Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel and/or flight review.

Last April, I enjoyed a great holiday in Vietnam, where some resorts far exceeded my sky-high expectations (and rank among the best hotels I have ever stayed at). You can read my trip reports here:

• Review: Singapore Airlines A350 Business Class Düsseldorf to Singapore
• Review: Singapore Airlines A330 Business Class Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City
• Review: The Reverie Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City
• Review: Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa
• Review: Vietnam Airlines ATR-72 from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao
• Review: Six Senses Con Dao (today)
• Review: Evason Ana Mandara, Nha Trang
• Review: Six Senses Ninh Van Bay
• Review: Amanoi, the most exclusive hotel in Vietnam
• Review: Avani Quy Nhon Resort & Spa
• Review: Anantara Hoi An Resort
• Review: Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An
• Review: Banyan Tree Lang Co
• Review: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
• Review: Cathay Pacific A350 Business Class Hong Kong to Düsseldorf

Today (July 12, 2017): Review of Six Senses Con Dao (Vietnam).

• Location: Google Maps
• Address: Dat Doc Beach, Con Dao Dist, Con Son, 74000, Vietnam
• Hotel website: Six Senses Con Dao
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso

True to Six Senses’ philosophy of selecting remote yet accessible destinations in areas of outstanding natural beauty, Con Dao – a 40 min flight south of Ho Chi Min City – is a breathtaking location, which has been protected for decades as a national and marine park. Six Senses Con Dao is the only five-star resort in the archipelago islands, located along a massive private beach with sweeping views of the snap-worthy islands against the dramatic backdrop of the Lo Voi Mountains. The intimate, all-pool villa resort is contemporary in design and reflects the essence of a traditional fishing village. The spa and dining options are world-class. The resort is popular among A-list celebrities, with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie having stayed here once when they were still a couple.

Six Senses Con Dao features in my top 10 lists of the best luxury hotels in Vietnam and the best resorts in the world with private plunge pools.

In this review (more info below my Youtube clipe and slideshow):

• Pros & things I like
• Cons & things to know
• My verdict
• Tips for future guests & save money
• Best time to visit
• How to get there
• Photos

*** Get the most out of your (luxury) trip to Vietnam with my online Vietnam travel guide ***

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

• Six Senses Con Dao enjoys a delightfully remote location in the Con Dao archipelago, a cluster of 16 emerald green, mostly uninhabited island in the South China Sea, which has been protected for decades as a national and marine park. The islands – which served as a prison for political prisoners during the French colonial era and in the last century – are fringed by unspoilt beaches, crystal-clear seas, soaring cliffs, beautiful bays, and hills partially covered in thick rainforests. The Con Dao archipelago features in my top 10 list of things to see and do in Vietnam.

• The hotel is located on the southern shore of Con Son, the largest island of the Con Dao archipelago. It is a 45-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Son onboard a turboprop plane of VASCO (a subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines), then a 15-minute transfer to the resort. Charter services, airline ticketing and visa services can all be arranged by the resort, plus VIP pick-up service and transfers between terminals in Ho Ci Minh City are offered. I have previously published a detailed review and Youtube clip about the transfer from Ho Ci Minh City to Con Dao.

• Six Senses Con Dao, the only luxury resort in the archipelago islands, is contemporary in design and reflects the essence of a traditional fishing village. The property is gorgeously built with a lot of attention to detail. Guests enter the fabulous resort via a replica high street, lined by a boutique shop, a spa desk, and the kid’s club.  The narrow streets opens up to a larger, picturesque market place, surrounded by a bar, the ‘Vietnamese By The Market’ restaurant, the front office and concierge area, and an ice cream parlor.

• The resort is located on a one mile long (1,6 km), perfect crescent of majestic beach, backed by beautiful hills draped in rainforest. The wide beach, one of the best in Vietnam, is composed of light grey colored sand that feels delightfully soft under the feet. Although the beach is not private, there’s no other development in the magnificent bay except for the Six Senses Resort, so guests have the beach completely for themselves. The waters in front of the beach are a protected National Park, currently open to fishing by local fisherman only. The beach offers a lovely view of the sunrise.

