Northstar

ON LOCATION | Phuket, THAILAND 50 JAN-FEB 2018 meetings & conventions • mcmag-asia.com A mere 15 minutes from the airport, the Pullman Arcadia welcomes us with its breezy lobby and magnetic view that draws the eye to the beautiful Naithon Beach and ocean. At first glance, you'd never know the hotel is made for MICE, with five meeting spaces for up to 600. We stepped into the darkened ballroom and the panoramic video burst into life. The video lit up a dais supporting a long meeting table in the middle of the huge space. We took our places and Brett Wilson, general manager, introduced the hotel, explaining how impactful, productive and green an event could be. "We're gutsy, daring and inspiring," he said. "Around 30 percent of our clients want to say thank you to their teams and really turn it on. We like to tap our wow staff and let them be proud of what we offer, and we want you to feel you're in Thailand and truly connected to the country." Playtime in Phuket Top: The Arcadia Ballroom features a long table raised on a stage for VIP guests MAKING THE RIGHT IMPACT Themed meeting breaks bring Phuket's enticing culture to the foyer: Thai dancers moved gracefully along the water feature walls; and a posse of guys rode up on motorbikes. Selfies followed. And then pre-dinner, we congregated for a cocktail class between C Bar, in a corner of the breezy lobby, and the sunken lounges. A neat way to bond as a team. Our evening meal on Italian restaurant Vero's poolside platform was at a table set for 14. Soft purple lights glowed through the dark and chilled music mixed with the sound of the ocean's waves. Charcuterie sharing plates were joined by plates of carbonara cooked tableside in a carved-out Parmesan wheel, the wine poured and the evening flowed. As the time neared midnight, we returned to our rooms. Of the 277 to choose from, the Ocean, Ocean Grand and One Bedroom Ocean Pool Villas allow you to drift to sleep to the sound of the waves crashing on the shores, and awake to the beams of sunshine streaming through the balcony doors. The next day brought an early start. Yoga comes with a sea view up from up high on the roof of the hilltop gym, where the secluded lap pool is a peaceful Words Catharine Nicol The Pullman Phuket Arcadia expertly juggles business and leisure with productive team building programmes "Around 30 percent of our clients want to say thank you to their teams and really turn it on. We like to tap our wow staff and let them be proud of what we offer..." – BRETT WILSON, GENERAL MANAGER

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