Phulay Bay Puts the Luxe Touch on Your Thailand Vacation

For families whose idea of the perfect vacation includes a healthy mix of both luxury and privacy, Phulay Bay in Krabi, Thailand, is poised to open eight new and refurbished beachfront villas Dec. 1.

The hotel, developed in 2010 as the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve property, is renovating the villas with Dimensional Interpretation Studio, one of Thailand’s top design firms, and in collaboration with P Landscape. There are 54 one-bedroom villas in all, each with private plunge pools and scenic ocean views.

The beach villas will feature fully redesigned guestrooms, bathrooms doubled in size, expanded closet areas and enhanced technology.

Each villa will also feature more natural light, extended outdoor gardens in four signature colors — amber orange, red, purple and light green — as well as a private pool overlooking the Andaman Sea.

Klong Muang beach in Krabi, Thailand. Photo: Prayut Putthiporn | Dreamstime.com

Though the beachfront villas were revamped, the designers retained the wall ornamentation, which showcases traditional story-telling Lanna art and is a trademark design feature of Phulay Bay.

The location of the beach villas offers total privacy on the shores of the Andaman Sea, just steps away from the main pool and the resort’s five dining outlets.

Phulay Bay, Thai for “where the mountains meet the sea,” lies between the white-sand beaches below and limestone cliffs above.

Rates for the beach villas begin at $620 per night.

Guests for whom only the best will do can opt for the Royal Andaman Sea Villa, the top accommodation in the Royal Villa collection — there are six royal villas in all — with stunning views of the Andaman, a massive 6.5 foot by nearly 10 foot bed, outdoor/indoor rainforest showers, private infinite plunge pool and separate veranda area complete with lounge chairs overlooking the villa’s beautifully manicured gardens.

Rates for the Royal Andaman Sea Villa are $4,666 per night.