• Six Senses Con Dao is an intimate property, offering 50 magnificent villas, all built from locally sourced teak and antique carved wooden panels from old Vietnamese homes. All villas have their own private infinity pool, range in style from single level to duplex, and offer 1, 3 or 4 bedrooms. Villas are placed in two rows along the beach, with only the first row offering direct beach acces. During my holiday I stayed in a so called “ocean view duplex pool villa”. The spacious two-level villa featured one bedroom on the upper floor with a terrace offering magnificent ocean views plus an ensuite toilet. There was also a large open plan bathroom on the ground floor with double vanity basins, bathtub and outdoor shower. The private infinity-edge swimming pool had a terrace with sun loungers. The room featured all the modern technology you need, such as satellite TV and Bose sound system.

• Each villa has its own private pool, but if you are feeling sociable, there’s also a communal, free-form, infinity pool on the beach, below the resort’s fishing village. Palm and mahogany trees provide some shade when you lounge on one of the plush orange and green sunloungers that are clustered around the pool. A pool bar serves daytime coctails, light snacks, and sundowners.

• Six Senses Con Dao features two excellent restaurants in total, as well as ‘destination dining’ at any location of your choice. The main dining venue ‘By The Beach’ is located along the shore and offer Vietnamese recipes with a twist, Asian fusion cuisine with a hint of French. Up in the fishing village is ‘Vietnamese at the Market’, which serves Vietnamese cuisine prepared by Miss Lan and her team using recipes that have been passed down from mother and grandmother. Having at least one meal at Vietnamese at the Market is highly recommended (I enjoyed there one of my best lunches of my life).

• The breakfast – served at By The Beach – is the best I had in Vietnam. It features several buffet stations, including a Vietnamese streetfood and soup station, a liquid station with the most delicious cold pressed juices, a libation station where you can blend your own mimosa or bloody mary, and a cold room with delicious cold meats and fruits. The amazing breakfast buffet is also complemented by an extensive a la carte menu, with a choice of eggs, pancakes, waffles and other hot dishes.

• The replica high street in the fishing village has an ice-cream parlor with unlimited and complimentary scoops for all guests (during daylight hours only).

• The superb Six Senses Spa at Con Dao is set with the dramatic backdrop of the Lo Voi Mountains and is surrounded by tropical gardens. It offers four indoor treatment rooms, three outdoor treatment salas, a yoga and meditation pavilion and hammam treatment. As you can expect from the Six Senses brand, spa treatments are of the highest quality.

• Six Senses Con Dao is a great place for families with young children. There’s a playroom, a kids’ club every day with different activities (painting, jungle explorations, decorating cookies), plus workshops kids can participate in. Cots can be added to rooms at no extra cost and every villa has a sofa-bed.

• Six Senses Con Dao enjoys a private and secluded setting with a host of activities on hand to entertain all ages and satisfy the most discerning of tastes. From water sports and beach activities to hiking and discovering nature, the Con Dao archipelago has something special for everyone. During my visit, I took a snorkeling trip to some of the other islands and highly enjoyed the excursion. With over 340 species of coral, Con Dao teems with a colorful array of marine life, and offers the best snorkeling and diving in Vietnam.

• As with every Six Senses resort, each villa has its own Guest Experience Maker (GEM) or butler. This guarantees an exceptional level of service during your stay.

• The resort is operated by Six Senses, a hotel and spa management company that currently comprises 10 resorts and 28 spas under the brand names Six Senses, Evason and Six Senses Spas. Six Senses, one of my favorite luxury hotel brands in the world, operates resorts in far-flung locations of incredible natural beauty known for their distinctive and diverse design personalities. Each of the Six Senses properties is supported by a leadership commitment to community, sustainability and wellness.

