Pullman Khao Lak Resort

Pullman Khao Lak Resort is set to open its doors on December 1 this year, as it readies to present a new vision for hospitality in Phang Nga inspired by art, culture and nature.

Located on Bang Muang Beach at the northern tip of the province, Pullman Khao Lak embraces the history of Takua Pa, a town relatively undiscovered despite its status in the 13^th century during Srivijaya times as the finest harbour on the west coast. Trade flooded into the town across the Indian Ocean due to shipping routes forged with the Tamil kingdoms and it prospered from the deep source of minerals and tin found inland.

By the 1900s it was a booming town full of Portugese and Chinese immigrants, with the iconic architecture of this era remaining to this day. Takua Pa was a cultural melting pot, very much like Phra Nakhon was in Bangkok, and with it came a treasure trove of art, artifacts and culinary creations utilizing the healthy spice turmeric, or kammin in Thai, found in plentiful supply in the area.

Behind the town is Khao Sok National Park, a majestic green cloak stretching across 739 sq-km of land, 30-minutes from the resort. It is one of the world's most ancient evergreen forests, featuring soaring limestone cliffs, colossal indigenous trees of hundreds of years old, Cheow Lan Lake and an extraordinary biodiversity of birds, reptiles and other animals offering unparalleled nature trekking and elevated routes for cycling.

It is the cultural history of Takua Pa and the astounding natural beauty of Khao Sok that have intersected to inspire Pullman Khao Lak, bound together by the warm and authentic southern Thai service culture in an area where people refer to themselves as "peuan" or friend in local dialect.

The team of designers and architects of the 253-room and villa Pullman Khao Lak, is led by Martin Palleros, principal of Tierra Design who designed the award-winning Twinpalms resorts and restaurants in Phuket. Here he conceptualized a vision whereby the resort is modeled on a merchants' house and revealed in a series of courtyards, pond and lagoon areas starting with a towering curved sculpture at the entrance of handmade red bricks, made from the famous red clays in the local area.

The subdued tones and graceful flow from mountain to the beach are juxtaposed with the full-blown exuberance of up-and-coming Thai artist Jatuporn Wongtong (Yui), co-founder of Artslonga, an art-collective of former Silapakorn University students. A pure-art concept sees bold story-telling sculptures throughout the resort including a huge symbolic tree of life aboard a boat in the lobby. Meeting facilities, events spaces and interiors were designed by award-winning Thai firm Hypothesis.

Pullman Khao Lak Resort is highlighted by six beachfront villas with private pools, eight rooms for people with special needs, 50 family suites, two presidential suites and 170 deluxe rooms. An all-day dining restaurant offers an epicurean journey into Southern Thai cuisine, with local time-honoured recipes, plus a beachfront Beach Club with its own pool, ideal for sunset cocktails, special events or simply a stylish place to hang out.

Health and wellness plays an important role with a Hamman Beauty Baths featuring at the Spa, Qi Gong morning rituals on the beach front platforms and cycling trails devised by the lifestyle activities team at the resort. A 260-sqm ballroom and two 63-sqm breakout rooms round out the meeting facilities.

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