In June 2023, I checked into the Premium Club Lounge Access Ocean View Room at InterContinental Phuket Resort. Set along the pristine Kamala Beach on the west coast of Phuket and surrounded by lush forest hills, the 221-room property is half an hour from the buzzy Patong area – famed for its saucy nightlife scene – and 35 minutes from Phuket International Airport. Nearby attractions include the Phuket FantaSea and Kamala Temple.
Notable hotels in Phuket include Rosewood Phuket, Banyan Tree Phuket, Keemala and V Villas Phuket – MGallery.
The UTW (“Under Ten Words”): Heaven on Earth with fantastic dining along Kamala Beach.
The must-dos (if any): Have dinner at hom Restaurant and Jaras; visit the Club InterContinental and use the private pool; enjoy the luxurious HARNN shower amenities.
INTERCONTINENTAL PHUKET RESORT
Designed by Bangkok-based Habita Architects (behind Six Senses Yao Noi, Kimpton Kitalay Samui, 137 Pillars House and Soneva Fushi), the resort’s overall concept is inspired by Traibhumikatha (“heaven” in Thai), an ancient Buddhist text about three planes of existence – sea, earth, and heaven. The resort quite physically interprets the text in its structure – beachfront and mountainside plots of land are connected by underground walkways for pedestrian and buggy use, with the centrepiece white marble Sawaan Pavilion representing heavenly ascension with its surrounding garden and water surfaces, soaring spires and dramatic flight of stairs. There’s a lot of art to see around the resort – aside from various contemporary artworks displayed around the premises which pay tribute to Traibhumikatha themes, the walls of the underground walkways feature eye-catching mural paintings which depict symbols and buildings of Old Phuket Town. (I visited the area during my stay and recognised the famous Kopitiam Cafe, the staple dishes Turtle Candy and Fried Hokkien Noodles as well as the former Standard Chartered Bank Building.)
In terms of wellness, the resort offers five swimming pools – three are located within the hillside wing, including two smaller pools primarily for families (the Lagoon Pool and Serene Pool) and an infinity Rooftop Pool on the 4th level; a free-form Beach Pool sits in front of Kamala Beach; and a private lap pool is available for guests at the Club InterContinental lounge. Elsewhere, Sati Spa (located in the lower level of the Sawaan Pavilion) offers a variety of traditional Asian-style massage and skincare treatments using HARNN and Anne Semonin Paris products. The Planet Trekkers kids club is available for the younger ‘uns, while the multi-floor Fitness Centre offers state-of-the-art equipment as well as fitness studios for customised classes. There is also a tennis court.
Guests at the resort can also take part in complimentary activities, from Kamala bike tours and beach soccer to Muay Thai and yoga classes.
PREMIUM CLUB LOUNGE ACCESS OCEAN VIEW ROOM
Located at the beach wing, the blue-hued 46sqm Premium Club Lounge Access Ocean View Room boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor terrace with furniture which faces the beachfront pool and Kamala Beach beyond. The room is fitted with a king-sized bed, sofa seating and a pantry with Illy coffee and TWG tea-making facilities. The minibar is stocked with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Iron Balls Gin, Chivas 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky and Chalong Bay Rum along with a variety of juices, tonics, beers and small bottles of wine.
The open-concept bathroom features sliding doors which can be closed for greater privacy; a free-standing bathtub; a rainfall shower; and luxurious bathroom amenities from Harnn (the same range featured at InterContinental Danang).
The room includes daily breakfast and full access to the Club InterContinental lounge (see section below).
DINING
Breakfast is served at Pinto Restaurant, the marketplace-inspired restaurant which offers both Thai and international specialties. The breakfast buffet spread featured dishes such as Thai Grill Style Pork Skewers, Chicken Soup with Chinese Herbs, Shakshuka, Cobia Fish sashimi and Thai Soup Noodles. However, the one thing which impressed me immensely were their Croissants, which were superbly retail-quality affairs – flaky, buttery and so gorgeously layered, you could easily mistake them for something you’d find at Tiong Bahru Bakery or similar upscale French-style cafe.