• With a passionate commitment to supporting and protecting the environment, Con Dao has been built and is maintained with the very lightest ecological footprint.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Six Senses con Dao is one of Vietnam’s best resorts, mainly due to its fabulous scenery, private bay (with beach), stunning villas with private pools, and excellent food. It would be very hard to dislike to the hotel, but there are a few things you need to know when booking a stay here:

• Nervous fliers (like me), be prepared: access to the island is by a twin-engine turboprop on Vietnam Airlines’ subsidiary VASCO. However, it’s not that bad at all and if I can do it, you can do it as well. The planes are modern, the flight time is only 45 minutes, and Vietnam Airlines has an excellent safety reputation. Nevertheless, when you do suffer from a fear of flying, I recommend you to book the resort during the dry season, when the weather is less turbulent. For your information, Con Dao can also be reached by overnight ferry, but that trip takes 15 hours.

• During my visit, some renovations in certain villas were taking place. This did cause some minor noise annoyance. The good news though is that all renovations are scheduled to be ended by autumn 2017, so guests who check-in by then will be able to experience the resort in all its refurbished glory.

• Some of the accommodations are duplex villas, which would be a real challenge for disabled or elder guests since there are lot of stairs to negotiate. If you have difficulties walking or taking stairs, make sure to book a single level villa. Apart from that, the resort offers wheelchair access throughout, as well as one tailored room for guests with disabilities.

• The food and spa treatments are expensive for Vietnam, but not expensive when compared to other 5 star hotels in the region.

• The resort enjoys a splendid location in a remote island archipelago. Yes, there is a small town nearby, but except for exploring its market, there is nothing to do here. So, most of your time will be spent at the resort or at excursions booked via the hotel. Night life here is non-existing (but I believe most guests that enjoy the Six Senses brand are not looking for that).

• The resort is located in a national park, on the border of the rainforest, where wildlife is present. Some may find the presence of small (and harmless) wildlife uncomfortable or the noise it makes at night annoying. More troublesome are the mosquitos and sand flies which are for real in the rainy season (May to October).

MY VERDICT

• Location: 9/10
• Design: 8/10
• Pool: 8/10
• Rooms: 8/10
• Food: 10/10
• Breakfast: 10/10
• Spa: 8/10
• Service: 9/10
• Value for money: 9/10
• Overall experience: exceptional: 9/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

• Save money: read my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel like Anantara Mui Ne. Book a room at the cheapest price and/or receive many free perks!

• Save money: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).

• It’s worth to book a villa on the first row, so you have direct beach access and unobstructed sea views. Guests staying in villas on the second row always have to backtrack to the communal swimming pool to get to the beach.

• If you have difficulties walking or taking stairs, make sure to book a single level villa.

• Vietnam travel guide: get the most out of your (luxury) trip to Vietnam with my online travel guide.

• Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

• Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Like most of Southeast Asia, Vietnam varies from warm to very hot throughout the whole year. There are four annual seasons: cool and dry between November and February; (very) hot and dry between March and May; hot and wet between June and August; and cool and wet between September and early November. The best time to visit is the cool season, when the weather usually benefits from a pleasant dry heat and the surrounding countryside is still green from the rains.

HOW TO GET THERE

The closest airport is the tiny Con Dao airport on Con Son island, a 5 km (3 mi) trip or 15-minute complimentary ride to the Six Senses resort, in the hotel’s airconditioned car. Direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City (with a flight time of around 50 minutes) are currently only offered by VASCO, and tickets can be booked online on the Vietnam Airlines website or directly via the hotel (the latter will get you free VIP amenities, such as priority check in and access to the lounge at the domestic terminal in Ho Chi Minh City’s airport).

*** Follow me on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook for a daily moment of travel inspiration ***

The post Review: Six Senses Con Dao (Vietnam) appeared first on the Luxury Travel Expert.

Last April, I enjoyed a great holiday in Vietnam, where some resorts far exceeded my sky-high expectations (and rank among the best hotels I have ever stayed at). You can read my trip reports here:

• Review: Singapore Airlines A350 Business Class Düsseldorf to Singapore
• Review: Singapore Airlines A330 Business Class Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City
• Review: The Reverie Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City
• Review: Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa
• Review: Vietnam Airlines ATR-72 from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao (today)
• Review: Six Senses Con Dao
• Review: Evason Ana Mandara, Nha Trang
• Review: Six Senses Ninh Van Bay
• Review: Amanoi
• Review: Avani Quy Nhon Resort & Spa
• Review: Anantara Hoi An Resort
• Review: Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An
• Review: Banyan Tree Lang Co
• Review: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
• Review: Cathay Pacific A350 Business Class Hong Kong to Düsseldorf

Today (July 19, 2017): Review of a Vietnam Airlines ATR-72 flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao (Vietnam).

