Our villas come in many shapes and sizes. A hand-picked collection of luxurious homes in some of Asia’s most prized locations, brimming with first-class facilities and tended to by a caring team of staff. But beyond that, each villa has its own distinctive character. Many are the fulfilment of their owners’ dreams and have interesting stories attached to their creation.
‘Through the Keyhole’ takes a peek behind the scenes and chats with some of our villa owners or Villa Managers to find out how their dream became a reality. Naam Sawan owners tell us about their stunning beachfront home on Phuket’s east coast.
Why did you choose to buy your villa in Phuket and at this location?
We were living in Singapore in 2004 and looking to invest in a vacation and possibly a retirement home in Asia. When you look into it properly and consider all that you may need there are very limited options. We had visited Phuket many times, and I had viewed many properties up and down the busier crowded west coast towns, beaches and developments. An agent showed me an undeveloped piece of dense jungle on the east coast with a dirt track cut through the trees. Within 2 days we had staked out a lot with 4 small posts as we were the first to commit to the project. It took some time but we eventually built, and now 14 years later the estate, hotel, restaurants and all the amenities and facilities are complete. Not just complete, this is one of the most exclusive estates on the island. There are very few locations available with a private access beach, incredible jade waters, views of the Phang Nga islands and a full-service resort with city-like facilities. We are near yachting marinas, golf resorts, shopping malls, the hills and mountains, schools, hospitals and endless entertainment – only 20 minutes from the airport. And no crowds or traffic.
What is your inspiration for the villa design?
The master design was by Stark and Gatthy with preset principles of external structure to show a modern contemporary vision of a Thai pavilion as the centrepiece. Additional features included the vaulted ceilings with tall columns, and the shade and cooling management for the villa being efficient through louvred external window and wall lattice, protecting large postcard-framing windows. The interiors that we chose with M2 design are cool, breezy, contemporary and follow an ‘at the beach in Thailand’ theme which many villas we had considered did not seem to have. Large, light, airy and bright rooms with simple colouring and heavy wooden accents in flooring and ceiling panelling gives a strong but relaxing and calming contrast.
What features make the villa unique?
Firstly, location and absolute beachfront with our own beach steps, and usable flat lawns for family games and events. We are within a very unique resort development with a full service 5 Star hotel, the top-ranked restaurant in Phuket is close by, we have additional tennis and sports facilities, and we as a peninsula have our own gated security services as well.
The entire estate is managed by owner committees and the management company so a quality-first approach and efficient line of thinking are followed before anything else. The views from our villa are unparalleled, and those added to the contemporary Thai style of our designers make for a very unique combination.
Lastly, the size and scale of all the living and bedroom suites make living or visiting a very peaceful and relaxing experience, and the villa team led by the Villa Manager are trained and willing to make sure guests have a 5-Star experience.
What would you like guests to experience at your villa?
The location, the views, the beach and waters, the tranquillity, the peace of mind from our security services, the food and service of the villa team, the peace and quiet away from the maddening crowds of the west coast, the amenities of the hotel and restaurants – and when you leave to go home – you know you have been somewhere very special.
Why do you think guests would select your villa?
As mentioned above, for the unique blend that our location, villa and resort have to offer, our family-sized villa makes for a relaxing, spacious experience without having to rent a massive villa with far too many rooms and miles of hallways and walkways, and to be able to use the vast flat lawns for games and events, picnics etc.
Additionally, our pricing is extremely competitive for the quality of our offering and is designed to welcome either 2 or up to 12 guests.
Lastly, I have seen many families or groups choose a location based on a preference of sunrise or sunset watching. We have an amazing location in that we can watch the sunrise from our terraces or on the beach, and watch sunset wash around the bay in the evenings and go enjoy the view with a cocktail right by our entry slopes.
What do you do in the area when you visit?
We enjoy relaxing in the villa, around the pool bar and poolside sala, playing lawn sports and table games, tennis, swimming laps in the 30-metre pool, lounging and enjoying massages, kayaking and paddleboarding from our beach steps, taking long beach walks and runs, going to nearby marinas to go out boating and fishing for the day, going to the island beaches and bars, hiking the nearby waterfall forests, the ATV parks, playing golf, going shopping or to the many restaurants and bars nearby, or chill out reading or watching a movie off Apple TV in the cinema room.
Perhaps a favourite combination is to take an early morning beach walk and watch the sunrise as the sun comes up over the island off our beach and the rays hit our ponds and pool, and to watch the sunset orange sweep around our bay as the sun sets by our own entry lawns – best enjoyed with a cocktail at the nearby Breeze restaurant on the view deck. A sunset cocktail at the hotel after using their facilities or playing tennis is a treat too.
What authentic local experiences would you recommend to the guests?
Visit the local restaurants, visit the fisherman’s floating villages for the most incredible fresh seafood banquets. Go fishing in the bay straight from our beach steps or just float for hours in the kayak or on a stand-up paddleboard. In season, go snorkelling and diving, or just crab-picking off the bay of Cape Yamu. Go for a day of island and beach hopping from the nearby marinas, visit the elephant and gibbon sanctuary, hike in the hills, play golf at a top resort nearby, visit the temples and many monasteries and meet the local monks, enjoy the beach clubs, enjoy facilities at the hotel within our resort, do the Sunday brunch at Breeze, drive to the cities for a real Thai town experience just 30 minutes away. Visit the many Thai and Asian festivals and markets.
Which dish would you recommend from the private villa chef?
Any dish from the menu as they are very experienced and well trained. Of course, Thai specialities are a must.
Ready for the ultimate getaway at Villa Naam Sawan?
