We have lived on Koh Samui for almost five years. We fell in love with the island, as many people do, after spending many happy holidays here. The first villa we designed and built ourselves and subsequently went on to offer for holiday rental was in a hillside estate on the north of the island. The villa was called Ban Nam Tok. Visitors to this web site may be familiar with this villa and may even be among some of the people we had the pleasure of meeting. We rented Ban Nam Tok out for approximately two years until an English couple looking for a retirement home bought the villa from us. Even though the villa was situated in a beautiful location we decided that our next holiday villa would be further round the coast in more of a village setting. We didn’t spend too long looking. As soon as we saw Orchid Villa we realized that it was perfect. not only as a home to live in but as an ideal place for holiday rentals. We have spent nearly a year remodeling the property. We have installed the pool and sundeck, surrounded the villa with a wall and automatic gates to provide privacy and seclusion. Tropical planting adds to the feeling of being away from it all, even though the main heart of the village is only a short walk away. As previously mentioned we live on the island and we will be happy to help potential visitors with any information and advice to make their stay in Orchid Villa a memorable one. Orchid Villa is situated 80m off the main village road down a quiet cul-de-sac. The property is accessed through automatic gates to a parking area. It is a detached two storey house. There are two double en-suite bedrooms on the upper level. The main bedroom is furnished with a double bed and, through sliding glass doors, opens onto a covered terrace. The en-suite bathroom to this room has a walk-in shower. The second bedroom has twin beds and a small balcony accessed through sliding doors. This en-suite bathroom has a bathtub and shower. Both bedrooms have air-con. The ground floor consists of a fully equipped western-style kitchen which leads through to the TV lounge. An outside covered lounge area, adjacent to the pool, is accessed through double doors from the TV lounge. There is a ground floor cloakroom. Adjacent to the kitchen is a covered outside dining area with four-grill gas BBQ and rotisserie oven. Also outside is a utility area with washing machine. The 16 sq.m. pool has tropical planting on two sides. Next to the pool is a sundeck furnished with coffee table, large sunshade and two sun-loungers. Orchid Villa is in the seaside village of Bang Rak which is fringed by Big Buddha Beach so called after the famous golden statue that sits proudly at its southern tip. This beach is one of Samui’s calmer beaches. Many people prefer to stay here as an alternative to the busy tourist beaches. Its proximity to the airport makes it a popular first and last stop on trips to all the three local islands. The long sweep of beach enjoys tranquil waters all year round. Some of the new boutique resorts are situated on this beach as are many of the original beach bars – a cultural mix to suit all tastes. Bophut, once a simple fishing village which has since been transformed into a fashionable centre for shopping and dining is a five minute drive away. Many of the original wooden fishermans’ houses have been converted into smart restaurants and boutiques and there are several friendly bars and restaurants along the beach front. The French and Italian influence is strong around this part of the island and this certainly affects the ambience of the village which is an interesting blend of local Thai, Chinese and Southern European styles. Some bars have live music each evening. Bang Rak is only 15 minutes from Chaweng for those who want a big night out. Two minutes from the villa is a well stocked minimart which has a newly installed section selling fresh bread, lovely cakes and pastries and offering a large selection of beers, spirits and international wines.