Bon Ton Resort

Rooms

8 authentic century-old Malay houses are set within a secluded compound of mature coconut palms on the edge of a lagoon. These are beautiful, airy constructions on stilts, with broad verandahs and intricate carvings for natural ventilation. Each of the houses is individually designed, though as a general theme you can expect antique furniture, colourful textiles, rattan mats, dressing rooms, verandahs, flatscreen televisions and DVD players, kettles, fridges and four-poster beds screened with muslin. All of the houses have been fitted with aircon.

The detailed window grilles of Black Coral hint at its origins as a nobleman's house, and this in many ways is the most dramatic of the houses, with plenty of dark wood contrasting with furnishings in white. White Frangipani is interesting for its layout, with a raised sleeping area (originally designed to sleep the whole family) and a separate kitchen. Yellow Orchid, an old fisherman's house with a bright summery theme, boasts a secluded sundeck out back with open-air bathroom for soaks beneath the stars. So does Blue Ginger, designed with "beach shack" in mind and built around a huge beam hewn from a single tree. The 120-year-old Silk Villa, which features plantation-style shutters, has two queen-sized beds and two singles in a separate room – ideal for families. Cahaya is the most recently renovated house, formerly the residence of a head of the village. An ideal house for family or friends with one large bedroom and a separate living area with day beds that can be converted into a second bedroom.

Two further 120-year-old houses – Laguna and Palm – feature extra-large bedrooms and bathrooms. The former has an antique wooden bathtub for two and a huge balcony with sweeping views of the lagoon.