[Phuket, Thailand 2017] Cape Sienna Hotel & Villas
By Elin Chow - Saturday, July 22, 2017
Official Website: Cape Sienna Hotel & Villas
My husband and I went for a short getaway to Phuket recently. This was also our first overseas trip for this year. While we were looking for our accommodation in Phuket, we realized that we need to decide which resort town or area we would like to stay. To decide that, we will first have to decide what kind of holiday we want. Do we want a wild nightlife and partying or a relaxing getaway or something in between?
After much discussion, my husband and I decided that we wanted a relaxing and quiet getaway. While many choose to stay in Patong area, we chose to stay in Kamala, simply because we read that it is less touristy and crowded than Patong. which makes it a perfect place to relax in peace.
So after reading through tons of rave reviews online, we decided to book our stay with Cape Sienna Hotel & Villa, a luxurious 4.5 stars all sea-view resort nestled on a hill overlooking Andaman sea and Kamala Bay.
Airport Pickup
Booking a minimum 3 consecutive nights stay at the hotel will entitle us a complimentary one way pick up or drop off airport transfers service. Once booking is confirmed, I proceeded to email the hotel to arrange for a pick up from the airport. Reply was prompt and our pickup from the airport was confirmed.
Our flight to from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket was slightly delayed and we arrived at Phuket International Airport 30 minutes later than the initial expected time.Upon arrival, we were delighted to find a driver holding waiting for us with a sign written our name at the arrival gate.
Cape Sienna is approximately 45 minutes scenic drive from Phuket international airport. The hotel is located at the beginning of the Millionaire's Mile, along the southern part of Kamala Bay on the west coast of Phuket. The area has been nicknamed the ''Millionaire's Mile'' due to its abundance of multi-million dollar hotels and villas nestled on its hillside. There is no budget accommodation in this area.
Cape Sienna is located just next to Andara Resort & Villas. Further up the hill, you will find the luxurious Ayara Kamala Resort & Spa and Paresa Resort sitting high on the rocks, overlooking the sea. Most of the properties along the Millionaire's Mile offer luxury seclusion and exquisite sea views over Kamala Bay. Although you can enjoy some of the nice views from the public road, most are still reserved for the private property that these luxury hotels and villas sit on. Thus, the best way to enjoy such views and stunning sunset is by staying at one of these hotels in this area.
After a 45 minutes car ride. we finally arrived at the hotel. The entrance to the hotel is somewhat underwhelming, with a large arched wall looming over the driveway, and a short flight of stairs leading to two lifts that will transport you to the lobby located on the second floor.
The lift slide open to reveal a stunning unobstructed panoramic view over the Andaman Sea and Kamala Bay. I was greatly stunned the moment I see the beautiful view of the sea. It was amazingly breathtaking! The view is what makes the resort worth every penny we paid.
The lobby is spacious with plenty of natural lighting streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The atmosphere is laid back and there are plenty of chairs around the lobby to relax and enjoy the sea view.
Renovation
Cape Sienna is undergoing a renovation during the period of our stay. The renovation is only expected to be completed by October 2017 and the hotel will be rebranded as the Cape Sienna Gourmet Hotels & Villas from November 1st. In order to compensate for the disturbance caused by the renovation, we were offered a choice of complimentary items from their Wish Basket:
The Wish Basket includes:
1. 1 x Complimentary 45 mins Spa massage for 2
2. 1 x bottle of Prosecco
3. 1 x Complimentary Craft Cocktails for 2 at Vanilla Skybar
4. 1 x Complimentary Thai Set Dinner for 2 at Poolside
5. 20% discount for Plum Prime Steakhouse
6. 50% discount voucher for all regular Spa treatment
Choice:
For 1-2 nights stay - choose 1 item from the Wish Basket
For 3-4 nights stay - choose 2 items from the Wish Basket
For 5-7 nights stay - choose 3 items from the Wish Basket
For 8 nights above - choose 4 items from the Wish Basket
Since we were staying for 3 nights, we were given an option to choose 2 items from the Wish Basket. We chose one Complimentary Craft Cocktails for 2 at Vanilla Skybar and one Complimentary Thai Set Dinner for 2 at Poolside.
Accommodation
Cape Sienna offers 146 accommodation options - from studio rooms to jacuzzi suites and penthouses in order to suit different needs. But no matter which room you choose, you will be able to enjoy sweeping sea views right from your balcony.
