Check In: Phuket

Phuket is undergoing a makeover. New resorts in or near Thailand's capital of sun and sleaze are cleaning up the island's image, with chic, boutique properties popping up wherever you cast your sunglassed gaze. Leading the charge is Sanctuary Resorts. The Hong Kong-based, eco-conscious developer recently opened two facilities in the area.

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Just an hour's drive from Phuket airport lies Khao Lak on the mainland and better known among divers as the jumping-off point to the Similan Islands. It's now also home to La Flora, Sanctuary's sleek, 68-room resort. Staff members are clad in black, and so is much of the property. The style: contemporary Thai. Room rates start around $85 a night. Meanwhile, a 30-minute speedboat ride away from Phuket's main town, on Racha Island, lies the Racha. Fronting one of Thailand's most pristine beaches, this Sanctuary resort boasts 70 villas. Some of these sit right on the sand, just meters from crystal-clear water, but the informed choice is villa 103—perched on a hill with a commanding view of the Andaman Sea. Room rates begin from $170 a night.