Suite Life: Phuket resort with villas, Michelin restaurant appeals to celebs, but is unpretentious

PHUKET, Thailand – Chef Rick Dingen smiles, squeezes an eggplant vine, then opens his arms wide. The Dutch chef is gesturing at the bounty of this sprawling, sprouting, splendid organic farm in Phuket.

Dill, basil, eggplant, mulberry, aloe vera, lemongrass, kaffir lime, white radish, morning glory, papaya – I am trying to catalogue the trove of fruit, herbs and vegetables blooming around me. 

“This is a dream, but it’s also real,” says Dingen, as he guides me through the farm alongside his restaurant, Jampa, which is linked to the nearby Trisara resort.

Not only does he run this Michelin-awarded venue, but he also gets to create dishes with fresh, fragrant ingredients harvested on-site.

“I let the farmers grow whatever they want and then I think about what I can make with these ingredients,” he says.

During my seven-course dinner at Jampa, Dingen’s farm tour lingers in my mind. Delicate Dhala flowers are served alongside avocado, dried fish and watermelon. Hearty jicama is paired with beetroot, black garlic and fish bone sauce. 

He previously worked at Amsterdam’s Michelin-starred La Rive restaurant. And, in 2023, he led Jampa to a Michelin Green Star. 

The award, Michelin’s website explains, “highlights restaurants at the forefront of the industry when it comes to their sustainable practices”.

It adds: “They hold themselves accountable for their ethical and environmental standards, and work with sustainable producers and suppliers to avoid waste and reduce or remove plastic and other non-recyclable materials from their supply chain.”

In that light, it was easy for me to banish my finicky eating habits for an evening, and readily relish Dingen’s curious delights.

As a van drives us 5km west, back to Trisara resort, my dinner partner and I try to decipher the intricate mosaic of flavours we have just encountered.

That night, I am ensconced in the soft linens of the king-size bed that anchors my colossal 240 sq m Ocean View Pool Villa.

Unlike during the daytime, I have no distractions. When the sun was blazing earlier, I had sat at this villa’s dark wooden desk trying to finish writing a story, only to continually stare out the window at the Andaman Sea, which seemed to merge with my private infinity pool. 

This tranquil setting seems, then, to be reminding me it is not designed for work. So I stash my laptop and do decadent things.

I help myself to complimentary chocolate truffles while reclining on a chic couch in my villa’s lounge area. I count boats, chest-deep in water, leaning on the edge of the pool. I use the outdoor shower in the shade of rich greenery, before slipping on a soft dressing gown.

I also enjoy three remarkable meals a day at Pru, Trisara’s oceanfront restaurant. Som Tam papaya salad, Larb Moo pork salad, Yum Cha Suan banana blossom salad, massaman curry, roasted baby chicken, BBQ pork spare ribs – the appetisers and mains are all memorable.

So, too, are the desserts. From tiramisu and passionfruit pannacotta to Kad Kokoa chocolate cake and perhaps a few too many scoops of premium ice cream, I finish each meal with a flourish.

If I am so inclined, I can dissolve these excess calories at Trisara’s spacious modern gym, or join its Thai kickboxing classes.

Instead, I head for the building next to the gym, Jara Spa. Here, a strong, skilful masseuse slowly erodes the tension in my back and shoulders built up from my long flight from Perth. 

Becalmed and rejuvenated, I take in the spa room’s expansive views of the Andaman Sea.

Trisara sits on Phuket’s mid-west coast, which is now my favourite part of this island.

On my earliest visits to Phuket, I shadowed the tourist throng to Patong, a crowded beachfront area in the south-west that caters largely to party seekers and budget travellers. Patong is fun and offers terrific value. But it does not provide great relaxation. 

When my Thai wife and I later returned to Phuket, with our little boy in tow this time, a local friend recommended the mid-west coast. This stretch, starting from Kamala Beach north to Bangtao and Nai Thon beaches, is far better suited to families.

The noise, mess and sleaze of Patong, we found, was replaced by scenic beaches, peaceful beach communities and serene resorts.

In this locale, Trisara’s seclusion and luxury attract celebrities, athletes and musicians. Its palatial villas have hosted tennis star Roger Federer. They have also welcomed socialite Paris Hilton of the Hilton hotel dynasty and Maroon 5, the American band that have sold more than 135 million records.

Now, I am woeful at tennis, possess many dollars less than a billion, and will probably never sell an album. Yet I did not feel out of place at Trisara, because it is not a pretentious hotel.

Plush? Absolutely. Exclusive? Definitely. Expensive? Certainly. But from the concierge to the waiters to accomplished chef Dingen, Trisara’s staff are as rooted to the earth as Jampa’s menu. This resort has successfully achieved low-key luxury.

Trisara

Where: 60/1 Moo 6, Srisoonthorn Road, Cherngtalay, Thalang, Phuket, Thailand
Rooms: 60 pool villas and residences, from the 135 sq m Ocean View Pool Junior Suite to the 300 sq m Two-bedroom Ocean Front Pool Villa.
Rates: For August and September, an Ocean View Pool Junior Suite starts at 30,995 baht (S$1,192) a night, including all fees and taxes. An Ocean Front Pool Villa starts at 54,649 baht a night. Both rates include daily breakfast and airport transfers.
Info: 

trisara.com