After a long week of sustained high stress levels, I was more than ready for peace, relaxation and pampering as I headed south towards the Mangosteen Resort and Spa.

Mangosteen is a special place. Perched atop a hill just south of Chalong, it commands a rare view of both sides of the island and the bays of both Nai Harn and Chalong.

Mangosteen is a privately owned and operated luxury boutique resort that offers the seclusion and personal attention hard to find in big international operations – yet maintains the high standards its discerning clientele have come to expect.

The Solitude Spa is a short stroll over a timber walkway from the airy reception. Smiles follow you every step of the way and the Solitude welcome is warm and exceptionally friendly. A short chat with spa manager Nittaya revealed that Mangosteen’s owners are smart recruiters. Nittaya spent four years with the renowned Banyan Tree Spas and brings her wealth of experience to Solitude.

After an introduction to the treatment choices, my therapist Warunee greeted me with a soft smile and a beautiful ‘wai’ before escorting me to my private suite. Steam room, Jacuzzi room a few metres above the hotel pool and massage room with a panoramic view of the islands of Chalong Bay all make the most of design and location. Large tinted windows, but no outside areas, mean you remain comfortably cool while enjoying your surroundings.

Starting with aromatic steam, I felt my tension begin to evaporate. Feeling the onset of relaxation, I moved on to my first treatment –
a Herbal Scrub using a blend of traditional herbs and sesame oil – Nittaya’s recommendation.

“I can see your skin is not oily, so I wouldn’t recommend the salt scrub,” she’d told me.

An hour later, my skin felt revitalised, refreshed, very, very soft and definitely not too dry. Showered, I returned to the massage room and its stunning view, for one of Solitude’s new treatments – a Thai Reliever Massage. A mix of east and west, this treatment – using essential oils – ingeniously combines the stretching techniques of Thai massage with the smooth strokes and muscle manipulation of Western massage.

My treatment was rounded off with half an hour in one of the most vigorous Jacuzzis I’ve ever experienced, complemented by a serving of fresh fruit and herbal tea while I languished.

Try The Solitude Spa at Mangosteen – but leave yourself plenty of time. Spa customers are free to use all the hotel facilities (swimming pool, fitness centre and restaurants). Go early afternoon and stay for dinner at one of Phuket’s most spectacularly-sited restaurants. Or even better, pamper yourself for a weekend in a Mangosteen Jacuzzi Villa.