We stayed at Bain Sairee last Jul/August and had a brilliant time. The Villa(s) (there are 2 separate accommodation and living areas with a joint garden leading down to the beach) are very luxuriously fitted out and would suit family groups with kids as well as singles seeking a quieter time away from the hubbub of Chaweng or Lamai....

The staff were fantastic - and we were very well looked after by Jul and the crew... Don't know where the chef came from - but they need to hang on to him - the food was fantastic and we became very lazy about going out......

If you are looking for a bit of unspoilt Thailand by the beach, Bain Sairee is your answer....

We stayed at Ban Sairee in July last year.. three Australian families (10 kids in total) fitted easily and it was a wonderful experience relaxing by the pool and enjoying the sumptious meals cooked by the resident chef (cooking classes too, if you can be bothered moving from the deck with your drinks!). We particularly loved the traditional style villas, fitted with all the mod cons.. the service is equivalent to a 5-star hotel, but with more privacy. Juls the manager is a real find and we used her to recommend local restaurants, beaches and to book our jeeps for us. The villas are reasonably isolated, which adds to their charm and provides a peaceful respite from visiting the tourisity hot spots of Lamai etc.. I loved Big John's at Tongyang Beach, a restaurant right on the beach, with a show for the kids and great food. Just ask Juls for the directions!!

I have just returned from a week staying at Ban Sairee. I have to stay it is probably the most magical place that i have ever stayed. The setting was absolutely out of this world and the accommodation, beyond luxurious, though the single rooms lacked a few essentials. Jule and the rest of the staff exceeded all expectations and catered to our every need, from food service to mid afternoon smoothies to organising trips to the fresh flowers on your bed each day, we could not have asked for more. The food was out of this world.
All in all an absolutley fantastic week.

I have been trying for years to find a villa that's both traditional to the country/area but chic, simple (though well appointed) and with local staff who are genuinely part of the place as opposed to a weary appendage.

Ban Sairee in Koh Samui is I think the answer. I have added this to a very short list of perfect places that includes the San Dominica hotel in Taormina, Sicily; the Villa Gallici in Aix-en-Provence; the Cape Grace in Cape Town.

The villa (in fact two villas...mirror images of each other and thus perfect for two families or groups) is designed as a traditional Thai house built predominantly in teak from the North (think Jim Thompson's house on the Klong...with wi-fi). Reception rooms - sitting room, dining room, kitchen and separate TV room - are gathered in one area, a large, airy space with views to the sea through the palms dotted around the gardens. Bedroom are in a separate space and are large, comfortable with first class bathrooms and showers open to the elements (amazing in a thunderstorm...).

We had the space to be together or apart at Ban Sairee which for me is an important part of making a villa holiday work. Also, the property is cocooned from any neighbours and wonderfully, peacefully alone.

The staff at Ban Sairee could not have been more helpful. This is not Relais-Chateau, highly engineered (and prescriptive) service; rather a much more Thai feel...lots of warmth, great food and a huge willingness to help. My feeling was that time spent in taking an interest in them, the area (whether temples or restaurants) was rewarded with enthusiasm and a real concern for the guest's happy stay.

This is a villa that sticks in the mind. It's beautifully thought out, in a wonderful setting; lets those that want to sit by the pool (or sea) with cocktails do so while others pick up email in the house or play tennis when the heat has gone out of the day.

I'm almost sorry to post this for fear of letting out one of my best secrets. However, for those, like me, who have found it very hard to find a truly sympathetic place to escape to...this may be a seriously helpful tip.

Be interested to hear how others get on.