My near-perfect keep in a country Thai resort: A evaluate of the Six Senses Yao Noi

Test-in

Six Senses Yao Noi supplied the next transport choices to and from the resort for my keep:

• Shared land and shared scheduled velocity boat switch from/to Phuket Worldwide Airport: 1,600 Thai baht (about $43) per grownup, per manner.
• Personal land and shared scheduled velocity boat switch from/to Phuket Worldwide Airport or different resorts in Phuket: 2,250 Thai baht (about $61) per grownup, per manner.
• Personal land and velocity boat switch from/to Phuket Worldwide Airport or different resorts in Phuket: 12,500 Thai baht (about $338) for 2 individuals touring collectively.
• Personal land and velocity boat switch from/to Krabi Airport: 12,600 Thai baht (about $340) for 2 individuals touring collectively.

The choices and pricing could also be totally different on your keep. However this is the schedule of shared land and speedboat transfers that Six Senses Yao Noi used throughout my keep:

As we had been staying at a special resort in Phuket earlier than heading to Six Senses Yao Noi, we went with the second switch choice for our arrival and organized for a midday pick-up to fulfill the two p.m. shared boat.

A driver with a Mercedes sedan was ready after we checked out shortly earlier than midday.

After we arrived on the marina, a Six Senses consultant was ready for us on the taxi stand. She tagged our bigger luggage and mentioned somebody would take them on to the boat.

Then she led us to the Port of Name bar and restaurant within the marina, the place 4 different Six Senses visitors had been already ready on the outside patio for our shared boat. She mentioned we might every order a non-alcoholic beverage from the menu whereas we waited. She additionally suggested us to make use of the restroom inside, noting the boat would not have one.

Shortly earlier than 2 p.m., the Six Senses consultant got here to inform us we would be leaving quickly. As soon as it was time to go, we walked all the way down to a 20-passenger Six Senses boat staffed by a captain and host.

The 40-minute trip from the marina to Yao Noi was clean and supplied wonderful views. Earlier than we knew it, the host mentioned we had been approaching the resort.

The resort supervisor and GEMs (visitor expertise makers) for every group of visitors awaited our boat’s arrival. Every GEM had pushed a golf cart with their visitors’ names written on a chalkboard, so we discovered our cart and met our GEM.

The resort supervisor additionally spoke with every group individually; he welcomed us to the resort and thanked us for our award redemption.

Our GEM supplied a resort tour by golf cart on the way in which to our villa. I am glad we accepted the tour, because it offered a superb overview of the property.

As soon as at our villa, our GEM launched us to the villa’s options and accomplished check-in. Throughout check-in, we chosen actions based mostly on the exercise sheet for the week.

Though we might additionally message our GEM later, we wished to make sure we booked the actions we wished whereas there was availability.

We additionally chosen two perks from the next checklist as a good thing about my Diamond Elite standing with IHG:

• A wellness e book.
• Coconut oil.
• IHG cocktails for 2 (composed of strawberry puree, soda water, vodka and lime juice).
• Cookies.

And we chosen my InterContinental Ambassador perk from the next checklist:

• A village tour for 2.
• 60-minute Six Senses therapeutic massage for 2.
• $100 meals and beverage credit score.

We chosen the IHG cocktails, cookies and 60-minute massages. We loved our IHG cocktails throughout dinner on the Hilltop restaurant on our first night time and located the drinks refreshing and fruity. In the meantime, mushy oatmeal raisin cookies arrived on our second night time in the course of the turndown service.

Though the village tour would have been attention-grabbing, getting a 60-minute Six Senses therapeutic massage as an Ambassador perk is an incredible worth.

As a 60-minute Six Senses therapeutic massage sometimes prices 5,200 Thai baht (about $141) per particular person at Six Senses Yao Noi, the therapeutic massage alternative alone is value greater than the $200 annual price for Ambassador membership.

Villa

Upon arrival, our GEM mentioned we would been upgraded two classes from the base-level hideaway pool villa (sure, the base-level villa has a personal pool) to an ocean panorama pool villa.

The resort assigned us villa 30, which provides an incredible panoramic view as quickly as you open the villa gates.

After having fun with the view, stroll down the steps to your outside dwelling space. You may first see a two-person desk and your personal plunge pool. Off to the aspect, there’s a big couch space with pillows and a desk with a checkerboard. This space has a fan overhead and is a superb shaded place to sit down and benefit from the views.

In entrance of this seating space are two lounge chairs with plush cushions and towels that housekeeping removes every night time and returns every morning. I did not take pleasure in these chairs a lot in the course of the day as a result of solar, however I beloved mendacity out at night time to have a look at the celebs.

Now, for the remainder of the villa. You may see two giant umbrellas by the doorway to the indoor a part of your villa.

