Muslim Friendly Resort: Amatara Resort and Wellness Review Phuket

This is a continuation of my previous review of the Amatara resort. There was so much to write about this property that one post wasn’t enough. In this one, I will look at the spa, the food, and activities of the resort.

I feel I am definitely a resort girl. I like to have the option to choose from activities and  things to do without having to go out.

You can have free yoga classes, bike rides in the city, sunset yoga and much more. I love how many things there are to do even without going out of the resort. Especially if I am on a holiday purely for relaxing.

Afternoon Tea

Amatara, didn’t disappoint in providing plenty of things for it’s guests. As guests of the villa we had inclusive afternoon tea in the library. The library is basically what the word says, a space where guests can relax, read a book, surf the internet and enjoy their afternoon tea. The tea is free for guest villas and it offers a small selection of sandwiches, scones, plenty of tea and best of all it’s halal.

I liked the fact that I can just dress up after lounging by the pool and see other guests as well. It gives a nice break to your day.

After the afternoon tea, you can definitely go and visit Phuket city and explore what it has to offer. Sadly the free transfer bus doesn’t run in the afternoon, which I think is a shame. I did ask about that and they said that many guests prefer to have dinner in the hotel. So the bus runs only until 4pm I believe. Of course, nothing stops you from exploring the city by taxi which doesn’t cost more than a few pounds.

Happy Hour Time

Villa guests have the option for a “happy hour”. Where you can have canapes and free drinks from 7pmto 9pm. It is a similar style to what many hotels offer in the executive lounge.

The venue is the top of the restaurant and all I have to say is that the view is absolutely stunning. We were lucky that the first night we went it wasn’t raining so we could enjoy the view and have a few drinks. Of course, since we don’t drink alcohol they did make us some Virgin mojitos and other cocktails to try.

The staff are very attentive and I loved the large open space. Definitely, a nice way to finish a day in the sun.

All three nights we were there, we enjoyed dinner at the resort’s restaurant. I loved Thai food and the selection they had. The beef and the chicken is halal so you can try some delicious halal Thai food. Much better than many UK versions of Thai food.

On our first night of arrival, we opted for dinner in the main restaurant and we were happy we did. I found the prices to be very reasonable considering it is a five-star property. I think for two meals and drinks we paid about £35, which is the same price as a UK restaurant.

 Dinner Is Served

On the second night we went for dinner to the Retreat which serves healthy options. Since being healthy is on my goals to achieve this year (well, maybe next!) I wanted to check the food out. Again the food was good, though I can confidently say that I am not a fan of the black rice I ordered. The cuisine is very much health orientated and I know that my friend Christina would have appreciated it much more than me.

Dinner in the main restaurant, delicious!!

I really like the retreat for its privacy and views. They are great and they do offer coffee and tea throughout the day for guests. You can lounge there, enjoy the pool, views, and some food in a very quiet environment. I would definitely recommend an upgrade if you have the budget for it.

Retreat meal, tasty and healthy

Anyone Said Spa?

Now, how can you go to a wellness spa and not enjoy a massage?Definitely not!

Spa Reception

They do offer couples massage although as I have mentioned above that is very impractical. Though I got lucky and received the couple’s spa suite and amazing views. I was very pleased to hear they have a male masseur so my husband was actually able to enjoy a massage as well. I opted for a massage by Aun and she was brilliant.The view of the room and the treatments are great. Since they are gearing towards wellness they have many options and packages to choose from. I also found their prices very good in the same standard of the UK prices.

The view was amazing! resort:photo credit

One thing I noticed about having massages in Thailand compared to other countries (I love a good massage) is that when you say hard they do listen. 🙂 I hate it when I say I would like more strength and they ignore me.   

I definitely enjoyed my stay in Amatara and I would happily go back again. There were some minor miscommunications with staff which I think can be improved such as conversing in English and understanding what the guests want. Some front facing staff seems to struggle with English and it can be frustrating at times. However, it is a small thing overall.

The resort is budget friendly which is another thing I like. It caters to various budgets and you can upgrade accordingly. If you don’t have the budget for a pool villa I would definitely recommend one of the secluded Pavilions. Being so close to the city is also great as you can explore the area and they do provide free shuttles too. Plus if you have a young family there is the creche to provide you with some peace and quiet for as long as you want.

Travelling During the Rainy Season

One thing many people are concerned about is travelling during the rainy season. I really thought that it was raining 24/7 the way they made it sound. As we went in October and it was the rainy season I can safely say it’s ok. There are of course benefits in going during the rainy period since it is considered off-season so the rooms are cheaper. You are also more likely to get an upgrade and finally it doesn’t rain all the time. Usually there is rain early in the morning and in the afternoon, but I did have the chance to have plenty of sun for some sunbathing.

I found that I enjoyed the rain since Phuket is so humid it is a welcome break. I also loved swimming while raining, it reminded me of Greece. So if you are on a budget, you don’t mind the rain and you enjoy saving money the rainy season can be a good option.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Amatara Resort and Wellness. The trip was organised by Serendipity travel, the experts in amazing halal and Muslim friendly resorts, perfect for honeymooners. The views and opinions are my own whether they are good, bad or ugly.