Part of the Thai AHMS collection and a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group, Akaryn is a highly regarded hotel on the island of Samui. It is set on the serene Hanuman Bay slightly removed from the main hubbub of tourist activity. With 52 suites built amongst the lush tropical greenery and backing onto the idyllic beach, it is the ideal secluded luxury accommodation.
Weaving our way along a leafy path, we found ourselves at Pool Suite 124, a lovely hexagonal villa with a private plunge pool. The suites are subtly designed in a chic Asian style, a mix of antique furniture and modern technology giving a cosy but contemporary feel. Huge heavy curtains ensure the room is pitch black at night, but they also look grand and indulgent concealing the windows and adding a touch of decadence to the decor. Our open-plan suite had a high ceiling creating a calming sense of space. It included a blissfully bouncy kingsize bed, a thoughtfully designed living area with characterful wooden furniture, fruit bowl and magazines. We didn’t use the TV and iPod speakers spending nearly all our time outside or reading on the wonderfully comfortable bed.
Some of the suites include a glorious hand-carved roll top bath, we were sad to miss out on this but still enjoyed our well equipped bathroom: a simple area with walk-in shower and separate toilet, equipped with complimentary naturally sourced toiletries using essential oil extracts, exclusively designed for the hotel. The only fault with the bathroom was a lack of light which I found irritating in the evening.
In the public spaces a wet bar dominates, guests can splash about while enjoying a cocktail or have a more civilised drink at the side of the pool. There are several refined restaurants from which to choose, important if one is staying for longer. The variety of cuisines on offer created by international chef Christoph Lindner, is a great asset to the hotel. We tried the traditional Thai menu from the Legend Restaurant for dinner whilst admiring the sea view. We loved the spicy Papaya salad, fragrant Chicken satay and irresistibly crispy Stir-fried beef with garlic and black pepper sauce. If you desire something a little more European try the Italian thin base pizzas made in the handmade wood-fired oven. For special occasions one can ask for a romantic, lantern lit dinner on the beach. Breakfast is also served by the beach on the breezy terrace, we tried a delectable selection of treats. I can particularly recommend the Baker’s favourite French toast rolled in cinnamon sugar with pineapple jam and homemade yoghurt, also delicious is the bottled fresh pineapple juice.
When it is time for some pampering, the Ayurah spa offers a range of eclectic and exotic treatments to soothe and revitalise. We experienced our first traditional Thai massage here, dressed in Karate style baggy white cotton outfits we lay face down while nimble ladies pushed and pulled our bodies in and out of shape. It was quite an experience, sixty minutes of painful pleasure! This treatment is known to reduce stress and relieve muscle soreness, but at the time it felt like quite the opposite.
Akaryn promotes itself as ‘intuitive luxury’, it is a relaxing retreat to satisfy all the senses and transport you far away from your busy everyday life.
More information and book a stay here: www.akaryn.com