Keemala Hotel Review - A Jungle Dream
Updated: Mar 4, 2022
Keemala has been on my bucket list since the early start of Instagram, and this place has exceeded my expectations in person. The whole property is a jungle dream, high-up on the mountains, over looking to the ocean.
Overall location
Keemala is a 5 star property, nested on the top of the hill, away from the busy life in Phuket. The resort invites guests to fully immersed with nature here as the location is very hidden away from everything. If you are a fan of the beach, the pool has both of the jungle and sea views which really makes up for it.
Though hidden away, Keemala is still close enough to everything that Phuket has to offer. Just a few minutes drive away, you'll get access to Patong beach, night markets and local areas.
The design of Keemala
Keemala is famous for its unique designs, with the concept of 'living with nature'. The whole property is built in the shapes of tree houses, bird nests and tents. Each villa was made with sustainable materials, bamboo trees, palm leaves nested in the heart of nature. You can easily hear the sound of nature from your own villa, or from anywhere around Keemala.
Transportation around the hotel
Keemala is not very walk-friendly as the property is on top of the hill, hence the roads are very steep here and could be tiring to get from one point to another (unless you're into exercising). Good thing they have a buggy service here and they're available 24/7 just a call away. The majority of the time I moved around the resort using a buggy and actually enjoy the riding experience as the buggy can only move one way, and I get to see the whole property every time.
The Accomodation
Keemala has 4 types of rooms, starting from Clay Pool Cottages, Tent Pool Villas, Tree Pool Houses and Bird's Nests. I got a chance to check out all of the type of accommodations except for the Tent Pool Villas.
Clay Pool Cottages offers two separate area, the bedroom and the bathroom. They are not connected and you will need to cross a little hall way to get from one point to another. I don't suggest the Clay Pool Cottages if you plan to stay the majority time at the resort, as this type of villa does not offer a lot of privacy at the pool. You will be able to see your next neighbour if you and your guest neighbour are both using the pool at the same time, otherwise I think the Clay Pool Cottage is beautiful and quite nice for a 'starting' room.
Though it's not the top of the villas at Keemala, The Tree Pool House is surprisingly my favourite villa out of all of the room types. There are 2 floors at the Tree Pool Houses: on the upper floor is your bedroom, full bathroom with outdoor shower, and you get a private balcony with a little swing bed; on the lower floor you get a full day bed with a large working or dining table, a restroom, an outdoor swing and pool. The Tree Pool House is the perfect accommodation for anyone who's looking to work while on vacation, or simply to feel more adventurous with their stay.
The Bird's Nest, which is my villa, offers complete privacy, a direct ocean view and jungle view since it's the highest point of the whole property. The Bird's Nest is extremely spacious with a full bar, living room, a very large pool and spacious bathroom with a double sink for you and your special someone. This villa type is perfect for couples or newly-weds since the setting is very romantic and intimate.
Restaurants
There is only one main restaurant at Keemala and breakfast is included with your stay. The food at Keemala was amazing and made with very high quality ingredients. The buffet here is both buffet and a la carte style. I love that the portion for the buffet breakfast is small so that I can enjoy a variety of different dishes. My favourite is their smoothie bowls and bakery. The food here was absolutely delicious and you definitely won't feel like going out to other restaurants to eat.
Privacy
All of the guests who stay at Keemala Phuket have to sign a no-drone agreement form. This is to protect privacy of the guests and I really like this as I would not want to walk about my villa having to worry about somebody flying the drone around my property.
If you do however prefer complete privacy, I would definitely recommend you to stay at the Bird's Nest since it's on the highest location, has no neighbour, and offers complete privacy. I stayed at the Bird's Nest for my entire stay and really enjoyed my privacy at my villa.
Mala Spa
The Mala Spa area consisted of 8 different spa rooms and I love wandering around here as it brings me back in time to the stone age houses. Mala Spa is famous for its traditional healing approach, using holistic therapies such as medicinal plants, raindrop healing therapy and reiki energy healing. If you have a chance to stay at Keemala, this is definitely a must-do.
Overall Experience
Keemala Phuket is definitely one of the most photogenic hotels that I have ever been to. Each corner is so Instagrammable and I was at awe with how beautiful and unique the property is. We stayed here for 4 nights and loved our whole experience. I would definitely recommend this property as an experience of a life time if you're looking to separate yourself from the busy world and enjoy the tranquility of the magical rainforest.
Keemala Website: https://www.keemala.com/
Lots of love,
Annie Pham
@anniepwanderlust