The Glass House

The Glass House is a privately owned six-bedroom villa on a small peninsula between Ao Yon and Khao Khad, near Cape Panwa on Phuket's south-east coast. It stands in its own grounds above sea level and faces west, with panoramic views across Chalong Bay towards the Big Buddha – and the sunsets that come with them. Two quiet, undeveloped beaches are a few minutes' walk away: Khao Khad in one to two minutes and Ao Yon in two to three.

Through the gated entrance, the open-plan ground floor leads straight out to the pool and the bay beyond. There is a panoramic lounge overlooking the pool and sala – a good spot to keep an eye on children in the water – an indoor dining area, and a fully equipped kitchen with oven, microwave, toaster and coffee maker. An air-conditioned TV lounge with a large screen doubles as a children's play area, and there is a table-tennis table for friendly matches.

The master bedroom is the largest in the villa, with a walk-in wardrobe, a bathroom with a large round bathtub, separate shower and double basins, and its own sea-view balcony with a hanging swing chair. Bedroom two has a double bed and a private sea-view balcony, and shares a bathroom with bedroom three, the villa's only twin room, which looks over the garden. The balcony walkway between these two rooms has one of the best views in the house.

Bedroom four is a ground-floor double with its own shower room and easy access to both the pool and the living area. Two further en-suite bedrooms are on the lower floor; bedroom five also has a lounge area with a pull-out sofa bed for extra guests. The villa can be booked for up to four bedrooms or eight guests, or as all six bedrooms for up to 12 guests. Larger groups are considered case by case, with spare sofa beds and extra bedding available at extra cost.

Outside, the 12 x 5 m infinity pool runs from 1 m to about 1.6 m deep and is lit for an evening swim as the sun goes down. The villa is self-catering, with a villa manager on call around the clock and maid, chef and airport-transfer services available on request. A covered car park takes a couple of small cars, motorbikes or even a minibus, and a neighbour's taxi service gives guests priority for trips around the island.