Our stay at Villa Akira this year far exceeded my expectations, even after taking plenty of time to research the property beforehand. The first thing I was struck with upon arrival was the pure attention to detail in the design, construction, and finishing of the villa. The owner clearly spared no expense and cut no corners during the building of Akira, and it really shows! From the imported kitchen and bathroom fixtures and appliances, to the high quality materials and furnishings throughout – it truly impressed me even as someone who grew up around the construction and home decoration businesses myself. As a bit of a tech-savvy guy myself, I was also incredibly impressed with the amount of technology on display – from the enterprise-grade Wi-Fi with incredibly fast coverage across every square inch of the property, to the 5 or 6 Smart TVs spread throughout the home, and even an Apple TV unit in the living room! When it comes to the views from the property – simply stunning. No matter whether you’re in the living / dining / kitchen area, one of the sea-facing bedrooms, or relaxing down by the pool / bar / gaming area – it’s easy to find yourself lost in the breathtaking beauty!
But quite honestly, the most enjoyable part of the stay had to be our 2 full-time live-in staff, Ann and Choey. I must admit that I’m sure they probably felt more comfortable with us as tenants than many of the others that stay there, as I speak/read/write fluent Thai – and always believe in leaving things cleaner than when I found them. My crew was not exactly a “high-maintenance” group – but regardless of that, Ann and Choey’s willingness to help out with just about ANYTHING was truly what made this trip unforgettable. We did a significant amount of cooking and grilling ourselves, and they were always ready and willing to help, from preparation to clean-up whether or not we asked them to. At the same time, even though they lived in the staff quarters down in the basement floor of the property, they were completely out of sight and non-intrusive when not needed – ensuring a sense of privacy for us at all times. We also loved the breakfast each morning, and the staff were absolutely happy to take special requests each evening in case we wanted to have something a bit different. As one last touch of great honesty and service, just after our ferry departed to the mainland, I received a call on my cell phone from Ann who told me that we had forgotten an iPad and a pair of headphones – and she arranged to have it sent by mail the very next day to my home in Bangkok! Just fantastic!
If I had to be picky and find anything wrong with Akira – I would have to bring up the numerous surveillance cameras spread across the property, all connected to a recorder which is accessible via internet from anywhere in the world by the owner presumably. After I noticed this (almost immediately) I discussed it with the staff and they agreed that I could disable the system completely if I wanted to – as they indicated other guests had made similar complaints. I should not really complain – the owner is obviously putting these in place for the security of his property, not for any sort of mischievous spying on guests; however after I was allowed to disable power to the entire system and we confirmed that indeed all the cameras were deactivated, I felt more at ease. Upon our departure, I helped the staff re-enable the entire system so that it was left just as we found it upon arrival.
All in all, I would rate Villa Akira a strong 9.5 / 10 stars, and would highly recommend it to those who enjoy a very well appointed, ultra-clean, superbly-designed, modern yet not over-stated luxury villa in the Bang Po area. Keep in mind that you’ll need your own means of transportation if you plan on venturing out (I drove my own car from Bangkok) – but you won’t need to go far as there are plenty of shops, markets, restaurants, and beaches within a few kilometers of the villa that will meet most visitor’s requirements. For sure, I’ll be back next year and probably many years to come after that!
It’s also worth mentioning that I made the booking through www.thailandretreats.com which I have used now for several years and several trips to Koh Samui. Maggie from Thailand Retreats is an absolute pleasure to deal with, and is always willing to try and get the best deal for us, and ofcourse answer any questions at all that we had before or during our journey. Highly recommended as well!”
Private Chef Incl
Personal Safe
Satellite TV
WiFi Internet Access
Children's Pool Area
Private Parking
Daily Maid Service
Beach Towels Incl
