Poppies Samui by Terry Blackburn

Poppies provides one of the best hiding places in downtown Chaweng. Its relatively small size belies the fact that there are 24 sizable rooms secreted amongst the greenery. Don’t fall for the sunken bath pitch though – yes the semi al fresco bathrooms are impressive, but unless you enjoy sitting in your shower basin at home, it’s really better to stand.

The opulence of the rooms themselves should offer adequate compensation and extras, such as truffles placed on the pillow at night and a complimentary newspaper delivered every morning, round off the experience nicely. There’s also a good spa and one the island’s finest restaurants. Executive Chef Jan Hollister expertly blends Asian and European influences to create mouth-watering Pacific Rim cuisine.