Praana Residence

Praana Residence is the largest villa in Panacea Retreat, a gated estate in the hills above Bophut on Koh Samui. It has six king bedrooms, two infinity pools, a tennis court, a boxing ring and a floor given over to a nightclub, cinema and spa. It sleeps 12, comes with seven staff, and sits 9 km from the airport and 3 km from Bophut Beach.

Three floors, each with a job

The top floor is for living: a vaulted pavilion hung with chandeliers, a long dining table, a balcony over the sea and the kitchen. Bedrooms take the middle and top levels, all with king beds and terrazzo baths, and on some the tub sits outdoors on a private terrace.

The ground floor is the playroom. There’s a 10-seat cinema, a nightclub with karaoke and a dance floor, a wine cellar, a games room with a billiard table, a gym and a massage area, and the middle floor adds a steam room and sauna. Outside, the main infinity pool runs 25 metres and a second one 12, and a floodlit tennis court and a Muay Thai ring sit beside the gardens.

Insider Tip: Book a trainer for the ring. Staff can arrange Muay Thai sessions in the villa’s own ring, so you can train early, before the heat, without driving to a gym in Chaweng.

Who it suits

It fits a celebration, a big family with teenagers, or a wellness group. Fisherman’s Village and Bophut are a short drive down the hill, and the Big Buddha is further east. Smaller groups should look at Avasara on the same estate. Our Koh Samui guide has the rest of the island.