The Houben

Built by a Belgian family on a cliff above Kantieng Bay, The Houben Hotel keeps to a single idea: fifteen rooms, all facing the Andaman Sea, and no children on the property. The rooms split across three categories, Superior, Deluxe, and the Privilege Suite, each with a private balcony over the water. The Deluxe Pool View rooms run to 52 m², the Deluxe Seaview to 49 m² with a choice of king or twin beds, and the Premier rooms to 56 m² with their own jacuzzi tub. Two Privilege Suites, each 75 m², occupy their own corner of the cliff with a private terrace and outdoor jacuzzi. Bathrooms are suite-sized; rooms carry flatscreen televisions and single-cup coffee makers. The infinity pool holds a red tint, an odd but deliberate touch, and sits beside a jacuzzi with the same sea view. Red Alert, the hotel's restaurant, pairs Belgian dishes with Thai ones, using rice from a farm near the island and seafood bought straight from local fishing boats. A small spa runs treatments from private indoor rooms, and a ground-floor gym stays open from 6am to 10pm, unstaffed. Kantieng Bay's sand lies a short walk from the entrance. It is a compact stay, built for quiet rather than volume.