Villa Nordic Star

Villa Nordic Star is a striking modern home on the hill above Kata Beach, a four-level composition of white concrete, warm timber and floor-to-ceiling glass. It faces west over green hills and rooftops to the Andaman Sea, so the sunsets are the main event, whether you watch them from the pool, the living room or the rooftop. Kata’s beach, cafés and shops are only about a kilometre and a half away, yet up here it feels private and wonderfully calm.

The long infinity pool runs straight off the living level, its edge melting into the view, with cushioned loungers lined up along a wide stone terrace. Above it all is the villa’s signature: a huge rooftop garden of soft lawn behind clear glass balustrades, with beanbags for lazy afternoons, a bubbling jacuzzi and a glass-fronted sauna that looks out across the bay. It is the Nordic touch the villa is named for, and an unforgettable place to start or finish the day.

Inside, glass walls frame the hills and sea from a sunken lounge with a vast L-shaped sofa, a twelve-seat dining table and a sleek chef’s kitchen with a long central island. The lower level is all about downtime, with a pool table, foosball and a big screen for film nights. All four bedrooms sit together on their own floor, each with a king bed, a dressing area, a desk, a television and a balcony, and the bathrooms are beautifully finished, with sculptural freestanding tubs in some.