While doing well financially and enjoying life in Koh Samui, I decided to buy a modest home in 2014. I visited dozens of properties and almost bought a house in two instances, but the idea of creating my own place became more vivid during this process. I started to look at empty plots. Searching for the perfect piece of land took many months, and being a resident on the island helped me understand the various neighbourhoods better. I can confidently say that Villa Melo is situated ideally – I chose the location to make it our home! – In contrast to the ever-increasing number of new villa developments for investors.

In 2015 I bought this beautiful plot and started construction on our new home immediately. Since life is full of opportunities, this particular piece of land was sold with two existing building permits. Similarly, like staying on Koh Samui in the first place, it felt like the only next step to start with the second house just a few months after the first footing was laid.

In January 2016, I could move into the upper villa, having family and friends visit me in my new home in the following months. But the next chapter was about to unfold. Instead of living in one villa myself and renting out the other one to residents, I decided to add an apartment below the second house and start welcoming and hosting guests from all over the world in my two villas. Still enjoying the villas on some but sharing them with our guests and meeting new people on other days was the birth of Villa Melo. In the summer of 2016, I welcomed my first guest Alexei from Finland, a former Finish football player.