Winter is here, and the season is jolly, but the snow and the cold weather make you feel folly. With the need to get out and fly, a lot of people come to Phuket and here is why. With beautiful beaches, warm weather, and some candy for the eye, it is time to book a hotel and make a stay for the night. With so many options that might make you feel queasy, I have a recommendation for you that will make it easy.
On November 30, the Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort held celebrations for the first anniversary of the Marine Biological Centre and the second anniversary of Casa Boho. With this, you can engage in the hotel’s conservation efforts and head up the hill of the hotel grounds for a bohemian experience of South American food and drinks while overlooking the beach with a beautiful view.
I have spent a few nights at this hotel to attend the anniversaries but during that time, I experienced what the hotel had to offer and I can assure you that your vacation in Phuket will be elevated here.
What does Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort have to offer you?
Address: Amphur, Amphur, 16, 12 Moo 6 Kamala, Kathu, Kathut, Phuket 83150
What do people think about the resort: (4.4⭐ out of 5⭐)
| Juliana: We had a great time at the Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort. The pool is very big, and there are lots of different places to sit around or lounge in. The breakfast buffet is extensive with Western, Thai, Indian, Asian etc options. We always tried something different! The service was really good! They were super friendly and helpful. All the rooms seem to have an ocean view which is amazing. 😌 |
The Marine Biological Centre and marine conservation
Celebrating their first anniversary, The Marine Biological Centre (MBC) unveiled their new aquarium that features two very special exhibitions. Before we get into that though, we should understand what the MBC is. The Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort hosts an in-house Marine Biologist, Marat Khaidarov, who makes it his mission to not only educate the guests about the beautiful marine life but also run projects for conservation as well.
Inside the centre, you will find microscopes, one of which was connected to a television, which they use to show more of the microscopic facets of marine life which are the artemia (sea monkeys) to baby jellyfish which cannot be seen easily with the naked eye. Furthermore, beyond that, there is a tank filled with various starfish and sea cucumbers which you could touch and hold as well and then there is a tank filled with jellyfish which you could feed around 6pm.
To add to their centre, the MBC has just unveiled two new aquariums that exhibit two special coral reefs that are found off the beach of the hotel. The coral reefs exhibit, named Stark Tower and Magic Mushroom are two points of interest that Milos “Mickey” Zivkovic, event organiser and head of recreation at the hotel, and Khaidarov will show to guests who scuba dive with them.
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Speaking of the coral reefs, I have had a chance to snorkel at the beach by the hotel and I want to express with everything I have about how alive the shelves are. Never had I seen coral so full of colour and life when I freedived along the way especially so close to the shore of the resort.
Those who dived with Mickey and Khaidarov along with 17 divers from Super Dive Thailand had a chance to also clean up the reefs as well by picking up the trash that had been swept under and trapped there. On top of some sightseeing, they are contributing to cleaning and making sure the sea life does not suffocate from the trash.
After the snorkelling and diving trip, Mickey organised a beach cleanup where children from the local school and some volunteers ran a quick competition to pick up trash from the beach and around it. My team won one out of many categories only but it was fun to run around and help out.
The biggest surprise for me was that they had a jellyfish farm underneath the MBC as well where they harvested the jellyfish eggs and then moved them into various tanks through stages of their lives. After inquiring, Khaidarov told me that other than educational purposes, they also donate the jellyfish to a turtle rehabilitation centre to feed the recovering turtles.
The Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort with the MBC is dedicated to conserving and maintaining marine life which is a highlight of their genuine initiative for sustainability.
Casa Boho and the Bohemian night
Casa Boho is a bohemian restaurant and cafe that exudes the South American spirit as they just celebrated their second anniversary with the Noche Bohemia party. Casa Boho focuses on Latin-inspired cuisine as their chef, Fernando Bravo from Chile, brings his flavours to the guests who stay at the hotel.
I had an opportunity to interview and talk to Bravo and he had a very interesting story that encapsulates his style as a chef. Hailing from the beautiful Chilean city of Valparaíso, he tells a story about growing up with two grandmothers from different sides of the family.
On one half is his Chilean grandmother who believes in the freedom of cooking and is very creative and then there is his Sicilian grandmother, a by-the-book chef. He believes himself to be a culmination of both philosophies and applies this to his cooking.
Bravo has experience, having graduated from culinary schools in Chile and Australia and worked in Japanese restaurants in both countries. Furthermore, he worked in a French restaurant before coming to the Hyatt in Phuket. He speaks of his time in the restaurants, and one particular thing he mentioned that caught my attention was how the Japanese restaurants progressed his career.
