A picture-postcard beach view is lovely, but sometimes a busy beach scene, viewed from on high is far more interesting. Trying to read a book on one of Baan Bua Sawan’s sun-loungers was difficult – not for any lack of comfort, but because the view was just too interesting to concentrate. Watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury sailboats anchored in the bay was a very pleasant distraction though. And the villa’s elevated position means that although you’re in a development of several villas, the pool terrace is absolutely private.

The villa’s furnishings are comfortable and homely and it’s well equipped when it comes to audio-visual gadgetary – each bedroom has a TV/DVD, and the master suite and living room also offer satellite channels. There’s an iPod dock too should you wish to bring your own music. We stayed by the pool well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. We took advantage of the option of a private chef (extra charge), as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of our favourite local dishes. If you need to work off the meal, there’s the option of laps in the 10m pool, and of course the stairs do the job too. Reading a book in the raised bath of the master suite was an indulgence that those in the other rooms were envious of – but they had large rain showers to enjoy.

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise, other that the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly villa manager, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

Lying on a comfortable poolside sun lounger just above the beach at Baan Leelawadee, watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury boats sail in and out of the bay provided a very pleasant distraction - even if it did mean that not much of my book got read!  And the villa’s slightly elevated position means that, although we could spy on them, the fishermen and anyone strolling on the beach couldn't easily see us.

We stayed poolside well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay, and chatting to some locals grilling shellfish they’d just caught, right there on the beach. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. Having a chef on hand was a treat, as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of some favourite local dishes. The villa’s simple furnishings are comfortable and homely and we slept well in the master suite’s pretty four-poster bed after relaxing in a bubble bath. 

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise other than the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly chef who prepared out dinner and breakfast, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

Lying on a comfortable poolside sun lounger just above the beach at Baan Leelawadee, watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury boats sail in and out of the bay provided a very pleasant distraction - even if it did mean that not much of my book got read!  And the villa’s slightly elevated position means that, although we could spy on them, the fishermen and anyone strolling on the beach couldn't easily see us.

We stayed poolside well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay, and chatting to some locals grilling shellfish they’d just caught, right there on the beach. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. Having a chef on hand was a treat, as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of some favourite local dishes. The villa’s simple furnishings are comfortable and homely and we slept well in the master suite’s pretty four-poster bed after relaxing in a bubble bath. 

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise other than the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly chef who prepared out dinner and breakfast, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

Lying on a comfortable poolside sun lounger just above the beach at Baan Leelawadee, watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury boats sail in and out of the bay provided a very pleasant distraction - even if it did mean that not much of my book got read!  And the villa’s slightly elevated position means that, although we could spy on them, the fishermen and anyone strolling on the beach couldn't easily see us.

We stayed poolside well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay, and chatting to some locals grilling shellfish they’d just caught, right there on the beach. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. Having a chef on hand was a treat, as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of some favourite local dishes. The villa’s simple furnishings are comfortable and homely and we slept well in the master suite’s pretty four-poster bed after relaxing in a bubble bath. 

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise other than the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly chef who prepared out dinner and breakfast, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

Trying to read a book on one of Baan Ratree’s sun-loungers was difficult – not for any lack of comfort, but because the busy beach-scene view was just too interesting for me to concentrate. Watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury sailboats anchored in the bay was a very pleasant distraction though. And the villa’s elevated position means that although you’re in a development of several villas, the pool terrace is absolutely private.
 

The villa’s furnishings are comfortable and homely and it’s well equipped when it comes to audio-visual gadgetary – each bedroom has a TV/DVD, and the master suite and living room also offer satellite channels. There’s an iPod dock too should you wish to bring your own music. We stayed by the pool well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. We took advantage of the option of a private chef (extra charge), as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of our favourite local dishes. To work off our over-indulgence, we appreciated the private, well-kitted-out gym.

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise, other that the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly villa manager, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

Trying to read a book on one of Baan Ratree’s sun-loungers was difficult – not for any lack of comfort, but because the busy beach-scene view was just too interesting for me to concentrate. Watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury sailboats anchored in the bay was a very pleasant distraction though. And the villa’s elevated position means that although you’re in a development of several villas, the pool terrace is absolutely private.
 

The villa’s furnishings are comfortable and homely and it’s well equipped when it comes to audio-visual gadgetary – each bedroom has a TV/DVD, and the master suite and living room also offer satellite channels. There’s an iPod dock too should you wish to bring your own music. We stayed by the pool well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. We took advantage of the option of a private chef (extra charge), as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of our favourite local dishes. To work off our over-indulgence, we appreciated the private, well-kitted-out gym.

