Issue 13 | Feature brought to you by Samujana
As two men sipped tea and conversed in Arabic in a cafe in Morocco, little did they know their meeting would be talked about for years to come. Overhearing their conversation, one of the original founders of Samujana who was holidaying at the time, kept on hearing the word ‘Jana’ being repeated. Wondering what it meant, he interrupted them and was told it translated to English as ‘coral’. Inspired by this word, upon returning to Koh Samui, he decided it was apt to use ‘Jana’ in the development’s name seeing as the plot overlooks Koh Samui’s Coral Bay. Jana was combined with Samui and Samujana was born.
Naming a person or a building is no easy task. It comes with responsibility since the name needs to fit that person, place or being. For a property it needs to be distinctive, yet recognisable and relate to its location which is exactly what Samujana has achieved. The name Samujana has created a relationship with the estate and the island, a theme that architect Gary Fell of Gfab Architects wanted to accomplish at Samujana by conserving the surrounding environment and entwining it with the villas.
In certain villas, mature trees and rocks form part of the reception areas, gardens or pools giving the illusion that villas are at home within the landscape that they occupy. As Catherine Culwell, head of villa sales at Samujana comments, “The villas incorporate the local nature in the design and finish, flowing together to produce a very beautiful result. The villas are seamless and boast some absolutely stunning 360 degree views”.
Not only do the villas look comfortable in their topography, the owners at Samujana feel very much at home too. Purchased by expatriates as holiday homes, many of whom love the estate so much that they snapped up another villa in the second phase – a true testament to Samujana’s success. What Samujana can offer is a home away from home without the hassles that can be associated with owning property, and with a high level of attentiveness for guests included. Plus it is conveniently located just ten minutes from the airport.
Meticulously maintained by Samujana’s team of 180 strong full-time staff, each villa has their own dedicated staff member residing in the villa’s staff quarters to be on hand to clean and air the property on a regular basis. The maintenance team carry out routine inspections throughout the estate to check for any areas requiring remedial work, whether it be painting, a bathroom tap that needs fixing, or kitchen equipment that need replacing. The gardens and the villa’s private pools are also tended to daily.
“The brilliant thing about Samujana is that unlike many other developments that are controlled by international property or resort groups, Samujana is owner operated as the villa owners immediately become shareholders in Samujana Ltd who control the management of the estate,” says Culwell. This gives owners control over their asset, without being dictated to by a company who may have a different vested interest.
On top of the regular upkeep of the villas and the estate, most whims can be met as an onsite concierge service assists guests to book restaurants, arrange short excursions to explore Koh Samui, or for those seeking relaxation, book spa treatments. For guests wanting to make the most of their villa a chef can be hired to cook for them at home. A shuttle service whizzes guests to the beach, and a private footpath through the estates leads to the beach in just five minutes.
Each villa has their own private infinity pool. The ‘Spectacular Villa’s’ have a gym, cinema, or spa room, and in some cases all three, and every villa has an air conditioned room with a television for guests to relax in. In addition to Samjana’s range of services and facilities, owners have freedom to use their villa as much as they want throughout the year with the confidence that it will constantly be cared for in their absence. Combine this peace of mind with the villas’ natural beauty and it is no wonder that the owners at Samujana feel like it is truly a home from home.
