SALA Phuket Resort and Spa

It says something good about the robustness of Phuket’s tourist economy that even now, new hotels are continuing to open there. Sala Phuket, at Mai Khao in the island’s northwest, is a Thai beach resort in the modern mold: some seventy-nine airy loft-style modernist units strung along the coast, most of them with private swimming pools.

The exceptions are a handful of second-story balcony rooms — obviously not the way to go if a private pool is a must, but it’s clever that a few rooms are set aside for travelers on a bit of a budget. Anyway all of them, from the balcony rooms to the presidential villa, are in the same smart contemporary style, and all have open-air bathrooms and full-size outdoor daybeds for maximally efficient lounging.

Swim some laps or just lounge semi-socially at Sala’s swimming pools, or hole up in the canopied daybeds on the lawn by the beach. There’s a five-room spa and a fitness center, and activities from snorkeling to temple tours can be arranged. And at night guests dine in the poolside restaurant — get the rooftop table for the ocean view and the extra measure of privacy.

How to get there:
Sala Phuket is about a 20-minute drive from Phuket International Airport.