2020-04-01_Travel___Leisure_Southeast_Asia

W

HAT DID HE SAY?” my

soon-to-be-four-year-old

daughter asks me.

“He said you ask a lot of

questions.” ‘He’—our

driver—stifles a chuckle

(possibly a scream), as we

pull up to the resort, Twinpalms

MontAzure (twinpalmshotelsresorts.

com; doubles from Bt7,500), on

upmarket Kamala Beach, Phuket. The

45-minute ride from the airport had

overflowed with an impressive number

of whys, whos, whats and wheres.

“Where are we now, mommy?”

“The hotel.”

“ Why? ”

“For a little holiday.”

“ Why? ”

Truth: staying at a chic new resort

with a tiny travel companion is quite a

different experience from staying at

said resort, or anywhere at all, with a

romantic partner. To make matters

worse, MontAzure markets itself

heavily towards couples, and indeed

many come here for a sultry beach

escape, my awareness of which

crystallizes as Miss Loud Voice fumbles

her welcome drink, a bubbly pink

mocktail in a glass champagne flute.

Though this is not by definition a

family hotel, the features that attract

couples—spacious, stylish suites, a

shorefront pool bestudded by palms

and cabanas, direct access to Kamala

Beach—also make it ideal for couples

with kids. Add to that its penthouses

with private pools and the Venn

diagram of family-friendly amenities

and romantic settings forms an almost-

perfect circle—precisely why I chose it

for this mommy-daughter getaway.

After collectively, and with much

questioning, choosing the scent and

28 TRAVEL+LEISURE | APRIL / MAY 2020

From top: Sushi at Catch

Beach Club; matching mom-

kid mimosa and mocktail by

the penthouse pool.

CASTLE IN THE SKY

A new all-suite resort on Phuket’s Kamala Beach

proves penthouses aren’t just for lovers.

BY BEK VAN VLIET OWEN

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