Boathouse by Montara

This recently refreshed classic may be Phuket’s best luxury per dollar option, with an unlikely combination of the island’s finest raw food and refined French cooking too.

• All rooms have views of the Andaman Sea
• Hideaway Seaview Suites
• Thai Top 2 Toe massage
• Ultra-chic boutique

This twenty-five-year-old stalwart along Kata Beach, previously known as Mom Tri’s Boathouse, received a major facelift in 2012, overseen by its owners who are also behind the sublime design of Trisara.

All the whitewashed, vaguely Thai-finished guest rooms here look out at the Andaman Sea (which is not always the case, even at much pricier Phuket properties). All also incorporate a generous balcony or terrace, and guests can expect the kind of cotton linens and fluffy bath towels usually associated with a high price point. Ground-floor rooms have the advantage of sitting steps from Kata Beach’s powdery soft sand but couples seeking privacy will prefer the top 4^th floor Hideaway Seaview Suite. Families book up the singularly stunning two-bedroom penthouse, although this works well for space loving couples too.

The Boathouse Wine & Grill restaurant is a plus for gourmands with an 800-label wine cellar and several Wine Spectator awards. The French food is probably Phuket’s best and includes longtime favorites like the rock lobster ravioli pan-grilled Angus beef tenderloin with duck liver and truffles in Madeira sauce. Other times of day, relax by the free-form beachfront pool, at the rooftop sunset lounge or in the Zen calm spa.

Anyone who thought they could not afford Phuket luxury, those who want to be at the center of the action day into the late night and who like a festive beach scene.