The Baray Villa

Small though it may be, the Baray Villa packs awe-inspiring designs and decorations into a compact property, providing couples with a truly magical experience. The Baray Villa entrance is grand and looks like a small palace. Heavy, wooden double doors are adorned with Moroccan designs and flanked by oversized vases with metal palm fronds. The reception area resembles a lovely cottage with wooden benches, shaded by trees, at the front. Intricate metal latticework covers the front desk and continues up the pitched roof ceiling. Leather swing seats dangle from the gold ceiling. Small bamboo lined pathways lead to a charming courtyard with ornate furnishings, tropical greenery, a fountain, and a surrounding wooden terrace, with cushioned benches and Moroccan window frames. The vibe is upscale and romantic.

The hotel’s prime Kata Beach location is perfect for tourists, with the street outside lined with shops, restaurants, and markets. A block away, on Kata Road, are more cocktail and dining options. Tuk tuks are available or there’s the hotel’s shuttle, included in some room rates. Walking to the beach takes 15 minutes. The Kok Chang Safari is a five-minute drive. It’s a 12-minute stroll to the Surf House Phuket. The Phuket International Airport is a 42-minute drive. Eighteen minutes by car is Phuket town. The Fantasea Tour is a 24-minute drive. The Big Buddha statue is a 20-minute car ride.

Thai and Moroccan designs and gold latticework are at every angle in the elegant villas, which have two floors with bedrooms -- featuring flat-screen TVs and ceiling domes -- located upstairs. Living rooms and guest bathrooms are on the ground floor. Large windows separate interesting whirlpool tubs from private pools, with dangling tree vines and small decks, with lounge chairs and inflatable mattresses. Safes, minibars, flat-screen TVs, insect repellent, umbrellas, iPod docks, beach towels, and Apple TV devices are in all villas. Luxurious bathrooms have soaking tubs, scales, bathrobes, rainfall showerheads, and latticework doors and cabinets. Privacy gates separate villas from the main pool. There also are outdoor showers. The Sawasdee Village, on the same property, offers 40 garden rooms, with flat-screens, minibars, and safes.

The pool at the Baray Villa looks like a hidden oasis, meandering by tall foliage and into a grotto with stained glass, a lovely domed skylight, and a swim-up bar that features gold lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The spa evokes the same enchanting old-world vibe, beginning in the lovely reception area, with gold shrines and a recessed ceiling design. Treatment rooms are serene and elegant, with wood furnishings, Moroccan gold touches, and open-air features. A Vichy shower, hot tub, sauna, and steam room are also available.Much like the rest of the carefully designed hotel exteriors and interiors, the restaurant, Al Majlis, creates a romantic atmosphere with a mixture of Thai and Moroccan touches, a gold dome, and water fountains. Guests can also take Thai cooking classes -- going on a field trip to a local market and cooking under the restaurant chef’s direction. In the end, participants get a recipe booklet, a photo, and certificate of completion. The lobby also offers a small computer corner with three PC computers and an Apple desktop. There are books available for guests as well.