Pa Sak Tong Villa

Pa Sak Tong Villa is a teak-built retreat in the countryside outside Chiang Rai, about twenty minutes from the airport, set among rice fields, lotus ponds and wooded hills where water buffalo graze within sight of the verandas. High-pitched roofs, long balconies and polished timber give it the feel of a private northern Thai country house, and with five bedrooms across the main villa and a separate river house it suits families, friends travelling together and couples who want real seclusion with attentive service.

Outdoors, a heated, chemical-free pool of twelve by six metres sits in a landscaped garden with loungers and shaded spots to read. Paths lead down past lotus ponds to gazebos at the water’s edge, an organic vegetable garden that supplies the kitchen, and a lawn for badminton, and the long balcony upstairs makes a lovely place for breakfast or a candlelit dinner looking out over the fields towards the mountains.

Inside, the main villa is furnished with oriental carpets, Buddha statues, paintings and an antique Chinese dining table, and there is a media room for films and games, a gym, a sauna and a spa room for massages. The main villa holds three bedrooms, including a master suite with a jacuzzi bathtub and a room with twin beds that suits children, while the two-bedroom teak river house has two king rooms, its own living room and a balcony over the river. A private chef cooks Thai and Western dishes using produce from the garden, with a team of hostesses looking after the house.