Mom Tri's Boathouse, Phuket

What is it? Mom Tri's Boathouse is a laid-back hotel on breathtaking Kata Beach, on the southwest coast of Phuket, Thailand.

What kind of rooms does it have? There are 33 ordinary rooms, three suites with sitting rooms and two pool villas, each with a private plunge pool.

And the food? The Boathouse Wine & Grill (far right), perched just above the beach, serves a mix of French and Thai food - from foie gras and escargot to stir-fried crab and curries - that will have you 'ooing' and 'aahing' over every mouthful. The restaurant also offers French and Thai degustation menus with wines paired from a vast cellar. Wine Spectator magazine has honoured the hotel every year since 1996 with the 'best of' award for excellence for its cellar of more than 750 labels, 26 of which are served by the glass, making it difficult to drag yourself away from the bar. There is also Mom Tri's Oasis: a laid-back beachside tapas bar.

What is there to do? You'll probably want to do nothing. With comfortable chairs and umbrellas set up on a private stretch of beach, it is tempting to loll around all day. Friendly, efficient staff attend to your every whim, from topping up iced water to ordering and delivering lunch/cocktails from the restaurant.

If you're feeling particularly motivated, you may feel like sauntering over to a kitchen set up overlooking the beach, where executive chef Tummanoon Punchun conducts Thai cooking courses. One-day workshops cover entrees and main courses. Two-day courses include delectable desserts.

If it's pampering you're after, you'll be pleased to know that there is a spa at the hotel's sister resort, Mom Tri's Villa Royale, on a neighbouring beach.