Strolling in, you will enter your bed room. I beloved the mattress and bedding at Six Senses Yao Noi; I slept excellently. The Naturalmat natural Emperor mattress was snug but supportive, and the comforter was plush and mushy.

There is a mosquito web over the mattress, however as we slept with the home windows closed and the air conditioner on, we by no means requested housekeeping to deploy the nets. There is a highly effective fan above the mattress which you can set to varied speeds.

Each nightstands embody a lamp with a swap on its cable, making it straightforward for these to be the final lights to show off every night time. There is a card on one nightstand the place you’ll be able to choose your housekeeping preferences, together with pillow scent, additional facilities and repair instances.

We left the 2 curtains that housekeeping left open at turn-down service open all night time. Doing so let the solar are available round dawn, and we wished to get up to observe the dawn in a setting like this.

We closed the shades to return to sleep one morning, they usually did an honest job of blocking out gentle.

Behind the mattress is a protracted counter that we used as our place to place issues after we returned to the room. Below the counter are two cupboards. The one on the appropriate comprises an ice bucket and a basket for eggs (extra on this within the meals and beverage part).

The cupboard on the left comprises audio tools, together with a cable you should utilize to play music all through the villa. However I beloved the Six Senses soundtrack that was taking part in at check-in (I am nonetheless a bit hooked on a number of the songs).

Behind the counter is a protracted desk. On the desk are a lamp, a glass bottle of mosquito spray, a glass bottle of hand sanitizer and three books:

• A value checklist for the wine fridge.
• A e book about “the enjoyable and attractive stuff” with the in-room eating menu and actions checklist.
• A e book about “the great things” detailing Six Senses sustainability initiatives and initiatives (each on the worldwide and property ranges).

The desk has two drawers — one with two postcards and the opposite with anti-mosquito gadgets and a common adaptor. The resort will stamp and mail the 2 postcards in case you write and tackle them.

Subsequent to the desk is the mini-bar and beverage station. There is a Nespresso machine, 4 espresso pods, a water kettle, a teapot, two espresso cups and an assortment of glasses.

There’s additionally ample complimentary Six Senses water (bottled on-site) in nonetheless and glowing type. You may discover a wine opener, a wine fridge with three wines (2,200 Thai baht, or about $60, every) and a mini-fridge with welcome coconuts and chilly Six Senses water.

In entrance of the mattress, alongside the home windows, is a sunken plush sofa with 4 pillows. I beloved sitting on the sofa and having fun with the ocean views contained in the air-conditioned villa.

Many visitors at Six Senses seemingly will not watch TV throughout their keep. However, there’s a 26-inch TV hidden behind doorways between the bed room space and the lavatory. Relying on which door you open and the way you place the TV, you can watch in mattress or the tub.

Two units of doorways separate the bed room from the lavatory: one is woven and designed to dam out gentle and supply privateness, whereas the opposite retains the air-con within the bed room.

You may see two sinks on a protracted counter if you stroll into the lavatory. There is a light-up magnifying mirror and Six Senses-branded liquid cleaning soap, lemongrass bar cleaning soap and physique lotion on the counter.

Below the counter is a tray with a 1,800-watt Panasonic hair dryer and a tray of Six Senses-branded facilities. Above the sinks are two hanging mirrors.

Behind the sinks is a big picket rack with towels. On one aspect of the rack is a big walk-in closet with loads of storage, ample hangers, two robes, a secure, two yoga mats, a grimy garments basket, six drawers, an emergency flashlight and Six Senses-branded after-sun shampoo and conditioner, insect repellent and aloe vera.

Word that there is not an iron and ironing board, however visitors can get two objects pressed without cost upon arrival.

On the opposite aspect of the towel rack are two small rooms. The primary comprises the indoor bathe, which feels cave-like till you shut the door and activate the sunshine.

There is a lengthy bench within the bathe with Six Senses-branded shampoo, conditioner and bathe gel. I beloved the recent lemongrass scent of all of the Six Senses toiletries (though it’s also possible to request different scents).

The indoor bathe provides an overhead bathe head and a hand-held bathe head with a wall mount.

Subsequent to the bathe room is a small rest room room. I appreciated the small contact of peppermint scent when turning on the fan on this room. Throughout from the bathroom room is a drying rack excellent for swimsuits and different moist clothes.

On the opposite aspect of the counter with the sinks is a big sofa and deep tub. Particularly contemplating our villa’s lovely panoramic ocean view, our bathtub supplied wonderful views. I additionally beloved the small contact of a neck pillow, bathtub salts and natural physique scrub subsequent to the bath.

There’s additionally extra Six Senses-branded bathe gel, shampoo and conditioner stocked by the bathtub. The one draw back of the bathtub: it crammed very slowly.

