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.

It is difficult to pinpoint what’s best about The Arsana Estate. During our stay the chef cooked an exquisite dinner which was served fabulously by the staff. With the windows open, the sound of the waterfall and distant wildlife and a gentle breeze drifting in it was a

We found Villa Asada to be a very pleasant and practical family holiday home finished to a good standard with some stunning views over the Kalyana Bay. The villa is one of 2 completed on 7 plots available for sale. None of the remaining plots look to be starting anytime soon

This is such a stunning villa! We’re suckers for character, so we really did love everything about Villa Asli. Not only do the gorgeous timber joglos exude such delicious charm in all their aging, creaking, antique-filled glory (and provide a rare [for Bali] sense

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).