It’s the most memorable day of your life, so if you intend on marrying – and honeymooning – in absolute style, Banyan Tree Phuket is the resort for you…
Banyan Tree Phuket is the Love Capital for a magical experience that is all about pampering, luxury, exceptional service and gazing into one another’s eyes. As a favoured island getaway for Australians, Phuket Island, Thailand, is just a nine hour flight away (departing Sydney) and you can score flights for around $1000 return (join the Jetstar newsletter for weekly specials). Banyan Tree is located on the north-west coast and is just a 30 minute drive from the international airport, with easy access to the islands most famous sites, including the Phi Phi Islands, Phang Nga Bay, Phuket town, the jungles to the north, elephant sanctuaries and more.The resort offers several packages, but I experienced the Banyan Tree Spa Sanctuary package for three nights, and was so relaxed, I didn’t want to leave.
Here’s a few stand out reasons why Banyan Tree Phuket makes a perfect destination wedding location and honeymoon. Start packing!
1. The Breathtaking Location
From the moment you enter the resort’s gates, you’ll be swept up by the enchanting location, the smell of native blooming flowers, and the incredible namesake Banyan tree standing centre stage in a magnificent circular driveway. At night, the Banyan is lit up with thousands of fairy lights, creating a magical welcoming tree. As the first and flagship Banyan Tree Resort (there are now 30 resorts across 28 countries), you can understand the success behind this award-winning five-star hotel brand.
The resort is a sprawling tropical paradise and is a part of the 400 hectare Lauguna Phuket with beach access to the pristine aqua waters of the great Andaman sea, beautiful saltwater lagoons that run between the different accommodation options, lush tropical gardens and pathways lined with palms, casuarinas and quaint bridges – perfect for a romantic stroll or bike ride together (every villa comes with bikes for your stay) and heavenly views from every direction.
2. The Wedding Options Are A Dream
Say ‘I-do’ on a pontoon floating on the gorgeous lagoon or the lagoon-side gazebo, barefoot on the silky white beach sand, in a tropical garden or in your private residence, with stunning views as a backdrop. There are a range of restaurant reception venue options, who the super helpful on-site wedding coordinator will happily arrange for you and your guests. There is also an option to marry in a picturesque and quaint Chapel on the sister hotel’s lagoon, Angsana Laguna Phuket, which adjoins the Banyan Tree resort and is connected by a lagoon or accessible by a short car ride.
3. The Wedding Coordinator Is Incredible
Your personal wedding coordinator has organised oodles of weddings and are on-call to make your big day, and stay at Banyan Tree, exceptional. They can help you choose wedding flowers, decorations, menus, a celebrant, music, entertainment, and plan your, and your guests’ itineraries. No sweat and no language barriers!
Have your ceremony on the beach, lagoon, lawns, or in your villa.
4. There’s An Accommodation Option for Everyone
Banyan Tree Resort has a range of villa accommodation including Deluxe, Pool and Sanctuary and more. The one bedroom Sanctuary villa and package is designed for romance, with an outdoor sunken bath, jetpool and shower for a truly indulgent experience. You even have a pillow selection service, for a truly amazing sleep, and his and her’s wardrobes! The two-bedroom Pool villas are perfect for wedding guests or families, and the totally luxurious Deluxe Two-Bedroom villas are fabulous for wedding parties, with a massive 380 square metres of space set within serene tropical gardens and lagoon frontage, a nine-metre private pool, a study room that easily converts to a third bedroom and an outdoor jetpool. All accommodation options are accessible by bike, meandering paths to stroll or buggy.
Deluxe Two Bedroom Pool Villa Master Bedroom.
5. The Banyan Tree Spa Sanctuary Package is Pure Pampering Luxury
You can skip the main resort lobby and be check-in directly in the more private Banyan Tree Spa Sanctuary villa’s lobby, but that incredible Banyan Tree feature is a worth a visit – especially at night. The Banyan Tree Spa Sanctuary Romance package includes a room with a private pool leading to a panoramic lagoon from your beautiful private garden. You’ll be treated to his and hers daily in-villa massages on your garden-set massage beds which overlook the lagoon, daily breakfast and afternoon tea, which includes a ‘delivered to your villa’ scrumptious selection of traditional sweet and savoury options and teas (the lemongrass and ginger is my favourite!), as well as a ‘romance touch turn down service’ nightly, such as massage oils to spoil your lover with a massage, rose petals to fill your outdoor sunken bath with and more nightly surprises.
6. The Service Is Exceptional
Whether you’re getting hitched or honeymooning, or just on a romantic escape, the super friendly staff at Banyan Tree are unsurpassed. From the arrival to planning activities in-resort or exploring the local area, dining at one of the restaurants or enjoying a cocktail at the bar, experiencing a truly decadent massage or just strolling past the gardeners, the staff are helpful, happy, and on-call for you. You’ll feel like a rock star!
7. It’s A Culinary Delight
If you love your food, your taste buds will be in for a hearty treat. From sunrise to sunset, the tasty morsels served up are world famous, and for good reason. The international buffet breakfast has chef’s firing up eggs-your-way cooked to order (the egg-white and spinach omelette is a must), but it’s the cultural flavours that will leave you salivating. Try the sweet sticky rice, wrapped in bamboo leaves, with mango sauce and local fresh fruits and you’ll never want to leave Thailand. Of course there’s all your favourites, from French pastries to Italian cured meats and fresh sushi, local Asian hotpots and soups and of course home-made muesli and cereals. There’s even a fresh juice selection!
Breakfast with a private view at your villa.
The ultimate lunchtime indulgence is the Sunday Jazz and Seafood Brunch BBQ fiesta. Order BBQ lobster, salmon, prawns, freshly cut sushi and an array of other truly decadent international treats and eat ’til your heart’s content. But leave room for the Champagne…
The signature restaurant is Saffron and you’ll need to dress-up for this experience! Serving up traditional Thai food with an endless amount of succulent options, we chose the set menu to ensure we experienced a taste of all the flavours on offer. And it was INCREDIBLE.
The resort has many on-site restaurants and dining experiences to choose from, including Tamarind, Banyan Cafe, Pool Bar, Watercourt and more so you’ll be spoilt for choice. Or, sign up for a Thai cooking class!
The Watercourt restaurant is heavenly by day and night…
8. The Privacy & Romance Are Unsurpassed
The Destination Dining experiences are amazing. Be treated to a private dinner on the beach, floating on a pontoon on the lagoon, at your villa and more. Just ask, and the friendly staff will do the hard yards for you.
Or, lock yourself away in your incredible villa – they are so beautiful you’ll be quite content to laze around in each other’s arms all day, enjoying your private pool, jetpool, gardens, lagoon views and spacious villa. All you and your partner really need to do is kick off those well-worn heels and get totally loved-up under the stars and beaming sun.
Destination Dining on a floating pontoon!
Honeymooners, prepare for luxury in your amazing villa.
9. The Activities Are Endless
Join the morning yoga class at the fitness pavilion (or lift weights at the gym, if you prefer!), have a round of golf with guests on the idyllic course, learn the art of Thai cooking at a cooking class, relax on the aquamarine coastline of the Andaman sea, take a barefoot stroll along the beach, get your wedding glow with a facial, traditional massage or beauty treatment at the spa, or beat your lover love-all on the tennis courts, float in the heavenly pools, shop at the Banyan Tree Gallery story for local crafts and keepsakes, or sign little ones up for fun activities at the kids’ onsite Turtle Club.
Be a blissed-out warrior at sunrise.
For more information, visit Banyan Tree.
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