Lastly, a sliding door subsequent to the bathroom room results in an out of doors bathe. This door was swollen from humidity, so it wasn’t straightforward to open. There are two outside showers, however I most popular the one on the appropriate with the bigger bathe head because the one on the left did not present a superb water spray.

The lavatory has air-con, however you are inspired to shut the door and solely use the bed room air-con at night time. As with the bed room, there is a highly effective fan above the bath space which you can set to varied speeds.

I appreciated the ample fish-shaped hooks all through the lavatory, which had been helpful for hanging towels and clothes. There’s additionally a basket for soiled towels subsequent to the bath — housekeeping will go away towels you cling up however substitute towels you place within the basket.

Word that Six Senses Yao Noi makes use of bodily keys, so you will solely get one on your villa. You may lock the doorway gate by the trail in addition to the door to the indoor part of your villa.

You may point out a do-not-disturb desire by switching the fish eye outdoors your villa gate from open to closed. Even when the fish eye is open, workers members will ring the doorbell and name out earlier than getting into your villa.

Word about accessibility

Visitors with restricted mobility seemingly will not discover Six Senses Yao Noi a superb match. There are many steps across the resort, together with some which can be steep or uneven.

Most villas even have steps, and ours included some difficult-to-open doorways and cupboards. For instance, the door to our villa’s outside bathe required fairly a little bit of energy to open.

However, the service at Six Senses Yao Noi is superb. So, I count on the resort will try to accommodate any visitor who desires to remain. The highest of the mattress’s mattress is 23 inches above the bottom, and there is a 4 3/4-inch clearance between the ground and a mattress body assist beam.

It might be tough to get correct data out of the resort forward of time concerning accessibility, although. As you will learn within the service part, my interactions with the resort by e-mail had been probably the most disappointing a part of my Six Senses Yao Noi keep.

Facilities

Six Senses Yao Noi provides all kinds of facilities and actions, particularly contemplating it hosts simply 56 villas.

Once you first attain your villa to check-in, you will discover an actions checklist for the week. However it’s also possible to e book different actions for an extra price by talking together with your GEM. For instance, you can join Thai boxing classes.

My husband and I reserved spots on the complimentary 9 a.m. kayak exercise heading to Koh Nok our first morning. We joined one different couple and a information on our roughly 90-minute outing to Koh Nok and close by mangroves.

The surroundings was wonderful, however what I loved most about this exercise was chatting with our information, who had grown up on the island of Yao Noi.

We additionally reserved spots in our second morning’s complimentary 8:30 a.m. yoga class. Three different visitors joined the category, which a spa workers member held on the yoga platform.

I notably appreciated how our teacher selected positions that might problem superior visitors whereas additionally being newbie pleasant.

Under the yoga platform is the health heart. I obtained loads of train strolling across the resort, however I finished by the health heart for pictures.

As you may count on at a Six Senses resort, there’s a formidable spa full with a juice bar, Alchemy bar and 10 spa therapy rooms.

We loved a 60-minute therapeutic massage for 2 on our final day shortly earlier than trying out, as there have been no different spa slots accessible for 2 visitors throughout our keep.

My holistic therapeutic massage was stress-free, and the therapist appeared expert based mostly on how she expertly manipulated my physique.

The resort provides a complimentary beach-side film with lounge chairs and popcorn a number of nights per week. However, because the film is close to the Dwelling Room, it’s also possible to seize some ice cream or sorbet in your solution to the film if you want.

You too can go swimming with wonderful views on the Hilltop.

You may borrow bikes from a stand close to the street entrance to the resort for complimentary use outdoors the resort between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

We borrowed bikes for about 90 minutes one afternoon, utilizing them to trip into the primary village about 4 1/2 miles away.

The trip uncovered a totally totally different aspect of the island, as we noticed many homes, beach-side therapeutic massage stands and some native motels and resorts.

Nonetheless, the standard of the bikes was disappointing. Each of our bikes solely supplied a number of well-functioning gears. And the seats weren’t snug in any respect, leaving each my husband and me sore after our trip.

I beloved strolling across the resort. The paths had been stress-free, and I loved listening to the frogs in a pond one night time.

Sadly, the mangrove stroll was closed throughout my go to. I think it has been closed for some time based mostly on how the path seemed throughout my keep.

You may stroll over to the resort’s farm, which has not solely hens but additionally geese and goats. On the way in which, you will move by the tennis courtroom.

In the midst of the resort, you will discover the Den (which operates as a bar at choose instances), the Library (the place you’ll be able to borrow books) and the Major Home (the place yow will discover GEMs as wanted).

By the pier the place visitors arrive and depart, you will discover the Hornbills Membership for kids.

And close to the Dwelling Room, you will discover a seaside in the identical space that hosts night motion pictures. There are a number of lounge chairs and a few water sports activities tools right here.

You may stroll by way of the gardens and go to the Mushroom Hut.