Breakfast arrives by basket, floating across a 24-metre infinity pool towards a swimmer. That was the morning routine for one group of five friends celebrating their collective 40th birthdays at Villa Amarisa, a cliffside mansion above Kamala beach on the Thai island of Phuket — and part of Mandarin Oriental's exceptional homes collection.
The villa sits on what locals call Phuket's millionaire mile, carved into the Kamala hillside over three floors, with a lift and staircase linking them. There are five ensuite bedrooms: the Topaz suite opens straight onto the infinity pool and has a private terrace with an outdoor clawfoot tub; the Coral primary suite on the second level has gold sculptural lamps and its own terrace tub; the Lazuli suite is the calmest of the lot, with a Japanese-style tatami bed and framed bird art. Families aren't an afterthought — the Amethyst suite has twin beds that work well for children.
Downstairs, the whole group gathers in a sweeping open-plan space with a dining area, TV lounge and a guest kitchen backed by a proper chef's kitchen. Art is the running theme: hand-carved Indian pillars in the glass lobby, a lift framed by an antique Indian wooden door, and a 2,000-year-old apsara sculpture positioned in front of a picture window. Even a walk down the second-floor hallway feels like a gallery visit.
What sets it apart from a regular luxury villa is the hotel-grade staffing. A private chef, Aoy, cooks daily — think pomelo salads, fresh lobster and sticky mango rice served alfresco by the pool — and was happy to hit the morning market for gluten-free soy sauce on request. Housekeeping runs to full Mandarin Oriental standards, including evening turndown with chocolates at the bedside. Villa manager Bella is on call around the clock, making coffee, sorting taxis and mixing tropical cocktails until late. The standout ritual, though, is sunset drinks on the rooftop beneath an angel wing sculpture — fitting, since 'Amarisa' translates as 'blessing from heaven'.
The pool is the centrepiece: blue stone, 24 metres long, and angled so that from certain spots it appears to spill into the Andaman Sea. Mornings happen under the shade of a huge Yang na tree, floating breakfast included.
Who is this for? Groups of friends marking a big birthday or milestone, multi-generational families who want five bedrooms without sacrificing service, or anyone after a White Lotus-style Thai hideaway with hotel polish but total privacy. You get the benefits of a five-star stay — chef, housekeeping, 24/7 manager — with the whole place to yourselves. Expect similar Mandarin Oriental private homes in Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Croatia, the UK, Indonesia and a second property in Thailand, if Phuket isn't on the cards.
Full review via Condé Nast Traveller UK.
