Bordering Pang Nga, Surat Thani and Myanmar, the lush, mountainous province of Ranong is one of Southern Thailand's more overlooked travel destinations. But now it's welcomed one of its first cool design hotels. 

Dressed in elegant shades of white and silver, The Hidden Resort (077-821-900, www.thehidden-ranong.com), blends Sino-Portuguese and Scandanavian styles in six private villas and two garden pavilions.

Prices start at B1,850 per night. While the pool won’t be ready until January, the Raksawarin Hot Springs (whose temperatures sit at 65-degrees celsius all year round) are a short walk away. 

As Thailand’s least populated province, Ranong consists of 80-percent thick rainforests. It's also home to some of the country’s most beautiful waterfalls, which you can explore without the usual throng of tourists.