Next week, I will publish my review of one of Vietnam’s most celebrated luxury resorts, Six Senses Con Dao, located in the Con Dao archipelago in the South China Sea. It’s important to keep in mind that getting to the ultraluxe resort from Vietnam’s mainland is not included in the room rate and does require some efforts, as you have to take a 50-minute domestic flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao’s only airport, followed by a 15 minute shared shuttle ride to the hotel. I hereby share with you a few key points regarding the flight transfer from Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Aiport to Con Dao.

• The flight between Tan Son Nhat International Aiport and Con Dao  is always on a small ATR 72 turboprop aircraft operated by VASCO, a fully owned subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines. VASCO has a small fleet of 5 ATR 72 turboprop aircraft. Although I am not a fan of turboprop planes and suffer from a fear of flying, the flight itself was not too bad. I was happy though that the weather was clear and sunny, since I believe it may be a different story during Vietnam’s rainy season which runs from July to October (when thunderstorms are frequent events).

• VASCO’s ATR 72 aircraft don’t feature Business Class. There are 66 standard Economy Class seats in a 2-2 layout, all placed in one cabin. For a seat map, click here. Seats have a pitch of 31 inch (78 cm) and a width of 17 inch (43 cm). Passengers are boarded using the rear door (which is unusual for a passenger aircraft), as the front door is used to load cargo.

• Round trip transfers between Tan Son Nhat International Aiport airport and Con Dao can be arranged by the resort on your behalf (fixed price), or you can book them online on the Vietnam Airlines website (often at a cheaper rate).

• Six Senses Con Dao has entered into an exclusive arrangement with VASCO to guarantee 16 seats every day in each direction between Ho Chi Minh City and Con Dao. These domestic round-trip flights can be booked directly with the resort during the reservation process with the Six Senses team. Guests who have their domestic air tickets arranged by Six Senses Con Dao enjoy special benefits, being priority check in procedure at Ho Chi Minh’s domestic terminal and free access to domestic VIP lounge.

• When you book your ticket via Six Senses, then the following airfare will be quoted for round trip tickets, inclusive of taxes: $210 USD per adult, $158 USD per child from 2 to 11 years of age, and $25 USD per child under 2 years of age. As stated above, tickets are often cheaper when booked directly online on the Vietnam Airlines’ website, but they don’t come with the special benefits extended to guests that book their tickets via Six Senses Con Dao.

• The Con Dao airport only operates during daytime hours, so make sure you take this into account when you have a connecting (international flight) to/from Con Dao.

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Today (June 22nd, 2014): Top 10: world’s best resorts with private plunge pools.

Swimming pools are the heart and center of action of every hotel, and some are so spectacular that they made it into our top 10 list of the most beautiful hotel pools in the world. However, if you really want to dive into decadence, then staying in a hotel room with its own private plunge pool is a must. It’s a trend among newly built ultra-luxury resorts to impress guests with hotel rooms that feature their own private plunge pools. And let’s face it, nothing beats watching the sunset over cocktails on your private pool terrace, even if you only go swimming occasionally. So, I’ve splashed my way around the globe to present you my selection of the top 10 world’s best hotels rooms with private plunge pools (all-pool-villa resorts).

There is more information below the slideshow. Think I missed one? Share your favorite hotel with private plunge pools in the comments section, or take my poll at the bottom of the page!

