JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa

Phuket is one of the world’s most famous holiday destinations and home to endless tropical beaches, a vibrant nightlife scene and multiple cultural and natural sightseeing opportunities. But less than 15 minutes drive away from some of the island’s busiest destinations, and conveniently close to the international airport, lies a peaceful, luxurious resort in a secluded bay fringed by coconut palms and casuarina trees swaying in the sea breeze. JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa is the perfect location for those wanting to relax, enjoy perfect Andaman Sea sunsets and soak up some nature-centric tranquility whilst still having access to everything Phuket has to offer. JW Marriott Phuket has a wide range of rooms and villas to choose from which are all surrounded by lush tropical gardens filled with perfumed frangipani trees, and vast infinity pools overlooking the huge sweeping golden sand beach.

Our Grand Premium Pool Access room was spacious and well appointed, offering direct access to the lagoon, from a small private terrace with sun loungers. This was a much welcomed feature that allowed us to enjoy swimming without having to venture outside to one of the resort pools. We also enjoyed the large bath tub which we certainly made the most of during our stay, taking lazy and luxurious baths whilst listening to some of our favourite music via the Bluetooth JBL speaker in our room. Having our own Nespresso coffee machine was very much appreciated too, nothing better than being able to start our days with a pre breakfast coffee on the terrace, a quick call to the front desk ensured our coffees were enjoyed with oat milk which the team happily delivered to our room upon request.

The Vegan Food

Breakfast at JW Cafe which is the all day dining restaurant at JW Marriott Phuket, was a long and lazy affair as we worked our way through the buffet options and the ‘off menu’ dishes that chef was happy to create. There were the Thai breakfast staples of plain rice porridge and veggie noodle soup with all of the trimmings available, and also steamed veggie gyoza which we enjoyed with soy sauce and chillies. Tropical fruits and freshly squeezed juices were plentiful, whilst we could choose soy milk, oat milk, almond milk or pistachio milk with our muesli or with our coffees. The Indian section of the buffet had mini uttapam with coconut chutney and sambar, whilst the Western section had grilled tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, roast potatoes and baked beans on offer. All of these options were great, but the trio of chef specials is what were really exciting. Firstly, avocado toast which is one of our favourites, and then a vegan version of the JW Signature French Toast which made us very happy indeed. Finally, a Thai veggie curry was served to our table, which once we had finished left us very satisfied indeed.

Our lunch at Cucina was a combination of the vegan dishes on the menu, and vegetarian dishes with the necessary adaptations. The beetroot carpaccio with citrus, balsamic and croutons was light and flavoursome, whilst the mushroom truffle soup was delicious and flavour packed. We shared both of these appetisers to start our lunch. Next up was that perfect combo of pasta and pizza, our pasta was a simple but tasty spaghetti arrabiata, whilst the pizza which had vegan cheese and vegan pesto was excellent. The base was just how we like it, the pesto which was prepared without Parmesan especially for us, and the vegan cheese came together to create plant based pizza perfection. Every element of this lunch from the service to the ambiance to the food was outstanding, we only wish we lived a little closer so that we could eat it all over again!

A ‘true taste of Thailand’ is what diners are promised at Ginja Taste, and that’s exactly what we got. The vegan and plant based options were full of the complex flavour profiles that Thai cuisine is globally renowned for, meaning that our ‘plant based true taste of Thailand’ was authentic in every single way. There was a vegetarian set menu with most of the dishes being vegan, but we selected from the vegetarian a la carte menu and shared two appetisers and three main courses. Our starters were vegan version of Thai classics, crispy sweet and sour rice noodles with tofu, and green papaya salad. These two dishes contrasted each other perfectly, with the sweet and sour noodles contrasting the spicy papaya salad. Next up were a tom kha (fragrant coconut soup) with garden vegetables, and a massaman curry with potatoes, tofu and peanuts. Finally, a dish of wok fried eggplant with garlic, chilli and basil completed our vegan Thai feast. Well, that was until we were served coconut ice cream, sticky rice and ‘red rubies’ AKA water chestnuts as dessert, a delightfully sweet ending to our evening at Ginja Taste.

Offering baked goods, pastries, coffees and smoothies, Siam Deli is the perfect place to hang out on a rainy day which is exactly what we did. We ordered lunch from the main menu where there were a number of vegetarian and vegan options available. We shared the JW Garden Salad which had ingredients from JW Garden and a sherry vinaigrette dressing, and the Pomelo Salad (yum som o) which is one of our favourite Thai dishes. Both were very good and set us up nicely for our main courses, Khao Soi, a rich coconut curry from Chang Mai, and a Beyond Meat Burger with caramelised onion, vegan mayo and French fries. The Beyond Burger was as good as they always are, and the Khao Soi took us straight to northern Thailand and made us excited for our forthcoming trip to Chiang Mai.

The Vegan Essentials

Our vegan friendly room was complete with non feather bedding, shampoo, conditioner and shower gel in refillable dispensers from vegan brand Aromatherapy Associates, filtered water in glass bottles, and a selection of sustainable bathroom amenities. The toothbrush, razor and cotton buds were made from bamboo, and in recyclable packaging which had been printed with soy ink. There were multiple planet saving initiatives at JW Marriott Resort Phuket, including a comprehensive approach to food waste, food miles and sustainable ingredients from executive chef Brian Moore. These included an annual World Earth Day event where all ingredients are sourced from within 50km of the resort, and with the kitchen for the event being powered by solar energy from a series of panels installed in partnership with Sunsear who are also based in Phuket.

With three expansive pools to choose from, each with breathtaking views of the Andaman Sea, guests at JW Marriott Phuket are spoiled for choice. For the sun worshippers out there, spend your day lazing next to the pool of your choice, maybe even booking a private poolside cabana for the ultimate in poolside luxury, and for those of you who wish to burn calories and keep up with your exercise routines, head to the 24 hour gym at a time that suits you. Did we go to the gym? not at all, we were too busy eating, relaxing and enjoying our room…

The Vegan Food Quest Verdict

Our stay at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa was short but oh so sweet, this is a perfect option for those who are wanting a Phuket vacation away from the crowds, with multiple plant based options on the menus and a staff team who are willing to create other ‘off menu’ vegan dishes upon request. Combine this with a unique and enviable location on their very own picture postcard beach, and you’re in for a treat if you choose JW Marriott Phuket for your next trip.

We were guests of JW Marriott Phuket Resort but please rest assured that their generosity in hosting us didn’t influence our views.

JW Marriott Phuket Resort
231 Mai Khao
Thalang District
Phuket 83110

Telephone: +66 76 338 000
Cost From: £300 / $400 (September 2024)