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Phuket’s beach club scene isn't subtle. Along Bangtao Beach, competition is loud, polished and increasingly global, with venues vying for attention through international headline DJs, high-energy, traveller-targeted parties and ever-bigger price tags. But Carpe Diem Beach Club has taken a different route.
Founded by industry heavyweights Benny de Bellis and Bruce Hanrahan – whose combined experience spans the likes of Nikki Beach and Café del Mar – alongside partner Kirk Stucker, Carpe Diem is, quite literally, built around the idea of seizing the day.
Since opening in 2021, the beachfront venue has quietly carved out its own lane on Bangtao, so we sat down with the team behind it to talk about timing, taste and what it really means to do daytime right in Phuket.
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You spent two decades with Nikki Beach before launching Carpe Diem. What was the ‘lightbulb moment’ when you realised Phuket needed this specific type of venue?
Benny: The lightbulb moment came when we recognised that Phuket – particularly the Bang Tao Beach area – needed a more sophisticated take on the beach club concept. While the area had a growing audience of luxury residential and resort buyers, there was no true beachfront destination that met those expectations. The idea originated with me, and was fully realised when Bruce Hanrahan joined, bringing the operational expertise from both Nikki Beach and Café Del Mar needed to bring it to life. Mid last year, Kirk Stucker joined as a partner, injecting fresh energy and marking the next chapter for what is now the Carpe Diem Collective.
The name Carpe Diem is a classic sentiment. How do you translate ‘seize the day’ into a tangible guest experience on Bangtao Beach?
Bruce: For us, Carpe Diem is about making the most of the entire day and evening. We create an experience with natural flow and energy, starting with world-class food and service, moving through lively pool and beach moments with music and DJs and continuing into refined beachfront dining right at the water’s edge. Guests often arrive for lunch, stay for the atmosphere and end the evening under the stars without ever feeling a hard transition. That sense of momentum (sophisticated, social, and vibrant) is how we bring ‘seize the day’
to life on Bangtao Beach.
Bang Tao has become a competitive hub for beach clubs. What is the one thing Carpe Diem offers that guests simply cannot find anywhere else on the island?
Kirk: What sets Carpe Diem apart is the way the day is structured, with energy building from the afternoon rather than late at night. Sundays centre around our highly popular lunchtime brunches, which offer strong value, followed by pool parties from 3pm that build through sunset and naturally ease into dinner.
Food is another key differentiator. Instead of a broad international menu, we focus on Mediterranean cuisine, offering depth and quality across Italian, French, Spanish, Greek and more. This balance of timing, food and atmosphere is something guests don’t find elsewhere in Phuket.
You’ve described the club as ‘sophisticated and mature.’ In an era of high-energy ‘party’ clubs, why was it important to lean into a more refined, soulful atmosphere?
Bruce: When we say ‘sophisticated and mature,’ we’re referring to how the experience is delivered, not the age of our guests. While many of our regulars are in their 30s and 40s, we also attract a strong 20s-30s crowd who value quality, atmosphere, and energy done with class. Sophisticated doesn’t mean slow; it means considered. Rather than chasing short, high-impact party moments, we create an environment where music, food, service and design come together to feel vibrant, social and polished from day to night.
Music is the heartbeat of any beach club. How do you curate the soundscape here to ensure it evolves from a lazy lunch into a sundowner session?
Kirk: We treat music as part of the atmosphere, not the main event. Earlier in the day, it complements food, conversation and the setting. From mid-afternoon – particularly during pool sessions – the energy gradually lifts with DJs who know how to build momentum rather than spike it. As sunset approaches, the sound becomes more rhythmic and immersive, before naturally easing into a refined dinner vibe. The key is flow – guests shouldn’t notice the transitions; they should just feel the energy shift.
Time Out readers are food-obsessed. If someone is visiting for the first time, which three dishes are absolute ‘must-orders’?
Benny: Our à la carte menu is very much a journey around the Mediterranean. We always
recommend starting with the seafood tower, which showcases the quality of our seafood
and sets the tone for the meal. For a main, the whole lobster linguine is a signature dish
and a guest favourite, while the octopus à la Plancha perfectly reflects the coastal
Mediterranean flavours we focus on. To finish, our homemade cannoli is a must.
How does the culinary team balance authentic Mediterranean flavours with the local ingredients and environment of Thailand?
Benny: The base is Mediterranean technique, but we’re very conscious of where we are. Phuket has exceptional seafood and herbs and we use them wherever possible. The result is food that feels familiar but vibrant; Mediterranean in style, with freshness that really reflects Phuket.
What’s the philosophy behind your cocktail program – are you reinventing the classics or sticking to the traditional beachside favourites?
Benny: We respect the classics and execute them well, but we also bring personality to the menu. Our signature cocktails are inspired by a Mediterranean dolce vita sensibility – light, refreshing and made for long afternoons. A guest favourite is the Prosecco Sorbet, inspired by the Italian Sgroppino, blending vodka and lemon sorbet, topped with Prosecco. It’s playful, refreshing and perfectly suited to the setting.
Having seen the beach club industry evolve from Miami to Phuket, what do you think is the biggest trend currently shaping the future of luxury seaside hospitality?
Bruce: Guests today are far more informed and discerning. They expect quality across food, service, music and setting, but also value experiences that feel personal and well considered. Luxury no longer has to be out of reach – it’s about value, consistency,
and flexibility. We’re also seeing strong demand for private events and full buyouts,
where guests can experience a venue like Carpe Diem in a more tailored, intimate way.
High energy still matters, but it needs to be delivered with intention and balance.
What is the most common mistake new beach clubs make when trying to establish a ‘luxury’ brand?
Kirk: Many new businesses in our industry invest heavily in the opening and underestimate what comes after. When staff, management, service culture and product take a back seat, performance inevitably suffers. Luxury is built over time, as food, beverage, service and atmosphere evolve alongside the clientele. Over the past four years, we’ve focused on continuous improvement because ultimately, it’s the guest who shapes the direction of a venue.
Running a venue like this is 24/7. When the sun goes down and the guests leave, what is your personal favourite way to ‘seize the day’?
Bruce: Everyone resets differently. I enjoy a quiet moment by the water with a glass of wine
once the beach settles. Benny is more likely to have a cold beer and call it an early night so
he can be back at the club for opening the next day. And Kirk... Kirk usually keeps working; he’s a machine. It’s that balance between reflection, discipline, and momentum that keeps everything moving.
Phuket’s tourism landscape has changed dramatically in the last few years. How has Carpe Diem’s guest profile shifted since you opened in 2021?
Benny: When we opened, the world was still in pandemic mode and travel remained uncertain. We didn’t yet realise we were coming out of it, but we saw an opportunity and felt it was a moment to act rather than regret, very much in the spirit of Carpe Diem. Initially, our guests were mainly Phuket residents and long-stay travellers. As travel returned, our audience naturally evolved into a more international, well-travelled crowd that values quality, atmosphere and consistency.
What do you want the legacy of Carpe Diem to be in the story of Phuket’s hospitality scene?
Benny: We want Carpe Diem Bangtao to be remembered as a place that did things properly, where food, service, atmosphere and setting were given equal weight. A seaside venue that evolved with its guests rather than chasing trends, proving a beach club could be both energetic and refined.
From La Dolce Vita Sundays to sunset moments by the sea, we set out to create experiences people return to year after year because they feel consistent, welcoming and timeless. While this chapter began in Bangtao, it’s very much the foundation for what comes next.