Villa Beach Haven

Villa Beach Haven is a sleek, single-level home on the hillside above Samrong Bay, part of the small Samui Bayside estate near Plai Laem on Koh Samui’s north-eastern corner. The house wraps in an L around its pool deck, so almost every room opens through sliding glass onto the terrace and the view beyond: treetops, a wooded headland, the turquoise bay and the mountainous islands across the water. Inside, white walls and pale floors are lifted by teal sofas and bold contemporary art.

The infinity pool is the centre of everything, its glass-edged rim looking straight out to sea, with a sand-coloured deck, rattan sunbeds and a covered lounge for the hottest part of the day. Evenings are something special here, as the sky over the bay turns orange and violet and the pool lights come on. Indoors, the living room flows around the corner into a dining table for eight and a long, fully equipped kitchen, all lined with glass so the panorama follows you through the house.

Three air-conditioned bedrooms each have a king bed, an en-suite bathroom and glass doors straight onto the pool terrace, and the master adds its own TV. Housekeeping and round-the-clock security look after the villa, a private chef can be arranged, and meals can also be ordered from the estate’s restaurant. Samrong Bay’s sandy shore lies just down the hill, while Choeng Mon, Big Buddha, Bophut and Chaweng are all an easy drive.