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10. BANYAN TREE SAMUI, THAILAND

Koh Samui, Thailand’s paradise island famous for its inviting sapphire waters and white beaches, offers a destination resort that combines pampering with tranquillity: Banyan Tree Samui. Overlooking scenic Lamai Bay, the resort is nestled in a series of cascading terraces on a private hill cove in the south-eastern coast of Koh Samui. With a pristine, rock-framed, private beach and 78 phenomenal villas, lazy days can be spent in utopian luxury. Each villa has white walls that are punctuated with sliding glass doors opening to a large private pool and glass-railed patio, some with stunning views of the shimmering turquoise Gulf of Thailand.

• Hotel website: Banyan Tree Samui
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $50 USD food & beverage or spa credit).
• Review: to read my review of the Banyan Tree Samui Resort, click here.

9. ROSEWOOD MAYAKOBA, MEXICO

Surrounded by emerald jungle, Rosewood Mayakoba is a Riviera Maya resort that defines a private world of rare luxury and refined beauty. Inspired by Mayan traditions, this 1600-acre resort enclave sits along a mile‐long arc of white Caribbean sand, nestled just north of the picturesque waterfront town of Playa del Carmen. Designed to blend harmony with natural landscapes, Rosewood Mayakoba is an oasis of luxury offering 128 suites with private plunge pools, rooftop sundecks, garden showers, individual docks and the finest modern design and details.

• Hotel website: Rosewood Mayakoba
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD spa credit).

8. NALADHU, MALDIVES

Imagine paradise. Tropical island sands. Swaying palms. Endless turquoise waters. Open your eyes and you will be in Naladhu. Maldivian for “beautiful island,” the private island resort offers expansive villa accommodations: the Ocean Houses are on the sunrise side of the resort overlooking the open ocean, and offer a greater feeling of seclusion than the Beach Houses that face the turquoise lagoon. But all villas come with a private pool fronting the azure Indian Ocean, unsurpassed comfort, the idyllic Maldives luxury resort experience, and a graceful elegance that never goes out of style.

• Hotel website: Naladhu
• Other top 10 accolades: Naladhu also features in my top 10 lists of the best luxury resorts in the Maldives and the world’s best honeymoon resorts.
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, complimentary WiFi, and $50 USD food & beverage or spa credit).
• Review: to read my review of Naladhu, click here.

7. AMANRUYA, BODRUM, TURKEY

A gorgeous bay on the Bodrum Peninsula is home to Amanruya, a tranquil all-season resort that is run by Aman, widely acclaimed as the world’s most exclusive ultra-luxury hotel chain. Named after the Sanskrit word for peace, ‘aman’, and the Turkish word for dream, Amanruya is set on a peaceful hillside, offering breathtaking views of the sea and a winding pathway leading to a sheltered pebble beach. Amanruya offers 36 spacious and elegant Pool Terrace Cottages, each with a private garden and grey-green marble pool. Designed to welcome and soothe, the cottages are gracious homes away from home and a cool air of sophisticated calm prevails.

• Hotel website: Amanruya
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and one lunch for 2).
• Review: to read my review of Amanruya, click here.

6. CAPELLA IXTAPA, MEXICO

Capella Ixtapa, located on the Mexican Pacific Coast, is one of the serious contenders to the title of the world’s most spectacular cliffslide hotel, as the resort is literally attached to majestic cliffs above a powder-white beach and crashing waves.  The 59 suites of the hotel are a wonderful intermingling of modern and traditional Mexican touches and all come with a private infinity edge pool and terrace that opens up to the breathtaking views of the Pacific Oceans.

• Hotel website: Capella Ixtapa
• Other top 10 accolades: Capella Ixtapa also features in my top 10 list of the most spectacular cliffside hotels in the world.
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast for 2, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD resort credit).

5. SOORI BALI, INDONESIA

Soori Bali on the southwest coast of Bali might just be the very definition of paradise. Nestled between lush rice fields and glistening volcanic black sands lapped by the Indian Ocean, these luxury villas in Bali fully integrate the beach experience in their vibrant mix of spaces. The 48 luxurious resort villas come in 4 categories and all have their own private pool and in-villa hospitalities such as dedicated villa host service and a double His and Her vanity with a complete range of amazing bath amenities.

