Mangosteen Ayurveda & Wellness Resort

January trip with a scoopon deal . Was a little apprehensive before this stay at Mangosteen resort as TripAdvisor reviews are very mixed but we were pleasantly surprised . The property is high on a hill in Rawai looking over the ocean from a distance . Yes the road leading to the resort is not great and care must be taken especially at night if heading out to restaurants so take a torch . There are some great little restaurants if you walk out and turn right from the resort .kook restaurant and Annys are our favourites . The resort restaurant was great for breakfast and the two buffets we had there during our stay . The villas are a bit dated but comfortable and quiet and relaxing on the verandahs looking over the ocean on your own private hammock . The pool is lovely and being adult only resort is very relaxing and sun beds are always available . Great happy hour ! Also Lee was very friendly and did not put any pressure on us to sign up for their holiday vacation program . We had a wonderful relaxing holiday !

My wife and I were planning our next trip to Thailand and decided for The Mangosteen. It offered a quite unique program including an Ayurveda spa experience, which seemed a good choice for our yearly reset of body and mind.

Only after booking we decided to read a few more reviews, which made us think whether or not we made a good choice. Rantings about the jacuzzi included in the room, being actually outside the room, in a secluded, but open space.

In my opinion there's nothing strange about having to lock that area, but some people seem to have a problem with that. People also complained about the minibar to be too expensive, mold in showers, mosquitoes in the room, being

stalked by salesmen wanting you to buy into time-sharing apartments and so on.

However, our stay at the mangosteen turned out to be a very nice experience. We noted that the mentioned problems about mold, mosquitoes and the expensive minibar have been addressed by Mangosteen management.

We were approached by management by the way, and had a very pleasant conversation about the history and challenges managing the place. At least it made us aware of the challenges one comes across making sure Mangosteen customers are having the best time they could wish for. Well, we did!

At arrival we were welcomed by two smiling Thai ladies, and were privileged to make acquaintance with the Indian Ayurvedic doctor which was going to support our detox and yoga activities. He has a very thoughtful somewhat shy personality.

We talked about any minor health problems we could focus on and were treated individually for these. Nothing serious, but good to have different approaches to take away any bodily inconveniences. The food arrangement was adapted to

be vegan, specifically for the Ayurveda experience (as were the spa treatments). By choice people can have other food, like seafood, veal, pork, etc. in short, there is a taste for anyone.

The spa treatments are simply wonderful. We've seen many enthusiastic reactions other than ours alone. The treatments are a surge of Thai and Indian ways, to create an Ayurvedic approach.

---- Non techies better skip this part ;-) ----

One thing I do want to mention is, the WiFi definitely needs an upgrade, or at least some tweaking. You do get some more bandwidth when streaming video, like Netflix, but other stuff seems to be throttled to an uncomfortable minimum. I figure some sort of QoS is in place. Heighten the throttle a bit, and one could actually get some work done if necessary. I'm sure management will read this review as they did the others, and take care of it. I rather have a finite, but stable connection, then an infinite one which is throttled as it is now.

We decided to write this review, because we think the reviews written up to today are outdated, and not fair to represent the current service level at The Mangosteen. It deserves a higher appraisal.

Further more, if one is aware of the fact one might be approached by certain salesmen, they are easily avoided, or sent into the woods ;-)

Having stayed at beach resorts so many times before, I opted for Mangosteen which is adults only, sits atop a hill and is sited amid trees & shrubs, grounds and flora beautifully manicured.

The accommodation is extremely well appointed and features a shower contained in its own dedicated room, more resembling a steam room at a smart spa in appearance. Very good mini bar but oddly, no wine included.

The pool is simply magnificent! Large, in two generous segments plus an extension which completely surrounds the restaurant. It has a poolside bar with swim-up seating and here we find A'Aoy Ly (Oily on her name badge, pronounced Ili) who is terrific with her efficiency, smile and sense of humour.

The restaurant has a fine menu and most times I was waited on by Mook who was really good.

Reception was efficiently & helpfully staffed with Kat proving to be a winner.

A word about housekeeping. This is a difficult property for these hard working people and most days another lady named Mook serviced my room. Always with a big smile.

One thing you should consider. The resort is situated on a hill and several rooms are located a decent way down the slope. Paths are well designed but there are also steps to negotiate and if you have mobility issues, make sure you request a room as near to the top as possible.

The patio outside the rooms has a table, two chairs and a hammock.

Price-wise I rated it mid-range but it's at the upper end of mid, starting at 8,000THB per night.

I had seven days at Mangosteen and would certainly like to return. It's so quiet and peaceful, sometimes one is tempted to speak in hushed tones. Try it, you'll like it - promise.

There are so many wonderful things about Mangosteen Resort. Our villa was gorgeous, spacious and very comfortable. All the staff were friendly and helpful and went out of their way you to make you feel special. The pool area is spectacular and it is really easy just to sit and unwind if that is what you choose. The resort is set quite high up in tranquil, lush gardens, so the views of the surrounding areas and beaches was a a real treat especially for amateur photographers as ourselves because you just couldnt take a bad photo..

It is a really easy place to get around from if you enjoy sightseeing and Rawai and Nai Harn beaches are only a few minutes away. We had a number of meals at the resort and particpated in both of their weekly buffet nights which were exceptional in quality and selections. Buffet breakfast was also wonderful with lots of different foods to choose from.

One of the reasons I really wanted to stay here was because of the Ayurveda Spa and I was so delighted with all the services we had, that a couple of weeks down the track and we are still telling our family and friends about how good they were. It is a little more expensive than your dime a dozen massage places along all the streets but there is just no comparison.

I was fortunate enough to celebrate my birthday while there and the staff brought me to tears with their surprise gift left on my bed and lovely birthday cake that was brought out after having dinner with everyone singing. It was such a lovely gesture and a birthday I will always remember.

We were also fortunate enough to spend a bit of time with Ian and David and now consider them friends and so look forward to returning to this fabulous resort very soon to relax, unwind and also explore more of wonderful Phuket and surrounds.