|
I was taken to Airaphot villa, currently for rent, on an upper
level of the development. Approaching the gate, I almost felt as
though I was in Los Angeles, but, fortunately, the sensation quickly
passed. I parked under the spacious carport, where I was met by
Khun Sak, a member of the property management team. He greeted me
warmly and led me into the private entrance court. Here, granite
blocks are positioned amid a water garden bursting with lotus and
birds of paradise, leading to an elegant Thai sala. Were this not
the entrance way, one could be quite comfortable sitting in reflection
here. In fact, I could imagine waiting with no impatience in this
space for a loved one who had forgotten sunglasses, dinner tickets,
or make-up when we should be well on our way to the social function
to which we were already fashionably late.
The first thing that struck me about the villa was its size. Relative
to the two and three bedroom houses I've seen lately, Airaphot seemed
palatial. The top floor has not one, but two master bedrooms, mirrors
of each other, with magnificent bathrooms; all with perfectly clear
views of both Surin and Bangtao bays, the lush, jungle promontory
between, and Surin Park. One wouldn't quite want to walk down to
the beach from here, not in Phuket's
heat, nor from such a steep perch, but it's practically just across
the road.
The weather was grey, with towers of cumulous and cumulonimbus
clouds patrolling the sky, the kind of conditions that make me depressed
and miserable at home, but here, on the sea, it was breathtaking,
easily as beautiful, though in its own way, as a crystal blue sky
with morning sun.
The bathrooms are designed with separate baths and showers, commodes
and bidets. They are stylishly dressed in dark green ceramic tiles
contrasting with the lighter colours of natural wood. The bedroom
showcases natural wood, especially in the pinnacled ceiling, as
well as in the cabinetry, closets, and bed. The bed itself must
weigh a ton; you have to wonder how they got it up here now that
the elephants are no longer working! One's eyes are drawn,
in each of the rooms, to the wide, hand-woven tapestries that hang
above the beds and to the bedspread rich, raw Thai silk, exuding
class.
A spiral staircase leads down to the main level of the home, where
I was treated to the wow effect. The wide-open space, floored in
gorgeous hardwood, led out, through glass doors, to the infinity-edge
pool, where raindrops rippled the surface. Beyond the deep blue
swimming pool, the next thing in my line of vision was the steely
grey sea, swept with the whitecaps of a coming storm. It might not
be the safest practice, but imagine lolling over the edge of this
pool as the lightning storms crackle and thunder and light the skies
like New Year's Eve. Seeing this pool and its awesome effect,
made me wonder again at the fact that until recently, this option
was not all that common. No matter how many infinity pools as I
see, I am always astounded by their beauty.
Flanking the pool are two pavilions, one with a table that would
comfortably seat eight, a copper lazy susan in the middle for ease
of passing the mustard, jelly, or seafood curry; the other with
luxurious, heavily cushioned pool chairs that easily convert into
full chaise lounges. Intermingled throughout, and on the bordering
balustrades, sprout flowering plants, including towering lotus and
bright, crepe-paper thin bougainvillea.
You can't forget you are in Thailand
in Airaphot villa, that's for sure. The lotus flowers are only the
beginning, for the house is furnished like a veritable Thai museum.
In the huge room of the main floor-with its sections for sitting
and taking in the view across the pool; for relaxing on any of the
three plush sofas that box in the home entertainment zone, where
the TV is virtually a cinema screen; and for dining at the impressive
wooden table, built from a single, massive cut of wood, large enough
to comfortably seat ten adults, all the furnishings are evocative
of Northern Thailand's love affair with dark, hard wood. To provide
a contrast, one couch and two lounge chairs are of lighter-coloured
rattan and all the cushions and pillows are creamy white. Scenes
from traditional Thai culture and literature play out in the neatly
framed tapestries along the walls of the house, women dancing, warriors
fighting against demons and giants. In two corners of the room,
part of the wall is lined with sandstone, for acoustic purposes,
I presumed. Almost life-sized statues of men carry a huge Buddhist
temple gong suspended from a staff of wood which they hold on their
shoulders. In the second alcove stands a thigh-high, hand-made,
traditional drum. Both instruments are functional as well as aesthetic
and can be played with the red-leather bound mallets that hang by
their sides.
Hidden in the walls around the main room are full maid quarters;
renters receiving the services of both housekeepers and cooks. With
two more bedrooms on the third level down, Airaphot villa could
comfortably house up to eight people. The lower bedrooms are very
private, almost like separate apartments, and they flank a multipurpose
room which has more sofas, another gargantuan television set, and
a ping pong table. Definitely the teenagers' party zone!
|
