Katiliya Mountain Resort and Spa

To be fair, Thailand’s shape — long, skinny and dotted with islands — does give it a reasonably high beach-to-inland ratio. But that’s no excuse. By far the greatest bulk of the country’s land mass is in the mountainous north. And while the simple pleasures of the beach certainly do beckon, there’s magic in them there hills, and a hotel like Katiliya Mountain Resort & Spa, in the scenic northern province of Chiang Rai, makes for quite a forceful reminder.

Katiliya’s hilltop location means sprawling panoramic views of the surrounding forested hillsides, and the all-suite construction means the interior spaces do some sprawling of their own. In style they’re residential, contemporary enough but with endless expanses of indigenous wood, and the bathrooms meet the current luxury standard, with twin basins and separate baths and showers. All come with oversized king beds and private balconies offering impressive views.

The Spa On The Lake is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, and it’s a tough proposition to turn down — the treatment rooms’ private terraces and the spa’s outdoor Jacuzzi look out over the surrounding mountainscape. So, too, does the Terrace restaurant. In fact the views are just about inescapable, and many a guest has left Katiliya converted to Thailand’s inland pleasures.