Netherlands-based hotel and resort operator Golden Tulip has opened its first hotel on the island of Phuket in Thailand.

The group has extensively refurbished The Mangosteen Resort and Spa after acquiring it from a previous owner.

The resort offers 41 villa-style rooms, which most villas offering privacy with outside garden bathrooms and rain showers, private spa pools and quiet terraces with hammocks.

Facilities also include a large spa - one of the firsts on the island to offer treatments based on Ayurveda.

There is also a small, 130sq m Multimedia Room offering conferencing and wedding party space with a view of the Andaman Sea.

Claude Baltes, the general manager of the Golden Tulip Mangosteen Resort and Spa said the company had invested heavily in bringing the resort up to Golden Tulip standards, especially in relation to being the only Ayurveda Spa destination in Phuket.

"Phuket remains an extremely popular destination for domestic and overseas visitors and we are certainly proud of our Ayurveda Spa and the team of managers and therapists we have welcomed on board at the resort to compliment the overall experience we provide," Baltes said.

"The emphasis for any programme at our spa is on individual diagnosis - Ayurveda considers diet, lifestyle and toxicity to eliminate the root cause of illness. Ayurveda is a way of life we are delighted to be able to bring to our resort.

"This together with our cosy, yet chic location in the hills and our close proximity to some wonderful beaches indicates Golden Tulip are on the right track engaging this resort and spa as a core launch pad to our expansion in Thailand and Asia."

Golden Tulip Hospitality Group operates 255 mid- upper- and luxury hotels and resorts in 38 countries with a total room count of more than 27,000.

All Golden Tulip properties are operated under three brands - Tulip Inn, a portfolio of three-star city centre hotels; Golden Tulip, a group of four-star properties targeting leisure travellers; and Royal Tulip, the group's five-star brand which are mainly located in gateway city centres and business districts.