Villa Rom Trai

Villa Rom Trai stands high on the cliff at Samsara, a private, secure estate of just eight villas on the stretch of coast between Kamala and Patong. Set some forty metres above the water, it looks over Nakalay Bay and down the coastline to Patong, and the house is built to make the most of it: several levels stepping up the hillside beneath steep shingle roofs, with walls of glass, rich hardwood floors and the Andaman Sea filling almost every window. Nearly a thousand square metres of living space and its own gardens give five bedrooms a great deal of room to spread out.

The twelve-metre infinity pool sits on its own level at the top of the house, lined with loungers and big umbrellas and facing straight out to sea with nothing in the way. Beside it, a long alfresco table and a barbecue make dinner outside the obvious choice, while a jacuzzi on the master suite’s terrace looks out over the treetops to the bay. Indoors, a soaring living room with a timber ceiling opens to the view, a book-lined lounge makes a quiet retreat, and a third sitting room gives everyone a corner of their own. The indoor dining table seats ten, and there is a sauna, a steam room and a small gym with a sea view for those who like to start the day moving.

All five bedrooms have king beds, air conditioning and terraces facing the sea, grouped together on one floor so the sleeping level stays calm and private. A resident chef cooks Thai, Western, Chinese and Indian dishes, housekeeping is daily, security runs around the clock, and Kamala Beach is about five minutes away by car, with Patong only a little further.