Leslie and Neill Macpherson grew up in Asia and have retained a love and connection for the region. Their family are now scattered around the globe and their home in Thailand provides a central point for everyone to get together. They love the Buddhist culture, the warm, hospitable, friendly Thai people and the delicious food. Simply put, whenever they visited the “Land of Smiles” they felt that they were coming home.
We specifically chose Koh Samui as it is a magical island. We felt Samui would avoid the high rise developments of other popular destinations as the building regulations state you can’t build higher than a palm tree!
It’s a charming location with its original, wooden Chinese shop fronts. The village reminds us of the way Asia was 50 years ago, and is one of the few places that has managed to retain this charm. It is also the dining hub of Samui, with chic boutiques and the famous Friday night “Walking Street” market.
We wanted to create an elegant, modern, colonial home. Our priority was for the design to be in harmony with the village architecture and the environment. All our floors are crafted from recycled teak. We drew inspiration from the colonial homes we remembered and loved growing up in Asia, in the 50’s and from gracious hotels such as The Oriental Hotel in Bangkok and Raffles in Singapore.
Villa M's absolute beach front location in one of the most sought after locales on the island, Fisherman’s Village on Bophut Beach. Our intimate Indochina style and wonderful collection of antiques from all over the East. The themed white on white canvas with teak floors extends the outdoors inside, blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living.
We love Koh Samui all year round and really do not have a favourite time. There is always something to do and see on the island -a festival, a sporting or cultural event or simply relaxing and unwinding in the villa. However, my husband particularly loves May when it’s hot and dry.
This is difficult to answer because everywhere in Villa M is special to us! However, there are a few that are perfect for certain times of the day. The deck is a magical place to sip a cup of coffee and watch the sunrise. Reading a book under a palm tree on the beach, with the turquoise sea just a few steps away. Sit in the Jacuzzi with a cocktail on the roof top terrace at sunset! Falling asleep, in a beach facing bedroom, to the quiet lapping of the waves.
We have a couple of great local restaurants close to Villa M. Elysia serves organic food and juices and The Hut which has great, authentic Thai food with a rustic atmosphere. The Jungle Club, in the mountains above Chaweng, is “the coolest” spot on the island in every respect and has the best panoramic views of Koh Samui.