The Concept
Villa Lamai Sarai is inspired by its exotic surrounds and by the spice ships that once sailed past, bringing cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon and other precious cargos across the South China Sea.
Sarai (or Serai) was the Persian name given to places of welcome and rest along the ancient Silk Roads – so a welcoming place of rest and relaxation on a soft sandy coconut beach.
Having visited Koh Samui and stayed on Lamai beach 40 years ago when we both worked in Bangkok fresh out of college, we wanted to build a place that exudes the same mix of welcome, the exotic, laid-back, simple charm and cultural richness that we experienced back then. All soaked in the lush natural environment that Lamai has retained.
The multiple levels of the Villa help create intrigue and wonder. The 200 million years old granite boulders that support the Villa and protrude into some of its rooms, make a unique connection with nature. The gardens dotted around the villa retain the natural greenness of the forested hill on which it is built. To retain as much green space as we could, we even built a cave garden, with its Japanese/British influenced waterfall garden flowing under the pool deck and draining rain water from the top of the site.
Eight antique doors, sourced from along the Silk Road, from the Atlantic coast of Morocco at the western end to Beijing in the east, anchor the interior design. Each room has a quirky and unique combination of furniture from Silk Road countries known for their particular quality designs in wood-working and fabrics, many of which we have visited and worked in since that first working assignment in Thailand. Morocco was our first love in terms of exotic places to explore. China is where we ended up.
As life-long explorers who long ago found a beach where we would happily stay forever, we wanted to design a villa that captures where we were then and where we are now. Villa Lamai Sarai provides all the modern facilities expected by busy and overworked visitors looking for rest, recuperation and restoration on this island paradise. It aims to do that unobtrusively and sustainably. It aims to let beauty speak for itself, be it in the teak pillars recycled from an old Burmese house; or the bedroom chairs made in Chiangmai from sustainably sourced hardwood and upholstered in hand printed fabrics made by rural craftspeople; open sea-view of Lamai bay; or the luscious folliage of the Villa’s tropical gardens; or wooden wall panels originally painted on the floorboards of traditional Sulawesi homes.
We designed and built Villa Lamai Sarai over a long period of time, extended by two years of inactivity due to the pandemic. But time became a bonus as we sought to perfect different aspects of the building design, sustainable support systems, gardens and interiors and to source design ideas, furniture and inspiration that we may have missed had we been in more of a rush.
We are told by visitors that the result is a very peaceful, as well as beautiful, villa.
We hope you think so too.
The Architecture
Ultra-modern tropical villa architecture meets an ancient Silk-Road past. Expansive, breezy spaces to match a breathtaking 180 degree panorama. Furniture bearing the marks of traditional craft accenting the modern. Cozy nooks everywhere to sit, chat, reflect, read, sip wine, chill, restore. Seven flights of stairs, five bedrooms, one ‘cave’ suite. Eight Silk Road doors from Morocco in the west to Beijing in the east. Five gardens and a gentle waterfall running through ferns under the pool. Forested hills behind, coconut palms and an arcing bay below, then the sea. Roof inspired by granite rocks of the island’s hills and the boats of its sea. Copper gable end inspired by Silk Road trade. Limestone pool deck and traditional Italian terrazzo floors and bathrooms. Sloping over five floors on an outcrop of giant granite boulders. Take the stairs, take the elevator, climb the rocks, gaze the stars. Thai-Chinese style teak pavilions in the gardens and the library. Hammocks, sun-beds, daybeds, wonderful mattresses, spacious arm chairs, swing seats
Villa Lamai Sarai 