Akuvara's contemporary design may not be to everyone's taste, but once you settle into the tropical lifestyle on offer you soon appreciate the beauty of keeping things simple. The clean open spaces suit the environment and technological enhancements like the music and

The staff are courteous and try hard to meet every request. Despite the occasional language barrier they manage to run everything smoothly while remaining unobtrusive and the english speaking manager ensures the villa runs smoothly and deals with things like tour bookings and restaurant recommendations. This part of Lipa Noi offers a nice balance between seclusion and diversion. You can happily spend days doing very little, but a short drive to the other side of the peninsular brings you to some decent resort restaurants, as well as the Nikki Beach Club, which is far more sophisticated a venue than you'd expect to find in such a secluded location.

In some ways Akuvara felt like two villas in one. The studio at the rear of the property feels like an independent unit, but would certainly be a useful addition for a full family gathering. The option to rent the villa without this fourth bedroom, however, makes Akuvara a great choice as a functional but comfortable family getaway.

If there is such a thing as villa envy then staying at Akuvara may inspire it as the villas close-by are significantly larger and more opulent than this one - but come with a much higher price tag. Yet despite its compact design, Akuvara still boasts the full range of amenities required to provide a pleasant beachside escape. Between the pool and the beach you never want for daytime pleasures and lazing in the ocean-front sala with a cool drink and a book must surely rate as one of life's finer moments.

We found Ambalama to be a very flexible beach villa, suitable for families, groups of friends and even decadent couples. It is spacious enough to host larger groups and its sociable layout maximises party potential (as does the iPod docking station and Bose sound system). Each

Anandita is exactly what a ‘destination villa’ should be. It was lovely to be surrounded by calm seas, very comfortable lodgings and a team of staff who really know what they are doing. Everything is laid on and we really had no desire go out, feeling so relaxed and

Nothing changes very much in Lombok, so when we returned to Villa Anandita for our three-year-update we were delighted to find that everything was very much as it had been, including most of the staff who remembered us from our first visit. The only slight disappointment was that the five-star chef is no longer there, but the cook does a pretty good job. Gusti the manager/activities manager delighted us with his energy and enthusiasm, taking us out for a long bicycle ride across the golf course and along rough tracks through the fields to the traditional market at Tanjung. Since our last visit, the complement of bicycles has gone up to 13. Later, Gusti organised a game of volley ball and all the staff joined in, and we realised that this is very much what Villa Anandita is all about. We were also pleased to find that the villa now has a WiFi internet connection, so it doesn’t feel quite so detached from the world. The property has been well maintained but the beach bordering the garden has suffered from a bit of erosion so it has got narrower, but it is still beautiful to look at and you only have to walk a short distance to reach a wider section of sand. Oh yes, there’s a new international airport in Lombok now, which is further away from the villa, so the journey is longer but you’ll see some gorgeous rural countryside en route.

The magical Ariara Island is truly an exciting new frontier for luxury travel. It might sound clichéd, but Ariara really does have it all: an incredibly pristine hideaway location, superb craftsmanship, inventive design, fabulous cuisine and a team that is absolutely

And the food, oh the food! Among the rich and varied things we sampled were wonderful, exotic fruits – some picked off wild trees on the island, giant lobster, imported beef steak barbecued to absolute perfection, pastas and salads made with organic cheeses, herbs and vegetables, fabulous desserts including orange and basil sorbet and the local rice and coconut bico treat. Being a remote island, getting fresh food in (aside from seafood, which fishermen bring directly to shore daily) is a big undertaking, and coordinating it all is a chef on the island and a Swiss chef based in Manila who operates her own organic dairy farm and expertly sources the finest imported foods and wines. Ariara was six years in the making by a very resourceful, creative and passionate team. With its potent combination of ground-breaking standards of service and a wild, largely undiscovered marine wonderland, we believe that it won't be long before Ariara is the place that others in the super-villa business will be scrambling to imitate.

We loved Villa Atas Ombak. It’s big – nay grand – and majestic with a location that just can’t be found for love nor money these days. On arrival, we had to pinch ourselves to make sure we weren’t dreaming. This is the kind of place where you really

In the competitive world of luxury rental villas, it is often the staff that really makes a difference, and at Villa Atas Ombak they are definitely ‘on the ball’. Before we even knew we were thirsty, the housekeeper was strolling out to the lawn to see what we wanted to drink.

Should you feel like exploring beyond the villa grounds (and believe us, you may not!) there is a handful of local restaurants just a few hundred metres up the beach which make for an unpretentious, casual lunch or sunset drinks – so casual you don’t even need to change out of your swimmers. We didn’t! For guests who like to jog or amble along the sand, the distance to Kuta is a good challenge (with a taxi back of course).

Everything about this villa is very family friendly and group orientated; right in the heart of the property, the sky blue swimming pool with its shallow ledge; the huge garden with plenty of space for cricket or football; the interconnecting rooms; the excellent beach with calm

At weekends and during holiday periods there might be a few locals enjoying the beach with you but most of the time it feels deserted. Since the villa is at a slightly higher level it doesn’t suffer a lack of privacy, even when there are people on the beach below. We enjoyed the services of the staff who seemed experienced and capable. The chef was young but enthusiastic and told us about his attending cooking classes to extend his skills. His menus were delightful and the whole dining experience very relaxing. If we needed anything, the staff were happy to go out and shop for us and could also arrange transport for us to visit other beaches and restaurants or go into Galle.

Our stay at Baan Asan really felt like a retreat away from the hustle of every-day life. The pace shifted down a gear as the whole family adjusted to the natural tropical environment and our luxurious and very private surroundings. The kids adored the bunk-beds and having their

For us, Baan Dalah is the perfect casual family beach house. Nothing pretentious just easy and relaxing - the sort of weekend escape we would all like to have. This is not your exotic ‘to die for’ villa but a simple retreat on an enjoyable stretch of tropical beach.

The incredible beachside location and natural surroundings make it easy to slip into indulgent tropical island mode at Baan Hinta. Even though the villa covers several levels, the staff somehow manage to always be on hand with fresh fruit and cool refreshments, and the design of

Despite being a very grown-up and stylish villa, Hinta is also an idyllic family holiday destination for those with older children. There really is something for everyone here.

It is rare to find villas like Baan Kilee. We visited as a group of families and it worked an absolute treat. The kids had a ball and fell into bed exhausted each evening giving the parents time to enjoy their vacation. The staff could not have been more welcoming and