Overview: Open since the start of the year, the Mövenpick’s third five-star property on Phuket features 235 rooms and suites arranged around a stunning swimming pool courtyard, complete with swim-up bar. The exterior and entrance hall are a pastiche of Sino-Portuguese colored glass windows and patterned tiles, mixed with extravagant Rama V-era referencing chandeliers, domed roofs, wrought iron fencing and gilded sofas. A compact fitness center is also available alongside A Vida Spa, where you can get a 60-minute Thai massage for B1,700 or a relaxing 90-minute full body massage for B3,200. The property is located in the heart of Patong’s tourist hub, under 10 minutes’ walk from Patong Beach.

Rooms: Decked out in creams and grays with wall paneling and touches of gold, the elegant rooms tone down the extravagance of the entrance hall with their more timeless design. The beds are possibly the largest and most comfortable on the island—seriously, four people could fit without touching one another—while the sparkling new bathrooms each feature a separate bath and rain head shower. Rooms also come with spacious balconies overlooking the hotel’s gorgeous pool. A 40-sq-meter Classic Room will set you back upwards of B2,800 (if booked early via the website) but opt for a Deluxe pool access room (from B4,550) for swim-up access and your own private Jacuzzi.

Food & Drink: The buffet-style Atrio Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while drinks can be had at the swim-up Azure Pool Bar until 7pm, after which you can move to the lobby’s Bar Rocco, which closes at 11pm (Singha, B160; cocktails from B280). The room service menu ranges from healthy smoothie bowls with tropical fruits and nourishing seeds (B220), to spaghetti Bolognese (B340) and Thai fare like gaeng phed ped yang (duck in spicy red curry, B290).

Why we'd come back: With friendly service, a convenient central location and wonderfully comfortable rooms, this hotel offers a peaceful retreat from the hectic streets of Patong.