After our incredible trip to Bali in May, our travel bug was stronger than ever. My entire life I’ve always wanted to visit Thailand and this September I finally made it happen. We stayed on the magical island of Phuket for six nights and had the time of our lives. This post is dedicated to the first two, which were spent at my new favorite Phuket hotel – Thavorn Beach Village and Spa. Let me start off by saying, everything from the staff to the ambience was top notch. We couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful place to start our trip.
The moment we entered the lobby, to the second we stepped inside our room, we fell in love. Day one was filled with tons of exploring the hotel surroundings. A few noteworthy things to mention that are included throughout Thavorn’s jungle paradise:
- Beautiful animals (like parrots, turtles and BUNNIES!) you can feed and play with
- The largest hotel swimming pool in all of Phuket
- An insane private beach in its backyard
- A cable car that takes you to a ridiculous view in the hills
- The best complimentary breakfast buffet you’ll ever eat
- Thai cooking classes (which we did and L-O-V-E-D)
Let’s just say there’s really no reason to leave Thavorn! It truly has everything you need and staying there feels like an authentic Thai experience. After exploring all throughout the grounds of the hotel – which is HUGE by the way – we took their complimentary shuttle to Patong Beach where we did some exploring outside of the resort, through the streets of Phuket.
On day two we started off with one of those amazing Thavorn breakfast buffets I was telling you about earlier (didn’t want to leave the table, honestly). Then we adventured off to Phuket Elephant Sanctuary where we had the life-changing experience of feeding and playing with rescued elephants in their natural habitat.
Patong is definitely a tourist destination, but it’s absolutely stunning none the less. You can walk the streets to find delicious eats, beautiful sea views and affordable shops. It’s perfect for those looking for a nice stroll around Phuket. We ended the day by coming back to the most unbelievable beach-side dinner set up at Thavorn. Of course it left us both speechless (and borderline in tears) because of how far they went to make our stay as memorable as ever. We walked past the beautifully lit beach path to our table and were served 3 courses complete with salad, an insane platter of steak, fish, kabobs, veggies and more, then finally… the loveliest chocolate desert. We felt like royalty, obviously.
If you’re going to see elephants (or any wild animal for that matter) my advice – and personal opinion – is to find a sanctuary to do so. They rescue and rehabilitate these beautiful creatures from unpleasant and dangerous situations to give them the happy life they deserve. We trekked through mud and rain to see these beauties up close, but every second was worth it. We ended our day with an absolutely mind-blowing Chann Signature Massage – which uses a classic Thai technique to release body stress and fatigue – at Thavorn’s wellness spa. It was the most blissful we felt all year long.
Overall, I wouldn’t trade our stay at Thavorn Beach Village and Spa for the world. It’s truly one of those hotels you go back to again and again because of their impeccable service, beautiful rooms and views and A+ amenities. We headed off to our second hotel, reluctant, but happy to have had the pleasure of staying with the wonderful staff at Thavorn. If you’re planning a trip to Phuket, Thailand in the near future, definitely consider them for your home away from home. I promise you won’t regret it.
Disclaimer: Our stay at Thavorn Beach Village and Spa was provided complimentary, however all opinions are my own (I’m genuinely in love with this magical resort!)
Special thank you to Onny and the entire staff at Thavorn for going above and beyond for us!
Review & Images: A DAY WITH ALEX
