Himmapana Villa 3

Himmapana Villa 3 is a polished three-bedroom pool home in Himmapana Villas, a gated cluster of twelve contemporary houses at the foot of the green hills behind Kamala. Pale limestone, warm chevron-patterned timber and soft grey fabrics give it a calm, modern Thai feel, and the whole house is arranged around its pool, so the water is never more than a glance away. It is a comfortable step up from the two-bedroom villas here, sized just right for a family or three couples travelling together.

The pool, around eight metres by four, is framed by a dramatic wall of grey marble and edged with a deep sunken lounge where you can stretch out on cushions right beside the water. Teak loungers line the far side against a screen of banana palms, and a hanging daybed swings gently in a shaded corner, perfect for an afternoon with a book. Indoors, a vaulted timber ceiling crowns the open-plan living room, which flows into a dining table for six, a marble-topped breakfast counter and a well-equipped kitchen with coffee machine, microwave and induction hob.

All three bedrooms have king beds, TVs, air conditioning and their own bathrooms, with floor-to-ceiling glass opening onto either the pool deck or a garden path. The master bathroom is a bright, glass-walled space with a sculptural freestanding tub looking out towards the hills. Reception staff, housekeepers and 24-hour security look after the estate, and Kamala Beach is roughly a ten-minute walk away, with a free estate shuttle for lazier days.