The Shrinking Violet Review: Villa Laelia at L’Orchidee Residences

Tucked away in the beautiful cliffside of Patong Hills, there is a quiet gated community filled with breathtaking views over Patong. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to stay at Villa Laelia at L’Orchidee Residences for four nights, checking out all that Patong has to offer.

Just a 5 minute tuktuk from the famed Bangla Road, Villa Laelia is the perfect location for those wanting to experience Patong. Patong is often referred to as the party central of Phuket, which is definitely true, however there are plenty of other activities to do. By day, most people head to the beach or lounge by the pool. There are also loads of tours you can do. Pagan and I travelled to Phi Phi Islands for around $70 NZD each which included transfers, lunch and activities. We also did the same for Coral Islands where we even went Parasailing!

Since L’Orchidee is cliffside, they offer a free 24 hour shuttle service so that you don’t have to walk up the hill to reach your villa. After a loooong day or night out, walking to your villa is the last thing you want to do – so the 24 hour service really saves your butt! We found this simple to use and whenever we called for the shuttle to take us back down, they were always very efficient. The other blessing that Villa Laelia is cliffside means that there’s no excessive noise from holiday-makers partying on Bangla Road; it’s truly a space where you can relax and unwind.

Villa Laelia was incredibly spacious. We had 3 bedrooms on the lower level and another king bedroom as a separate sleep out style beside the house. All of the bedrooms had their own ensuite, and the two king bedrooms inside (the other bedroom had two single beds) the house also had luxurious spa baths. Upstairs was your open plan living area; there was a fully equipped kitchen, a great lounge, dining room table and out on the balcony there was plenty of outdoor chairs and tables to enjoy the peace and quiet whilst being able to check out the action of Patong beach from afar.

I would love to say that we took advantage of more than just Villa Laelia’s incredible pool, because the location was truly amazing. However it was the last few days of our trip and we were really at the stage where it was time to wind down. This meant we mainly took advantage of the incredible pool, the super fast fibre internet and their cable TV! They do also have another huge public infinity pool in the complex. When we did leave the villa to get food and stretch our legs, it was only a 200 THB tuktuk to get to nearby Junceylon Mall which is a super popular shopping centre in Patong which has a supermarket, cinema, plenty of shops and some excellent food.

Each morning, we had one of the villa staff come to our villa to cook us breakfast. This was amazing! You can choose from either their American Breakfast or their Continental Breakfast. We got one of each and the spread was huge! I just stuck to the fruit, eggs, bacon and salads but there were also croissants, yoghurt, toast and more. On Valentines Day, he even made bacon roses, heart shaped eggs and cut our fruit into heart shapes – so cute! It was services like this that made the fine details of the stay more enjoyable.

If you’re someone who is visiting Phuket for the first time, or if you like to be right where the action is, then Villa Laelia is a fantastic place for you. Right next to all of the action, but far enough out of town that you aren’t disturbed by the noise. The house is the perfect size for families, groups of friends and couples travelling together which is excellent for keeping costs down. I also loved that it was in a gated community so that you always felt safe since you need security approval to gain access.  I would return to Villa Laelia if visiting Patong in a heartbeat.

If you would like to view more details about Villa Laelia, or enquire about making your own booking, you can view Asian Luxury Villas at www.asianluxuryvillas.com