A three-bedroom residence makes an ideal private compound for friends and families
	an oceanfront bungalow and its view
	Enjoy a massage and the scenery at the same time
	Napasai main pool
	Napasai's Lai Thai restaurant

It's been another long year at work facing the latest challenges to sanity.  Doesn't a private villa on a tropical island sound enticing right about now? 

There is one waiting for you at Napasai, the splendid Orient-Express property on Thailand's island of Samui.  Located at the edge of a scenic bay curving around the sea like one of the croissants served with homemade jam at breakfast, Napasai is a collection of bungalows, villas, and private compounds where guests can enjoy the scenery, cuisine, and, of course, the hospitality of Thailand while also take pleasure in a supreme level of service and personal attention.

Napasai's new general manager, Mr Mariano Takinami, recently arrived from his considerable duties overseeing Orient-Express hotels and trains in Peru to assume the role of leader here on Koh Samui.  Don't you love general managers who are also chefs?  Their hotels always offer excellent culinary experiences, and Napasai is no exception; its beautiful Lai Thai restaurant (have a look at the setting and marvel at the ambience) serves exquisite fare in the traditional Thai style, while the quality is matched at The Lanterns, where a Mediterranean influence prevails on the menu and the tables set under individual canopies illuminated by candlelight.  With the effervescent Iolanda Martinez deftly filling the role of resort manager, Napasai benefits from the combination of her experience in Europe's finest hotels with Mr Takinami's vast expertise imported from South America to create a lively, professional team where the usual Thai dedication to service is elevated to an even higher art.

Accommodation at Napasai comes in a variety of options.  Individual waterfront bungalows and garden view bungalows are most suited to individuals and couples; popular with families and groups of friends are the private villas and oceanfront pool residences, which are actually private compounds of several bedrooms and living areas both indoor and out set over the hillside and linked by a series of staircases.  Some have their own pools; all have excellent views of the big blue sea. 

This being Thailand, massages and other treatments at Napasai's spa pavilion are popular with the guests, who are an interesting mix of clientele from Europe, Asia, and Australia.

If it weren't for Asia's boutique airline, Bangkok Airways, which built Koh Samui's unique, open-air airport in order to open the island to the world, perhaps this destination would be less familiar than it is now.  Compared to other destinations in the region, there is not a lot to do on the island, but that seems to be its biggest draw.  An escape from reality can be a wonderful elixir for the stresses of daily life; Napasai is the perfect place to forget them.

Napasai by Orient-Express
65/10 Baan Tai
Maenam
Koh Samui
Surat Thani
84330 Thailand
tel: 66 77 42 92 00
napasai.com