As you guys know when I started blogging back in 2009, before I cracked the online money game, I could only dream of these kinda places, and it still amazes me that blogging has allowed me to stay in places like this, but here we go… Luxury hotel time again, and this time in my adopted home of Thailand!

I was lucky enough to recently get the chance to stay in the Miskawaan Luxury Beachfront Villas – Villa Waterlily recently and I was so impressed by the villa and the service I got there, that I thought I should write a little review of my experience and why I want to tell all of you about it.

Who is it for ?

For me I’d say it’s for groups of friends, or for families . One of the best parts about staying there was certainly the atmosphere, it felt very relaxed and not too serious, unlike a lot of expensive hotels, so it’s a great place to chill (and work online like me!). The best part is that you really do have a luxury pad, with everything you need. The villas are spacious enough for large families & groups, (it’d also be a great place for a wedding/party but let’s keep that between us!). From a financial standpoint it’s not ideal couples as the smallest villa is a 4 bedroom (which can be priced as a 2 bedroom), but if you’re throwing money around, then it still works.

The Location

The villas are located on Maenam beach, which means as soon as you open the villa door, you get hit by the most amazing view – clear blue sea, I just wanted to go and dive in!!

I was surprised of how quiet the beach was, I hardly saw another person which was brilliant. It was so refreshing to enjoy a non-overcrowded beach. Maenam itself is a lovely area, within a 5 minute walk, you can be in Maenam village which has a cute little Chinese temple and many local restaurants, so dining out is very easy too. One of my fav things about Thailand is the affordable awesome food on every corner.

I was lucky enough to experience the walking street markets which takes place every Thursday, try to time it for that and please please don’t be scared to try Thai street food, it’s safe and delicious!! You can also eat very cheaply here, go to a local Thai restaurant and enjoy a Phad Thai, this will set you back a whopping $2!!

A little bit about Villa Waterlily

Ok, so I already mentioned the stunning view when I walked through our door, but let’s give you a little more detail. The villa I stayed in had 5 bedrooms, all super huge and en suite. (Obviously) I took the master bedroom, overlooking the ocean; what a way to wake up in the morning!!

The villa has a large L shaped pool, plenty of garden space, outdoor Sala, BBQ, a lounge and a kitchen. In the morning, I was met by my villa manager and chef, who then prepared us a beautiful spread of both hot & cold dishes. The outdoor dining area is the perfect way to take in the ocean views. This is the life that I wanna live forever!

The Service

I was really impressed from the first moment I got off the plane as I was greeted at the airport by the villa manager, not only did he greet me in English, but he was super chatting and answered my zillion questions from the moment we met, until the moment we departed. It’s always both weird and amazing how quickly you can bond with your staff in places like this, especially in private villas, they almost become like family!

Like often in my life, I was in and out quite quickly to so I missed a few of the activities, however within the rates you can enjoy a 1 hour massage & kayak use. Also, the prices included airport transfers, Wi-fi and they recently added Netflix to their villas too – dangerous because lounging around drinking wine and watching movies in paradise is all too easy.

The ‘in-villa chef’ service is just unreal. We were given an extensive menu with a good choice of western & Thai cuisine. It’s also suprisingly cheap. Starter of spring rolls and Chicken Satay, then a main of Massaman curry (LOVE IT!) only set us back around $50 for 2, madness! To actually see the chef prepare and cook your food is a pretty cool experience too.

Overall, to have such a personal service is a real treat. You have your own luxury home with all the benefits of having hotel services….the great thing is, you don’t have to share anything!!

Other things that impressed me

I think the thing that impressed me the most was the small details and the attentiveness shown towards us. Of course it’s easy to make a place gorgeous with a big budget, but what about all the little things? For me personally, to have your villa manager there when you need say something small, like a cold drink or a cold towel is just something you do not always easily get in a hotel.

Also, by looking at their in-villa massage menu – each 1 hour massage costs THB 550 (less than $20). Compare this against a hotel, you would look to pay around THB 3, 000 for this service! The value here is insane.

Offers

The very friendly staff did remind me that if I wanted to come back in October as they are running a promotion, offering free nights in October . This is perfect for anyone looking to get the most for their money during this time. The villas also do other promotions throughout the year, works out pretty good value if you go with friends or family.

Final word

Overall, it was just an amazing, high-end faultless experience, I would undoubtedly recommend it to anyone. For sure now I understand the benefits of a villa holiday! I would like to thank the staff and the management for truly making it such a luxurious, perfect experience, and see you again soon!

If you’re interested in Miskawaan, why not visit their website – www.miskawaan.com and contact reservations@miskawaan.com to make an enquiry.

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