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise, other that the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly villa manager, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

Trying to read a book on one of Baan Ratree’s sun-loungers was difficult – not for any lack of comfort, but because the busy beach-scene view was just too interesting for me to concentrate. Watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury sailboats anchored in the bay was a very pleasant distraction though. And the villa’s elevated position means that although you’re in a development of several villas, the pool terrace is absolutely private.
 

The villa’s furnishings are comfortable and homely and it’s well equipped when it comes to audio-visual gadgetary – each bedroom has a TV/DVD, and the master suite and living room also offer satellite channels. There’s an iPod dock too should you wish to bring your own music. We stayed by the pool well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. We took advantage of the option of a private chef (extra charge), as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of our favourite local dishes. To work off our over-indulgence, we appreciated the private, well-kitted-out gym.

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise, other that the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly villa manager, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

As an independent couple with plenty of travel experience, we found Emerald Beach Villa offered everything we needed on a beachside break and represented good value when compared to similar accommodation in a hotel. It would work equally well for a family. An agreeable, practical space, clearly designed for outdoor living, we spent most of our time either by the pool, on the beach or in the fan-cooled dining pavilion with the sliding doors flung open to catch the sea breeze. The rear pavilion is something of an anomaly, especially the 'greenhouse' lounge which gets very warm during the day. The bedrooms however, are spacious, cool and comfortable, although with so much glass the morning sun tends to flood in so light sleepers may find early rises become the routine. The upstairs twin bedroom is great for older kids (say seven years and above), but families with toddlers may find the steep stairs and upper landing that lead to it a concern.

Renting a vehicle is highly recommended if you plan to eat out a lot, although the in-villa menu suggestions are varied if you opt to pay extra for an in-house chef. A jolly cleaner arrives every morning after breakfast and again in the evening, she's accompanied by the helpful villa manageress who deals with special requests and will even nip to the local shops to buy basic provisions. Essentially, it is the beautiful garden, quiet beach and stunning views that appeal most. The somewhat remote location makes the holiday home (villa may be a tad generous) feel your own as soon as you arrive and although the neighbours are very close by, walled grounds create a pleasant, personalised holiday environment. As a private alternative to Samui's more upmarket resort accommodation it is an attractive choice.

The beauty of this villa is the size, (and of course the views). Everything about it is huge and it is totally geared up for large groups of people, weddings and parties, with an extensive sound system (complete with hidden speakers that extend through the garden) and a highly professional kitchen with five-star cuisine prepared by two chefs. The U-shaped sofa in the living pavilion can accommodate 22 people, while the dormitory can accommodate 12 kids or, alternatively, the same number of adult guests who need to bunk down for the night. Note: although this room is not really suitable for adults, guests at events and weddings can sleep here for an additional fee. There were just two of us staying at Infinity, so we felt a bit lost lazing by the large pool all by ourselves. Still, it is a beautiful sprawling expanse of lawn and beautiful architecture so we got over that concern pretty quickly and got into the sheer amount of space available to us by imagining the stellar events that must take place here. An early morning swim is a must, especially as the pool is the warmest we have encountered. Mornings at Infinity are also a time of spectacular beauty with birds singing and crickets chirping; you can see the volcanic backbone of Bali on the horizon and watch the farmers out in their fields tending their crops. Just stunning!

The beauty of this villa is the size, (and of course the views). Everything about it is huge and it is totally geared up for large groups of people, weddings and parties, with an extensive sound system (complete with hidden speakers that extend through the garden) and a highly professional kitchen with five-star cuisine prepared by two chefs. The U-shaped sofa in the living pavilion can accommodate 22 people, while the dormitory can accommodate 12 kids or, alternatively, the same number of adult guests who need to bunk down for the night. Note: although this room is not really suitable for adults, guests at events and weddings can sleep here for an additional fee. There were just two of us staying at Infinity, so we felt a bit lost lazing by the large pool all by ourselves. Still, it is a beautiful sprawling expanse of lawn and beautiful architecture so we got over that concern pretty quickly and got into the sheer amount of space available to us by imagining the stellar events that must take place here. An early morning swim is a must, especially as the pool is the warmest we have encountered. Mornings at Infinity are also a time of spectacular beauty with birds singing and crickets chirping; you can see the volcanic backbone of Bali on the horizon and watch the farmers out in their fields tending their crops. Just stunning!