La Colline Villa Suriyan 16

La Colline Villa Suriyan 16 is a grand, multi-level hillside home in the La Colline estate above Layan, in Phuket’s quiet north-west, a few minutes’ drive from Layan Beach. Set high among forested hills, it looks out over a sweep of green valley and paddy fields to the mountains and a distant glimpse of the sea, and at dusk, when the lights come on under the timber roofs, the whole house glows. With eight bedrooms and room for sixteen, it is made for large families and groups of friends who want to be under one roof without ever feeling crowded.

The outdoor spaces are the star. Two swimming pools step down the hillside, one wrapped around a timber pavilion that seems to float on the water, the other a long, glass-edged pool reaching out towards the view, and there is a jacuzzi for slow evenings. Loungers and big umbrellas line the decks, an open-sided terrace lounge catches the breeze, and long outdoor tables on the balconies make every meal a view. Inside, a vaulted living room, a formal dining room seating the whole group and a sleek, fully equipped kitchen open onto the terraces, and there is a private gym with treadmills and weights.

The eight bedrooms are bright and colourful, each with its own bathroom and air conditioning: five with king beds and three twin rooms that suit children or friends sharing. Several open straight onto terraces and the hillside greenery. Breakfast is included every day, a chef can cook lunch and dinner on request, daily housekeeping and a personal guest assistant look after the house, and an airport transfer each way is part of the stay. Layan Beach, Bang Tao and the restaurants and shops of Cherng Talay are all an easy drive away.