Twinpalms Tented Camp Phuket: Luxe Safari Style

Launched in December 2024 and already a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, this adults-only retreat sits tucked along Bang Tao Beach, concealed within lagoon gardens that seem to absorb sound and soften time. 

The interiors are where the hotel excels. There’s a distinct Ralph Lauren-meets-colonial aesthetic at play, featuring safari desks, warm woods, canvas textures, and a palette that feels both grounded and elevated. It could easily veer into pastiche, but here it’s handled with restraint. Nothing feels overly themed or contrived. 

We stayed in one of the lagoon pool tents, and almost immediately, the usual instinct to ‘explore the property’ dissolved. I was more than happy to dip my toes in the private pool - it was the kind of space that made these simple rituals, like making coffee or getting ready for dinner, feel considered. Inside, the aesthetic leans safari, but refined: four-poster beds, polished wood, canvas walls that remain perfectly climate-controlled. The bathroom with its twin sinks (a must for every travelling couple), a tropical rain shower, continued the same indoor-outdoor flow, never breaking the sense of calm.

Whilst the interiors draw you in, the lagoon keeps you there. There’s a particular stillness to the water that creates a sense of calm you don’t expect, given what lies just beyond the property. Step outside, and you’re in Bang Tao: lively, social, full of movement. The lagoon acts as a kind of buffer, softening everything. Sitting by our private pool, surrounded by greenery and that uninterrupted waterline, it genuinely felt as though we were somewhere far more remote. That paradox of location versus atmosphere is what makes the place so compelling.

Breakfast became something I actively looked forward to, which rarely happens. Each morning, we walked a few minutes to Catch Beach Club, going from the stillness of our tent to the open expanse of the beach. It turned what is usually a routine hotel breakfast into an actual start to the day. And then there was the Friday Night Barbecue. I wasn’t expecting much beyond the usual resort offering, but it was one of the most memorable meals of the trip, just incredibly well done. We stayed far longer than planned, slowly working through everything while the evening unfolded around us. For something more low-key, The Lazy Coconut became a favourite; an easy beachfront restaurant with private sun beds available for reservation, and exactly the kind of place you want to drift into without thinking. 

There’s also a central pool, a small fitness pavilion, and a dedicated spa tent, but none of it feels obvious - it’s there if you want it, invisible if you don’t. And then there is the impeccable service which anticipates without hovering and is intuitive rather than rehearsed.

One evening, a thunderstorm rolled in, sudden and cinematic, and we found ourselves under the reception canopy waiting for our taxi, watching the storm unfold. It was oddly idyllic, made even better by the simplest of luxuries: the endless fresh coconut water on tap by the bar. Once our taxi had arrived, a hotel team member stepped forward with a large, monogrammed umbrella, holding it just so as he guided us into our taxi, the rain falling heavily around us but never quite reaching us.

We came here expecting something novel - ‘glamping, but make it elevated.’ What we found instead was a place that quietly shifts your pace. Nestled within a destination known for its energy and noise, this kind of calm feels almost unheard of, and all the more valuable for it.

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