With the rich life and vivid tropical colours of Kamala Bay stretched out broadly before it, Baan Lom Talay’s location is about as good as it gets. When we could tear ourselves away from watching herons and Brahminy kites swooping over the sea from the ample terraces, the

One does not appreciate Baan Lom Talay’s full size and glory until stepping inside. The stairs alone – and there are many! – are quite a wonder in the way they zigzag between the villa's four levels. The pool’s shallow section is a great feature for families, though parents will need to be watchful since there are no barriers to the deep end .

We found the villa staff to be excellent, offering us a warm welcome and being quick to assist whenever needed. We appreciated the personal touches, such as bringing fresh coffee to our bedroom terrace first thing in the morning, saving us a trip down to the kitchen. The villa manageress is especially helpful and speaks good English. Truly, the only difficulty we faced at Baan Lom Talay was leaving it!

The big and blissful Villa I is all about soothing the senses and escaping into an indulgent existence. Each room is bright, open and steeped in subtle elegance. We were disappointingly told that the ‘I’ in the villa’s name had no meaning beyond its plot

With this villa's hidden hillside location and secret pool trapdoor, James Bond himself couldn't have come up with a more clever design for enjoying a tropical retreat. It made for an exhilarating start to the day to drop straight

We really enjoyed our prime view of the jungle from all rooms, and especially from the terrace and pool where we spent most of our day. Floating on our back, looking up at the canopy overhead was truly a dream. By night, the jungle's drama continued with floodlights pointed towards it. On our first evening at the villa there was a brief rain shower, so when the lights came on we were treated to the wonderful sight of thick foliage glistening in the darkness, almost like a natural Christmas light show (we did stay here just after Christmas so it was a nice, festive touch). By day, we sat back and watched a squirrel jump out onto a papaya tree to snack on its bulbous green fruit while its avian friends flitted in and around the trees. A Chinese pond heron (we think) sometimes flew down to pose at the pool's edge – perhaps a bit of a show-off.

The bedrooms, with queen- or king-sized beds, offer a nice balance for kids and adults, though their sparse furnishings and lack of entertainment equipment make them suited for sleeping only. Which is fine, since this villa is more about enjoying time together in the pool and comfortable living-dining areas.

Having no staff in the villa meant we were left to our own devices for dining, but a list of places – some of which deliver – in a very useful villa guide led us to some good choices. The villa management company is helpful in getting you settled in and making recommendations for dining and getting around – it also provides an airport pick-up service (for an extra charge) though we had our own transport.

Samsara Villa 2 really is huge, and we loved the fact that even with large groups, there’s still a wide choice of indoor areas to escape to for some peace. The view is exceptional and the pool terrace and sala maximise the enjoyment of the natural surroundings with aplomb.

The view at Villa Benyasiri is to die for: a truly spectacular panorama. The villa is perfect for those who enjoy a private, luxury experience with little desire to leave the amazing views that the villa offers. Groups would also enjoy this

We thought that Villa Fah Sai was very homely and thoughtfully designed so that the views can be admired and enjoyed to the max. The dining deck offers the best panoramas and is perfect for entertaining, with its barbecue and built-in

For privacy, location and facilities Villa Hale Malia takes a lot of beating and we loved the modern architecture which is very different to other villas we’ve experienced in Thailand. However the real stand out is the view – you