Villa Mayavee

Villa Mayavee is a striking piece of modern architecture perched on a cliff above Waterfall Bay, on the stretch of coast between Kamala and Patong known as Millionaire’s Mile. Designed by Tierra Design and completed in 2009, its long, zigzagging form of stone, glass and timber steps down four levels through thick rainforest, and from almost every corner the Andaman Sea fills the view. Arriving through a stone hallway with a glass-encased spiral staircase, you feel the drama of the place at once, yet the mood inside is calm, private and wonderfully quiet.

Outdoors, a twenty-one-metre infinity pool runs along the cliff top, its dark edge dissolving into the blue below, with a pergola-shaded sun deck and loungers under big white umbrellas. A second pool and a rooftop lounge with cushioned daybeds give you a front-row seat for the sunset over the sea, and the jacuzzi is perfect for a late-evening soak. Inside, a suspended lounge bridges the two wings with sea views on both sides, the main living room offers deep sofas and a large television, and a sleek open kitchen leads to a long dining table framed by glass walls and treetops.

The master wing sits on its own on the main level, a generous suite with a sea-facing freestanding bathtub. Across the suspended lounge, the guest wing holds two more king bedrooms and a twin room that suits children well, each with its own bathroom. A private gym, barbecue and wide terraces round things out, breakfast is included every day, and a team of three staff with 24-hour security looks after the villa. Surin and Kamala beaches are a short drive away, yet up on the headland it feels miles from anywhere.