The vibe
If years of travelling taught us one thing, it’s that you know you’re having a good holiday if you feel at home. Baba Beach Club in Phuket made it easy for us to feel this way right from the welcome we received from the resort’s team and their two resident dogs (who spared us sleepy glances from their spot by the front desk). After a short wait with welcome drinks in hand and refreshing cold towels refolded absent-mindedly, we were whisked off to our villa.
The rooms
The thing with having a nice hotel room is that you’d almost be reluctant to even leave the place, for fear of not getting 200% out of the experience.
Almost.
At our two-storey Gabana Villa, we were spoiled by the beautiful spacious bedroom and living area that opens to the lawn, but we still couldn’t help but be drawn to Baba Beach Club’s swimming pool outside and views of the Andaman Sea from the nearby Natai Beach. Even with complimentary WiFi, it was easy to put our phones down and explore Baba Beach Club (though the occasional photo and Instagram Story were inevitable).
Read also: Luxe Stay: Rosewood Phuket
The food and drink
When dining at Baba Beach Club, you get to choose from three locations: the Baba Beach Bar, Baba Beach Restaurant and Baba Iki. We frequented the beach bar during our stay, sampling drinks – our personal favourite is Mango Coco, a cocktail of vodka, mango and lime – without even leaving the pool.
Baba Beach Restaurant, which faces the pool and the Andaman Sea beyond, is on the ground floor below Baba Iki. Both serve from the same extensive menu, but Iki also has a teppanyaki and grill station. We dined at Baba Iki, digging into thick cuts of fresh salmon sashimi, Moo Hong (a Southern Thailand favourite, consisting of braised pork belly in sweet & salty soy sauce), and pasta with mixed seafood, tossed in white wine and garlic. Clean plates, all around.
Read also: Girl’s guide: Planning a weekend in Phuket
The service
After checking in, we were introduced to Baba Beach Club team member Fluke, who showed us around the villas and made sure we had everything we needed. Baba Beach Club Phuket prides itself in providing attentive service, from check-in to check-out, and in our experience, it was evident.
The morning we left, we were too early for Baba’s complimentary daily breakfast – ungodly flight times, you relate – but Fluke arranged for us to enjoy a breakfast basket containing a selection of fresh fruits, pastries, yoghurt, ham sandwiches and a packet drinks prior to our departure. Best farewell ever!
Wellness
It’s not called Cool Spa for no reason. Baba’s spa treatments combine local healing rituals and modern techniques, which will have you drifting off to sleep in the comfort of your own villa. That’s good news for anyone who’s ever had a problem with peeling themselves off the spa bed and walk jelly-legged back to their room.
Our favourite part
Natai Beach was basically our backyard.
