But, in today’s economic climate, hotels have to go a lot further in order to entice holidaymakers to part with their hard-earned money.
When paying top dollar for a suite or villa, travellers want to know that they’re getting VIP treatment. It’s all about the experience. With this in mind, Carol Driver reviews the best hotels in Thailand for travelbite.co.uk, including the Six Senses Hideaway on Koh Samui:
My therapist pulls up the cotton blinds and opens the windows of the spacious treatment spa treatment room where I’ve spent the past hour being pampered.
I sit up and look out as she stretches my spine; the view of the sun setting over the Gulf of Thailand is spectacular.
Staying in the Six Senses Hideaway, on the northern tip of Koh Samui, I really have found a small corner of paradise. And the spa, with its outdoor salas and vast range of massages, facials and treatments, is the ideal place to unwind.
The resort’s 66 rustic, wooden villas are set amongst 20 acres of land – giving guests all the privacy they desire. While the design is stylish, the accommodation complements the indigenous vegetation, with the flora and fauna being integral to the overall atmosphere.
My partner and I are staying in a stunning pool villa suite – there are windows all around the spacious bed and lounge area, drawing attention to the breathtaking panoramic view.
We have two bathrooms – which, in an ideal world, is how it should be. Rich is banished to the smaller of the two large facilities and I take over the other which boasts a plunge bathtub as well as a walk-in closet area.
There are a set of wooden steps outside the back door, leading down to our own private 3.5-metre infinity pool and large sun lounger area, where I am quite happy spending a lazy afternoon, looking out to sea, sipping the cocktails that our “butler” is happy to arrange.
For guests who want to be more sociable there is a large, central infinity swimming pool from where you can also order snacks and drinks. The resort also has access to a beach which is perfect to capture the morning sunrise.
We make our way through the meandering resort and climb the steps where a golf-style buggy is waiting to drive us the short distance to the award-winning Dining on the Rocks – with the height of the heels I’m wearing, it’s the safest option.
The restaurant is set out on terraced decks of teak and bamboo over nine levels, giving the impression that each table is secluded, and we dine on the rooftop, which has 270-degree views of the sea and outlying islands.
We enjoy a delicious taster menu of Thai cuisine and quirky, contemporary experiments – the charismatic executive sous chef James Noble entertains us at the table by creating champagne-infused grapes, which are delightful.
All of the six courses are divine, and we happily consume a glass of wine from the vast 300 selection with each one.
Guests can also choose to eat at Dining on the Hill, where we enjoy a buffet breakfast boasting a selection of almost every food imaginable – fresh juices, Thai soups, waffles, eggs, pancakes and much more.
Our stay ends far too soon – Six Senses is the type of resort you can easily lose yourself in for days, without even taking advantage of the activities, such as Catamaran sailing, mountain biking and Tai Chi, on offer.
It manages to create an escape for guests wanting desert island seclusion, while being large enough to cater for even for the smallest whims – and it does this with grace and poise.
And, as its numerous “Best” awards from travellers and the travel industry will indicate, it’s this attention to detail and idyllic location which puts it into a totally different league to other resorts.