We recently returned from a spring break trip to Asia, where we spent one unforgettable night at Keemala Phuket. To fit our family of five, we booked two villas, but it was absolutely worth it to experience these incredible rainforest villas, each with a private pool.

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Related: The Best Way to Maximize Hilton’s Elevated Credit Card Offers

And since I know you’ll ask, yes, we did see other kids and families there. Not a ton, but enough that it didn’t feel out of place bringing our own. Plus, since you’re staying in a private villa, it feels much more relaxed and family-friendly, almost like an Airbnb, but with full resort service.

Related: Family Trip to Asia Using Points: Flights, Hotels, Costs & Full Itinerary

Keemala is part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), which is now partnered with Hilton. This property recently moved over from Hyatt, making it an exciting option for Hilton loyalists, and you can now book stays here using Hilton points or even free night awards.

SLH properties are known for being truly unique, and the service is consistently excellent. I’ve had Keemala on my bucket list for a while, and I’m so glad we finally got to experience it.

How We Booked the Keemala Resort

We booked Keemala Phuket using Hilton Honors points. At the time of our original booking, the rate was 95,000 points per night, but after changing our dates, it increased to 100,000 points per night, per villa.

That rate books you into the standard villa, the Clay Pool Cottage, which still includes a private pool and feels far from “standard.” Considering cash rates can be around $1,000-1,500 per night, this was an incredible value.

Since the room officially only accommodates two guests, I emailed the hotel after booking to ask about adding a third person or possible upgrade options. They allowed us to add one child to the room (no extra bed provided) for a small breakfast fee. They also offered an option to upgrade to the Tree Pool Villa for around $300 more per night (a bit more if we wanted additional bedding). The Tree Pool Villa officially sleeps four, but they wouldn’t allow five total guests, so we still needed to book two villas, even though the space felt more than large enough.

We decided to opt for the upgrade to experience two different villa types!

We earned our Hilton points through welcome offers on Hilton co-branded credit cards, which made this stay much more attainable.

The Welcome at the Keemala Resort

We were picked up at the airport and dropped off at Keemala Phuket via a Viator booked transport, where the experience started the moment we arrived. Our luggage was taken right away, and we were greeted with leis before being escorted by golf cart buggy up to the lobby.

The lobby itself is a small enclosed space paired with open-air seating, and it’s absolutely stunning—perched high above the rainforest with incredible views overlooking the villas below. It honestly feels like you’re stepping into another world.

As we arrived, they brought out a bird’s nest–style welcome tray (inspired by their iconic villas) with cool washcloths and a refreshing welcome drink. We were also given homemade coconut cookies wrapped in a leaf, such a thoughtful touch.

We arrived around 2 pm. One of our Clay Pool Cottages was ready, but the second villa wasn’t quite ready yet. After a quick overview of the resort, our villa concierge took us by buggy to our first room. They explained that we could communicate with them anytime via WhatsApp for anything we needed: room service, spa bookings, dinner reservations, or just getting around the property.

We were given a full tour of the villa, and shortly after, our second room was ready, and we were taken over there as well.

In each villa, we were welcomed with a beautiful bowl of exotic fruit along with small snacks like banana chips, such a great way to kick off our stay.

The Villa at the Keemala Resort

As mentioned earlier, our first villa was the standard Clay Pool Cottage, but we were upgraded to a Clay Pool Cottage Spa Villa, which gave us an additional living space. This upgrade was thanks to our Hilton Honors Gold status, something that’s actually pretty easy to get through cards like the American Express Platinum Card or Hilton co-branded cards like the Hilton Honors business credit card or Hilton Honors Surpass Credit Card.

When you enter the Clay Pool Cottage, you first walk into a separate entry space with a mini fridge; everything inside is included except the chocolate. There’s also an amazing pour-over coffee setup, which I personally loved since I make pour-over at home every morning. And I can confirm… it was really good coffee.

The standard Clay Pool Cottage is about 1,356 square feet, but the Spa Sanctuary Cottage is around 1,900 and feels incredibly spacious. The bathroom is stunning, with both indoor and outdoor showers, high ceilings, and dramatic light fixtures that match the villa’s design. The bedroom has a large king bed, a desk area, and is enclosed with a mosquito net. There’s also direct access to the private infinity-style pool, plus a lounging area that overlooks the rainforest, such a peaceful setting. They even encouraged us to take the notepads and wooden-style pens, which was a fun little touch. They included leaf-shaped homemade flowers and natural mosquito spray.

Our second villa, the Tree Pool Villa, was incredible and even more impressive. It’s over 1,800 square feet and spread across two levels. Upstairs, you’ll find the bedroom, bathroom, and a patio with a swing, while downstairs, there’s a living area, an additional bathroom, and the private pool. The villa has large glass windows throughout, so when you open the curtains, you’re surrounded by rainforest views.

Both villas are truly bucket-list–worthy. If you don’t want to pay to upgrade, you’ll still be very happy in the Clay Pool Cottage. However, the Tree Pool Villa can sleep four people.

Our villas weren’t the closest to the each other, but they were technically walkable. That said, it’s extremely steep, and when you combine that with the heat and humidity, walking isn’t very appealing. We did it a couple of times, but it’s quick and easy to call a buggy. The only downside as a family of five was having to split up between villas, something to consider if staying together in one space is important to you. We ended up spending most of our time together in the larger Tree Pool Villa and pool area anyway.

