We felt instantly at home at Villa Nava; partly because of the villa’s comfortable furnishings and convivial layout – it seems the most natural thing in the world to walk through the front door, drop your bag and grab a stool at the big white breakfast island to chat with whoever’s in the kitchen – and partly because Irene, the villa’s lovely manageress, radiates a motherly warmth that just makes you feel relaxed and looked after straight away.

Irene met us at the foot of the steep hill that Nava is built on and smilingly escorted us up to the villa, where, on entering through the double doors, we were greeted by the beautiful view out over the pool and palm tops to a sparkling ocean dotted with tropical island gems. Pristine forested hills and Samui’s attractive coastline disappear southwards, with Nathon town’s long jetty just visible in the mid distance.

Villa Nava’s living room, dining area and kitchen are almost totally surrounded by glass (most of which folds back to create a bright open-sided space) providing easy access to the pool and the breezy sala where, come evening, we sat on black-cushioned sofas toasting the magnificent sunsets.

The bedrooms, split two in the main house and two in the guest bungalow, are well set up for a couple of families or for an extended family (as long and grandma and grandpa are not hampered by stairs – as there are quite a lot of them between the bungalow and the main living floor), and we liked that all the rooms offered pleasant outdoor terraces for a quiet read or rest.

The villa is self-catering, but Irene will help with the shopping and even organizes for meals to be delivered from some nearby restaurants. Alternatively, a local cook will come to the villa and prepare mouth-watering Thai cuisine for a very reasonable charge.