Malaiwana Penthouse

Malaiwana Penthouse takes the whole top floor of a low-rise building on the forested slopes above Nai Thon, on Phuket’s peaceful north-west coast. This is a penthouse apartment rather than a standalone villa, but it lives like a house: more than seven hundred square metres of glass-walled rooms and open terraces, all turned towards the Andaman Sea. Below, the curve of Nai Thon Beach and the green headlands of Sirinat National Park fill the view, and the evenings bring some of the finest sunsets on the island.

The centrepiece is a twenty-metre marble-edged infinity pool that seems to hang over the treetops, with loungers under a slatted pergola and an outdoor lounge set right on the edge. A long teak table beside the water is where lunch and dinner are served, with a barbecue close at hand. Behind sliding glass doors, the open-plan living and dining rooms are bright and contemporary, dressed with bold modern art and soft sofas, and the sleek white kitchen sits next to a media room for film nights.

Four bedrooms sleep eight, and each has its own bathroom and air conditioning. Two have king beds, and the other two have twin beds that can be pushed together as kings, so the layout suits couples, friends or families with children equally well. Most rooms face the sea through floor-to-ceiling glass. A villa manager and housekeeping team look after the penthouse, breakfast is included each morning, and the Thai chef can cook Thai or western dishes for other meals.