Villa Napalai

Villa Napalai sits on a green hillside above Surin, one of Phuket’s most relaxed west-coast beaches, with wide views over palm tops to the Andaman Sea. It is a sleek, modern home of white walls and dark timber, and the beach is only a short walk down the hill, so mornings on the sand and afternoons by your own pool fit easily into the same day. With four bedrooms and a long list of things to do without leaving home, it is a natural fit for a family or two couples travelling together.

Tall glass doors fold back from the living and dining rooms straight onto the pool deck, where an infinity pool runs along the front of the house with loungers and big parasols beside it. A shaded timber deck with seating looks over the water to the sea, the right spot for the hottest part of the day. Down in the walled garden, framed by bamboo and a stone wall, an outdoor dining table and barbecue make evening meals feel private and unhurried, especially once the lanterns come on.

Indoors there is more than most villas of this size offer. A games room with a full-size pool table, a fitted gym, a cosy media room and a bright playroom for younger children keep everyone busy on lazy days, and a dedicated spa room with massage tables overlooks the garden. The master suite is the showpiece, with a canopy bed beneath a dark timber ceiling and a jacuzzi bathtub looking out across the treetops to the sea. A villa manager, housekeeping and security look after the home, and a chef can cook any meal on request.