The first luxury resort on Phuket is poised to become the island’s last word on luxurious beachfront escapes as the former Royal Phuket Yacht Club readies for its January 16, 2016 launch as THE NAI HARN.
Following the legendary property’s sale in May 2014 to a private equity firm, an extensive 18-month remodeling programme has been underway to see the iconic resort regain its place atop Phuket’s luxury hotel rankings.
THE NAI HARN will offer 130 luxurious guest rooms and suites with panoramic views over the soft white sands and graded azure and turquoise hues of the Andaman Sea, a bespoke luxury spa and a stunning new pool and food and beverage spaces.
Leading with a promise of pure romance at Thailand’s best beach, as voted by users of TripAdvisor, THE NAI HARN will provide authentic destination experiences, extraordinary culinary happenings and expertly curated connections to the best of island life and southern Thai culture. It is also the only hotel directly on the ocean at Nai Harn beach.
THE NAI HARN Chief Operations Officer, Christoph Berger said: “We are delighted to have taken over such an iconic hotel. It is with a strong sense of responsibility we have done this and we will be respecting the heritage of the resort as well as looking to the future with design innovations that will make the most of its incredible location.
“Importantly too we will be fully embracing Southern Thai art and culture and bringing it into the resort experience both inside and outside of the resort so that guests can feel relaxed, inspired and engaged by the history and natural context of the destination.”
Freeform sculptural furniture and art pieces add rich textures throughout the resort while high ceilings and glass façades seamlessly work to integrate the beach and sea outside in a celebration of the environment.
All oversized guestrooms overlook the Andaman Sea, dotted with islands and sailboats, and are designed to open up the whole room, including the bathroom space, to the view outside, with a decadent four-poster daybed on the terrace acting as a perfect scenic vantage point.
Other key features include a total of six dining experiences for guests from the all day dining restaurant to the rooftop deck and destination dining, intimate meeting facilities and wedding planning experts, and five treatment rooms at THE NAI NARN Spa.
Launched in 1986, high profile guests over the years have included Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, Prince Albert of Monaco, Prince Henrik of Denmark, former French president Jacques Chirac, the late actor Sir Peter Ustinov, dance legend Rudoph Nureyev, US actor Forest Whittaker and Roger Moore, who once fought Dr No on his famously eponymous James Bond Island off the coast of Phang Nga, a short speedboat hop away.