Villa Wayu

Villa Wayu was designed with big families in mind, and it shows. Set on a quiet stretch of Mae Nam Beach on Koh Samui’s north coast, it is a cluster of Thai pavilions with soaring, swept-up roofs, arranged around a lawn that runs to the sand and a fifteen-metre pool just steps from the sea. Inside, carved gilded panels, warm timber ceilings and cool marble floors give the rooms a sense of occasion without ever feeling formal.

Outdoor life centres on the pool, with its own jacuzzi, and a large open-sided pavilion beside it where a barbecue and a long table for fourteen make lunch by the water an easy daily habit. Loungers line the beach edge under palms and umbrellas, and a canopied daybed is perfect for an afternoon doze. The indoor living and dining room opens straight onto the view, with a second table for fourteen, and behind it sit two kitchens, one Western and one Thai, so the chef always has room to work.

Seven bedrooms, five with king beds and two with twin beds, each have their own bathroom and slide open to the garden or the pool. Children get a room of their own, kitted out with bunk beds, beanbags and a games console, which leaves the adults free to use the fitness room, sauna or outdoor massage sala. Breakfast is included every morning, return airport transfers are taken care of, and the village shops and restaurants of Mae Nam are within walking distance.