Hotel Koh Samui -- Kirikayan Luxury Pool Villas & Spa

A tune is running through my head: 'Up on the r-o-of ...' Who sang that? I think it was some crooner back in the 60s or 70s. Anyway, way before my time. But I find myself singing this song to myself as I open the door and step out onto the rooftop of my 3rd floor penthouse. Talk about 'wow' factor ...

There's a spa pool big enough to stage an international water polo match set into the teak decking. And, amid the perfectly styled tropical landscaped roof garden, there are two over-sized day beds facing off into the coconut plantations and jungled hills. The real world is, oh, about a million miles away.

Little known fact #29: Kirikayan actually means 'dancing hill'.  And this resort promises you 'a different Samui'. It is different alright. You're looking over the traditional Samui-scape of trees and hills, away from the sea, rich in animist folklore. From the rooftop looking back you can see the ocean, about one kilometre away. That's why this is a different Samui. But fear not, they have their own beach club house at popular Mae Nam Beach, and the hotel's shuttle van can run you down there (it's only five minutes away).

This place is perfect for a party: round up your friends, put on some music -- preferably something a little more edgy than 'Up on the Roof' -- pop some champagne in the ice bucket, and you're set.

It's tempting to just sleep on the roof at night, watching satellites skidding through the stars. But there's a perfectly good king sized bed waiting downstairs for me ...

The room itself is massive, comprising a dining area with solid dining table, lounge room with massive flat screen and sofa, and a full sized kitchen, all done out in dark woods and airy tropical design. This is bigger than some people's houses back home!

But my favourite room is the bathroom. Any place with a jacuzzi bath set among pebbles and plants, under a skylight, knows how to woo even the most jaded travel writer (well, there are a couple I know that just can 't be pleased.)

Given that there's only one bedroom, this set-up reeks of romance, honeymoon, and hanky panky. (They do of course have family rooms that sleep four but that's a far less interesting story.)

The hotel grounds are wonderfully lush and sympathetic to the surroundings, the grey-tiled roofs of the 36 pool villas playing peek-a-boo between the palms. But the money shot is really the infinity pool overlooking the jungle. That's a different Samui. The little guy on my left shoulder is shouting loudly that I should just read some trashy novel around the pool, and a very feint voice on my right shoulder is whispering that I should go and lose some of those excess Christmas kilos in the fitness room.

Well, the fitness room is a let down: a couple of bikes, a treadmill that was more mill than tread, and a couple of weights. Anyway, what was I thinking? No one comes here to submit themselves to Boot Camp, ferchrissakes. So, trashy novel round the pool it is then.

If all this pagan nature is getting to much for you, you can always hop the hotel's thrice-daily shuttle into Chaweng for free. A taxi to anywhere else will run you about 400 baht from here.

But I'm not going anywhere. I'm too busy playing Tarzan. Now where's Jane got to?