“We are delighted to win three awards this year, especially the Best Architectural Multiple Residential Thailand award”, says Antonio Doani, Managing Director of Luxury Living. “Since we’ve entered the Samui market the response to our competitive residential product line has been very good and consequently, we’ve forced the property industry on Koh Samui to make changes in order to be more reasonable and price-appropriate.”
Luxury Living is a full-service, real estate brokerage specializing in the development, marketing and sales of Koh Samui’s premiere residential properties. They also recently launched a property and lifestyle Luxury Living Magazine. Koh Samui, Thailand – Luxury Living, residential property developers of Aqua Samui, Aqua Residence and Oceana Residence on Koh Samui, Thailand, is reaping the benefits of their logical, straight-forward approach to developing luxury homes for foreigners on Thailand’s 2nd largest island.
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In their first 17 months of business Luxury Living sold 42 Aqua units with US$15 million in sales while industry accolades continued to accumulate. Aqua Samui, Luxury Living’s first project designed by award-winning architect Gary Fell of Gfab Architecture, recently won three awards – Best Architectural Multiple Residential Thailand, Highly Commended Development Marketing Thailand and Highly Commended Condominium Thailand – at the prestigious Asia Pacific Property Awards 2014-15 held May 9, 2014 in Kuala Lumpur. With all of the 2 bedroom units now sold out there are only a few 3 bedroom units remaining.
Luxury Living
Luxury Living has thrived in a challenging market by focusing on the fundamental principles of luxury property development – premiere location, optimum design and quality construction – and by recognizing property investors who now insist on razor-sharp pricing and full legal security of a property.
Luxury Living currently has three residential properties under development on Koh Samui with a combined total of 142 residential units for sale. These include:
Aqua Samui, Luxury Living’s first award-winning development launched in January 2013. This Gary Fell-designed project features 46 private, two and three bedroom pool villas with panoramic views over the Gulf of Siam. The unit sizes range from 177 sqm to 240 sqm. Prices range from 10.9 M THB to 16.9 M THB. Phase one completion date is on target for September 2014 with Phase 2’s completion forecasted for August 2015.
Aqua Residence, billed as ‘Samui’s best value residence’, is Luxury Living’s first 65-unit condominium development, launched in April 2014. Also designed by Gary Fell of Gfab Architecture, the project offers a choice of studio, one and two bedroom apartments with Cheweng Beach sea views. Unit sizes range from 55 sqm to 138 sqm. Prices range from 4.5 M THB to 11 M THB. Construction will start September 2014 with completion set for September 2016.
Oceana Residence, their soon-to-be launched condominium development, is located in the desirable area of Plai Laem in the North East of Koh Samui and within walking distance to the beach. This 34-unit residential property has a modern contemporary look to it and is set on four levels. It features one and two bedroom fully-furnished beachside condominiums. Unit sizes range from 44 sqm to 124 sqm. Prices range from 2.49 M THB to 8.75 M THB. Construction will start April 2014 with completion set for September 2015.
Last year’s awards for the AquaSamui development included a ‘Highly Commended’ for Development – Multiple Units (Thailand) at the 2013 Asia Pacific Property Awards and also recognition as one of Asia’s Best Resort Residences 2013 by the Thailand Property Report.
According to internationally recognized consulting firm C9 Hotelworks’ 2014 Samui Market Update, in 2013, Samui saw a record high 1.7 million travelers visit the island. Foreign visitors also accounted for 88% of the total market, with nearly half coming from Western Europe. The report suggested the island landscape is seeing a growing impact from the mass tourism sector, mainly from China and Russia. In 2013, these markets shot up by 127% and 171% compared to 2012.
“A key stimulator of demand has been the rising prominence of Surat Thani airport as a second gateway to Samui”, reports Bill Barnett, C9 Hotelworks Managing Director. “Passenger arrivals substantially grew at 38% and 32% in 2012 and 2013. Low-cost airlines and non-scheduled flights (charters) are lead indicators pushing up airlift. While Samui’s airport capacity hit 86% in 2013, the second mainland gateway has the ability to drive numbers up.”
Luxury Living is located on Koh Samui (island) in the Southern Thai province of Surat Thani. A tropical island of great natural beauty and variety, Koh Samui has an abundance of natural resources, white sandy beaches, coral reefs and coconut trees. Samui is a world class destination that attracts over 1.7 million tourists per year and is Thailand’s third largest island with an area of 228.7 square kilometers. It is home to more than 50,000 full-time inhabitants (2008) – 90% of which are Buddhist.
Antonio Doani says “Conditions demand immediate action, and a smaller firm is more flexible, more focused, more innovative. With an on-going growth of the company along with new product and project launches we are very confident that Luxury Living will continue to grow from strength to strength.”
Gfab, the architectural was started in 1999 by Gary Fell. From its base in Bali it is responsible for projects throughout Asia. Initially their practice was founded on the back of jobs in Bali and Australia before being invited to Cambodia and then Thailand to undertake projects there. Gary came to Bali as a project architect for Four Seasons Sayan, after being shortlisted for the Cardiff Opera House competition while still a post graduate student at London’s Bartlett School of Architecture.