Bangtao Bay, Phuket. Credit: Tourism Authority of Thailand

Laguna Phuket is now a very well-established integrated resort on Phuket’s west coast, and to the best of my knowledge there have been no new hotels on the complex for a number of years. Well that is about to change later this year with the opening of “Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas”.

It all started in the 1980s on Bang Tao Bay, on the northwestern coast of Phuket, Thailand, with an abandoned tin mine. As far as most people were concerned it was waste land, good for nothing. However, an entrepreneurial visionary from Singapore Mr. Ho Kwon Ping, turned it into the first ever integrated resort in Asia.

To quote from the Laguna Phuket corporate web site:

“The integrated Laguna Phuket destination resort, located on the west coast of Phuket Island, Thailand, spans 1000 acres of idyllic tropical parkland dotted by scenic lakes and adjacent to an 8km stretch of white sandy beach.

A collection of deluxe hotels, including Banyan Tree Phuket, Sheraton Grande Laguna, Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, Laguna Beach Resort, Laguna Phuket Holiday Club Resort, Allamanda Laguna Phuket and a group of private luxury villas, Laguna Phuket Holiday Residences, offer a wide selection of options to accommodate families, groups, honeymooners and friends.”

Laguna Phuket. Credit: Laguna Phuket

Over the years, I have visited the resort many times and have stayed at the Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket and the Laguna Beach Resort: I have visited on business and with the family (disclosure: some stays were hosted others paid for). The hotels on the resort each have their own personality and focus, and they range from superior 4 star to 5 star plus.

As a Laguna Phuket guest you can use the facilities of most (but not all) of the other hotels and that makes it a more complete experience. As an integrated resort, aside from a few local beach-restaurants, this is a tourist enclave. However, there are local restaurants less than 5 minutes away by taxi; and, when we visited, one of the restaurant staff was good enough to bring us back to the hotel at the end of the meal. I suspect they would collect guests at the beginning of the evening too but we never put that to the test.

In addition to spending my own family holiday there (twice) I have sent many clients to the resort and I cannot recall one complaint. It is important of course that you choose the right hotel.

For example the Laguna Beach Resort is very much a family hotel while the Banyan Tree is more for couples. In my opinion The Banyan Tree is the best hotel there albeit a bit too formal for me: it is a great choice for honeymooners.

I do not know too much about the ‘new kid on the block’ at the moment, other than Outrigger Enterprises Group has been selected to manage the new luxury collection of residences, villas, town homes and apartments. When complete, Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas will consist of 309 two-, three- and four-bedroom units, many with their own private swimming pools. The first units will be ready for occupancy in the fourth quarter of 2009, just in time for the High Season. I feel some special promotional opening rates coming on!

Important Note: Every year during the rainy season (around April to October) heavy seas are responsible for dragging sand from the beaches. During this period there is sometimes bulldozer activity on the beach as sand is replenished; and there are sandbags along the front. It did not bother us but it might be a surprise if you were not forewarned.

Bangtao Beach, low season: Credit Tony Champion

Most importantly though there is a very strong under-current at that time and there has been loss of life. Unfortunately people have allegedly ignored the red flag.

Sheraton Grande Laguna

The best time to be on the island, weather-wise, is December through to March but you can enjoy the Phuket Laguna at anytime of the year. Although sea-bathing is not an option during the rainy season period, you can use one of the many swimming pools and there is a protected lagoon behind the hotels for certain watersports like kayaking and sailing.

If you have visited Laguna Phuket what was your impression?

In the UK we are now very used to spotting bargains and we like to think we know how to play the game. As ever it is he or she who can hold their nerve the longest will (usually) win. If you are totally flexible about when and where you travel and you can wait, generally speaking, you will probably (but not certainly) pick up the best deal. Although with reduced supply (of air seats if not hotel rooms) you also need to understand the patterns of demand.

For example I would wait longer for a flight bargain for travel in say May than I would in late July/early August. May is a low-season month in most of Asia while the summer school holidays, in my opinion, will still see a peak in traveller numbers despite the economic challenges.

My comments above were peppered with caution because there is still an element of chance involved in this game: there are many factors to consider. Here are some:

• Seasonality. A quiet month in one destination (say Phuket) is a busy month in another (say Bali).
• There will be a limit to how low a hotel will go with its rates (particularly at the upper end) because they know they will have a struggle getting them back up again later.
• Domestic travel is being encouraged and could take up some slack (particularly during local holiday periods e.g. mid April in Thailand and Cambodia).
• There are other opportunistic travellers around playing the same game.

Like the article above concluded do your homework and be ready to strike.

My philosophy is if the price is right for you, take your pick and remember when opportunity knocks you have to decide, Deal or No Deal?