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PHOOWADON DUANGMEE

THE NATION

The "V" stands for la vie, but the "life" that V Villas proffers seems to be a largely secretive one. The boutique resort is folded between sois on the edge of Khao Ta Kiab district, down the south end of Hua Hin Beach.

Where other resorts fly their names on eye-popping billboards, V Villas is downright shy behind a small, nondescript sign. And those huge sliding gates never stay open for long.

"Does it feel like we're going to a nude beach somewhere in the Caribbean?" I kid my girlfriend as we marvel at the sense of privacy.

"Typical of the French," she answers. "They love to make things fashionable in weird ways."

V Villas is indeed French-managed - by M Gallery, the Accor chain's growing array of stylish boutique getaways, but it's owned by the Thai family that made its fortune from the Major Cineplex. They own the Vie Hotel in Bangkok too.

The Hua Hin property has 13 private villas on the best patch of the beach, all lined along a lane that stretches beach-ward from the reception desk.

The resort's different levels mean you enter your villa from above, toddling down a stairway to your terrace with daybeds waiting beneath parasols, a sizeable swimming pool and two bedrooms.

"Privacy in the lap of luxury," says my girlfriend, gearing down for a plunge in the pool.

True enough: With its emphasis on seclusion, the V could be Hua Hin's most romantic spot.

In terms of form and function, V Villas is contemporary, with polished wood, bare concrete, walls of glass and lots of sliding doors.

The bedrooms, one noticeably bigger, are furnished as separate stucco boxes. Count on fine bedding of white satin, as you might expect in a luxury hotel.

The bathroom is large and trimmed out in white marble. The shower and toilet, as is the fashion these days, are separate behind glass doors - clear, not frosted. The toiletries are the posh M Gallery house brand.

You could easily turn your romantic hideaway into a party house thanks to the spacious pool deck, kitchenette and lawn, all secluded enough, if not exactly soundproof.

You have an audio set and a huge flat-screen TV for entertaining - that's the owner's core business, after all. DVDs at hand include Walt Disney classics, French film noir and National Geographic documentaries.

So the cinephiles are happy. What about the oenophiles?

"Please press '3' when you want the key for the wine fridge," says our personal butler, pointing to the sizeable temperature-controlled cabinet.

You can't blame the butler for not wanting to leave us the key to the wine cellar. What's inside the cabinet is truly impressive, as well as expensive.

The vintages range from a Bt3,000 bottle of '05 Domaine Baron Arque to a dose of '02 Chateau Mouton Rothschild worth Bt29,000.

The staff is no doubt worried we'll guzzle the lot as soon as all the beer in the minibar is finished.

Breakfast costs Bt700, dinner at the resort's Italian restaurant Villazzo considerably more. My girl¬friend and I found ourselves the only one couple there - on Valentine's weekend! Where were the other couples gazing at each other's candlelit eyes?

The answer came with the bill for the repast. Our bass fillet with cream soup, rocket salad and four glasses of Chilean white wine were excellent but ganged up on my credit card savagely.

In fact, the Hua Hin night market is where all the guests tend to eat. Few visitors to town can resist the billowing smoke of the cooking stoves and intense tang of the spices.

V Villas has a "library" of sorts, good for checking the old email, and, yes, it has a spa too.

Bottom line? It's is a great romantic escape, more like a stylish, beachside apartment than the usual resort. You arrive and leave barely noticing the other guests or the staff. This is supreme privacy and, of course, you pay for it.

V VILLAS AT A GLANCE

High point: A stylish villa on Hua Hin's best beach

Low points: It's too hot at midday, even for Scandinavian sunworshippers. Dining outdoors at Villazzo is lovely, and the mosquitoes agree.

Pay for it: Online prices start at Bt14,000 per night.

Find it: Between Hua Hin Sois 83 and 85, Prachuab Kiri Khan

Phone it: Call (032) 616 039 in Hua Hin or (02) 309 3939 in Bangkok.

Browse it: www.VVillaHuaHin.com