thai me up
A raft of new five-star hotels has well and truly established Koh Samui as Thailand’s resort capital. There are few places better to get a taste for pampering than at Banyan Tree’s latest opening on the island, as Melissa Pearce is lucky enough to attest.
I’ve been at the Banyan Tree Samui just a matter of minutes but already I find myself plumped up on a sofa in the hilltop lobby, iced peach-and-ginger tea in one hand, garland of jasmine around my neck. Overlooking a private beach at Lamai Bay on the southeast coast of Koh Samui, this lovely new resort comes some 16 years after the Singapore-based company opened its first Thai resort on the island of Phuket. And like its venerable sister, the Banyan Tree Samui is all about exceeding expectations.
It’s not easy beginning your day here – the super-soft beds are extremely inviting. But I make the effort and slip from between the sheets and into my villa’s private 35-square-metre pool, just steps from where my bed ends. If I was feeling more active I might join the other health nuts for a jog around the gently undulating grounds, once a coconut grove but today transformed into a lush tropical garden of papaya and palms. I opt to catch a buggy to breakfast instead.
In traditional Banyan Tree form, dining options favour quality over quantity: there are only three outlets here and all of them are exceptional. A big buffet spread of tropical fruits and freshly baked pastries is on display every morning at The Edge, the semi-open-air all-day-dining restaurant. Later in the day, I might enjoy a casual beachside barbeque at Sands, at the water’s edge, or visit Saffron for a more upscale meal of contemporary Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine. Highlights at the latter restaurant include a sublime rendition of pla goa yum ma muang – crisp fried grouper with spicy green-mango salad – as well as Thai dessert classic khaow niaew mamuang, a fragrant combination of mango, sticky rice and coconut cream.
Conceptualised by Architrave Design and Planning, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts’ design arm, the property’s 78 villas are so comfortable that I find few reasons to leave mine. The walled Garden Pool Villa has a private deck complete with a hot tub and sun-lounges. Inside, architectural flourishes include square columns inspired by old Thai temples and furnishings crafted from coconut wood and shell, complemented by earth-hued fabrics and local artwork to give the room a sustainable appeal without compromising one iota of style.
There’s impeccable attention to detail in the resort facilities and service: an oil burner sits beside my impossibly deep bathtub; I emerge after a dip to find staff waiting with a tray of apple strudel. Slivered almonds covered in white chocolate beckon on my pillow when I finally make it to bed.
The pick of the villas is the Sanctuary Pool Villa: the only one of its kind at the resort, its two interconnected bedrooms sprawling over 316 square metres. Equally lavish are the Royal Banyan Pool Villas, each of which offers breathtaking views over the water and comes with a private yoga pavilion.
The Banyan Tree group is renowned for its spas – indeed, it operates several lavish day spas around Asia – and the offerings at the Samui resort don’t disappoint. The Rainforest is the spa’s hydrothermal experience: it begins with a stroll down a path overhung with ferns and palms; then I encounter various water features – 10 in total – including a steam chamber, a sauna, an ice fountain and a vitality pool. In the final stretch, I’m given the opportunity to bliss out on heated lounges. I leave glowing.
The 10 spa villas here are so tastefully designed, it feel compelled to turn down a treatment on the deck of my lodgings. Ensconced here, the only sounds I hear are trickling water, lazy birdcalls and the Tibetan bell my masseuse rings to signal the end of my treatment.
Rewind to the start: the 90-minute Island Dew ritual I choose begins with a footbath, after which I’m trundled onto a bed and treated to a massage involving long, soothing strokes. The treatment is ideal for those with sensitive skin and utilises an oil made from rose, chamomile and vitamin E, said to boost skin renewal and repair.
All this opulence does not come at the expense of social responsibility. Banyan Tree properties around the region are known for their community initiatives, which range from hiring local guides to sourcing produce for the resorts from farms in the area. A more visible approach is the company’s Green Imperative Fund, which gives guests the option of contributing US$2 each night of their stay to assist in Banyan Tree efforts to support community empowerment, education and ecological initiatives. At the Koh Samui resort, guest contributions go to a project researching giant-clam conservation, and sea turtles are an area slated for future study.
Resort-wide diversions range from yoga and meditation to snorkelling, and guests who do dive beneath the waves can look forward to being entertained by a menagerie of marine life: think butterfly fish gliding over a colourful coral trail with signage identifying species being nurtured and cultured. There’s also beach volleyball. I wander down to the sand at sunset to see if I can convince anyone to join me for a game, only to find that I have the entire powder-white stretch to myself. •
Photos courtesy of Banyan Tree.
branching out
There are few reasons to leave the Banyan Tree Samui, but should a spot of exploring beyond the private reefs appeal, take advantage of the resort’s shuttle service between Lamai and Chaweng, where restaurants and shows await.
Tarua Samui Seafood Bar Bar & Restaurant: A 10-minute drive from Banyan Tree Samui, Tarua boasts fabulous beach views. If you have not settled into holiday mode after lunching here, you never will. Samui Ring Rd., 210/9 Moo 4, Tambon Maret; 66-7/796-0635.
Cerá: Koh Samui’s top ceramics studio, with two locations in Mae Nam and Chaweng, is a refreshing break from the usual tourist shopping haunts. If the colourful contemporary works of potter Khanchai Wirattanakul look familiar, it may well be because you’ve seen his pieces in your hotel or resort. 68/25 Moo 5, Tambon Mae Nam; 66-7/724-7805; cera-thailand.com
Taling Ngam Fishing Village: From this hamlet on the southwest coast of the island you can hire a longtail boat to take you to nearby islands to explore caves and chill out on remote beaches. End your outing with a meal at The Five Islands Restaurant, which dishes up a fusion of Thai and international cuisine heavy on fresh herbs. 66-7/741-5359; thefiveislands.com
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