Last month I spent 3 days with my family at the luxurious hideaway, The Village on Coconut Island just off the east coast of Phuket. Without doubt, this is the most exclusive accommodation I have ever stayed in and here is my review of the resort.
We stayed in a 2-bedroom beach-front villa. All villas have private infinity swimming pools and feature landscaped gardens. The Village isn’t like any other hotel I’ve ever stayed at and as the name suggests, the resort has the feel of a small village rather than a hotel complex. This gives it a peaceful, intimate and very relaxed feel. The villas are beautifully crafted and exquisitely decorated in a subtle combination of classic and modern Thai-style design. Although our villa was on the beach-front, it’s worth noting that because of the clever landscaping, all villas have sea-views including those set back from the beach which are raised on a small hill. The 2-bedroom villa we stayed in was very spacious with a huge downstairs area which comprised of an open-plan lounge, dining area, kitchen and separate toilet. 
Going up the teak wooden staircase leads to a master bedroom with a king-size double bed and a wide balcony and sitting area with stunning views out to the islands of Phang Nga Bay. The en-suite bathroom has a dressing area and a wonderfully indulgent rain shower. The second bedroom is smaller and ours had twin beds (as requested) with another en-suite bathroom. The balcony was much smaller than the master bedroom, but still featured lovely views out to Phang Nga Bay.
The Village is located on Ko Maphrao (ko=island; maphrao=coconut) just off the east coast of Phuket. Getting to the island is relatively easy, but does involve a boat transfer although this only takes a few minutes from Laem Hin Pier to the resort. All transfers from Phuket airport or other parts of Phuket can be arranged (at extra cost) by The Village. The resort operates its own private 24-hour shuttle boat service (free) between the island and Laem Hin Pier on the mainland so guests can also explore other parts of Phuket and aren’t just restricted to Coconut Island. The Village also runs a complimentary daily boat service to one of the nearby islands. 
My family were only there for 3 days and we elected to stay on the island during the day and just relax and enjoy the luxurious villa. However, in the evenings we did use the very efficient shuttle boat service so that we could dine at the excellent Laem Hin Seafood Restaurant adjacent to the pier on the mainland.
The price of our booking included breakfast which was a comprehensive buffet with cereals, fruit, cooked food, pancakes, pastries, bread and hot and cold drinks. The food was very good and the staff were friendly and polite. We never took advantage of the lunch or dining service which includes an arrangement where food can be delivered to your villa. The prices were quite expensive for villa dining (over 2,500 Baht for a BBQ dinner) but it is certainly a convenient option. The resort has a small shop selling basic food and provisions and the villas are all well stocked with cooking equipment should you wish to make your own food. In the evenings we ate at the Laem Hin Seafood Restaurant which has a good reputation with the Phuket locals and is somewhere I would definitely recommend. To get there involved taking the resort’s own private tuk-tuk to the pier. From the pier, the resort’s private boat takes you the few minutes across to Laem Hin and it is then a 2-minute walk to the restaurant. For our party of three, the typical total bill for food and drinks averaged at 800 Baht.
Without exception, the staff at The Village were excellent. The front-of-house crew were efficient and the resort’s tuk-tuk drivers were a lot of fun. The housekeeping service ladies were also charming.
Whilst the resort is fantastic in so many ways, the beach at The Village may leave some guests feeling disappointed. Although it is a private beach, it isn’t made for sunbathing and the sea is far from ideal for swimming. That said, all villas have their own private swimming pools and there is another large pool close to the main reception and dining area. Also to make up for the disappointing beach, the resort operates a complimentary daily service to a nearby island where guests can enjoy soft sand and swimming in the clear sea.
If you really want to get away from it all and stay in a luxury hideaway, then The Village, Coconut Island could be just what you are looking for. The service is superb and the views stunning. Although the beach is ordinary, everything else about the resort is extraordinary and I have no hesitation in recommending it as a place to stay for those visiting Phuket. For me personally, 3 days was long enough although other members of my family would happily of stayed there for a month if possible!
I booked The Village, Coconut Island with Agoda (price included a 20% early booking discount).
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