Hilton Ngapali Resort & Spa – Ngapali Beach, Myanmar
18° 27′ 04” N
94° 18′ 29” E
Visiting Myanmar’s many pagodas and temples was a perfect way of immersing ourselves in Myanmar’s rich culture and history. But after a few weeks being constantly on the go – we needed some time to rest. So we spent 5 days in Ngapali Beach – more specifically at the Hilton Ngapali Spa & Resort***** – relaxing by the (private) pool dozing off in the sun, reading books and sipping cocktails.
As always, we booked our hotel stay in advance – but for this one we were particularly lucky because we were upgraded to the “Ocean View King Villa”.
Just to get this straight: we have traveled around the world, seen some of the most beautiful places and stayed at some of the finest 5-star hotels. None of the beach resorts (so far) compare to the magic the Hilton Ngapali Spa & Resort. Sure, no wonder it once again won the prestigious “Luxury Ocean View Resort” and the “Luxury Spa Resort” of World Luxury Hotel Awards in 2019. This clearly serves as a recognition of their sustained commitment to excellence.
So, here it is, a detailed review of the stay:
Summary of the stay:
Overall: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Aesthetic beauty: 5/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
Amenities: 5/5
Rooms: 5/5
Beds: 5/5
Showers: 5/5
Pool: 5/5
Activities: 5/5
Staff: 5+/5
Fitness center: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Location: 4/5
Beach: 3/5
Ocean View King Villa
Walking into the dream villa – with modern and Myanmar style throughout the building. The villa is located right on the shore and comes with a large sundeck, with a private pool and a private gazebo (with a hammock) – overlooking the ocean.
The 187 square meters are spread out among two separate “buildings”, connected by a private open hallway with a small pond. The right side is the bathroom side – which offers not one, not two but three showers – indoor and outdoor with a fantastic palm tree view (s. below). Furthermore there is a gorgeous freestanding bathtub, a huge wooden walk-in wardrobe and storage as well as a sofa.
For amenities, it comes with daily complimentary water, a fruit basket, tea & coffee maker, TV, hairdryer, Wi-Fi, safe deposit box, bathrobes and slippers, air condition, and so on.
Bed & Living Room Area
Perfect to have a restful night’s sleep in the king-sized bed – it’s huge!
Bathroom & Eforea Spa
“Mind and Body Bath” – A regenerating blend of natural fragrance from lemongrass, lime and frangipani to remove muscle aches and to promote general well-being. The perfect way to unwind after an intense yoga session 🙂
Shower View Goals
The eforea Spa at the Hilton was a great place like to relax and to reconnect. The treatment menu was very extensive and it has been specially designed for eforea. So we decided to go for the aromatherapy massage which uses a choice of specially blended oils and a combination of gentle massage techniques.
Food & Drinks
Flow is the contemporary restaurant which offers tempting cuisines ranging from Western to Asian. Especially after weeks of enjoying only Myanmar food, it was also great to have some western food like burger, perfectly cooked al dente pasta and so on – Still, a must-try is the local tea leave salad and the fresh seafood. Flow was perfect to have breakfast, lunch or dinner, relax by the pool and enjoy a cool drink as we enjoyed the views over the sea. Also the breakfast buffet was so yummy.
In lieu of an executive lounge, the Hilton Ngapali offered the “Shore” bar. This is THE place to watch the beautiful sunrise with a gentle ocean breeze caressing your face and a signature cocktail in your hand 🙂
As for food from time to time, we also went outside the hotel to eat at some local restaurants. Seafood in general is definitely a must-try in Ngapali beach.
Sunsets
The sunset experience lasts so long – in my opinion the best part starts right after the sun sets over the sea. The afterglow over the sea is so spectacular, the sky turns pink, grey-blue, orange, red and into many more colors – which is really really beautiful. In fact, the Ngapali sunsets made it to the top 3 of my most beautiful sunsets. Unfortunately, it was really difficult to catch the beauty on a smartphone camera – so I can’t really show how it really was….
You can enjoy the wonderful afterglow long after the sun has set and then suddenly you will recognize hundreds of green lights of the fishermen’s boats.
Gym & Spa
The gym is not the biggest, but the equipment is very state of the art and clean. But honestly, who needs a big gym when you are at one of the most beautiful beaches in South East Asia?
And there was Myo Zaw, the personal trainer and yoga teacher. He is such a charismatic and friendly guy – I am very happy and thankful that he gave me my very first yoga lesson ever. 2 private lessons right ON THE BEACH. Right in front of MY BEACH VILLA! Apart from giving me helpful advice on how to successfully continue practicing yoga, he also gave me some more interesting info about all other hotel activities etc. Myo Zaw is a great asset to this hotel. Thank you, Myo
Location and hotel surroundings
The public outdoor pool is obviously the most visible part of the hotel. But in the surroundings, there is so much more to be discovered. My favorites are the lagoon side of the boardwalk for a walk, the library hidden in the palm trees, the volleyball court and the beautiful entrance/lobby. Let’s see yourself:
Summary
This Hilton in Ngapali Beach has given us the perfect experience. From the beginning to the end, the service we received was impeccable – we really could not have been treated better. The staff was so unbelievably friendly. The villa overlooking the ocean was a gem and we have never experienced hospitality as wonderful as this in any Hilton so far (and we have stayed in many, believe me).
There is only one more thing to say: we will be back (maybe for the honeymoon ;-))
