DESIGN ROOTS

Styled on a fisherman’s village of yore – intimately connected to the sea – the newly minted KIMPTON KITALAY SAMUI incorporates storytelling into its design narrative to spectacular effect, writes FRANÇOIS OOSTHUIZEN

-  FRANCOIS OOSTHUIZEN

Located on a long and narrow plot of land on Choengmon Beach in the northeast of Koh Samui – a short, 10-minute drive from the airport – Kimpton Kitalay Samui is a visual feast from the moment you step into the lobby. Woven into every aspect of the resort’s design, courtesy of P49 Deesign (yes, “design” with two e’s), are clever references to the stories and culture of a typical fishing village formerly found on the idyllic island.

The double-tiered lobby itself stands on stilt-suspended platforms, entirely built from dark-stained wood. Gorgeous black-and-white tiling lines the long entranceway to reveal a dramatic view of the resort, lush palm-fringed landscape, and turquois-blue ocean beyond. Wherever you look, Instagram moments abound. The word “Kitalay” is derived from the Thai words for “song” or “singing” (kita) and “sea” (lay), an apt moniker for a laidback beachfront location where such a mixture of sensory delights is evoked.