Dining/Drinking

Sunset bliss and seaside dining and drinking can be achieved with perfection in Kamala beach, Phuket and more precisely at Ocean Beach Club.

This beach club belongs to Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa, placed adjacent to the beach road. Both islanders and hotel guests are welcome there to enjoy frequent offers foor buffets and brunches, and thanks to its location guests can enter also from the street. Alternatively, you arrive at the entrance on the opposite of the vast expanse of the hotel (75 acres!) wrapped in lush gardens, and take the internal transfer to nearby the beach club.

Ocean Beach Club is open throughout the day and for dinner. Buffets are also served in other dining outlets within the hotel. Happy Hour Asia tested the ‘Seafood Galore Dinner Buffet’ offering the “widest selection of fresh seafood straight to your plate”. These buffets have found favour in Phuket, in part probably thanks to their affordability – including. the option for free flow alcoholic drinks.

One can of course also kick off the evening with happy hour sundowners, before munching on all the seafood and other dishes part of the lavish buffet spread. Drinks are served from the bar of the beach club, brought to guests by the pool, from where the sunset is clearly visible through some beachside palm trees. The poolside setting is enjoyable and relaxing. And while not exactly on the beach, the beach club really feels like it has the setting for itself here.

For the buffet dinner tables with white tablecloth and with checkered cloth on top are spread out at dinner time, paired with sun beds and cabanas.

The sumptuous food spread offers all the usual sections, with catch-of-the-day seafood grilled to perfection on site. There is also meat, including: Whole roasted rosemary rubbed leg of lamb, and Australian beef rib eye. But more than anything else – as indicated also by its name – more than anything this is a seafood feast!

A mixed platter of Andaman squid, blue crab, pouched prawn, steamed mussel and fried shacked oysters etc. served to the table is such a mouth-watering sight! Condiments – as should be the case in Thailand – include those strong on flavours such as chilli with lime.

The house wine Chardonnay, with some acidity and some fruitiness in the aroma sits extra perfect with the grilled salmon as well as oven-baked seabass.

There is a pasta station as well, which helps to satisfy the different tastes for a family with children. There are also Cajun seafood skewers, Chicken yakitori, and Salmon Phuket pineapple.

To end the meal there’s also a decent selection of desserts, which of course where keeping one’s self-restraint falters. But then again, the seafood is rather healthy food overall to compensate. One thing is for certain: will end the evening FULL-filled…