He started off cleaning and filleting fish in the kitchen until he could identify the types of meat and properly prepare the sushi and dishes to perfection. Afterwards, he could move up in front of the client and prepare their meals in front of them with an emphasis on presentation. This is a skill that Bravo applies to anything that you eat at Casa Boho.
Speaking of presentation though, it does not compromise the quality of food and how delicious it is. As mentioned in our conversation, he emphasises that he does not compromise on the dishes he serves. He mentions that maybe people have different tastes, ingredients are different and probably not available.
What does not change though is the passion and the process of cooking remains the same. For example, he mentions that the mole is prepared every morning and done the exact (or close enough) way back as he has done in his home.
I had a chance to try some of the food and drinks offered at the Noche Bohemia party where food from Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Mexico was presented. There was finger food as well (the lamb tartare on a sweet potato chip was my favourite) and one could also taste the caviar that they had as well.
The food was only one part of the equation as the purpose of the party was to showcase the Latin American spirit where there was live music and dance but for those who wanted to do more, they could also chill in the game room in the basement of Casa Boho which had air hockey, ping pong table, billiards table, TV, and lounge.
Eating at the Mizu Teppanyaki and the Pool House restaurant
Other than Casa Boho, guests can also eat at the two other restaurants that are the Japanese teppanyaki restaurant Mizu and the Pool House Restaurant. At the Pool House Restaurant, You are privy to all sorts of food that you desire. From pizza, pasta, steaks, seafood, Indian food, and also food from the Be More Foodie: Mindful Indulgence initiative whose event I attended back in October. It’s nice to see the initiative being implemented.
The food at the Pool House restaurant is surprisingly good, given the reputation of hotel food in general, and from what I have heard, the Indian food was exquisite. I have eaten the steak and the burger and I really found the taste of the meat truly delicious.
A highlight of one of the dinners that I had at the resort was at the Mizu Teppanyaki Japanese Restaurant. Sitting around a large flat-top teppan, we were given a show by the chef as he expertly handled his spatulas and cooked us some really delectable food.
Especially when the chef was competing with the neighbouring chef at another teppan about who could make the most awesome flame or who could make the most noise (rubber chicken included), it was just fun to be there even if I was waiting for a chance to try each dish.
I took the Kamala set for the night so I was treated to an appetiser of seared scallops and Merou en Papillote. For the main course, I had the m8 4+ Angus striploin with assorted vegetables which I liked the most and then black tiger prawn fried rice as well. To finish things off, there was miso soup and then for dessert, a vanilla ice cream flambe with grilled bananas and pineapples. This set should cost about 2,800 baht.
You will find the pricier Patong set for 3,500 baht and then a vegetarian set for 2,200 baht. They are all equally delicious and this dinner should be something that you experience at least once.
Activities at the Hyatt Regency Phuket
At the Hyatt Regency Phuket, there is quite a lot that you can do at the hotel. Looking for a swim, you could head out in a one-minute walk to the Sunset Terrace from the entrance to sunbathe or take a dip in the water. However, if the salt water and the sand are not your style, you can swim at their massive infinity pool, claimed to be one of the, if not the biggest in Phuket.
The infinity pool can also be used for more activities that kids can do as well such as mermaid classes and trying out the water scooters as well. Nearby the pool, there is a massive slide in a playground area and next to that, there is a play area for children as well.
For the grown-ups, there are also plenty of activities that can be done as well. I have already mentioned scuba diving and snorkelling but there are more than just those. If organised with Mickey, you could join him on hikes around the hills of Kamala or guided tours into the neighbouring towns.
There is also a large tent located near the entrance where a large variety of activities could be done. Such activities include yoga sessions or team-building games for companies and businesses that are staying at the resort. For the more solitary person, you can hit the gym that they have located near the lobby or take a relaxing session at the Nahm Spa a little bit up the hill from the lobby.
Should you stay at the Hyatt Regency Phuket?
It is not up to me to demand that you stay at the Hyatt Regency Phuket. There are many other hotels that you can go to in Phuket and somewhere else in Kamala. However, I will suggest that you should at least stay there once in your life if possible.
With the efforts of Mickey and the staff at the resort, they have made this a resort that is not only pretty to stay at but is also engaging and entertaining. I highly suggest this resort during your visit to Phuket especially if you are travelling with friends and family as many activities may involve groups.
Beautiful scenery and a romantic night at the Latin American feel of Casa Boho also make this resort perfect for couples as well. Sunbathing at the beach or pool, spending a day in the spa, staying in a lovely room, or doing anything that you both like to do, there is a lot you can do at the resort.
All in all, this resort emphasises sustaining the beach and the marine life nearby. It has amazing restaurants with high-quality food and quite a lot of activities to do there. I am not saying that this is the resort in Phuket you should stay at, but it is one of them that you must spend a few nights at for sure.
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