Villa Ansellia

Villa Ansellia sits high on the hillside above Patong, inside a gated residential estate, with a wide view over the treetops to the curve of Patong Bay and the headlands beyond. Up here the mood is calm and green, with tiered gardens and the sound of the breeze in the palms, yet Patong’s beach, restaurants and shopping are only a short drive back down the hill. It is a relaxed, spacious base for two families or a group of friends who want sea views by day and the glitter of the bay at night.

The villa is a cluster of two pavilions in a blend of Thai and contemporary style, with carved timber gables, dark wood floors and clean white walls. Between them lies a forty-five-square-metre infinity pool lined with loungers and umbrellas, its far edge seeming to drop away towards the sea. Beside it, a raised Thai sala shelters a heated jacuzzi, perfect at dusk when the sky over the bay turns pink. A covered terrace with deep rattan sofas looks straight out across the water, and indoors the main pavilion opens into a bright living room under a high vaulted ceiling, a long dark-wood dining table for ten and a sleek modern kitchen with an island.

The two master bedrooms, each with a king bed and an en-suite bathroom with a bathtub, are in the main pavilion. The annex pavilion holds two twin bedrooms that can be made up as doubles, each with a rain shower and direct access to the pool, plus a second lounge of its own, so younger guests and grown-ups can each have their own space. A villa manager, chef, housekeeping, pool and garden care and security look after the house, and guests can also use the estate’s shared swimming pool, which has a shallow section for children.