have been cleared. Sometimes it is hard work and a
hot walk, but the viewpoints from the summits are worth the effort.
And remember that people here are on holiday and they needn't rush
for anything."
We climbed to the highest level of the resort and peeked through
palm fronds to the vivid blue sea below. At the southern-most extremity
of the resort, we found the Spa Cottage and gushed at the menu of
massage, skin and facial therapies available. The spa has only four
treatment rooms including one deluxe spa suite which features picture
windows and an outdoor terrazzo bath, perfect for couples' treatments.
The limited capacity and immense popularity of the spa makes reservations
important, thus my spa appointment was set for 9:00am the next morning.
We headed down to the pool, a unique feature unlike any resort
pool I have ever seen. The hexagonal pool is laid with indigo-coloured
tiles giving it a dramatic appearance against the backdrop of a
turquoise sea. The shape conforms to the striking polygonal pavillion
soaring above and the overall effect is architecturally inspiring.
Unfortunately, the mystique of this dark pool lost out to the lure
of a calm sea and we headed to the beach.
Padded deckchairs lounged under thatched umbrellas awaiting the
opportunity to comfort both weary and well-rested travellers. The
Boathouse is located centrally on the beach and offers equipment
for a number of water activities including catamarans, surfboards,
water-skies, scuba-diving and snorkelling supplies. As Mr. Meury
had predicted, few people were engaged in these activities, rather
most were sprawled on the deckchairs, reading, sipping cocktails
or sleeping, content and unbothered.
After a lazy swim, floating on the salty tropical water, we walked
up to the Amanpuri end of the beach past the Chedi's Beach Restaurant
where we would later dine on Phuket lobster and US grain-fed beef.
We dawdled along the short beach for almost an hour and this proved
to be perfect timing as the sun was rapidly descending toward the
horizon and two front-row deckchairs had recently been vacated.
We ordered some drinks, assumed the relaxation position and watched
the show.
The sun had finished setting even before we finished our drinks
and though we marvelled at the speed we were not influenced by it
at all. We lingered, wrapped in each other and our idyllic environ
until the sky blackened and stars twinkled above. This beach scene
was so perfect, that we returned after dinner. A divine combination
of a very satisfying meal, fresh air, moonlight and romantic music
wafting over from the restaurant soothed our every sense and opened
our hearts.
Now that the sun has returned to light the Phuket sky, some very
tempting smells bring my attention to breakfast. I can see a familiar
shape walking toward me on the beach and immediately know that my
partner has succumbed to the same breakfast aromas. After breakfast,
I will skip off to the spa for two hours of bliss before having
the remainder of the morning at leisure until we check out at lunchtime.
The Chedi's promise of complete relaxation has been fulfilled; No
part of this experience has been rushed or hectic in the slightest
way, in fact the attention to detail and excellent service displayed
throughout the resort, limits any potential hassles. This driving
service ethic was well described by Mr. Meury, "When people
come to the Chedi they expect to be able to relax of course, they
like a little recognition from the staff and they expect good service.
However, we do not take the service aspect to extremes for this
is not what people want from a beach holiday. They want to relax,
so we give them everything they need to do this."
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