Baan Kata Keeree

Baan Kata Keeree is a family-owned six-bedroom villa on the headland that separates Kata Beach from Kata Noi, on Phuket's west coast. It is set in private grounds around 20 metres above sea level, and the lounge, gardens, terrace and five of the six bedrooms all look out across Kata Bay and the Andaman Sea – a fine place to watch the sun go down with a drink in hand.

The 12 x 5 m pool is the centrepiece of the villa, with sun loungers and panoramic sea views. Beside it, the open lounge has deep sofas, a dining area, a TV and DVD system with air conditioning, and a music system connected to the poolside. At the top of the lounge is a guest kitchen where you can help yourself – or ask the staff – to tea, coffee and iced drinks. Outside there is a shaded outdoor dining area, a terrace for sunbathing and sundowners, a water-jetted jacuzzi that doubles as a children's paddling pool, and a lower-deck garden looking over the reef below.

The master bedroom is the largest in the villa, with uninterrupted sea views, a walk-in wardrobe and a bathroom with separate vanity, toilet, shower and hot-tub bath areas. Four further double bedrooms are spread across the main and upper levels, each en-suite with a TV, desk, sofa, safe and fridge, and there is a twin room with two single beds that children often share. A seventh, spare en-suite bedroom above the gym can be added for up to two adults at extra cost.

Past a gated fish pond with stepping stones and a small waterfall, the back of the villa has an air-conditioned children's playroom with a TV, books, toys and games, and a private gym with professional equipment, a TV, a fridge of cold water and its own shower and toilet. The villa is built on several levels with gentle steps between them, so it suits most guests, though not wheelchair users.

The villa is fully staffed. A villa manager looks after you throughout your stay, arranges transport, massages, yoga and day trips, and a private chef cooks two meals a day – breakfast plus lunch or dinner – from a menu or à la carte, with groceries charged at cost. Maid service and a minivan airport transfer on arrival and departure are included. Kata Beach, local shops, restaurants and ATMs are within walking distance, and Phuket International Airport is about 90 minutes away by road.