Review: Amora Beach Resort, Phuket, Thailand
Amora Beach Resort looks like the sort of paradise that only a combination of AI and Instagram could create. A 5* Phuket paradise with an irresistible aroma of coconut sun lotion and sundowner cocktails.
Sunbathing, almost paddling in the Andaman Sea, the Amora Beach Resort, on Bang Tao Beach, relaxes on Phuket’s west coast. With direct access to 80 metres of prime beachfront there are no roads to cross, no mopeds to sidestep, just easy to access Phuket’s second longest beach.
Softly undulating hills ease down through a green fringe of casuarina trees, coconut palms and sea almonds to warm seas that are lagoon placid on many days. Off-shore, reef fish flit through coral patches.
Amora Beach Resort stretches over many acres, easily absorbing guests from 264 rooms and suites. Guests chilling at the Nora Beach Club could be in a different province to children at the Aqua Kids Club.
The welcome
Amora arranges for a driver to meet us at Phuket airport. Within 30 minutes we are at Amora Beach Resort with porters taking our luggage.
Sipping chilled coconut water and dabbing at our foreheads with a cool flannel; this is a check-in and chill-out welcome.
The room
Completed at the end of 2024, a major £10 m refurbishment created larger than average rooms, sufficiently spacious for a bed that could sleep at least four.
Clean minimalist lines flow towards glass doors and windows opening out onto a balcony with palm-fringed views of a sparkling pool.
There is a refrigerated minibar plus tea and coffee-making facilities – if the walk to the bars or coffee shop in the Lobby Lounge ever becomes too onerous …
The bathroom
With free-standing bath, separate shower with numerous lighting options – from bright to drowsily relaxed – this is a bathroom designed for indulgence.
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The facilities
Take your choice of bars at the Andaman Pool, the rooftop Astra Bar where you can sip in the horizon as well as a cocktail, the Lobby Lounge or at the Nora Beach Club.
Authentic superbly sourced Thai food stars at the Isla restaurant from tropical fruit salads and noodle soup for breakfast through to evening curries. From dawn to beyond dusk, eating al fresco is always an option.
Superbly presented satays, tom yum hot and sour soup, tord man pla fish cake and shrimp rolls are ideal for light lunches. Though, the restaurant rings the changes with steak night, a Thai buffet and a fish buffet on another night. For the ultimate taste of the Andaman Sea there is a maritime banquet fish platter of shrimps, squid, prawns, salmon and side salad. On the menus East meets West and they co-exist very successfully.
Inspired by traditional Thai Healing, the Lom Tay Spa, gently translating as Sea Breeze is the place for massages – gentle or deep tissue – recovering from jet lag or sunburn, and facials too.
Throughout the week there is a rolling activities programme of archery, morning yoga, aqua exercise and volleyball.
The location
The Amora is superbly placed for exploring Phuket by land, sea or even air – if you go paragliding.
Take to the sea for a voyage to explore the Phi Phi islands, James Bond Island and beyond. Jet skis are available on Bang Tao beach for shorter rides.
Feed and shower with the elephants – but no riding – at the ethical Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. The 30-minutes taxi ride from Amora is included in the package. These creatures average around four tons when fully grown. With 40,000 muscles in their trunks, they take onboard over 200kg of food a day. Is it any surprise that they get through six sets of teeth in a lifetime?
As the sun sets, a trip to the FantaSea show – an OTT blend of acrobatics, colour, culture, elephants, music and dinner – is a dazzling celebration of Thai storytelling.
Other nice touches
Sturdy flip-flops in the wardrobe signal that it’s time to kick off your shoes and head for the pools and the beach.
All-day dining is made for families needing to refuel and rehydrate, if children are running out of steam.
Amora’s farewells are as equally warm as the welcome. Our middle-of-the-night moonlit departure is handled with efficiency and tact. Porters are on hand to take our luggage and send us on our way with packed breakfasts. Amora knows that last impressions are equally as important as first impressions.