• Hotel website: Soori Bali
• Other top 10 accolades: Soori Bali also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s most beautiful hotel beaches, the most astonishing beach retreats in Asia, and the world’s most amazing beach hotels.
• Review: to read my review of Soori Bali, click here.

4. FOUR SEASONS RESORT, SEYCHELLES

Carved into a hillside on the remote Indian Ocean island of Mahé, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles seeks not to impose itself on the landscape so much as bend to its will. In an island nation blessed with the best beaches in the world, it should come as not surprise that the Four Seasons resort is located along a gorgeous stretch of white sand. You can experience solitude and serenity in one of the 67 luxury resort villas, perched on stilts on the jungle hillside or nestled amid greenery close to the beach. All villas have infinity-edge plunge pools surrounded by a natural hardwood deck.

• Hotel website: Four Seasons Seychelles
• Other accolades: Four Seasons Seychelles also features in my top 10 lists of the best resorts in the Seychelles and the world’s best family hotels.
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, daily breakfast, and $100 USD resort credit).
• Review: to read my review of the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, click here.

3. JADE MOUNTAIN, ST LUCIA

Individual bridges leading to exceptional suites and rugged stoned-faced columns reaching towards the sky, make Jade Mountain one of the Caribbean’s most mesmerizing resort experiences. With the fourth wall entirely absent, Jade Mountain’s 29 suites (called “sanctuaries”) are stage-like settings from which to embrace the full glory of  St Lucia’s twin peaks, the Pitons World Heritage Site, and of course, the eternal Caribbean Sea. All sanctuaries (with the exception of the 5 Sky suites) come with private in-room infinity pools that stretch out to maximize the stunning views while you’re swimming.

• Hotel website: Jade Mountain
• Other accolades: Jade Mountain also features in my top 10 lists of hotel rooms with the best views, the world’s best luxury hotels, the world’s best honeymoon resorts, and the most luxurious resorts in the Caribbean.
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, $100 USD spa credit, early check in, and late check out).
• Review: to read my review of Jade Mountain, click here.

2. SIX SENSES CON DAO, VIETNAM

True to Six Senses’ philosophy of selecting remote yet accessible destinations in areas of outstanding natural beauty, Con Dao Vietnam is a breathtaking location, which has been protected for decades as a national and marine park. The resort is contemporary in design and reflects the essence of a traditional fishing village. All 50 villas rest along a mile of sandy beach, sheltered by hills behind and offering expansive vistas of the sea. They all have a spectacular infinity pool and all building materials are from natural, sustainable sources, and local where possible.

• Hotel website: Six Senses Con Dao
• Other accolades: Six Senses Con Dao also features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in Vietnam.
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, round-trip private airport transfers, two complimentary 30-minute spa treatments for two, early check in, and late check out).
• Review: read here my review of Six Senses Con Dao.

1. SONEVA KIRI, KOH KOOD, THAILAND

Remote yet accessible by a 1,5 hour flight from Bangkok on the resort’s private plane, Soneva Kiri sits on Thailand’s fourth largest but least populated island, Koh Kood, in the Gulf of Siam. It has 29 spectacular private villas – amongst the largest in the world – that are built on hillsides blanketed with ancient rainforest and overlooking the turquoise waters. Guest are given their own buggy to get to the private and stunning, coconut palm shaded beach. But most are tempted to stay all day in their villa because of the massive, private freeform swimming pools that seems to come straight out of a fantasy world.

Contact me to receive a complimentary room upgrade at the time of booking at Soneva Kiri.

• Hotel website: Soneva Kiri
• Other accolades: Soneva Kiri also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s most beautiful hotel beaches, the world’s most amazing beach hotels, the most astonishing beach retreats in Asia, the world’s best luxury hotels, the world’s best family hotels, the world’s most outrageous hotel experiences, the world’s most remote hotels, and luxury hotels with private airports.
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when you book via Virtuoso (e.g. villa upgrade, breakfast, early check-in , late check-out, welcome Champagne with Thai tapas on arrival, and a 30 minute spa treatment for two).
• Review: to read my review of Soneva Kiri, click here.

*** Follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for a daily moment of travel inspiration ***

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