The name Alila comes from Sanskrit, meaning surprise. Surprise it is, when we alighted from our transportation at Alila Cha-Am. A grand courtyard which was made entirely of marble greeted us, along with magnificent stairs that led us up to the front desk.
Dug in my sling bag for the reservation printout and handed it to the staff at the reception. We were told to take a seat as they did the check-in procedure for us. From our leather seats, we admired the amazing view of the resort interior.
The roof-top of the central building was filled with water, providing a symmetrical reflection.
The complimentary cold towels and welcome drinks that we have come to expect were presented to us to freshen up. Within minutes, Alila’s staff was back with a confirmation slip indicating our particulars, dates of stay and the room rates. A signature, and a valid credit card was all that was required.
Of course, our luggage will be in our room by the time we step into it, so we didn’t have to worry about it. Eve, our designated guide, oriented us to Alila Cha-Am as we made our way into the resort. Having walked up the stairs earlier to reach the reception area, this time its down the stairs via the other side.
Making our way through the walkways, we were introduced to the facilities at Alila Cha-Am. The facilities are adequate at Alila Cha-Am, including : a library, two swimming pools, spa, bar, and two restaurants.
The sides of the central structure of Alila Cha-Am are lined with stone-filled brackets, creating a signature look and feel to the resort. I guess you’re not going to be seeing traditional Thai architecture here at all!
Within the exterior stone walls, the sheltered walkways provide an escape from the afternoon heat.
A mere 1-minute walk took us right to our accommodation for three nights at Ailla Cha-Am. Pool villa, room #701. Light vegetation and a metal gate acts as a barrier, separating the pool villa from the outside.
Stepping onto the terrace, a luxurious pool sits right in front of us! The 10-metre pool was designed to be used for swimming, and not just a marketing ploy.
Two adjacent buildings are positioned beside the swimming pool, one is a living area, the other is a bedroom. Twin sun-loungers are available for our private use, as well as a small table for breakfast if we so desire.
Total land area of the villa and outdoor terrace? 296 square metres of pure luxury!
Spotted this feline fur-ball who has made villa #701 its home for the day. I think we are the ones disturbing its afternoon nap?
Needless to say, the building itself was huge. Using the designated keys, Eve opened the doors to the first building – the living room. First impression was that of a minimalist and industrial design, with elements such as flat roofs, concrete flooring, grey walls and wooden furniture.
Opening the door, a large dining table sits right in front of us.
Interestingly, we realized there was to be another welcome drink for us, prepared right in the villa itself. We picked the lychee-tini mocktail, which was prepared on the spot by Alila’s staff, as Eve gave us a tour of the first villa. Nope, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. The glasses are indeed slanted.
The living and dining area are side-by-side, creating an enormous area suitable for hanging out. Totally overkill for just the two of us, if you ask me. Still, that’s what luxury is all about, isn’t it? A large, flat-screen LCD TV is mounted on the wall.
A complimentary fruit platter for us, which we barely touched at all. Coming from tropical Singapore, these fruits are a pretty common sight for us.
Apple TV for our audio and visual entertainment! They had a little problem setting it up initially, but they got their tech-guy to come down to our villa within minutes to fix the connection problem. The box was loaded with music and movies – not exactly the latest ones but we enjoyed them all the same.
The light and volume controls can be found on the side of the walls, and in different configurations. The knob controls the audio volume. The entire buildings is wired up in a way that embeds the speakers into the ceilings, meaning you can hear the music/TV regardless of whether you are in the restroom, sitting at the working desk or lazing on the sofa.
Moving on from the living area, we head to the working desk located at the back. This was another area which we seldom frequented – we’re here to relax and not to work! I guess not everyone can say the same, and this working area provides a peaceful sanctuary from the other parts of the villa. A simple, wooden table occupies the middle of the empty space.
The passageway within the building are circular in nature with the supporting beams are right in the middle, leaving the sides of the building completely fitted with floor-to-ceiling doors. This layout makes for an excellent hide-and-seek session!
Next up is the restroom. The restroom here is smaller and simpler, but nonetheless very clean and adequate. Truthfully, we’re seen plenty of restrooms that are smaller, and in much worst conditions. Notice anything weird in the pictures below? Where is the erm, tap? There it is, hidden behind the mirror. Clever.
In case you’re wondering “What’s with all the lights?”, cove lighting is an important feature to be found throughout the rooms here. Bottles of complimentary shower essentials like gels, shampoo and conditioners are provided.
Back to the dining area, the mini-bar is cleverly disguised as an inbuilt cupboard. All I can say is that it is very well-equipped! Our very own coffee machine. Nice!
Free refill of coffee beans! If you’re not into coffee, try some of their tea instead?
Their wide array of snacks and drinks makes this one of the most well-stocked mini-bar we have ever seen. Of course, we’ll need to pay for what we consume. How can we survive without Coca-Cola!
Having posted quite a number of pictures already, I shall not overwhelm this post with excessive images! Having toured the living area, we’ll be heading to our cozy bedroom next!
Alila : Surprisingly Different