Sensible For Seniors Villas in Choeng Mon, Koh Samui, Thailand

Sleeps 6

Panorama Summit

A line from The Carpenters’ song: “I’m on the top of the world, looking down on creation” pops into my mind as I lie on a sun lounger by the pool at Panorama Summit. Yet although we’re almost in the clouds, it’s only a short (but admittedly steep) drive to the village and pristine beach below. Nothing obscures the view here – even the hedges of white bougainvillea are perfectly trimmed to knee-height so you look over the pretty blossoms, past the coconut plantations, to the glistening temples and beyond to the sailboats in the bay.

And the view doesn’t fade with the sunset. At night you can see the village lights, a green glow from the squid fishing boats, fireworks from the beach resorts and, if you’re as lucky as we were, spectacular flashes of ‘dry lightning’. One of our favourite places to enjoy the view was from the front edge of the infinity pool, perhaps not ideal for those who suffer from vertigo though.

When we felt the need to pay for our over-indulgence at one of the many excellent local seafood restaurants, a friendly game of tennis (racket and ball hire available at the office) at the estate’s shared court, or a walk down to the beach – and back – did the trick.

We enjoyed delicious continental breakfasts prepared by the resident housekeeper, but if you want a cooked breakfast (or a private chef to prepare any other meal), this can easily be arranged for a reasonable fee plus provisions charged at cost plus 15%. Khun Pee, the villa manager, will gladly help you arrange a chef and can take care of many other concierge services too, be it an in-house massage or a boat trip to one of Samui’s outlying islands.

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From $490 ++ Special 4br Rate

Sleeps 8

Panorama Summit

A line from The Carpenters’ song: “I’m on the top of the world, looking down on creation” pops into my mind as I lie on a sun lounger by the pool at Panorama Summit. Yet although we’re almost in the clouds, it’s only a short (but admittedly steep) drive to the village and pristine beach below. Nothing obscures the view here – even the hedges of white bougainvillea are perfectly trimmed to knee-height so you look over the pretty blossoms, past the coconut plantations, to the glistening temples and beyond to the sailboats in the bay.

And the view doesn’t fade with the sunset. At night you can see the village lights, a green glow from the squid fishing boats, fireworks from the beach resorts and, if you’re as lucky as we were, spectacular flashes of ‘dry lightning’. One of our favourite places to enjoy the view was from the front edge of the infinity pool, perhaps not ideal for those who suffer from vertigo though.

When we felt the need to pay for our over-indulgence at one of the many excellent local seafood restaurants, a friendly game of tennis (racket and ball hire available at the office) at the estate’s shared court, or a walk down to the beach – and back – did the trick.

We enjoyed delicious continental breakfasts prepared by the resident housekeeper, but if you want a cooked breakfast (or a private chef to prepare any other meal), this can easily be arranged for a reasonable fee plus provisions charged at cost plus 15%. Khun Pee, the villa manager, will gladly help you arrange a chef and can take care of many other concierge services too, be it an in-house massage or a boat trip to one of Samui’s outlying islands.

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From $530 ++

Sleeps 10

Motsamot

Our initial concern at the location soon gave way to satisfied sighs when we settled into Motsamot's appealing, natural surroundings. The serene forested setting and abundance of space more than compensated for the lack of beach or ocean views, and with 20m of cool blue pool to swim and splash around in we never felt an overpowering urge to get sand between our toes.

The villa's intriguing design touches and framed photographs of Asia not only make it feel homely, but also had us pointing out details to each other; playing 'guess the country of origin' as we admired the owner's well-travelled taste. It's hard to confine yourself to one spot at Motsamot and we definitely wished we'd come as a group to make the most of all the different lounging, dining and bathing options. The staff happily but unobtrusively followed us around, bringing us cool drinks as we switched from pool to sala to lounge and finally to the terrace. They even moved the furniture outside for us when we decided the latter was the best place to relax with a book. Having a rental car meant both Choeng Mon and Chaweng were an easy hop for dinner by the sea. During the day we survived on the filling breakfast (included) and then snacks we bought at the local minimart. Not a choice for seasoned beach freaks perhaps, but certainly a very comfortable and original villa if, like us, you like a bit of privacy, plus the freedom to come and go with ease.

