OCATED a little over an hour's drive north from Phuket airport, the sprawling Le Meridien Khao Lak Beach & Spa Resort offers sybaritic escape and indulgence far from the madding crowd. The sleepy hamlet of Khao Lak shares the stunning turquoise Andaman Sea and the powder-soft beaches of its neighbour Phuket but there the similarity ends. Khao Lak is a genuine hideaway - quiet, and laid back.

Built along the generous, breezy seafront at Bang Sak Beach, the Le Meridien Khao Lak Beach & Spa Resort is arguably one of the best Khao Lak resorts in the greater Phang Nga area. Set in 50 acres of lush greenery and landscaped gardens with three inviting free form pools, one with a water slide and fountains, this is as much a top Thailand family resort as a honeymooner's idyll. Pop into a poolside Jacuzzi, play tennis, snorkel, pedal out on a rugged mountain bike, dive, or have yourself pampered at the Spa.

The Spa offers eight treatment rooms (with individual steam rooms) and an arsenal of potions and lotions to cure most city aches. Nearby are golf, elephant trekking, fishing, eco-tours, Thai temples and a local market where the pace is sedate and welcoming.

This top Khao Lak luxury spa resort offers 243 rooms, suites and villas, including Lagoon Villas, Pool Villas, Oceanfront Villas and two utterly spoiling Presidential Villas. Expect a contemporary feel with rich Thai silk-and-wood touches, flat-screen TVs (with 42-inch plasma TVs in villas), iron and ironing board, Broadband Internet (WiFi in the villas), and a well stocked mini-bar. There's a kids' club too.

Its location and space make this an ideal Thailand conference hotel choice. There is over 850sq m of space and the Grand Ballroom can handle up to 720 persons with ease. For a change of pace, explore the Le Meridien Khao Lak Beach & Spa Resort, one of the best luxury escapes in Thailand.