Perched on a hill right at the southern tip of Phuket Island, the former Royal Phuket Yacht Club is enjoying a renaissance as The Nai Harn resort. Following 18 months of renovation, the white-washed buildings overlooking the azure waters of the bay are reminiscent of the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos but Phromthep Cape and lighthouse quickly bring the mind back to Thailand’s best beach holiday destination.

“We’ve kept the structure and façade and focused mostly on redesigning the interior,” says sales and marketing director Daria Obukhova as we take the lift to the sixth floor.

The contemporary classic architecture of the former Royal Phuket Yacht Club, along with its 130 newly renovated rooms, make The Nai Harn a haven of chic simplicity.

All rooms feature an oversized terrace with four-poster daybeds beneath swaying shades and canopies. Design, space, view, a sense of holiday – all these come together at The Nai Harn.

I’m in an Ocean View Suite on the seventh floor. The suite is spacious of course, but it’s the outdoor terrace that says the most about the space. It’s enormous. Equipped with one of those comfy four-poster daybeds (made for two to cuddle) and a couch, you still have enough space to host a private party.

“Between November and December the small bay is dotted with yachts,” says the attendant, who shows me around the suite.

I can already picture the beautiful bay with the yachts bobbing on the turquoise water. Luxury indeed. However, the bay without yachts is also beautiful with Phromthep Cape as the backdrop and ocean as far as the eye can see.

The suite is luxurious and stylish with a contemporary decor. The white walls, washed wood and simple furnishing give it a low-key yet sophisticated feel. The oversized bathtub with a stunning ocean view and the king-sized bed with its fluffy white linens and a large flat-screen television promise lazy nights and restful sleep.

And best of all, it’s all a few minutes from the beach. I set out early one morning in pursuit of the beachcomber life. Sunlight warms the back of my neck as I walk slowly along the beach line, passing a young couple gazing across the crystal-blue water to the distant horizon.

As the day is about to become night, the general manager Frank Grassmann together with head chef Kevin Jean Fawkes show us they know Phuket better than most when it comes to the sunset. While the crowds are heading to the Phromthep Cape for the “postcard” sunset, we pack bottles of sparkling wine and canapes and head to Yanui, a modest, low-profile beach opposite The Nai Harn.

“This is my secret place for the sunset,” says Grassmann. “Up the hill at Laem Phromthep Cape is touristy but down here is much nicer and private too.”

I cannot agree more, as does the young European couple, as we all sip our glasses of white wine waiting for the sensational sunset.

Fawkes worked with Gordon Ramsey, Jason Atherton, Rene Redzepi and several other well-known chefs before being appointed Culinary Director of The Nai Harn. His culinary journey across North Africa, Middle East and Europe ensures guests will be treated well at table.

One evening I opt for the grilled Maine lobster at rooftop bar The Reflections. It’s perfectly cooked and the flesh is firm and flavourful, Breakfast at Cosmo, the all-day dining restaurant, is also good with a broad selection of Asian and European food.

But my favourite is Rock Salt, a small beachside restaurant next to the Andaman Sea. Breezy and picturesque, the silence broken only the gentle lapping of the waves and the occasional laugh, Rock Salt is an ideal place to linger over a long lunch and a bottle or glass of rose or white wine. I have the sea bass in garlic butter sauce with 2014 Chateau d’Esclans Garrus Rose. Beautiful!

Quiet, luxurious and with second-to-none service, The Nai Harn is a wonderful place for a holiday, no matter how short.

AT A GLANCE

High point: A luxury resort with a great view and a beach of its own,

Low point: None

Pay for it: Bt6,320 to Bt24,000 per night, depending on room type. For the best deals, visit http://www.thenaiharn.com

Find it: Naiharn Beach, Phuket

Call it: (+66 76) 380 200

Browse it: http://www.TheNaiharn.com

Tucked away from the fast-developing valley around Khao Yai National Park, Ville De La Vie resort blends the faded colours of traditional Tuscan villas with the circular stone cottages of pre-Christian times. The welcome is amiable, with two super-friendly Labrador Retrievers and eight horses joining the owners, a couple of retired journalists, in treating guests like their long-lost friends.

