We’ve just returned from a wonderful stay at Cape Panwa Hotel, booked through an offer with Luxury Escapes, and overall we had such a relaxing, enjoyable holiday.
Check-in was superb thanks to Maggie, who was genuinely exceptional. She kept in touch throughout our stay to make sure everything was going well — such thoughtful service and truly deserving of a promotion!
We stayed in two Cape View Suites in Block C — one for me and my husband, and one for my mum. The rooms were large, comfortable and very spacious, with lovely balconies and absolutely amazing sea views. The weather was perfect all week which made everything even better.
The beach is gorgeous, with plenty of comfortable sun loungers and lots of natural shade from the strong sun. Watch out for the jelly fish on the beach. While the hotel is older in style, it’s been updated in parts and still has a charming colonial feel. Some areas could still use refurbishing, but it didn’t detract from the stay. There are lots of steps and no lifts, but the funicular down to the beach is actually quite fun and adds to the character of the place.
There’s a regular tuk-tuk service down the hill to Panwa village, stopping at Kantary Hotel Phuket, where there’s a handy little shop, café, and Uncle Nan’s Italian restaurant. There are also plenty of other bars and restaurants around Panwa if you fancy a change from hotel dining.
One highlight was hiring a longtail boat near the aquarium and sailing around the coast and Chalong Bay — absolutely stunning and well worth doing.
There are also lots of massage places nearby at very reasonable prices. We tried Diva Massage & Spa and Thai House on the Hill Massage. Thai House was slightly more expensive but completely worth it — beautiful private rooms in a gorgeous setting and very relaxing.
Food-wise, we really enjoyed breakfasts and lunches, especially lunch at the Bamboo Bar where Sandy (always tried to remember our order with a smile) and Big Bang provided fantastic, hardworking service. The burgers there are amazing! Evenings were more mixed — Café Andaman was good, but Top of the Reef was disappointing. We were really excited for it but found the five-course signature dinner only average, and on our first visit they had even run out of steak. That said, they make excellent cocktails and the piano player was lovely.
There’s happy hour regularly across different bars, so it’s definitely worth checking the daily schedule as it’s great value — especially for guests on full board like us. We still ended up buying plenty of bottles of the house wine! The hotel is probably missing a central lobby-style bar, but we used the Lighthouse Bar most nights instead. It became our go-to spot, with happy hour from 9:30–10:30, a live band, and fantastic service from Chai behind the bar.
Overall, we had a great stay and would absolutely return. A beautiful setting, warm service, and a lovely base for exploring Cape Panwa.
