Villa Lomchoy

Villa Lomchoy sits on the hillside of Samsara, a private estate of just eight villas looking out over the Andaman Sea between Kamala and Patong. Soaring timber ceilings, rich hardwood floors and full-height glass give the house an airy, open feel, and the gardens fall away through tropical trees and granite boulders towards a little cove below. It suits families and small groups who want the space of a large home with the calm of a secluded hideaway.

Outside, a fourteen-metre infinity pool runs along the deck towards the sea, with sun loungers, umbrellas and a shaded Thai sala for lazy afternoons out of the sun. A jacuzzi sits on its own terrace beside the house, and when evening comes the alfresco dining table takes in the sunset over the water. Indoors, the open living room flows straight out to the pool deck, the dining table seats the whole group beside the kitchen, and a separate media room with satellite television is ready for film nights.

The real strength here is flexibility. The villa can be booked with three, four or five bedrooms, so a couple with friends or a family of six need not pay for rooms they will not use, while larger groups have space for ten. Three bedrooms have king beds and their own bathrooms, and the remaining two, a queen room and a twin that converts to a king, share a bathroom, which works well for children. Daily housekeeping, round-the-clock security and an included airport transfer make arrival and the days that follow easy.