From its gorgeous sea-view setting in Patong’s hills, we found Villa Phala to be the perfect place to enjoy opulent surrounds and some good old-fashioned pampering, yet not be completely withdrawn from the world. ‘Carefree’ best describes the experience here, with a mind-boggling range of facilities, services and attractions easily available and close at hand.

Every day was different. One day we retreated completely and lounged by the pool, ordering our meals from the estate’s à la carte menu and catching up on some reading while stretched out on the wooden deck chairs. The next day we wandered downhill into central Patong and plunged into its busy hawker-lined streets and shopping arcades, and when the heat and crowds got to be too much, we beat a hasty retreat to the villa.

We were very impressed with the level of care taken in both the villa’s design and upkeep. L’Orchidée clearly runs a tight ship, with a large team of staff and contractors providing service for 25 villas, keeping the villa and the entire estate neat, tidy, and looking brand new even though it was built in 2006. Service is efficient and professional; all of our requests were understood and taken care of.

In all, we found Villa Phala to be an ideal holiday home, offering ample opportunity for both exploration and utter relaxation for people of all ages. Kids especially will delight in having a choice to play in the villa’s private pool or hang out with other children in the shared pool and shallow children’s pool at the club house, just a few minutes’ walk away.

From its gorgeous sea-view setting in Patong’s hills, we found Villa Phala A5 to be the perfect place to enjoy opulent surrounds and some good old-fashioned pampering, yet not completely escape from the world. ‘Carefree’ best describes the experience here, with a mind-boggling range of facilities, services and attractions close at hand. Every day was different. One day we retreated completely and lounged by the pool, ordering our meals in and catching up on some reading while stretched out on the wooden deck chairs, the next we wandered down into central Patong and plunged into its busy hawker-lined streets and shopping arcades. When the heat and crowds got to be too much, we beat a hasty retreat to the villa.

We were very impressed with the level of care taken in both the villa’s design and upkeep. L’Orchidée clearly runs a tight ship, with a large contingent of staff and contractors providing service for 25 villas  -  keeping the villa and the entire estate neat, tidy, and looking brand new even though it was built in 2006. Service is efficient and professional; all of our requests were understood and taken care of.

In all, we found Villa Phala to be an ideal holiday home, offering ample opportunity for both exploration and utter relaxation for people of all ages. Kids especially will delight in having a choice to play in the villa’s private pool or hang out with other children in the shared pool and shallow children’s pool at the club house, just a few minutes’ walk away.

With its spectacular views and spacious though intimate atmosphere we found Pra-Nang to be a very relaxing villa, ideal for families, groups of friends and couples who wish to be close to the action of Patong Bay but not right in the thick of it. The lack of garden however (the villa has only a stepped concrete terrace brimming with colourful potted plants) makes it less suitable for energetic younger children or toddlers who would need a lot of supervision. The bedrooms are all similar in décor, comfort and size which will save any squabbling about who sleeps where. Benefitting from the villa’s broad position on the headland, each room has been built on the same level to take advantage of the panoramic views. We felt that this also makes the villa more sociable as all rooms opens onto the wide pool terrace. The swimming pool is not so big, however there is a separate elevated jacuzzi pool that makes up for it. The lounge offers a comfortable place to appreciate the views, or a cosy atmosphere for watching a movie. We appreciated the gym’s private location on the ground floor, especially as kids noisily playing pool or table tennis are less likely to be a disturbance. The villa has WiFi internet access and a computer with printer/scanner/fax.

The cook prepares simple meals according to a menu (predominantly Thai food except for a couple of sandwich options) however BBQs, western meals and other preferences (special diets) can be catered for on request. We thought that the complimentary case of Singha Beer (and soft drinks) on arrival was a nice touch. While the villa staff speak only basic English, the manager is happy to assist with everything from travel arrangements (complimentary airport transfers) to restaurant reservations.