I had just indulged in a day of shopping for sandals and sarongs at Chaweng Beach, in Koh Samui, when some friends invited me to lunch at The Page restaurant at The Library hotel. Carrying plastic bags exploding with more things I didn’t need, I made my way through tourists and two-wheelers on the busy main street till I came upon a very modern concrete façade.
The serenity of the premises is in complete contrast to the cacophony of the surroundings, and the sudden calm is quite mesmerising. I felt like I had stepped into a different world, one with large green expanses with ancient trees leading to the ocean.
Catching sight of the bright red swimming pool at the end of the garden is quite a jolt. Like seeing Picasso’s Guernica for the first time. I recall seeing images of it in various design magazines and thinking ‘I want to go there someday’, but nothing prepared me for the reality.
Easily one of the most spectacular pools in the world, a closer look reveals that it owes its vibrancy to the ingenious combination of orange, yellow and red Italian Bisazza tiles, which take on a different hue as the light changes through the day. “It only takes a simple idea and a slight variation from the ordinary to transform the mundane into something truly spectacular,” says owner and managing director, Kasemtham Sornsong, about the unusual colour.
Spaced out
Designed by Tirawan Songsawat, the Thai architect and interior designer who also makes quirky jewellery, The Library is minimalist and feels Far Eastern in its design sensibility. There are floor-to-ceiling wooden shutters in all the rooms, to allow plenty of fresh air and light, almost like a Geoffrey Bawa house. Traditional Thai homes incorporate platforms to create multi-functional living spaces and the suites employ the same concept.
The 10-year-old property is designed around the trees endemic to the property, and shows the architect’s deep respect for nature. In some places, the trees even go through the buildings, giving the property an organic feel.
However, despite the earthy elements, the suits are the epitome of luxury and high technology. The walk-in wardrobes, indoor Jacuzzi and iMac with broadband made me feel like I could move in and make myself at home.
A new leaf
From the moment I stepped into the hotel, I felt like I was inside an art gallery or the holiday home of an art collector. The stark alabaster walls and glossy red epoxy resin flooring in the suites are interspersed with interesting works by artists from the region, including plexiglass figures of readers engrossed in books.
Being there reminded me of the time I’d spent as a teenager with visiting French artist, sculptor and interior designer, Bruno Tanquerel, who lived and worked in Thailand. Tanquerel was inspired by India and would spend several months living in our home in Tamil Nadu, working on installations.
He always created works of art by taking something that’s traditionally Asian and adding an edge to it. He is best known for the enormous Buddhas he designed for the various Buddha Bars. The Library has the same delightful element of spontaneity and unpredictability in its design.
Well-read resort
As someone who spends a lot of time in book stores when travelling (I never leave a city without visiting an Assouline or Taschen store), I was impressed with the hotel’s library, which has an array of interesting art and design books.
On one of the shelves, I even spotted one of my favourite (and rare to find) coffee table books, The Private World of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge by Robert Murphy. The selection of books felt very personal, like they were part of someone’s home library, and I later learnt that they were all hand-picked by Sornsong who has a keen interest in contemporary design.
The hotel’s beach front is vibrant, with a motley of tourists slathered in sunscreen. Unlike many beach-facing properties that provide flimsy plastic recliners, The Library offers comfortable bean bags and well-designed outdoor lounge furniture that tempt you to spend all day looking at the waves.
The rooms are priced at THB 12,300 (₹23,200) a night.
This column is a fortnightly round-up of high end design in boutique hotels