The Breakfast at the Keemala Resort

Breakfast was included for us thanks to our Hilton Honors Gold status. I do believe many of the room rates already include breakfast, but since we added a third person to one of our villas, we did need to purchase an extra breakfast for them, or if we upgraded our villa (like we did), it would be included.

Breakfast is served as a mix of a small buffet plus made-to-order dishes. The buffet included fresh fruits, pastries, meats, salads, juices, and jams. Then you order your main dishes and sides off the menu.

I went with French toast, bacon, and a hash brown. It was good and came with three different syrups, but I instantly had order regret after trying my husband’s Thai noodle dish… it was so flavorful and definitely the better choice. They offer several Thai options, which I’d recommend trying at least once.

Of course, coffee and tea are included, and everything we had was delicious. My kids ordered a mix of pancakes and waffles, and they loved them. There was also a really good banana bread on the buffet that’s worth grabbing.

Overall, breakfast was a great experience, and the service was just as impressive as the rest of the stay.

The Food at Keemala Phuket

We really enjoyed dinner at the resort as well; the food was excellent. They also brought out a small complimentary bite to start—salmon with cream cheese—which was such a nice touch. The kids’ meals were especially fun, served in cute wooden-style boxes with the option of Thai dishes or more familiar American options. One of my kids got chicken fried rice, and another went with chicken nuggets and fries.

For our meal, we ordered chicken satay, cashew chicken, and pad Thai. The portions were on the smaller side, but everything was so flavorful that we ended up ordering a second round of the cashew chicken because it was that good.

For dessert, we tried their signature mango cake, which was delicious and the perfect way to end the meal. The prices are not bad at all and I believe our dinner was well under $100.

The Service at Keemala Phuket

Service was outstanding from start to finish. Anytime we needed anything—even just a ride—it was incredibly fast. I especially loved being able to communicate with our villa host through WhatsApp. It made everything so easy and efficient.

Our host was kind, responsive, and genuinely helpful throughout our stay. Service at the restaurants was excellent, and the check-in process was smooth and welcoming.

Overall, we couldn’t have been happier with the level of service here.

Hotel Status

As mentioned earlier, we only have Hilton Honors Gold status through co-branded credit cards and the American Express Platinum Card. That’s more than enough for international Hilton stays, since it gives you free breakfast for two.

My husband and I booked each villa under our own accounts so we could get four breakfasts included and only pay for one child.

Family Rooms at Keemala Phuket

The best option for families is the Tree Pool Villa, which officially sleeps four. A great strategy is to book the standard room with points and then reach out to the hotel to pay for an upgrade. If availability allows, this can be a great way to make the stay work for a family.

Amenities

There’s also a fitness center with some really great views, along with a spa that I’ll share more about below. The resort has a large main pool and waterfall area as well, which looked beautiful, but we didn’t end up using it since we had our own private pool. It’s definitely a relaxing spot if you plan to spend time there.

They also offer a complimentary shuttle to Keemala Beach, which looked beautiful. I believe the schedule was around an 11:00 am drop-off and a 2:15 pm pickup, which didn’t quite work for our one-night stay. We ended up spending all of our time at the resort just relaxing and taking it all in, so we missed out on the beach this time.

The Spa at Keemala

During our stay, we booked a couple’s foot massage for my 14-year-old daughter and me, which cost 5,000 Thai Baht (around $151 USD). You do need to be at least 14 years old to access the spa.

I don’t have a ton to compare it to, as this was only my second massage ever (my first was in the Maldives back in 2018, which was also incredible), but this experience was just as relaxing in its own way. It was a different style of massage, but still amazing.

I know you can find cheaper options in town, but we loved the convenience of staying at the resort. Plus, I was able to use some Hilton credits from my Hilton cards and American Express Platinum Card, which made it feel even more worth it.

They really make the experience special, you’re welcomed with a drink and a cool towel, and at the end they serve tea and a small sweet treat. Another bonus: our massage actually went longer than expected. We booked 45 minutes, but it felt like we got closer to an hour.

100% recommend if you’re staying here.

The View

One thing to note, I originally thought we’d have more of an ocean view, but most of the villas are actually set within the rainforest, not facing the ocean. From the patios, you’ll see lush greenery, but you can also spot some nearby homes.

The website gives the impression that the resort is completely isolated in the jungle, but in reality, you do drive through a neighborhood to get there. Even from the restaurant, it’s difficult to see the ocean, which was probably the only downside for me.

That said, the rainforest setting is still incredibly beautiful, and the views from the villas, especially the Tree Pool Villas, feel so unique and peaceful.

The Location

Keemala Phuket is about 45 minutes from Phuket International Airport and very easy to reach.

We booked our transportation through Viator, and it was completely seamless. Our driver even offered to stop at a 7-Eleven so we could grab drinks and snacks, which we didn’t end up needing since the villa had a fully stocked minibar and plenty of water, but it was nice to have for the next part of our trip.

Local Area

Phuket Town is quite a drive from Keemala Phuket, so it wasn’t realistic for us to get into town during this stay, which was a bit of a bummer.

We only had four nights total between Phuket and Khao Lak, so we had to prioritize our time, and unfortunately, Phuket Town didn’t make the cut this trip. Definitely something we’ll plan for next time!

Would We Return?

100% yes, we would return. But will we? Probably not.

When we make it back to Thailand someday, I’d love to explore new areas like Krabi or Koh Samui. There’s just so much to see, and we barely scratched the surface on this trip.

That said, I absolutely recommend Keemala Phuket as a one-time, bucket list experience. It’s truly one of those stays that feels special enough to experience at least once in your lifetime.

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