Sala Samui Choengmon Beach Resort

The hotel's chic, minimalist style immediately sets you on the path to relaxation, and that's before you've even sampled the delights of the spa. The moon-shaped pool is the perfect spot at which laze a day away, and there's a separate smaller pool for little ones. The Treehouse, with its low slung seating and alfresco tables, is open for salads and light bites during the day, whilst dinner is a sumptuous affair served at The Tent (as deliciously relaxed as it sounds), where dining under canvas with your toes in the sand is the name of the game.

The spacious, sunlit rooms are exactly the sort of spot you'd like to retreat to after a long day. Large windows allow the sea breeze to waft in and wake you up in the morning, but all suites have air-conditioning too for an extra chilly blast when you need it. King size beds, TVs, iPod docks, minibars and espresso machines are all as standard and let's not forget the private plunge pools that each suite enjoys. For a tad more privacy, opt for a Sala Pool Villa, set at the edges of the property.

Busy bees are well catered for at Sala, with a plethora of activities on offer. Take to the water and snorkel the sparkling waters of nearby Ang Thong National Marine Park, or explore closer to home on a paddleboard or kayak. Foodies can take a cooking class and learn to make local delicacies, and we highly recommended popping into town to sample the goods at the Chaweng Beach Night Market. Movie night on the beach is every Wednesday at the hotel, and Saturday brings a fabulous ocean-side BBQ.