Tucked away on the beaches of Nai Yang, bordering the Sirinat National Park in Phuket, The Slate is the very definition of a luxuriously-crafted boutique resort inviting visitors to rejuvenate in its lap.
As any traveller to Thailand’s famous beach town would be aware, Phuket is ceaselessly dotted with self-proclaimed ’boutique’ hotels, all desperate to beckon tired travellers by claiming to be immersive luxury experiences. Should such one-upmanship leave you bewildered about which hotel to book for your next vacation, then the relatively less ostentatious The Slate may just be the place for you. Inspired by Phuket’s long-lost tin mining heritage, each nook and corner of the hotel tells the story of Phuket’s past traditions and unique culture, thanks to its carefully curated industrial design by Bill Bensley, one of Southeast Asia’s leading resort architects.
As Prakaikaew Na-Ranong, co-owner of The Slate, explains, “At The Slate, we are celebrating the history of Phuket, and every corner is a conversation. Here guests encounter tin from our own mines and you can just feel the flavours of the past.”
Just a 10 minutes drive from the Phuket International Airport will transport you to this tropical heaven spread across 35 acres, offering 177 accommodation choices, seven exquisite private pool villas, eight dining venues, three swimming pools, an award-winning spa and a host of other facilities.
Of the motley accommodation choices you’d be faced with – from the 132sq.m one bedroom Pearl Shell Suites to the 1,020sq.m two bedroom private pool villas – most of them come with their own en-suite spa treatment rooms, your very own oasis of relaxation and recuperation. Here trained masseurs from the hotel’s award-winning Coqoon Spa will dispel all fatigue from your muscles at the complete privacy of your own suite. Alternatively, you can choose to be pampered within the plush interiors of Coqoon Spa’s signature treatment room or at the alternate spa Nest, hand-woven and suspended among centuries-old banyan trees.
No visit to The Slate can, however, be complete without taking a dip in one of their three swimming pools – the Family Pool with an adjacent paddle pool, and the adults-only swim-up Pulley Bar and the Infinity Pool. If you’re seeking some quiet time, hanging out by the Infinity Pool with your favourite cocktail while the sun sets in the horizon may just be the most beautiful moment of your vacation.
In terms of gourmet culinary experiences too, The Slate far from disappoints. Of the eight dining venues, the authentic Thai restaurant, Black Ginger, is easily the most exclusive. Set in a private island accessible by a raft, the exotic ambience is fittingly matched by its fulsomely flavourful southern Thai cuisine. For a more casual dining experience, the newly opened Japanese cuisinary Rivet may just be the place to go. Keeping with the industrial-chic design theme that runs through the entire property, the decor here is minimalist and functional. However, the menu curated by renowned Chef Toshiyuki Koike more than makes up for any cravings for indulgence that you may have – both the five-course Rivet degustation menu and the four-course Sakura menu offer the very best and freshest of Japanese cuisine with signature seasonal ingredients.
Needless to say, there are many boutique hotels and villas in Phuket that would be at par with The Slate in terms of the luxury experience. But what sets The Slate truly apart is its roots which are deeply entrenched in Phuket’s local history, paying a knowing tribute to the region’s heritage, culture and cuisine.
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay