Villa Cattleya 5B

Villa Cattleya 5B sits high on the hillside at the quiet northern end of Patong, part of a hillside estate of Thai-style residences looking straight down over the bay. From its terraces the whole sweep of Patong Beach opens out below, with green headlands on either side and the Andaman Sea beyond, and the busy town feels a world away even though the sand, restaurants and shops are only a few minutes down the hill. It is a lovely fit for two couples or a small family who want a private, characterful base with a view.

The plunge pool is the villa’s showpiece. Its infinity edge seems to spill out over the treetops towards the sea, flanked by carved stone seahorses and elephants and backed by a tall sandstone wall of Thai reliefs that glows at dusk. Beside it, a shaded timber terrace holds sun loungers and an outdoor dining table, the natural place for breakfast in the morning breeze or a slow evening as the lights come on around the bay. Inside, the living room has deep sofas, a television and wide sliding doors to the terrace, and leads to a dining table beneath a lofty beamed ceiling and a sleek, fully equipped kitchen.

Both bedrooms are generous suites with rich red timber floors, ceiling fans, air conditioning and their own bathrooms, and both open through tall doors onto balconies with views over the bay. The master has a king bed, a sitting area and a sunken jacuzzi bathtub, and the second room has two single beds that can be joined as a king, with its own jacuzzi tub too. Housekeeping and round-the-clock security are part of the stay, airport transfers are included both ways, and an estate shuttle saves walking up and down the hill.