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TBA

Bedrooms 3

Sleeps 6

Our
Rating 7.5

Motsamot

Our initial concern at the location soon gave way to satisfied sighs when we settled into Motsamot's appealing, natural surroundings. The serene forested setting and abundance of space more than compensated for the lack of beach or ocean views, and with 20m of cool blue pool to swim and splash around in we never felt an overpowering urge to get sand between our toes.

The villa's intriguing design touches and framed photographs of Asia not only make it feel homely, but also had us pointing out details to each other; playing 'guess the country of origin' as we admired the owner's well-travelled taste. It's hard to confine yourself to one spot at Motsamot and we definitely wished we'd come as a group to make the most of all the different lounging, dining and bathing options. The staff happily but unobtrusively followed us around, bringing us cool drinks as we switched from pool to sala to lounge and finally to the terrace. They even moved the furniture outside for us when we decided the latter was the best place to relax with a book. Having a rental car meant both Choeng Mon and Chaweng were an easy hop for dinner by the sea. During the day we survived on the filling breakfast (included) and then snacks we bought at the local minimart. Not a choice for seasoned beach freaks perhaps, but certainly a very comfortable and original villa if, like us, you like a bit of privacy, plus the freedom to come and go with ease.

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TBA

Bedrooms 4

Sleeps 8

Our
Rating 7.5

Motsamot

Our initial concern at the location soon gave way to satisfied sighs when we settled into Motsamot's appealing, natural surroundings. The serene forested setting and abundance of space more than compensated for the lack of beach or ocean views, and with 20m of cool blue pool to swim and splash around in we never felt an overpowering urge to get sand between our toes.

The villa's intriguing design touches and framed photographs of Asia not only make it feel homely, but also had us pointing out details to each other; playing 'guess the country of origin' as we admired the owner's well-travelled taste. It's hard to confine yourself to one spot at Motsamot and we definitely wished we'd come as a group to make the most of all the different lounging, dining and bathing options. The staff happily but unobtrusively followed us around, bringing us cool drinks as we switched from pool to sala to lounge and finally to the terrace. They even moved the furniture outside for us when we decided the latter was the best place to relax with a book. Having a rental car meant both Choeng Mon and Chaweng were an easy hop for dinner by the sea. During the day we survived on the filling breakfast (included) and then snacks we bought at the local minimart. Not a choice for seasoned beach freaks perhaps, but certainly a very comfortable and original villa if, like us, you like a bit of privacy, plus the freedom to come and go with ease.

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TBA

Sleeps 9

Our
Rating 7.5

Samui Summit Estate - Hilltop View 2

We thoroughly appreciated the care and dedication that had clearly gone into furnishing and decorating Hilltop View 2. And the years that the owners spent amassing their treasure trove of antiques and collectables have certainly paid off. However, the house doesn’t feel like a museum – many of the pieces are usable items, although a few, such as the teapot collection, are carefully put away for eyes only.

Although TV shouldn’t make or break a holiday, it was nice to be able to watch what we wanted from our bed, each room having its own satellite channels. Not that we managed to stay awake for long: the bed was so comfortable (with both down and foam pillows) that sleep came quickly. But be careful! The silent air-con and black out curtains meant that it was all too easy to miss the sunrise and that early morning beach run. We made the most of the tropical climate by drifting between the pool and jacuzzi for cooling down, reading in the shaded sala, and grabbing a drink from the outdoor bar in between. The housekeeper keeps the villa spotless and estate manager Khun Birth is happy to act as a concierge service and book any extras or activities you may require, such as a chef, massage, or transfer, and is knowledgeable on what to do in the area.

We chose to open up the sliding doors to the pool and let in the sea breeze while enjoying our continental breakfast, later changing to air-con when the midday heat set in. The fully equipped compact kitchen offered a home-from-home feel and we enjoyed whipping up a few snacks after stocking up at the fresh food market. Making use of the private chef one night was however an indulgent luxury not to be missed.

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TBA

Bedrooms 4

Sleeps 8

Samui Summit Estate - Hilltop View 4