Past breakfast hours, Pinto’s menu spans across small plates such as Charred Octopus (black garlic, Escalivada and pimiento sauce) and Calamares Con Chorizo (seared calamari, chorizo emulsion, pickled garlic, micro herbs); pizzas such as Burrata (fresh tomato sauce, roasted tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil & oregano) and Truffle (Mozzarella, dried porcini, black truffle paste, Parmesan); pastas such as Homemade Truffle Pasta (rustic butter, truffle paste, Parmesan cheese and fresh summer truffle), Linguine Vongole & Bottarga (leeks, parsley, cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, chili) and Andaman Prawns Ravioli (fresh prawn ravioli, bisque and shellfish butter); large plates such as Iberico Pork Secreto (smoked, roasted, shallot, baked “Ratte” potatoes, sour cream, pink salt), Cod Fish (grilled cod fish, romesco, extra virgin olive oil, heritage tomato salad), T-Bone Steak (Australian dry-aged T-bone steak, béarnaise, roasted roots, herb salad) and Filete De Ternera (dry aged Wagyu rib eye, roasted cauliflower, fermented vegetable BBQ lettuce heart); Thai selections such as Phad Ka Pao Gai Sab Kai Dow (stir fried hot basil with garlic, chilli, fried egg and minced chicken served with rice), Geang Som Pla Krapong Yod Maprow (spicy & sour soup curry, fish fillet, young coconut shoot), Tom Yum Goong (hot and sour soup with Andaman king prawn, lemongrass, galangal and mushroom) and Phad Thai Talay (stir fried noodle with Andaman shrimp, squid, mussel, bean sprout, tofu, peanut and chive); and desserts such as Drunken Tiramisu (mascarpone cheese, ladyfinger, coffee, alcohol, sugar, and bitter cocoa), Markrin Chocolate (Thai chocolate mousse, butterscotch, hazelnut ice cream) and Pineapple Carpaccio (Phuket pineapple compote infuse Chiang Rai vanilla stick, lime zest, lime juice, lemon snap).
The resort’s key dining experience is hom restaurant, a new concept specialising in fermentation-inspired cuisine which launched in April 2023. The restaurant is helmed by Ricardo Nunes, a chef who has worked at Michelin-starred restaurants such as Gaggan, as well as resident fermentation specialist Mateo Polanco. Hom restaurant is set within the ethereal Sawaan Pavilion at the heart of the resort, a majestic alabaster spectacle of a structure looming in the distance in front of tree-covered hills, and when you check in at the hom reception desk at the hillside lobby for dinner, your guided journey towards the pavilion past mirrored and water surfaces before you ascend the flight of stairs does come with a certain sense of occasion, like you’re about to bear witness to something important.
Beyond the dedication to local produce and the fermentation angle (embedded within the dish often in unexpected and not immediately obvious ways for your own fun discovery), the cuisine served was exquisite, not just in appearance (the Coconut, Caviar, Salted Macadamia sees Hua Hin caviar resting on a pool of salted macadamia sauce within a hollow coconut shell) and technical finesse (the Black Grouper boasts a cooked outer layer and a delectably sashimi-esque core) but also the sheer amazingness of the flavours at play. The Rock Lobster, Kumquat Kosho was a sweet, citrusy showstopper and the comforting soup from the Squid, Tea Leaves possessed a savoury and sour intensity of flavour, although my ultimate favourite from the evening would be the Duck & Greens, which played like a Choose Your Own Adventure extravaganza and a tender love letter to vegetables.
Overlooking Kamala Beach, the 2023 Michelin Guide-recommended fine-dining restaurant Jaras focuses on modern Thai cuisine. My dinner at Jaras turned out to be an all killer, no filler affair. The Thod Man Poo (“donut” of deep-fried crab meat, minced pork and breadcrumbs served with house made chili jam) was a juicy, scrumptious delight, while the hearty Massaman Pae (southern slow cooked goat, potato, onion, coconut milk, and flavoured tamarind brew) and sweet Look Chok Southern Yellow Curry (seabass, lotus root, bitter leaf, potato, shallot, look chook, chili oil) boasted the kind of delicious curries that white rice dreams about. The Phuket Lobster (charcoal grilled and served with nam jim jaew and seafood sauce) was suitably luxurious, while the Poo Nim Khai Kem (soft shell crab, salted egg sauce, lemon jelly, cured yolk egg) a moreish, fun diversion. I paired my dinner with a bottle of Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay 2021 (always reliable) as well as a boozy Jaras Negroni (Kosapan Botanicals Ori-Gin, select aperitivo, Boghetti Espresso Liqueur, Mancino Blanco).
