Villa Riva Samui

Villa Riva Samui is a grand Thai-style estate stepping down a jungle-covered hillside to the water’s edge at Bang Po, on Koh Samui’s north coast. Three pavilions with soaring, carved temple-style roofs sit among six thousand square metres of tropical gardens, and a path leads down to a secluded little cove of sand and rocks with a waterside deck and sala. Across the bay, the view runs out to Koh Phangan, and the sunsets are spectacular.

The centrepiece is a thirty-two-metre infinity pool that seems to pour straight into the sea, with a shaded sala on the water for lazy afternoons and alfresco meals. Inside, the house is warm with polished teak, high ceilings and Thai artwork: two living rooms, a billiard table, and a round dining table with a lazy Susan, large enough for everyone. Then there are the extras that make it feel like a private resort, including a home cinema with plush reclining seats, a gym with sea views, a sauna, a jacuzzi and a dedicated massage room.

Seven bedrooms spread across the pavilions, most with king beds and several with canopied four-posters, sea-view balconies and deep jacuzzi tubs. The seventh bedroom has an adjoining children’s room, ideal for families with little ones. A villa manager, a chef and an attentive housekeeping team look after everything, breakfast is included, and the concierge can arrange boat trips, kayaks and island excursions.