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Exotic Delelopments
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Six-thirty in the evening finds you enjoying your favourite cocktails on the deck above the waterfall as you mingle with your lover, your friends, and neighbours, watching the afterglow of sunset paint Patong Bay in shades of pink, orange and, as the hour grows later, purple. |
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An orchestra of cicadas chirps from the jungle, drowning out the sounds of water cascading into the pool below, reminding you of just how surrounded by wilderness you are, despite the fact that you're a mere two kilometres from Phuket's busiest beach. Your view of the bay and the promontory beyond is completely unobstructed. It's that time of day when you're wondering whether or not to take a final dip, order a final cocktail before dinner, or finally move from your perch to amble back home for a hot shower. It has to be past seven now, for night has extinguished the sun's blush and the lights of the resorts and restaurants along the beach are twinkling up at the first stars; the half moon shimmering on the gently-rippled sea. Finally, you decide to forego making a choice and take advantage of all three of your options. You arrive at the restaurant refreshed, cool and hungry for some of the finest "wine food"on the island. You squeeze your companion and pinch yourself, and say, "This is our life!
This is Villa Santi, January, 2005. What really sets this project apart from most is that its designer and general manager, Bart Duykers, is a resort operator, one who earned his reputation at the extraordinary Mom Tri's Boathouse. His experiences in the trenches of hospitality gave him the insight to think very functionally about practicality, user ability and quality. Villa Santi will double as individual homes and an exquisite boutique resort with a focus on excellence of service, spa facilities and the restaurant-global cuisine tailored to fine wines. Currently, in May, 2003, pre-sales of the launch phase are complete, and the construction of these first eight villas is scheduled to begin later this month. Mr. Duykers informed me that when the resort village is completed, about two years from now, twenty spa villas will nestle into the mountain slope, to an elevation of eighty metres, steep enough to provide every single room a "totally uninterrupted view of the ocean. "These two-bedroom houses will be built fairly close together, but the three sides facing away from the sea will be blind, with the fourth side open to the courtyard, infinity-edge pool and the magnificence of Patong Bay. Once inside, one "can't see any neighbours, it is as if you are alone on the hill. "Should owners want more room, expansion downstairs is a viable option, as the space can accommodate the addition of up to two more bedrooms.
Duykers looked to Bali for inspiration, choosing a design of three pavilions contained within a garden setting. "I like the detail and natural feel and look of Balinese design, "he said. "It makes great use of simple materials. For example, I don't believe in wooden floors near the beach. No matter what you do, they're going to crack and cause trouble. I thought, how can we make a house that looks better with age, rather than showing wear and tear. " All materials will be locally-sourced and earthy. Rock, terrazzo (small stones set and cut in a cement bed, polished and finished so that one can see the textural beauty of the different stones), Southern Thai hardwoods and terra cotta roof tiles. The shape of the roof will be the "hip"style, pyramidical, and the tiles will age quickly as they have been chosen especially to attract a slight, aesthetically pleasing, cover of moss. The roofs will be topped with copper hats and spires, which will quickly oxidize green, giving the villas a more antique look.
While the spa villas will vastly outnumber the other types of buildings, the showcase of the project will arrive in the second phase, The Residences. Eight larger, four-hundred square metre homes will be built, each with four bedrooms, two levels, a ten metre infinity-edge pool, private carport and a large degree of flexibility for interior finishes. The final phase will be a three-level building of twenty-two apartment suites. Both two and three bedroom units will be available. All will benefit from a design focused on innovation in lighting. Mr. Duykers explained: "Many apartments in other projects are very dark and dull; our designs will create an airy, spacious feel. " The interiors of all housing units have been thoroughly researched, with comfort serving as the primary concern. "We travelled half of Asia for the right sofa before finally finding it in the Philippines, an abaca rattan with decadently plump pillows. "In the bedrooms, Heavenly Beds™, the ones the Westin Hotels use, "absolutely the best sleeping beds in the world", are highly recommended. The bathrooms will provide luxury in oversized waterfall-head showers and free form terrazzo baths, big enough for an entire family at once! They will all have stunning views of the Andaman Sea.
In addition to the spectacular view, Villa Santi's location offers convenience to Patong, a mere five minute drive away and to the beaches of Kamala Baech , Laem Singh, and Surin. The city is beginning construction of a new walking path, to stretch from the northern part of Patong all the way to the municipality's edge-about five kilometres in length. This will grant residents and guests a safe way to enjoy the coastline. Just across the street is Panya Restaurant, a Thai eatery, popular with tourists for its setting and mildly spiced food. It will contrast nicely with Villa Santi's restaurant, allowing for easy, convenient variety. Finally, down the path below Panya lies a nice little beach for relaxing at the water's edge. It is not really a swimmer's beach, due to rocks and corals, but it is very quiet, protected and tranquil. As Villa Santi is also to be a resort, owners are not limited to their own houses and will enjoy full spa services, natural treatments in a tranquil setting beside the twenty-metre waterfall, a state of the art fitness club, cocktail and wine bars and the aforementioned gourmet restaurant. "The combination of facilities, quality of lifestyle offerings and quality of service will attract a high quality traveller, "said Duykers. From an investment perspective, rental operation is a major bonus, as the resort will manage all the properties, at their highest of standards. It is estimated that rental returns on properties sold will yield between seven and twelve percent.
When it came to pricing, Duykers consciously avoided the million dollar range, sensing that that market seems saturated. Instead, he said, "I wanted to go back to the idea of a true holiday home. Easier to afford, easier to resell. "The spa villas are priced at 12-16 million baht; the residences at 20-22 million baht. The apartment prices have not yet been fixed. Duykers believes that the resort village will appeal to holiday makers, investors, and people who are thinking of retiring and spending most of their time in a managed environment. He chose the name from the Thai word for peace-santi-pahp. "When I was walking on the proposed site, I was feeling very peaceful. You can't imagine that two kilometres down the road you've got the hustle and bustle of Patong. Up here you can see but you can't hear it. " On a clear night, when the city lights up like a Christmas tree
and the sky is embroidered with sea stars-talay dao, as the locals
call it, it is difficult to imagine anywhere more serene than Villa
Santi, house of peace. |
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Tropical Living: June 2003, Volume 3 Issue 1 |
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