Set on a private beach in North Pattaya, Cape Dara Resort (038-933-888, www.capedarapattaya.com) opened last year, comprising 264 modern rooms, suites and villas, each boasting unobstructed sea views. The room types range from a 38-sq-meter deluxe room to a 122-sq-meter two-bedroom family suite. The resort also recently launched the TopStar Compound, a luxurious three-story villa with five bedrooms and spacious living area, suitable for a big family or a group of friends looking to party for the weekend. Taking up a total 855 sq meters, the new villa boasts an infinity pool, two living rooms, a kitchen, a dining room and a Jacuzzi in every bedroom. Rates for the new pool villa are B216,297 per night on Sun-Thu and  B216,597 on Fri-Sat, which includes a personal butler, complimentary minibar, and transport to anywhere on the island within 100km per day. You can also take advantage of a 15 percent discount by transferring your payment within two days after booking.  

Phuket has just welcomed a quirky new attraction, Baan Teelanka (084-456-5279, www.upsidedownhouse-phuket.com), a three-story house furnished entirely upside down, with everything hanging from the ceiling—couches, beds, even bathtubs. There’s also a 1,000-sq-meter garden labyrinth at the back of the house, called A-Maze-in-Phuket, created by British maze designer Adrian Fisher. Open daily from 10am-6pm. Entry fees are B200 for adults and B120 for children for Baan Teelanka, and it’s B150 to get lost in A-Maze-in-Phuket. Open daily 10am-6pm. 

Opened in April, Grand Mercure Phuket Patong (076-231-999, tinyurl.com/nxeyax2) is located on Patong Beach, near Jungceylon shopping mall. The new hotel consists of 314 contemporary guest rooms divided into a 32-sq-meter superior room, a 34-sq-meter room with pool access, a 62-sq-meter suite, a 96-sq-meter deluxe suite, a 96-sq-meter one-bedroom pool villa and a 180-sq-meter two-bedroom pool villa. Scheduled to open in August, the suites and pool villas come equipped with a rain shower, a separate bath tub, an iPod dock and a large balcony. Rates start from B4,155 per night for a superior room and B6,292 for a room with pool access.