Anantara Lawana Hotel

92/1 Moo 2, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320 Thailand

Just around the corner from Chaweng Beach on the north-east coast of Koh Samui, Anantara Lawana is the second Anantara hotel on the island. Although it has 112 rooms the hotel feels surprisingly intimate – the rooms are spread out, villa-style, amid lush trees and bamboo groves. The large Garden View rooms have plunge pools, which are ideal if you have youngsters. Or if you’re meeting friends and family from different parts of the globe, the Pool Access rooms comprise five villas sharing a massive communal pool, with all the back up of the hotel’s facilities and staff on call. Ocean Kiss on the beach offers casual, often themed, dining while The Hug, the hotel’s signature restaurant, is a series of seven treetop rooms serving international fare. At the time of visiting the new executive chef had only just arrived and had yet to implement his own menu. Doubles from £118.