At Villa Ahn we felt like we were in the heart of the real Bali within a peaceful village unspoiled by tourism but only ten minutes away from Ubud. The quiet of the rice fields and the gentle manner of the staff gave this big comfortable house a special tranquillity.

When we arrived we were given a wonderful cool drink made with fresh hibiscus picked right from the garden. Once unpacked, we couldn’t decide which we wanted first: a rain shower, a soak in the big shrine-like bathtub, or a swim in the sparkling blue pool.

This was a totally relaxing house to be in. The bedrooms were very quiet, aside from the sound of frogs in the rice fields, which was like a lullaby. There were plenty of places to sprawl with a book or dabble over a scrabble board (we brought our own). One of us bought a badminton set in the nearby town of Gianyar, which we installed on one of the villa’s big lawns. In the living room there was plenty of room for all six of us to watch a movie. (There are a few DVDs at the villa, but we picked up half a dozen at a supermarket in Ubud very cheaply.)

Meals were a treat. Ibu Kadek, the cook, made us wonderful local dishes that were rich with coconut milk and fresh spices adjusted to our taste. In between meals she offered us tea and whipped up snacks. The inclusive breakfast offers the usual selection (American, Continental) but also Indonesian and Balinese choices. Other meals are from listed price menus and costs are quite reasonable. Dishes are mainly Indonesian, but sandwiches and burgers are also available. Barbecues are a relatively grand affair. The housekeeping staff do all the provisioning, and can shop for special requests for a small fee.

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.

Villa Alang Alang is charmingly Balinese and is a rare find in this fast developing area. The open living areas and a lush garden full of palm trees around the pool provides an authentic Balinese experience, yet still right in the heart of Seminyak. We loved it but not everyone

If you’re looking for a villa in Seminyak, chances are you’re hoping to find one that’s got a great central location within strolling distance of a choice of restaurants, shops and bars. Villa Alice 2’s situation just a two-minute walk to Jalan Laksmana

We liked that having the living and sleeping areas divided across the tropical garden meant that in the evening, anyone retiring early will hear little noise from the lounge. The fact that the garden is enclosed and that the swimming pool has a shallow paddler-friendly section makes the villa especially suitable for families looking for a central base. A pool safety fence can be erected on request and baby cots are available. Each bedroom came with its own TV and DVD player (bedroom 1 also has cable) so that individual guests can escape and movie watch as they like.

We found the staff to be friendly and very helpful, and they left us to our own devices for much of the time. Since their working hours are from 8am until 4pm every day, we liked having the house to ourselves in the evening too; this arrangement works well for privacy-seeking couples. An American breakfast is cooked daily, and if you wish to pick a dish or two from one of the extensive take away menus they will help you to order lunch and dinner. Between the BaliEpicure fine dining menu (which we recommend) and the Hallo Bali magazine of numerous restaurants and cuisines there’s loads to choose from. You can also arrange for a cook to come to the villa for a fee. Otherwise, just head out and enjoy the amazing restaurants on your doorstep.

Villa Alice 1 couldn’t be better located if having a plethora of restaurants, shops and bars within easy reach are important considerations when picking your holiday villa. Aside from its fab location, Villa Alice 1 is also a wonderful place to escape the hustle and bustle

Couples will also find this villa much to their liking – although the staff are friendly and very helpful, they did leave us to our own devices for much of the time so it felt very private. Since their working hours are from 8am until 4pm every day, we liked having the house to ourselves in the evening too. An American breakfast is cooked daily, and if you wish to pick a dish or two from one of the extensive take away menus they will help you to order lunch and dinner. Between the BaliEpicure fine dining menu and the Hallo Bali magazine of numerous restaurants and cuisines there’s loads to choose from. We picked dishes from Lemongrass – a Thai restaurant – and they weren’t bad at all. You can also arrange for a cook to come to the villa for a fee. Otherwise, just head out and enjoy the amazing restaurants on your doorstep.

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.

Angel Villa is compact both in its location and the villa itself – that said, it is bigger than most villas of this type and price range. The outside space is dominated by the pool which is lovely and refreshing – perfect to slide into from the pool-side lounge area

We loved staying at this handsome garden villa and really enjoyed the independence of using the good, modern kitchen or calling on the 24-hour catering service when we were too lazy to cook or dine out. But with so many good restaurants in the neighbourhood that wasn’t