The hotel has an Adult-Preferred policy. Children under the age of 2 are not allowed in the hotel. Please note that the hotel does not have any children facilities, which makes it a perfect choice for couples who are looking for a romantic and peaceful holiday. But this only apply to the main hotel. Children are still welcome to stay at one of the private villas at the hotel.
Elegant dark wood furnitures and warm colors tones provide a comfortable feeling to the room. The wooden furnishings and fittings may look a little dated, but are well-maintained and in great condition.
On the table, there is a small welcome gift from the hotel. It was nothing fanciful, but I really appreciate that little extra effort by the hotel to make our stay a wonderful one.
The room opens onto a private L-shaped balcony with two comfortable chairs, a coffee table and a large private jacuzzi bathtub tucked nicely into a corner. Offering spectacular views over Kamala Bay, this is a great spot to enjoy a cup of coffee or relax with a book. During our stay, we enjoyed sitting on the balcony for hours, watch the waves and do nothing. It was very peaceful and relaxing.
We also enjoyed watching the sunset right from the balcony, in the comfort of our room.
Modernly decorated, the bathroom comes with separate toilet compartment, shower stall and vanity area. Both the toilet and shower compartments are fitted with frosted glass swing door to allow some privacy.
Dining
Cape Sienna offers 2 main dining options, 2 bars and 2 outdoor pools.
Poolside Bar & Restaurant
The hotel has two swimming pools. Other than the pool at the poolside restaurant, there was also an infinity edge pool with a bat at Sienna Rocks, which is located right across the road from the hotel. But unfortunately, we could not visit the other pool because Sienna Rocks is closed on 1st June till 31st August for renovation.
Pork Fried Rice
We have our daily breakfast buffet served at the Poolside restaurant as well. The buffet menu was nothing impressive and tends to be repetitive after a few days stay. But it should be enough to fill your stomach.
The restaurant is not very busy during breakfast time, so that you can enjoy some peace and quiet. Staffs are efficient in clearing the plates and replenishing the food to keep with the demand.
We used our voucher from the Wish List to exchange a Thai set dinner for 2 at the restaurant. The set dinner consists of 4 main courses and 1 dessert. Food was delicious and more than enough for 2 persons.
Plum restaurant is a fine dining restaurant that serves authentic Mediterranean cuisine. Opens from 6.00 pm to 11.30 pm, the restaurant offers very intimate atmosphere for couples looking for a romantic dining experience.
Vanilla Sky Bar & Lounge
We used our voucher from the Wish list to exchange 2 craft cocktails at the Vanilla Sky bar. This was our first time trying cocktails. But it was a very nice experience. The taste of the cocktails were very interesting and we enjoyed our night drinking at the sky bar.
Spa
Balance Spa
The treatment was 90 minutes for 2,850 Baht for each person, but thanks to the 50% promotion, we only need to pay the price for one. Our spa time begins with a relaxing foot wash, followed by a 90 minutes long treatment. The massage therapists were very experienced and skilled. I fell asleep during the massage and woke up feeling relaxed and recharged.
Overall Experience
Away from the hustle and bustle of Phuket's busy nightlife scene, Cape Sienna offers a very intimate, private and relaxing atmosphere for honeymooners and couples to enjoy quality time with each other. We loved every minute of our stay at this hotel, from the moment we arrived till the time we left.
But unfortunately, the hotel's service standard leave much to be desired. Service was not bad, but not great. We did not get to experience the famous Thai hospitality at this hotel. There are definitely a huge room to improve at service level. It was disappointing that only a handful of staffs greeted us with smiles whenever they see us walking pass. A handful of them were not very friendly, thus does not make us feel extremely welcomed.
Also, the hotel is in an inconvenient location. We have relied greatly on taxi to get around, which can add up to the costs. Taxi are surprisingly very expensive in Phuket, even for short distances. Tuk tuk and taxis are hard to come by in this area and the hotel is located about 20 minutes away from Kamala town. There are no shops near the hotel, except a 7-eleven, which is about a 10 minutes walk away.
Even so, we have a very enjoyable and wonderful stay at Cape Sienna. The hotel offers privacy, seclusion and luxury at a fairly affordable price. I would recommend Cape Sienna to anyone looking for a romantic yet peaceful holiday.
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