This long-standing classic on Phuket's west coast has garnered a loyal following for its well-priced rooms and outstanding service. The dramatic Thai-inspired Lomtalay restaurant and sweeping granite staircases leading up to it have Tuttle's fingerprints all over it, as does the lounger-lined hexagonal swimming pool clad in chalkboard-black anthracite. Rooms, on the contrary, are bright and breezy affairs with palettes of white and grey warmed up with touches of gemstone-hued silk. All are open to ocean-facing lounge decks, some come with private plunge pools. Another perk: cream-coloured Pansea Beach is one of Phuket's prettiest and is hard to reach for non-hotel guests, leaving it blissfully empty of tourist crowds.