Check your stress-filled urban life at
the reception, and enjoy some days of bliss and serenity at the
one-year-old Westin Siray Bay Phuket Resort & Spa
Since The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa Phuket opened in August
2010, I have been back twice for the break I always manage to convince
myself I deserve. I work too hard. I shop too much. I skip my lunches
and I’m perpetually “too busy” to exercise even though the pool is just
an elevator ride away from my apartment.
The thing about much-needed breaks is, the destination is imperative —
it has to deserve you and your precious time as much as you deserve the
vacation. Judging by my need to return within six months, I’d
say The Westin Siray Bay is quite the deserving hideaway. It even got me
to wake up at the unholy hour of 6am (remember, I’m on holiday here)
and make my way to the breathtaking apex of the resort — the Splash
restaurant and pool — to contort my poor aching body into impossible
poses in the meditative workout called yoga.
View from the Horizon pool at dusk
I’ve no recollection of the pain, discomfort and awkwardness
(physical and otherwise) now, but I have vivid memories of the beautiful
picture before me — seabirds gliding gracefully in a clear blue sky as
if in performance, and beneath, an endless Andaman Sea sparkling like a
jewel box in the morning sun. There’s nothing out of the ordinary about
this scene, and yet it’s so utterly extraordinary. This is it, you think
to yourself, this is
life — as it should be.
From the moment you arrive, you’ve got the whole world at your feet
as you stand at the resort lobby overlooking the vast ocean, dotted with
ships and yachts. You take a long, deep breath and a crisp sea breeze
pirouettes its way into your hair; with the comforting warmth of the
Westin sun caressing your skin — it’s time to check your city-tainted
state of mind (and your iPhone if you dare) and enjoy a few glorious
days of sun, sea and spa, as well as some mind-and-palate cleansing.
It’s worth mentioning that this is a kid-friendly resort so if you
have kids in tow, by all means leave them in the good, trained hands of
the staff at the Westin Kids Club. There are also babysitters for hire
so parents can indulge in a bit of guilt-free down time — alone, at long
last but without worrying about the kids at home.
There’s so much to do both in and outside the resort, there is no
time to waste. The Westin is all about providing personalized service
such as customizing an itinerary and engaging a personal tour guide for
guests, but I’m going to try putting together a five-day programme
according to my own fabulous experience to offer you a glimpse of what
you could be in for in this five-star Starwood resort.
