We review Baba Beach Club Natai: a hip party hotel in Phang Nga, Thailand

Natai Beach in Phang Nga, just north of Phuket airport, is increasingly being called the “Hamptons of Phuket” – a classy escape from the crowds, drawing in the who’s who of Bangkok and beyond. And that hype wouldn’t be possible without Baba Beach Club Natai, a luxury five-star beachfront boutique resort and music-focused beach club. Located along the unspoiled shores of Natai Beach, it brands itself as a Music Lover’s Hotel, combining high-energy entertainment with unpretentious, barefoot luxury. Fortunately for me, I was invited to kick off my shoes and join the fun.

While this stay was hosted, all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Review of Baba Beach Club Natai

Hotel Snapshot

Hotel: Baba Beach Club Natai
Address: 55 Moo 6, Khok Kloi, Takua Thung, Phang Nga, 82140, Thailand
Number of rooms: 64 (mix of suites, villas, and penthouses)
Brand: Sri Panwa Group
Year opened: 2019
Style: Music-focused, five-star beachfront boutique resort blending barefoot luxury with high-energy entertainment and Chino-Portuguese architecture
Family amenities: Limited, as it’s primarily an adult-oriented party hotel. Children are welcome in select villa categories, but no dedicated kids’ club or teen facilities.
Wellness facilities: Cool Spa (beachfront treatments, in-room options, aromatherapy, deep-tissue and sports massage), modern gym with outdoor jungle gym equipment, yoga-friendly spaces
Prices starting from: £123 per night for entry-level suites during low season, rising significantly for Gabana Villas and multi-bedroom pool villas.

The famous Baba vibe

Brought to life by the renowned Sri Panwa Group, the atmosphere here is hip and stylish, decked in Chino-Portuguese architecture. The ocean-facing entertainment pool is the heart of the afternoon social scene. And, of course, it’s all about the music, with the entire property fitted with a state-of-the-art Funktion-One sound system. As a sister brand and extension of Circoloco Thailand, it plays exceptional house and electronic music all day, with live performances from local talents and world-class DJs, plus the multi-day Babaloop electronic festival.

Luckily for me, during my stay, I got to experience the low-season magic, and the energy was more relaxed than high-octane. While I haven’t hung up my dancing shoes just yet, I did want to chill Hamptons-style, and the vibe was perfect for exactly that.

The villas and suites

I stayed in one of the Gabana villas: distinctive two-storey duplex suites with easy beachfront or main pool access. These private, elegant retreats magically strike the balance between ultimate privacy and immediate party access.

Spanning a massive 145 square metres, these multi-level duplexes are positioned directly overlooking the beach club’s entertainment pool enclave and the Andaman Sea. It was only when I stepped outside into my small garden that I realised just how fantastic the location is – my own cabana pad on the beach, but also overlooking an expansive pool (the handsome beach bar guests floating past occasionally certainly didn’t hurt).

There are also private pool suites (luxury entry-level suites with pool access or private plunge areas) and Luxury Pool Villas, ranging from two-bedroom to extravagant five-bedroom beachfront residences, perfect for groups and families.

Dining: from Thai classics to Japanese omakase

Baba Beach Restaurant & Bar is the main dining spot, serving international cuisine, fresh Andaman seafood, and authentic Thai food, including my favourite, the Tom Yum Goong. It’s also where breakfast happens, with healthy yoghurt bowls and bite-sized eggs Benedict to fuel you for the day to come.

Then there’s Baba IKI: a premium Japanese restaurant offering sushi, sashimi, tonkatsu and teppanyaki, with a buzzing open kitchen and multi-sensory cooking counters. You can sit indoors to watch the live action or choose veranda seating edged by calm, reflective waters. Sadly, I avoid anything that starts with “Japan” and ends with “ese”, so I didn’t give it a try this time.

Of course, there’s also the Baba Beach Bar itself – an expansive 510-square-metre open-air entertainment hub positioned right alongside the main 28-metre swimming pool. It’s famous for craft cocktails and tropical blends, with daily happy hour promotions alongside “beer o’clock” buy-two-get-one specials. As a result, Baba Beach Bar is the place to see and be seen on Natai Beach.

Beyonce the party: extras and highlights

It’s not all partying and passing out at Baba Beach Club. For guests looking to keep up their workout routine, there’s a highly functional, dedicated gym. Now, admittedly, I’m the first person to avoid hotel gyms. Somehow, a hotel instantly puts me into holiday mode and out of workout mode. But this gym impressed me, and I simply had to try it. 

It’s a bright, modern workout venue with panoramic garden views, so you can exercise surrounded by tropical greenery. It’s stocked with all the state-of-the-art gear you’d expect, plus a full outdoor jungle gym that looks like something AI made up. And because it’s a party hotel, the gym also features a massive boombox of a Bluetooth speaker. Fortunately, I was alone, because I blasted the Spice Girls like I was a club of one, in the middle of paradise. Perfect mood, perfect moment. The lost calories were merely a bonus. 

Cool Spa is another highlight, and a real treat after a night or day of partying. Treatments can be experienced in-room for maximum comfort, or directly on the beach, where local healing treatments are paired with the soothing sound of ocean waves. Yes, I had mine directly on the beach under the mangroves, with waves crashing in the background. A true highlight that’s now programmed into my mind whenever I struggle to sleep.

Frequently asked questions: Baba Beach Club Natai