Why I won’t Airbnb anytime soon

I’ve never really understood the appeal of hotels; I mean why would you fork out to be confined to a tiny bedroom with basic amenities, when you could have the freedom of Airbnb-ing a whole house for the same price or less?

Sure, back when you needed a concierge to give you a city map and recommend the best restaurants, hotels were very relevant. But we’ve got smartphones and Trip Advisor for that now.

So why pay more for less? Well, I got my answer when I went to Thailand recently and was put up for a few nights on the coast south of Phuket.

It was a ten-hour flight from Sydney, and we arrived stinky and sweaty in the dead of night.

After a hectic few weeks at work, we all know how jetlag can be a b*tch, but when you wake up at 4.30 and get to watch the sunrise from a cliff-top pool, it ain’t all that bad.

Luckily for me, all that entailed was rolling out of bed and walking through my patio door. Swimmers optional.

Sri Panwa Hotel had put me up in one of their luxury villas which comes with a private infinity pool perched right on the edge of the mountain-side to make the most of the sweeping, 180 degree views.

With nothing but the sound of the waking birds and insects, it’s the perfect place to sit back and relax.

If I had been smart about things, I would have called my room’s personal butler Tom, for some orange juice, and mixed up a mimosa with the bottle of champagne that greeted me on arrival. But everyone’s a genius in hindsight.

Luckily for me, the pool and view were just the beginning. My villa also came complete with everything you need for an in-home spa day; a two-person bubble bath, a private steam room and a couple of banana lounges on a sprawling patio.

But as luxurious as it was, that wasn’t what made me think twice about Airbnb; I’m sure if I had a comparable $1K-a-night budget, I could find something just as spectacular to rent on the app.

As someone who's always done holidays the DIY way – organising activities, transport and food, separately – the real treat was having every enjoyment at my fingertips without any of the logistics. I thought I wouldn't like a resort holiday, but I was wrong.

It all kicked off when I stepped outside my room and onto a Tuk Tuk waiting to take me to an authentic Thai cooking class.

Aprons and bandanas – as well as all of the necessary ingredients and utensils – were meticulously laid out and ready to go, while a local chef stood in front and helped me make the most sensational Pad Thai of my life.

Things only got better the following morning when I booked in for a sunrise yoga session. Sure, the early start wasn't the best, but it’s not every day that you get to watch the sun come up from between your downward-dog positioned legs.

Our class was held on the rooftop of the resort’s highest building which boasts 360 degree views over the water.

It's also bordered by nothing but infinity pools, meaning it literally feels like you’re standing in the clouds. It's pretty surreal and also a tad disorienting when your head’s spinning from all that contorting.

The space also turns into a rooftop bar at sunset, so we went back at dusk to enjoy the view with a drink instead.

But a little sight seeing was in order before hand, and again, I didn’t have to do more than sign up for a boat-ride from the resort’s private beach to the larger and more picturesque Coral Island.

Still something of a hidden gem, Coral Island's Banana Beach manages to avoid overcrowding as it’s just that little bit too inconvenient for many tourists to get to.

But strap on a snorkel and it’s a whole different story, with a world of rainbow-coloured fish, sea urchins, starfish and the occasional sea snake (I swear you’ve never seen someone jump out of the water faster) waiting below the surface of the shallow waters.

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The beach itself is also crawling with local inhabitants, and I saw a fair few hermit crabs ducking in and out of the washed up chunks of coral on the shore, while hornbill birds flew between the palms above.

Of course if adrenaline is more your speed, then parasailing, glass-bottomed kayaking and banana boating – which is where a wildly driven boat tries to throw you off an inflatable banana – are also on offer.

After working up an appetite, there are no less than five bespoke restaurants back at Sri Panwa ready to take your order – because no good holiday is complete if you haven’t sufficiently gorged yourself on the local cuisine.

The most iconic of the bunch sells home-style food that’s traditional to the south of Thailand, but come prepared for a good sweat session because much of it is off the charts spicy.

It should be said that my chilli tolerance is minimal to none, so I’m really no great judge, but aside from my runny nose, the flavour was all there; sweet, tangy and very authentic.

If you’re after some more familiar flavours, you can also get exquisitely prepared Chinese, South American, Italian and Japanese food at the other restaurants, the latter of which comes with a little show from the chef if you’re lucky.

To balance out all the eating, I also hit up a Thai boxing class, where I got into a ring bare-foot, and sparred (rather terribly) with one of the resident trainers.

Holidays are always relaxing, but not having to make a bigger decision than whether I would or wouldn’t take part in what the resort had on offer, was pure heaven.

Plus the stunning water views visible from almost every location didn't hurt either.

I was a guest of Sri Panwa on this occasion, and of course, everything is marvellous when you aren’t footing the bill. So the question is, would I return at my own expense?

Well, not to my $1K-a-night villa – unless my salary doubles overnight. But I definitely would take one of the other suites that start at a more reasonable AU$370 a night.

In fact, I’m recently engaged, and with every room equip with a private pool, I think it would be an excellent place for a honeymoon.

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