Villa Cella

Villa Cella is a single-storey hideaway less than 100 metres from the calm sand of Plai Laem Beach, in Samui’s north-east corner. It is one of a pair of new villas on the White Lotus Estate, and it has a style all of its own: dark stone, black-framed glass and weathered timber, softened by plush furnishings, hand-carved pieces, sculptures and large contemporary artworks. Materials were sourced from across Asia, and the result feels like a private art-filled residence wrapped in tropical garden.

Outside, a twelve-metre pool of deep green stone runs the length of a 175-square-metre terrace, lined with blue-cushioned sunbeds and lounge seating for eight, with a large umbrella for the midday sun. An outdoor dining table seats ten, and the whole space is screened by palms and frangipani. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors open the living room straight onto the pool, and inside there is another table for ten beside a sleek black kitchen with an island, oven, induction hob, dishwasher and coffee machine.

All three bedrooms have king beds, en-suite bathrooms in grey chevron stone, air conditioning, a smart TV, a mini-fridge, a safe and an espresso machine, so each one works as a private retreat. The villa can also be booked as a one, two or three-bedroom stay, which makes it just as good for a couple as for a small family. A daily continental breakfast, housekeeping and a villa manager are part of every stay, and there is a shared gym on the estate. Big Buddha is little more than a kilometre away, Choeng Mon Beach under two, and Fisherman’s Village a short drive.