Owner of The Slate Phuket, Krystal Prakaikaew Na-Ranong, hosted a lunch at Neil Perry’s Song Bird in Double Bay with select media, including Travel Weekly, on Friday ahead of a two weeks’ worth of information sessions with travel agents in Sydney and Melbourne.
It has been some years since she has visited Australia but Krystal has been impressed so far by the level of luxury and quality of dining in Sydney in the early stages of her stay. The eastern suburbs market is then, no doubt, part of her target market as at The Slate Phuket, it’s not only about the stay but guests taking home select Bill Bensley pieces that the hotel has created from a Design Your Home package where you can buy the signature black bathtub, chandeliers and plush bedding to enjoy a vacation vibe at home every day.
While Krystal drips luxury, and enjoys dining out and playing the Chinese harp in her free time, she also has not forgotten where she came from in telling the story of the hotel.
While luxury is at the forefront of The Slate, the history of the area also has its own rich story, including her Chinese emigrant grandfather’s involvement in the development of the region. Given the responsibility of keeping safe key papers from the British colonialists when they fled the Japanese in 1912, he was subjected to imprisonment and torture but kept the documents safe until their return. As a result of his loyalty, he was granted land as a result and her industrious ancestor first worked the area as a tin miner, then the family moved into hospitality.
“You don’t want to create another cookie cutter property that you don’t know where you are,” she says. “So, when you have beautiful destination and cultures, and I think it’s good to share it with tourists, because I think, ‘Why would you cross the road?’,” she said.
The Slate’s own restaurant Black Ginger also tells a story and includes a staff member pulling a small barge, with guests onboard, across a pond to get to the venue.
And much like her grandfather was loyal to British colonialists their own staff are loyal too, with chef Anongrat Meklai being with her family for 38 years, and the hotel for 35 years having evolved from the house cook into executive sous chef. ‘Chef Piak’ is now guardian of Black Ginger, as well as Moo’s Kitchen.
“(At) our hotel, the turnover rate for staff is quite low,” Krystal says. “People, they become part of the culture. They become part of the family. So, they don’t like to move. They’re happy there. And it’s not about you pay them much more than others. It’s all about happiness to work with us, this one family, so they will see me walking, they’ll come talk to me.”
Luxury at The Slate includes its Design Your Home package which includes the king-size Slate bed and luxurious bedding, a stunning chandelier, the signature black Slate Art bathtub, plus a two-night stay in a luxury pool villa with daily in-villa breakfast, afternoon tea, personal butler service, round trip airport transfers, a welcome bottle of bubbles, chef’s curated arrival amenities, a private meeting with the chef to tailor your menu, an indulgent Coqoon Rebirth massage for two, a private Pilates or Muay Thai boxing session and more. The team at The Slate will also include shipping and insurance free of charge for anyone who purchases the package.
What also sets it apart is The Stockroom where guests can purchase one-of-a-kind creations that reflect the cultural and artistic heritage of Phuket and beyond. That may soon include a spice mix from chef Piak as well as a range of condiments from the Black Ginger kitchen. With uncertainty always a constant in travel, and luxury not immune, Kystal likes to keep on up to date with global trends.
“Economically, we have to always look long term to what will happen to our industry in the future, in terms of destination and economic impact around the world, that we have to look at all the details,” she says. “But for me, I will (always) be passionate. I like to tell stories, and I love what I do.”
