Banyan Tree Samui

The whole place is built into a private headland bay south of Lamai, and that single fact shapes everything about staying here. Every villa has its own pool with an infinity edge pointed at the Gulf, which is the reason most people book. Below the slope there's a private cove with reef snorkeling straight off the sand. The Rainforest hydrotherapy spa runs over two tiers and is a genuine draw in its own right, not just a hotel add-on. Dining spans cliff-top Thai through to a chef's table in the wine cellar.

Now the trade. That headland means buggies, constantly. Breakfast, the beach, the spa, back to the villa. If you want to wander out for noodles or a walk to a shop, this isn't the resort for it. Lamai town is a ten-minute drive. What you're paying for is seclusion with serious facilities behind it, and on that count it delivers. I'd save it for an anniversary or a honeymoon rather than a first look at Samui.