Villa Lilawadee

Villa Lilawadee is a warm, Thai-styled family home tucked into the green hillside above Chaweng, where frangipani, palms and clipped hedges wrap around the house and the only sounds are birdsong and the breeze. From the upstairs balconies the trees open up to a wide blue slice of the Gulf of Thailand, and yet Chaweng Noi beach is only around five minutes away by car. It is a relaxed, unpretentious base for a family or a few friends who want privacy and greenery without being far from the island’s beaches and restaurants.

Life here centres on the garden. A long turquoise pool runs across a soft green lawn, with red beanbags, a daybed and a big yellow umbrella beside it, and Thai sculptures dotted among the planting. Inside, the open-plan living room has coffered timber ceilings, a large L-shaped sofa, a flat-screen TV and tall windows that fold the garden into the room. The dining table seats everyone, and the kitchen, finished in warm wood with granite worktops and a central island, is fully equipped for cooking at home, with a barbecue outside for evenings by the pool.

The three bedrooms each have a king bed, dark timber floors and full-height glass doors, and the upper rooms open onto balconies with chairs and a small table looking over the hillside and out to sea. Each has its own bathroom with a rain shower and a stone basin. Daily housekeeping and a guest manager keep things running smoothly, and a private chef, massage, a car, a scooter or airport transfers can all be arranged.