Chatrium Phuket Rawai Opens Beside Rawai Pier With 304 Rooms
Phuket has a new address in the quieter south. Chatrium Phuket Rawai opens its doors this week beside historic Rawai Pier, on what the group describes as one of the island's last remaining stretches of undeveloped coastline. It is the first resort built around Chatrium's refreshed brand identity, and it has 304 rooms, suites and villas.
Rawai is home to one of Phuket's oldest Chao Lay communities, the sea-going fishing people whose way of life is tied to the Andaman coast, and the resort has been designed around that setting rather than in spite of it.
A lobby like a coral reef, and rooms in sunset colours
The resort was designed by dwp with Foreign Policy Design Group. The lobby is meant to feel like descending into a calm coral reef, with soft aquatic tones, flowing timber and reflective water features. Traditional Toei Panan weaving patterns, developed with local design studio Sarnsard, turn up in screens, furnishings and accents, alongside hand-finished timber and veined stone.
Room interiors follow the Andaman sky from sunrise to dusk, in warm sunset orange, deep ocean blue and soft twilight purple. Categories run from Deluxe Rooms and Two-Bedroom Suites to Beachfront Pool Villas, and every one includes woven Toei Panan pieces and a spa-style bathroom.
Where to eat
Executive Chef Yi-Fan Chu leads the dining programme, which leans on southern Thailand's habit of sharing food at a long table.
- AuJaan: the all-day restaurant, with generations-old southern Thai recipes, communal dining and responsibly sourced ingredients.
- Lamoon Beach Lounge: steps from the sand, relaxed by day and livelier at night, with fresh seafood, open-flame cooking and live music.
- Kalui Kid's Corner & Bar: a manta ray-themed space for children, serving mocktails, fresh juices and Thai-inspired snacks.
Things to do from Rawai
The resort's spot at the southern tip of the island puts a few classic Phuket days within easy reach: longtail boat trips out to coral-fringed islands, ziplining through the south's natural landscapes, and hikes down to secluded beaches and up to viewpoints. On property there are sunrise yoga sessions facing the Andaman Sea, and Kalui Kids' Corner runs marine-themed storytelling, creative workshops and play for younger guests.
For events, The Sail holds up to 250 guests, in a venue shaped after the curved hulls of Chao Lay boats.
"Rawai has always possessed a character distinct from the rest of the island," said Richard Adrian Mehr, General Manager of Chatrium Phuket Rawai. "Generations of Chao Lay families have lived in close connection with the sea, and it is their warmth, resilience and deep appreciation for life's simple pleasures that we aspire to bring into the guest experience."
How to book
Chatrium is launching the resort with an opening offer called The Opening Tide, bookable on the official Chatrium Phuket Rawai site. The resort also posts updates on its official Instagram.
Planning more of Thailand? See what The Standard, Hua Hin has lined up for its fifth year, or read how Anantara Siam Bangkok spent USD 50 million on its makeover.
