Villa Khum Sak Tong

Villa Khum Sak Tong is a solid-teak estate in the countryside outside Chiang Rai, about twenty minutes from the airport, surrounded by rice paddies, mountains and lotus ponds in Thailand’s far north. A grand two-bedroom main house is joined by two separate one-bedroom river houses, so it works beautifully for families and friends who like to share meals and days out but still have a private retreat of their own, and couples in particular will love the river houses.

The grounds are the heart of the stay, with garden paths, tropical trees, fountains, koi ponds and lotus ponds, and gazebos where you can sit and watch the sunset over the fields. A huge heated, chemical-free pool of thirty by twelve metres has loungers along its edge, and you can stroll down to the river to see the water buffalo. Two spas with saunas sit within the gardens, one with a carved stone bath for soaking after a herbal steam.

The living pavilion is a soaring open-plan teak longhouse with views over the rice paddies and mountains, furnished with European antiques, rare contemporary art, antique chandeliers and carpets, with several dining spots from candlelit pavilions to a table by the koi pond. The two master suites in the main house have claw-foot bathtubs and heated bathroom floors, and every bedroom has climate control, a large dressing area and a private balcony or terrace. A European-trained chef cooks with produce from the organic gardens, breakfast is included, and a large team of staff looks after housekeeping, butler service and security.