“Once you step into Ville De La Vie, you leave many things behind,” begins Teerapaj Jonvong, a former reporter turned resort owner.

The valley around Khao Yai has experienced rapid growth over the last 10 years with well-heeled families snapping up the once bucolic farms and turning them into vacation villas and resorts. Weekenders regularly drive up from Bangkok and these days Thanarat Road is lined with hotels, restaurants and shopping malls, their car parks full of Porsches, BMWs and Ducatis.

Ville De La Vie is different.

“You won’t hear the bikes and cars from here,” Teerapaj says, “only occasional barking and neighing”.

Billed as the secret garden of Khao Yai, Ville De La Vie is tucked away in Wat Tham Khaowong district – halfway along the small thoroughfare that links Mittraphap and Thanarat roads.

We check into Ville De La Vie over a long weekend. Cars are not allowed at the resort – guests get around in electric buggies, traditional carts and on foot – so we leave our vehicle in the car park and follow the Labrador Retrievers, Mocha and Piak Poon, into the pet friendly resort.

Ville De La Vie – French for “City of Life” – might have followed the Tuscan village design so popular in this part of the world but the pretension ends there.

The resort has 10 private cottages and four en-suite poolside rooms for larger groups. The circular cottages – with high ceilings, tiled floors, small balconies, arched doors and wrought-iron beds – are attractively rustic and while I think they resemble the circular pre and early Christian abodes, my nine-year-old niece thinks otherwise. “Smurf house!” she shouts with pleasure.

“No two villas are the same when you look at the details,” says Teerapaj. From the wrought-iron door to the bedhead to the ceiling to the rooftop sculpture, they are different.”

As if to drive the point home, the villas have different names, among them Napoli, Istanbul, Marrakech and Provence. We check into the Venezia Villa for the first night before moving into Provence for two more nights, where we look out over a courtyard garden brimming with luxuriant plants. The circular-room, with fridge and flat-screen television on the wall, feels larger than the usual rectangular room. The king-sized bed is comfy and inviting.

The bathroom too is spacious with a rain shower and toilet. A steam room will be added to each villa by November, Teerapaj says.

The seminar hall, which resembles a church, is within easy walking distance of the villas. The restaurant is opposite.

“We partner with an organic farm in Khao Yai. From rocket salad to Portobello mushrooms, the ingredients are fresh and organic,” says Teeranuch Yodnoon, Teerapaj’s wife, who gave up hosting TV shows to pursue Italian cooking.

The restaurant is not fancy but it is very pleasant, the perfect place for swapping travellers tales while feasting on freshly baked bread, local dairy produce, organic vegetables, Italian dishes and terrific coffee.

Ville De La Vie is also equipped with a small saltwater pool. The four large poolside rooms easily accommodate four to six guests. Beyond the restaurant are the stables, home to eight small horses.

“If you come back to Ville De La Vie later in the year, the rain will have restored life to the meadows and wild flowers,” says Teerapaj.

AT A GLANCE

High point: A small, charming place far from the bustle of Khao Yai.

Low point: The Wi-Fi Internet connection is weak

Pay for it: Visit the booking agents on the Internet or call the resort for the best deal. Tell the owner that you read the piece about Ville De La Vie in The Nation and receive a 10 per-cent discount. The offer is valid through October. Ville De La Vie is a pet-friendly resort. Guests pay an extra Bt500 (per animal) to accommodate their pets.

Find it: The resort is tucked away behind Chokchai Steak House on Mittraphap Road.

Call it: (+66 95) 472 4526 and (+66 93) 824 8378

Browse it: VilleDeLaVie-resort.com.