Banyan Tree Phuket

Located at Bang Tao Beach among  six palm-fringed lagoons and within 600 acres of parkland, Banyan Tree has won several awards for excellence from the Conde Naste group.

Like many other resorts on this list, Banyan Tree is essentially a villa village and all of the 121 villas front large bodies of water. 

It maintains all the usual amenities: fitness center and spa, a 40 meter swimming poll, library, several restaurants and bars, and is located next to the award winning 18 hole Laguna Phuket Golf Course.

It shares a three kilometer stretch of pristine beach with four other luxury hotels which constitute the Laguna Phuket complex.

Rates start at around 28,000 baht a night.