The Slate in Phuket offers a sensational family stay and one of Phuket’s most adventurous, dramatic and instagrammable dining as well as spa experiences.
The Five Star Slate Phuket is a legendary and somewhat cult hotel amongst Phuket fans and especially amongst families. It creatively combines industrial style art and natural beauty.
For decades renowned South East Asian design guru Bill Bensley has seamlessly merged the wild and wondrous into his designs, and The Slate stands as a beacon of this artistic prowess having been updated by him in 2007.
The Slate Phuket isn’t just a resort hotel; it’s an experience, a design spectacle, and an indulgence for the senses. Bill Bensley’s masterful touch elevates the property, making it an essential visit for anyone enamoured by luxury in Southeast Asia. This hotel is about happy, memorable family travels with staff who love their jobs and it is about opulent Phuket stays.
Set on sprawling grounds right along the Nai Yang beachfront, The Slate is is a monstrosity of 3 vast outdoor pools, 178 rooms and suites, 8 restaurants and bars, a gym, tennis courts and daily activities schedule. If instagram is your thing, this is the hotel for you. You can even witness striking sunsets just outside the property at the edge of the ocean.
There is an on-site shop packed with Bill Bensley products from shower gel to sheets, Thai figurines and statues and artefacts and more.
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Location: 8.5/10
Remarkably positioned just 10 minutes from the airport, The Slate is an oasis of serenity. Over four days, the distant hum of airplanes was never heard. For those eager to explore, the beach is a stone’s throw away, accompanied by quaint shops and scenic walks.
The huge property has buggies to ferry guests around, but is perfect for fitness fans who can clock up a lot of steps going from one side to the other on a regular basis.
Style: 9/10
The furniture and interiors are jaw dropping at times and quirky at others – the entire resort is eclectically themed tin mine by Bensley which pays homage to the owners of The Slate who made their fortune from tin mining.
Black Ginger Restaurant at The Slate is one of South East Asia’s best, and a stylish experience with a nod to Thailand’s royal history as it echoes the style of Royalty gone by. Black Ginger is like a night out at the theatre, and you as the guest of the resort are centre stage.
The Nest within the Coqoon spa is an architectural marvel within the spa, and truly caught my attention. Suspended on stilts, it mimics a bird’s nest as guests climb the wooden stair case to the centre of an inviting cocoon inside, and offers an unparalleled spa experience for couples.
Every corner, from the uniquely adorned toilet rolls on metal bolts to the astonishingly intricate outdoor spa wing resonates with Bensley’s characteristic unique touch.
There is literally something for everyone in the family here of every age and one of the surprising and welcoming facets of the hotel is that the food and drink within the property is not outrageously priced for a hotel of this standard, and the offering is very diverse.
This means there really is little incentive to hunt around the area for food or drinks to reduce the food bill or find authenticity, it is all within the resort – The Slate even has a daily two for one happy hour at the Sports Bar.
The Slate offers surprises from the moment you check in, with a plethora of health and wellness checks on offer for guests focussed on self improvement to fabulous purple (not too sweet) welcome drinks the entire family will be excited about.
The five star 178 room Slate Phuket was conceptualised and created by the legendary South East Asian hotel designer Bill Bensley over 30 years ago when it was a hotel with a different name and identity. Bensley is know for his creative, wild, adventurous and at times whacky creativity. The Slate ticks all of these boxes and more.
Location: 8/10
Remarkably positioned just 10 minutes from the airport, The Slate is an oasis of serenity. Over four days, the distant hum of airplanes was never heard. For those eager to explore, the beach is a stone’s throw away, accompanied by quaint shops and scenic walks.
If you have teenagers who need to get away or simply enjoy a walk, the beach is just a few steps out front of the hotel, with an array of small shops and walks to be had.
Fitness and spa experience: 8.5/10
The afore mentioned Nest is the highlight of the Coqoon spa, and is one of the most unique and luxurious spa experiences in Thailand, It is a unique massage room suspended on stilts (like a real bird’s nest) which is part of The Coqoon spa at The Slate, with two massage beds inside as well as bathroom facilities for the ultimate couple’s intimate luxury, design and relaxation experience.
The gym is on the ground level and is spacious with a solid collection of both cardio and weights equipment, and it is open early. There are two tennis courts and a daily list of activities- covering the ranges of sporting, community and craft, to engage everyone of all ages and include cycling and paddleboarding, and the restorative yoga is a highlight of this program. There is even a dive centre on site.
Management and Overall Feel: 9/10
The Slate radiates a harmonious blend of luxury and comfort, as well as family fun.
The team ensure an experience that caters to families, couples, and solo travelers alike. For the social media aficionados, every corner is an Instagram haven.
Rooms: 8/10
Spread across the vast property are 178 rooms, each with its own distinct charm. There are six different room types.
During my stay, I had the pleasure of experiencing a magnificent opulent suite. It boasts two massage tables, a palatial King-sized bed sitting next to a grand sunken bath, a spacious lounge replete with a mirrored wall, a well-equipped workspace, and a balcony that presents panoramic views of the estate and offers the perfect outdoor space to indulge in room service.
It was the kind of suite you could spend days in with the right person, without leaving. But I understand the villas on site are even more opulent with multiple bedrooms and outdoor showers.
Food and Drink: 8/10
Black Ginger is one of the most highly rated restaurants in Phuket, and has to be seen to be believed. This is a night out of theatrical performances as well as amazing fine dining Thai food.
Access to Black Ginger is down a magnificently lit pathway via a wooden raft on a misty moat surrounding the restaurant, which is then lit with flames.
A boatman pushes the boat across the water, in what is a truly unique, romantic and mesmerising experience.
Dinner in the Michelin certified Thai restaurant is incredible, and the night I was there guests happily interacted, sharing the awe of the interiors, the architecture and this whole once in a lifetime experience which must be booked well in advance.
.There are eight diverse restaurants and bars in total at The Slate, each with fabulously fresh cocktails, food and snacks. One of the hotel’s many surprises is its reasonable pricing for food and beverages within the establishment
Breakfast is an extensive buffet at Tin Mine, which is a spacious restaurant with high ceilings and multiple sections to sit in. Perfect for kids of any ages.
Staff are warm and know the menus and also understand the western palette and what dishes most guests gravitate to. One staff member had picked me out and ensured I had exactly what I wanted every lunch time, it was such great service.
Insider Knowledge:
Black Ginger restaurant is an absolute must, and you need to book head, as it is very very popular. A massage in The Nest is also essential. These two experiences are simply extraordinary and hold their own on a global level. Extraordinary.
Renae says:
Who should Stay here: This is the ultimate stay for families – there is something for everyone.
Who shouldn’t Stay here: Anyone who doesn’t like large sprawling resorts – this is big.
Location: Around 10 minutes from Phuket airport.
Best culinary delight: The Thai chicken soup at Tin Mine restaurant- wholesome, fresh, a little bit Thai and delicious.
The Highlight: The Nest for massages – a design lovers dream. Just extraordinary.
The lowlight: The property has aged and does need a facelift in some areas.
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