You know you are going somewhere special when your resort complex has its own lounge at the airport. Laguna Phuket Airport Hospitality Centre at Phuket Airport is available to resort guests for relaxing after or before their flight. And there is staff on hand to assist with arrival and departure queries.

Laguna Phuket is situated on sandy Bangtao Beach around 30 minutes south of Phuket International Airport. The beach stretches some 8 kms, along the edge of the Andaman Sea, on the west coast of Phuket Thailand.

Today, Laguna Phuket is probably Asia's premier resort complex but when I first saw the area in 1982 it was nothing more than wasteland.

The dramatic transformation was brought about by the visionary Chairman of Singapore's Wah Chang Group. From a tin-mining wasteland there grew 5 top-quality hotels and a shopping 'village' all set amidst beautiful landscaped gardens and a network of lagoons. Between them the hotels have 30 bars and restaurants and a whole host of facilities including gyms, games rooms, tennis, archery, swimming pools and watersports.

Adjacent to the resort is the 18-hole Laguna Phuket Golf Club This par 71 course makes good use of the undulating landscape and lagoons. All Laguna Phuket guests can enjoy reduced green fees.

Each of the hotels has a spa and by all accounts the Banyan Tree Phuket Spa is probably the best. When it comes to awards I tend to be a little cynical but there must be some substance when a hotel, like this one, is voted World's Best Spa Resort by readers of Cond Nast Traveler, the Top Spa & Retreat Experience by Arts & Entertainment Television Networks, USA, and a Top 10 Hotel Spa by Travel & Leisure magazine. The spa offers a wide range of treatments from body scrubs, to facials, manicures and pedicures. There are also complimentary (chargeable for visitors) yoga classes.

The Banyan Tree Phuket even has a dedicated Spa Pool Villa featuring a 'floating bed' pavilion with king-sized bed, a swimming pool in landscaped gardens, an open-air sunken bathtub, Jacuzzi, steam and sauna room, massage pavilion and an outdoor Thai sala.

I have to say though that if a spa is important to you the facilities at the other hotels cannot be dismissed, more especially as they come from the same pedigree. At the Dusit Laguna, Laguna Beach Resort Phuket, and the Sheraton Grande Laguna you will find an Angsana Spa.

Angsana Spas were developed by the Banyan Tree Spa and place particular emphasis on the use of aromatherapy. They also offer body scrubs, skin treatments, facials and a variety of massages including Thai, Swedish, Hawaiian, Balinese, Indian Head and warm oil.

So there you have it. Top quality hotels with a wide-range of facilities, an 18-hole golf course, 8 kms of sandy beach and an award-winning spa. All with easy air access via Phuket International Airport. Could you wish for anything more?