This hotel in Phuket, Thailand, taught me the importance of slowing down

“Nobody around here is in a rush,” says our driver Haze, as he steers the buggy skilfully around the corner and up the winding hill to the hotel lobby. The evening air is warm on our faces; the sound of chirping crickets filling the air as the lights of the fishing boats bob on the bay below. “We’re all just taking it as easy as we can,” he says. “Life is short, you know?” 

Boarding the plane to COMO Point Yamu, a resort located on Phuket’s quiet east coast, that’s exactly what I was so desperately seeking: to take it easy. In fact, I couldn’t really remember the last time I wasn’t in a rush to do something: to get somewhere on time; to meet that deadline; to get this bloody meeting/ social obligation/ workout/ tedious life-admin task out of the way. Okay, I’ll admit, I sound a little cranky – but that’s because I was. I was burnt out and running on empty. I was wound up so tight I thought steam might shoot out of my ears at any moment like an angry cartoon. That was, until I checked into COMO Point Yamu.

Perched high above Phang Nga Bay and the Andaman Sea, COMO’s Thai property has near-panoramic views of the tropical headland and glistening water below. The décor is modern and minimalist, with plenty of crisp white, open spaces, dotted with bright blue furnishings.

But the real beauty of staying at Point Yamu is that there isn’t much to do beyond, well, just taking it easy. The property prides itself on its peaceful remote location, with Phuket Town a 20-minute drive away in the hotel’s shuttle (£25) and no nearby restaurants, bars or shops. We spent a rather unreasonable amount of time simply enjoying our suite, which was undoubtedly the highlight of our stay. A cloud-like king-size bed, enormous free-standing bathtub, and the jewel in Point Yamu’s crown: the large, pebbled terrace with a wide infinity pool, offering breath-taking views over the turquoise ocean and stretching all the way to the island-lined horizon. For all the hours I spent in quiet contemplation on the edge of the pool, flitting between reading and watching the fishing boats come and go from Phang Nga Bay, I could have spent countless more. If you can’t book a suite, don’t worry. The property has 79 rooms all offering floor-to-ceiling windows with postcard-pretty views.