Santiburi Koh Samui

The Santiburi Beach Resort & Spa is one of the most expensive resorts in Thailand, yet it's a casual place, with a kids' club and activity room, along with a petting zoo and rabbits in the garden. The enormous swimming pool and private beach are relaxing places to hang out, and the Rim Talay restaurant, located on the beach, provides a romantic setting for a meal. There's also a stylish Lobby Lounge, and a spa set in one of the gardens. The Santiburi Golf Club, considered the best 18-hole course is southern Thailand, is just down the road, making the resort a golfers' haven.

The Santiburi Beach Resort & Spa is located along Mae Nam Beach, considered Samui's finest stretch of sand, on the north coast of the island. The airport is a 15- to 20-minute drive, and Fisherman's Village, a restaurant haven, is within a 10-minute drive. Several restaurants, bars, and shops are within walking distance of the resort. The property here is one of Samui's largest, set within 45 acres of palm gardens on a private, 1,000-foot beach. The resort is down a driveway off the main beach road, so there is no traffic noise of any kind, and the beach area is well away from the Jet Skis and speedboats that disrupt other parts of Mae Nam.

The One Bedroom Duplex Suites come with living rooms, bedrooms, and bathrooms with separate tubs and showers. All rooms include large flat-screen TVs, Illy coffee machines, stocked minibars, DVD and CD players, large balconies, sofas, desks, safes, bathrobes and slippers, and lots of closet space. Rooms also come with free Wi-Fi and breakfast. Higher-priced Villas are set amid gardens, and have more luxurious bathrooms, including large tubs surrounded by marble, ample vanity space, and teak floors that match the contemporary Thai decor. The villas also feature private plunge pools. Bathrooms, in both the Duplex Suites and Villas, come with plenty of toiletries.

The swimming pool here is massive, with reportedly the largest circumference of any pool on the island. The 1,000 feet of beach belongs to the hotel, which has set up hammocks, sala beds, and sun loungers. There's a sports complex with a tennis court, a large state-of-the art fitness center with spinning bikes, billiards, ping-pong, mountain bikes, muay Thai boxing, and yoga. There's also a spa set within one of the gardens, and a business center with meeting space.

For dining, there's the intimate Sala Thai for Thai food in the evening, while the Rim Talay serves fresh seafood, Thai, and international fare at a romantic spot right on the beach. Vimanmek, which has a gorgeous tile floor, serves elegant buffet breakfasts that come with the rooms. There's also several bars, including one at the pool, and another in the Lobby Lounge, where high tea is served every afternoon, and live piano can be heard in the evening.

There's also a kids' club, an orchid house, and a spice and fruit garden, and plenty of lawn and garden space. Wi-Fi is free throughout the resort.