Created by four like-minded Thai architects with a passion for photography, the Foto Hotel is a study in gray. A geometric cluster of slate-colored rectangles make up the building. The photographic theme announces itself the moment guests open the front door. Entirely monochrome, the striking lobby is adorned with black canopy chairs, white pillows, checker-print teddy bears, and a wall of artfully arranged empty black frames. The ceiling is hung with dramatic, short white curtains that simulate hanging photo paper. And a series of vintage cameras are on display behind the front desk. Thanks to its hillside location, the hotel is based on several split levels that offer wonderful views. It's beautifully interconnected with wood-railed staircases and a mini funicular. While the lobby is striking, the hotel's main attraction is nine stories up via a funicular ride. It's here where guests find the infinity-edge pool. The overall vibe of the hotel is accurately captured by a whimsical sign posted by the pool encouraging guests to relax, stay calm, and keep their swimsuits on. As expected, the hyper-designed space draws young couples and artistic souls looking to unwind in style.

The Foto Hotel's airy location on the side of a steep hill gives guests a bird's-eye view of the beach and the ocean. But it takes a car -- or sturdy legs -- to get to nearby restaurants and the beach.

• Five-minute drive to Kata Noi Beach
• Five-minute drive to Kata Yai Beach
• Five-minute drive to Kata Center
• 10-minute drive to Karon Beach
• 15-minute drive to Patong
• 30-minute drive to Big Buddha
• 90-minute drive to Phuket International Airport

As expected, all of Foto's 79 guest rooms continue the monochromatic theme with off-white tile floors, gray marble countertops, and black-and-white photographs hung on dove-gray walls. Modern chandeliers are a witty callback to the lobby's hanging photo paper feature. The lobby's checker-print teddy bears make another appearance here, too. Rooms are centered on black platform king-size beds.  On a split level behind the beds, small black desks and canopied benches (in some rooms) sit in front of a glass-windows that open into the bathrooms. Amenities include flat-screen TVs, black bathrobes, minibars stocked with free non-alcoholic beverages, French-press coffeemakers, and safes. In the bathrooms, gray marble and stenciled photography quotes adorn the walk-in showers and separate bathtubs. (Ocean Hall rooms have bathtubs on the balconies.) Two huge sliding-glass doors open onto private balconies with circular white-wicker love seats.

Rooms are divided into two distinct categories distinguished primarily by views. The Ocean Hall rooms feature views of Kata Noi beach and the Andaman Sea while the Ozone Hall rooms face inward, offering less appealing views of the hotel's hallways.

The sleek infinity-edge pool is the hotel's true showstopper. Rimmed in gray marble and decorative black pebbles, it overlooks the coastline. Canopied lounge chairs and floor pillows are on each side, and a few loungers sit on a marble ledge, just inches in the water. The adjacent Playground lounge -- made up of faux-grass tiers dropping down the hillside -- is dotted with soft beanbag seating, ideal for sunset cocktails or late-night stargazing. Also on the roof is Tiffen Mama, the hotel's stylish restaurant serving both Thai and Western cuisine. To accommodate their young, night-owl clientele, the breakfast service stretches into the afternoon. Light snacks are served later in the day followed by happy hour specials and dinner.

The Bokeh spa abandons gray and black in favor of a white-on-white aesthetic. Blonde wood, white tiles, and white lacquered doors lead to spacious treatment rooms, designed for couples massage and bath treatments. The spa also has private terraces with views of the ground's thick green foliage. At the other end of the spectrum, the hotel's small gym, minimally equipped with three pieces of cardio equipment and free weights, feels like an afterthought. 

The plush Process Room with its reclining purple velvet chairs, flat-screen TV, beverage bar, and ample reading material, serves as a lounge for guests to relax while waiting for check in or to collect themselves before heading to the airport. And the hotel lobby has a library nook and a tidy business area with a bank of computers set atop a rustic wood table. 

Foto also offers a shuttle service that delivers guests directly from hotel to Kata Beach. But this shuttle only runs three times a day and requires advanced reservations.