Hotel Review: Naiyang Park Resort, an Ecologically Friendly Retreat Near Phuket Airport

Naiyang Park Resort is a leafy retreat covering two hectares. Adjoining Naiyang National Park, the hotel has 49 bungalow-type rooms and suites, two food and beverage outlets, a swimming pool, and a fitness centre, which are set amid tropically landscaped grounds.

Best Luxury Hotels in Phuket

I spent the last two nights of a seven-night stay in Phuket, Thailand, at the Naiyang Park Resort, which was right next door to the Cachet Resort Phuket Dewa Phuket, another one of the best luxury hotels in Phuket.

Both hotels were across the street from Nai Yang Beach.

I had bicycled past the Naiyang Park Resort several times over the past few days, and it seemed like one of the best places to stay in Phuket.

It seemed to have as much in common with Nai Yang National Park, which is adjoined,, as it did with other 5 star hotels in Phuket – maybe more!.

In other words, it offered the best of both world – a rustic and restful natural environment and many of the amenities of a five-star resort.

I needed a place to spend my final two nights in Phuket. Since the hotel was right next to the luxurious hotel I was staying at, I decided to check it out in person.

The Grounds …

A quick look at rustic architecture and the tropically landscaped grounds, and I was sold.

The public areas were built of wood, the roofs were laid with terra-cotta tiles, and the flooring consisted of stone.

The food and beverage outlets, lobby, fitness centre, swimming pool, and cottages were scattered amid two hectares of tropically landscaped grounds.

They were connected by a system of raised wooden pathways. This was an eco-resort if ever there was one.

I decided that this was where I wanted to spend my final two nights in Phuket. I returned to my hotel and booked a room at the resort on line.

My Room …

I stayed in room 37, a deluxe double room with a king-size bed, and I absolutely loved it.

Not only was it spacious, there was lots and lots of counter space so there was no problem finding a spot to put things.

I loved the spacious workstation but was annoyed by the lack of electrical outlets. I had to unplug the 42-inch flat screen television in order to recharge my mobile device.

If I wanted to heat water to make tea or coffee, I had to unplug something and then plub it back in again when I was finished.

Another annoyance: there was only one room key per room, a real inconvenience if more than one person were staying in a room!

I overheard another guest complaining about that in the lobby.

It also meant that mobile devices could not be charged when you left the room. Not only that, it meant returning to a very stuffy room, and it took about an hour for the room to cool off after you returned.

There were two deluxe rooms per bungalow. Both had a front porch with chairs.

Other accommodation options included deluxe executive rooms with two queen-size beds and deluxe family rooms with one king-size bed, one single bed, and one day bed. A couple of single bungalows had two king size beds.

The Bathroom …

The bathroom was clad in two kinds of stone, either large panels or small tiles. The floors and shelving were made of teak. There was a large porcelain sink.

The Shower …

Clad in stone, the shower was not only spacious,. It also had something that few showers have, even at the highest end hotels and resorts: a large mirror that didn’t fog up.

It made shaving in the shower a delight!

The Breakfast Buffet …

The hotel had two food and beverage outlets: Naiyang Park Restaurant and Boss Bar.

Breakfast was included in the price of the room, but if it hadn’t been, I probably wouldn’t have eaten there on my second day.

As hotel buffet breakfasts go, it was pretty unimaginative. Other than the eggs cooked to order, there wasn’t really anything I wanted to eat.

The restaurant did, however, seem quite popular at lunch and dinner. It was always full when I passed it in the afternoon and evening on way into and out of the resort.

Was it the ambiance? The setting was, in fact, quite inviting. Or maybe the a la carte dishes were better than the dishes served at the buffet.

As for the bar, there was live music in the evening, and it seemed like a very nice spot to chill out.

The Swimming Pool …

I loved the infinity swimming pool! It was large, angular, deep, and not in the shade of any large buildings.

A perfect pool to do laps in, there was even a clock on a nearby wall so I could keep track of the time.

In addition to the main pool, there were a Jacuzzi and a children’s pool

There was also a snack bar serving drinks and light bites.

The Fitness Room …

The fitness centre overlooked the swimming pool, and it had changing rooms with showers.

There were two treadmills, a stationary bicycle, and a cross trainer as well as a weight-lifting machine with several positions, a bench press machine, dumbbells, and barbells.

Despite its relatively small size, the fitness room was surprisingly well equipped. I just wish it stayed open at bit later. It closed at 7 pm.

The Location …

The hotel was situated across the street from Nai Yang Beach and next to Nai Yang National Park.

It was within walking distance of a mini mart. A commercial strip with food and beverage outlets, boutiques, day spas, and travel agencies was a 10 to 15 minute walk down the road.

The hotel had bicycles, which you could borrow at no charge. I used them to pedal through the park that adjoined the hotel and to get to the commercial strip down the street.

The hotel was a 10 minute drive from Phuket International Airport, and a complimentary shuttle bus service to and from the airport was provided.

How to Get There …

Phuket International Airport is served by both domestic and international airlines, with links to travel destinations both inside Thailand and to other parts of the world.

Click HERE for more information on the airport.

The Verdict …

I would have to give this hotel a mixed review. On the one hand, I loved the grounds, the rustic architecture, the large swimming pool, the fitness centre, and my very comfortable room.

I appreciated the fact that there were showers and changing rooms so that guests that had already checked out could continue to use the facilities and then shower and change their clothes before heading to Phuket Airport.

On the other hand, I think the hotel’s service standards were below average.

When I arrived, I was greeted with a scowl. There was no welcome drink. I was required to pay a substantial cash deposit. A credit card deposit was not allowed.

Providing only one room key was a bit annoying, and the shortage of electrical outlets was a problem. The breakfast buffet was a disappointment.

Given these shortcomings, however, I would still consider staying at this lovely eco-resort again because the pluses far outweighed the minuses. I really wish I could have several nights there rather than just two!