Villa Akala

Villa Akala is let as a single house with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, sleeping up to six guests. It has a private pool, a private entrance, air conditioning and a full kitchen, all part of the house itself.

Linens, towels, a hair dryer and toiletries are provided, and the house has a coffee or tea maker, a heater, an iron, a washer and a desk for working. Because the whole house is let as one, every part of it is used by the same group.

The kitchen is fully equipped, with a refrigerator, a freezer, a stove, an oven and a microwave, along with dishes, dining utensils and kitchen basics such as cookware, oils and condiments. Coffee or tea is provided, and there is a BBQ grill for cooking outdoors.

The house has air conditioning and a heater, plus a washer, an iron and a desk for working. Internet access is available, and the villa has its own private entrance.

Children are welcome: those aged 2 to 7 stay free using the existing bedding, and infants aged 0 to 1 stay free on the same terms. A high chair and a crib or baby cot are provided, and extra beds can be requested from the property, with additional charges possible. Pets are allowed.

Rawai is a fishing village at the southern end of Phuket, and Villa Akala sits on Soi Samakki, one of its quieter side streets. The village has a working harbour, small roads lined with houses, and a slower pace than the resort areas of Patong or Kata. The setting works well for those who want the beaches and temples nearby without the nightlife of Patong close by.

The Big Buddha, a large seated statue on Nakkerd Hills, is 3.1 km from the villa, and it is one of the island's best-known landmarks. Wat Chalong, the Chaithararam Temple, is 5.3 km away and is among the most revered temples on Phuket. Kata Beach lies 3 km away and Nai Harn Beach 3.3 km, both stretches of sand reached by road, and the free parking on site makes a car the simplest way to reach them.

A full day could start at Wat Chalong, continue to the Big Buddha, and end at Kata Beach in the late afternoon, with the evening spent back at the villa and its private pool. For a livelier night out, Patong with Bangla Road and the Jungceylon shopping centre is a longer trip, and Phuket FantaSea, a large cultural theme park, is further away still.