Kamala Bay is known for its ‘Millionaire Mile’, luxury accommodation and discerning entertainment venues. Hidden away there, in the hills of Hyatt Regency Phuket, is another high-end experience, befitting the location…
Located on the popular island of Phuket, just north of the infamous Patong Bay, which draws tourists in their droves every year, sits Kamala Bay. This quieter and more sophisticated destination has a vastly different appeal. Kamala Bay is home to the island’s Millionaire Mile and a whole slew of villas and accommodations that most could only dream of inhabiting just once in their life, such as The Aquila or Baan Banyan in Waterfall Cove, with in-house spa rooms and massage therapists on speed dial.
You don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy Kamala, or get a spa treatment there. Well-known chains, independent hotels and boutique spas all operate in the area. One such brand that calls Kamala home is the Hyatt Regency Phuket, which enjoys prime, unspoiled ocean views that some other Phuket resorts might kill for.
On a recent visit to said hotel, I discovered a too-little-talked-of gem there, hidden away in the resort’s lush tropical hills. They call this treasure ‘Nahm Spa’ (‘nahm’ meaning ‘water’ in Thai, suited to the oceanfront location of the resort). Guarded by nature, surrounded by greenery and tropical flowers, just a small sign denotes its presence and a wooden pathway winds around to the discreet entrance.
The décor at Nahm Spa is designed for wellness, with muted tones, ocean blue and natural woods. At the reception, you are greeted with a warm smile, a scented cold towel and a drink made from dried roselle flowers, full of antioxidants and rich in vitamin C. After an efficient consultation, which culminates in finding the perfect treatment for your needs, you are taken to either a single or couple’s spa room, by your spa therapist, who has been thoroughly briefed on your needs.
You change in the privacy of your room, complete with shower and bathroom, and are invited to sit for a calming, lavender salt scrub foot cleansing ritual. Before I knew it, I was face-down on my treatment bed, de-robed and relaxed. I opted for the Nahm Signature Massage (60mins/THB3,300++, or 90mins/THB3,900++), with their ‘Energizing’ aromatherapy oil.
Deep, rhythmic strokes, utilizing forearms, elbows, palms, fingers and thumbs, combine to help release muscle tension and increase range of movement. I arrived with muscular pain in my shoulder and left feeling a sense of relief, as if my spa therapist ‘View’ had managed to unblock part of the source of the pain. She worked wonders, seeking out other knots and stresses, working on them methodically.
The whole experience from start to finish was certainly well worthy of the Hyatt Regency brand and their spa staff were not only a delight, but also incredibly informative, caring and skilled – a stellar combination! Having been to hundreds of different spas around the world, some spa experiences can blend into the next, but this is one I would not hesitate to recommend, or return to, in order to try out some of their other treatments, when I’m next in Phuket.
Certain images courtesy of Hyatt Regency Phuket