Villa Frangipani Samui

Villa Frangipani sits on its own stretch of Mae Nam Beach, on the peaceful north coast of Koh Samui, in a small private estate of beachfront homes. Coconut palms lean over the lawn, a hammock is strung between the trunks, and beyond the garden wall the bay is usually calm enough for an easy swim. It is a laid-back, barefoot sort of place, where the sea is always in view and the hardest decision is pool or beach.

The villa is laid out in a U shape around a fifteen-metre pool, so the living spaces and bedrooms are kept apart and everyone gets a quiet night’s sleep. At the seaward end, an open Thai sala with a long dining table looks straight out over the water, and a veranda with a canopy daybed is the spot for a lazy afternoon. Indoors, the living room mixes carved Thai furniture and art with soft modern sofas, and the dining room opens onto the pool through sliding doors, next to a smart, well-equipped kitchen.

Five bedrooms, set in two separate pavilions, sleep up to ten: two king rooms and three twin rooms, each with its own bathroom and carved Thai bed frames. Every bedroom opens to the garden and pool. Breakfast is included each day, a team of housekeepers, a gardener and security look after the villa, and airport transfers are part of the stay. For smaller groups, the villa can also be booked with three or four bedrooms.