Beach bliss

Of the 110 rooms on the resort, 70 are beach bungalows, 40 are over-water villas and two of those come complete with pools should the clear ocean waters not be to your liking.

Having sampled both a beach bungalow and a premium over-water villa with pool, I have to say that both have their pros and cons. Staying in a beach room gives you direct access to your own piece of beach. Rooms are spacious and include a canopied daybed. The bathroom is magnificent.

Set outdoors in your individual garden courtyard, it comes complete with Anantara's signature made-for-two terrazzo bathtubs as well as two rainshowers - one of which is open air.

Moving back into the room, you'll find that your king-sized bed faces out to your private veranda, which includes more seating areas and access to the beach. If you do opt for a beach bungalow make sure you request the sunset side.

Not only do these rooms face the beautiful lagoon but you'll find that you get more natural light seeping into your room. As each beach villa is surrounded by greenery, you'll find that the sunrise side villas are pretty dark inside and void of much natural light - if you exclude the outdoor bathroom.

Built on slits, the over-water villas are larger than the beachside accommodation. All are complete with aforementioned canopied daybeds, and king-sized beds which look onto the private lagoon.

Stepping out of the bedroom, you'll be greeted by your private terrace complete with sun loungers and an outside daybed. Deluxe over-water villas also have a pool and all over-water villas have direct access into the warm ocean waters.

Plus, with the waters as clear as they are, you'll be able to watch a host a tropical fish swimming under your villa from your terrace and even your toilet, which has a glass viewing panel where you'd normally place your feet.

Once again the bathroom is the most impressive part of the villa. Yes, there's the usual - dressing area, twin basins and rain shower - but it's the enormous infinity bathtub, which looks out onto the turquoise ocean through floor to ceiling windows that open up, which will make your jaw drop.

However, the part of me that would have preferred a temperature controlled plunge pool, also wished that the bathtub had a Jacuzzi function so we could really kick back and enjoy the views from the massive bathtub.

But there is a downside to the over-water suites and that is that they aren't as private as the beach villas. Packed closely together, you can hear your neighbours from your terrace and your bathroom.

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