Return to Anantara Layan Phuket, Thailand

I love to travel and explore new destinations, and I'm forever compiling lists of countries, cities and hotels that I want to visit. That said, sometimes you just want to reach for an old reliable, somewhere that is familiar and won't disappoint. In October of last year, by pure coincidence, the fiancé and I both had one week free before starting new roles and were in desperate need of a relaxing break and some sun. As we discussed destinations, it became clear that the benchmark we had set for this break was our stay at Anantara Layan Phuket in November 2018 (which I wrote about here). With rest and relaxation as our top priorities and only one week to spare, we decided that a return visit to Anantara Layan made most sense. We were already familiar with the resort and could settle straight into relaxation mode without feeling guilty that we should be exploring everything on offer. 

We did make one change this time around and that was to upgrade from a Premier Room to a Deluxe Pool Villa. We were very impressed with the room we had during our previous stay but having our own private plunge pool and outdoor tub made for an extra special experience. In fact, as the plunge pool was such a good size and the generous outdoor area came with two sun loungers perfectly positioned for sun bathing, we ended up spending most of our time in our villa. Speaking honestly, another reason for this was that the main pool area was a little busier than it had been on our last visit. I don't know if this was due to the time of year (we visited during the second week of November on our first visit and the last week of October on our second) or perhaps the resort has become more popular since we last visited. That said, you should bear in mind that this review is written from the perspective of a couple with no kids seeking a relaxing trip away and the resort was by no means crowded - it just seemed a little more family friendly this time around. 

             

We did manage to pull ourselves away from our luxe villa to indulge in some treatments at the resort spa sanctuary (I may have made multiple visits in fact!). As we were only staying for a relatively short period and keen to get straight into holiday mode following the long flight, we decided to book two 90 minute massages for the evening that we arrived. I cannot recommend this enough and where possible, I will be kicking off all future trips with a spa visit on arrival. I opted for the Anantara Signature Massage while the fiancé played it safe with a Deep Tissue Massage. One thing to flag, even though we had booked two different types of massage, our treatments were carried out together in a couples room. This didn't bother us in the slightest, but I recommend that any couples who prefer to have their treatments separately request separate rooms when booking as otherwise I believe their default is to assign couples to a shared room.

I have covered the resort's breakfast and restaurant offerings in my previous review, but we were very lucky that this visit coincided with the soft opening of the resort's newest restaurant. Age is a fine dining restaurant offering delicious grilled meats and fresh seafood, and it is exactly what the resort was missing last time around. Perched on the hill overlooking the resort and offering stunning views of the bay, it is the perfect choice for a celebration or romantic dining experience (pro tip - make sure your reservation is during sunset). We were blown away not only by the food but also by the impeccable service. Remy the restaurant manager was charming and engaging, he even gave us a quick tour of the charcuterie room and wine cellar - we were very impressed by some of the fine wines that they had on offer!

         

         

                

Anantara Layan Phuket is a firm favourite of ours. With ten different room options (most of which come with a private plunge pool), two large pools, private beach, spa and three restaurants to choose from you simply can't go wrong. The service is top notch and the staff are super friendly and welcoming, and really go above and beyond - I hadn't mentioned the fiance's birthday this time around as it wasn't for another two weeks, but they still delivered a delicious chocolate birthday cake to our room as a surprise during our stay. It goes without saying that if you are planning a trip to Thailand then Anantara Layan should definitely be on your list!

One thing that I can guarantee is that you will be treated to some ridiculously beautiful sunsets during your stay - just take a look at this one that the fiancé captured one evening while we were enjoying a cocktail on the beach!