WHAT’S IT LIKE? A couple of points off perfect. Exclusively
located and exquisitely conceived (think Siamese with elements of
Scandinavian), the Samui Hideaway is another triumphant creation of the
owner/designer, husband/wife Shivdasanis, aka Sonu and Eva. It would be
very easy to spend long hours hanging over the edge of the infinity
pool, if not quite King of the World then certainly pretender to the
throne of this part of it.
WHERE IS IT? At the end of the
road at the northernmost tip of Ko Samui with panoramas stretching out
to neighbouring Ko Phangan. The airport and main shopping/nightlife
strip of Chaweng are both within half an hour’s drive, but once
installed there is little inclination to venture abroad.
HOW MANY ROOMS? Rooms? Ha! We’re in a different league here with 66 thatched villas set around the hillside each overlooking the sea.
ROOM FACILITIES:
All but 14 villas (the “Hideaways”) have their own splash pool together
with a spacious, cushioned relaxation sala.And all 66 contain
glistening TV,DVD and Hi-Fi, an outdoor shower, monster sunken
bathtubs, laptop-sized safes and a double bed gloriously swathed in
mosquito netting.
DOING BUSINESS: Starting this month,
the villas are wired and the public areas Wi-Fi’d. Email access can be
arranged if you haven’t brought your laptop; likewise other business
services.
RESTAURANTS: Dining on the Hill (all day:buffet
breakfasts vault from Swedish herring to Japanese sushi via eggs and
bacon and squeezed-on-the-spot juices) and Dining on the Rocks (dinner
only: new Asian cuisine) are both self explanatory, but the latter’s
angled platforms and decks add an extra frisson. The wine cellar
(tastings positively encouraged) is both catholic and imaginative.
BAR:
Daily complimentary cocktails at sunset at Drinks on the Hill are a
highly amenable, not to mention civilised affair. A must for your diary.
FITNESS CENTRE: Very
nice, but pales in comparison beside the adjacent spa’s indoor and
outdoor treatment rooms, and a menu that goes far beyond the usual
offerings.
VERDICT: Without doubt the best on Samui, and
probably one of the best in the kingdom, largely thanks to the
redoubtable GM, Eric Hallin.
PRICE: From US$300 per night.
CONTACT: 9/10 Moo 5, Baan Plai Laem, Bophut,Koh Samui, Surathani 84320 Thailand, tel 66 77 245 678, www.sixsenses.com