The cost
A grand pool view room will cost from £355 in mid-January 2027.
The best bit
The 2024 relaunch created the Nora Beach Club, bringing a Balearic ambience to Phuket. Circular pods sunken into the Nora Club’s pool are in prime position for DJs on the stage as well as the twice weekly fire show of flaming headdresses and sensational fire juggling.
Day membership provides bean bags, sumptuous sun beds or luxurious cabanas plus credits for the Beach Club’s bar and restaurant.
The final verdict
Amora Beach Club could rest on its laurels of a dreamy white-sand location sloping into calm Andaman Seas waters. But it doesn’t …
From receptionists through cleaners to waiters, staff are smiling, engaging and eager to provide superb service – especially when serving up outstanding Thai food in the Isla Restaurant.
Disclosure: Our stay was sponsored by Amora Beach Resort.
Michael Edwards
Michael Edwards is a travel writer from Oxfordshire, UK. Although Michael had his first travel pieces published nearly four decades ago, he is still finding new luxury destinations to visit and write on.
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This is incredible. Doctors should be prescribing 2 weeks at Amora Beach to get away from the winter blues.
Yes, I have to admit that a January stay at the Amora Beach Resort certainly boosted my well-being.
We had several days in Phuket back in the last millennium (!!) as part of our honeymoon. It was absolutely stunning.
Friends who’ve visited more recently tell us that though it’s got very busy the Thai people are wonderful and that both the food and the beaches are fantastic.
Now that we are finally empty-nesters it could be time to go back for a second honeymoon. If we stay at Amora it’ll be a lot more luxurious than our first honeymoon.
Your friends are correct. The staff at the Amora Beach Resort are so genuinely welcoming and eager to serve. You should get your flights booked asap.
Phuket is on my must-visit list. So many friends have good things to say about the place.
Yes Grace, it really is a must visit place – especially in the depths of the British winter.
Fantastic pictures which make Amora Beach look very, very classy .
Although there’s that old saying that a picture’s worth a thousand words there’s nothing quite like seeing Bang Tao Beach for real.
Any hands-on wildlife experiences and my partner will be there, when she was at school she wanted to be a vet. She’d love the elephant sanctuary. Being set in the jungle must make it even more special.
Feeding and showering the elephants was an incredible hands-on experience with lots of detailed commentary from the guide. Even though I’ve done elephant experiences before I learnt some new facts.
If only more hotels would go down the separate bath and shower route. When you have a bath over shower it rarely works.
Yes, it is a nice bathroom luxury to have a choice of both bath and shower.
Overall, this sounds like a five-star experience that doesn’t just rely on its beach setting. The combination of attentive staff, excellent dining, the spa, family-friendly touches and the Andaman backdrop all makes for the ultimate resort.
Amora Beach Resort puts together an excellent package. From talking to other guests the hotel gets a lot of repeat stays.
I love that Amora Beach Resort has direct access to Bang Tao Beach with no roads to cross. That connection between resort and sea is such a luxury in busy destinations.
Last time we stayed in Phuket we had to cross the road to get to the beach. It’s a nightmare on the way when you’ve got over excited kids and even more of a nightmare on the way back when you’ve got overtired kids!
If direct beach access is important to you, then Amora Beach Resort is the place for you in Phuket.
Given a choice I’ll always order seafood but on all my travels across continents I’ve never seen a seafood meal like the one in the picture.
Phuket and especially the Amora really is a hotspot for seafood.
The Lom Tay Spa sounds like a sanctuary within a sanctuary. After a long-haul flight or a full day in the sun, a deep tissue massage inspired by traditional Thai healing would be exactly what’s needed.
The Lom Tay Spa as well as being supremely relaxing is also exceptional value. I got an hour’s massage for less than what I normally pay for 30 minutes in the UK.
I can see other Phuket hotels copying this style of beach club. I’d imagine that it is an absolute winner.
Becky, you are right. The Nora Beach Club was busy throughout the day and evening. It was well designed so it always gave the impression that there was more for a few more.