Boasting views of the nearby forested hills and overlooking the tranquil resort gardens, the sumptuously and classily appointed Devas Lounge offers a visually arresting afternoon tea experience. Served in a standing bird cage, the savoury and sweet treats were colourful and beautifully crafted, with highlights including the Lobster Roll (iceberg lettuce and Beluga caviar), “Ferrero Rocher” (Nutella, milk chocolate whipped ganache, local dark chocolate dipped with cashew nut, vanilla sable, edible flower, praline, gold leaf), Mango Choux Au Craquelin (mango coulis, white chocolate whipped ganache, edible flower, “Nam Dok Mai” mango, lime zest) and Phuket Classic Brownie (Phuket origin dark chocolate 75%, dark chocolate dipped with cashew nut, milk chocolate ganache, gold leaf, raw cocoa powder). Pro tip: go for the Intercontinental Blend Silver Needle, a calming and rather splendid tea option.
Rounding up the F&B concepts at the resort are Pine, a beeachside bar and lounge; Tengoku, a Japanese concept specialising in Osaka-style cuisine which shares the same premises as Pinto; and 333 At The Beach, a beachfront grill concept.
CLUB INTERCONTINENTAL
Guests with club access privileges can visit the Club InterContinental, which is located on within the beach wing. Aside from its breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails food presentations, the club lounge also offers exclusive facilities such as an outdoor terrace with private cabanas and sunbeds as well as a private lap pool overlooking Kamala Beach. It was my favourite pool from the five in the resort because it was a much more calm and quiet scene compared to the beachfront and infinity pools which were often more family-filled situations.
Breakfast is a semi-buffet affair with an a la carte menu comprising dishes such as Bak Kut Teh (Phuket pork spare rib stew with Chinese spices and shitake mushroom), Khao Man Gai Tod (Hainanese rice with fried chicken, ginger and chili soybean sauce), Pad Mee Sapam Goong (stir-fried yellow noodle with Chinese lettuce, prawns, carrot julienne, poached egg and soy sauce), Phuket Style Khao Tom Pla (traditional sea bass congee, ginger, coriander, house-made fermented soybean sauce), Spinach Cheese Frittata (spinach and cheddar cheese frittata), House Cured Salmon Benedict (slow cooked organic egg, house cured salmon, warm baked sourdough, spinach, Sriracha hollandaise sauce) and Banana Pancake (fresh baked pancake, mixed berry, whipped cream, maple syrup and icing sugar).
Between 5-7pm, the lounge serves evening cocktails and canapes. A tray of four different canapes is served to each guest (you can expect an emphasis on seafood and Thai spicy flavours), while the cocktail menu comprises refreshing options such as InterContinental Spritz (select aperitivo, Bogheti espresso liqueur, Mancino blanco, citric acid, sparkling wine), Floral Fizz (Langley’s dry gin, Giffard Elderflower liqueur, citric acid, tonic) Ly or Mint (Stolichnaya vodka, Giffard de mint, ginger syrup, lime juice, lychee juice) and Tropical Bliss 2.0 (Nusa Cana tropical rum, Giffard banane liqueur, homemade Phuket pineapple basil cordial, lime juice, butter scotch syrup) alongside a variety of spirits and wines. For bubble chasers, the club serves Fleur de France Blanc de Blancs Brut, a sparkling wine from Languedoc, Languedoc-Roussillon.
CONCLUSION
With its array of confident F&B concepts and the launch of the buzzy hom restaurant, the InterContinental Phuket Resort confidently stands as one of the best accommodation choices in Phuket.
InterContinental Phuket Resort
333, 333/3 Moo 3, Kamala Beach,
Kamala, Kathu, Phuket 83150, Thailand
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