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.

How relaxed is it possible for a human being to get? Our stay at Villa Sapi gave us some idea. It was so peaceful and quiet; the only constants being the sun, the breeze and the gentle splashing of the waves on the sand. Otherwise, it was a new experience at every turn, from the

We arrived at Sepoi Sepoi’s gorgeous Sira Beach by speedboat (like rock stars!), having spent the previous evening enjoying the nightlife of Gili Trawangan: a visit to the Gilis is an absolute must when you stay here – good restaurants and great snorkelling. The villa

The food at the villa was tasty and well presented. Meals are chosen in advance from a menu (due to the villa’s distance from the nearest grocery store) and are currently included in the rates up to a daily limit per guest. There is even a kids’ menu. On our last night we were treated to a roast beef dinner with Yorkshire pudding, a specialty the chef has been taught to make by the English owners, which certainly proved his ability to cook international dishes as well as local delights. Our favourite for after dinner was retreating to the living pavilion to watch movies on the big projector screen. Villa Sepoi Sepoi is a real tropical success - especially for families.

This is a great villa for families or groups of friends, with loads of space, private places to escape and plenty of entertainment for all ages. The pairing of the six bedrooms means that three families can easily escape from each other in their own separate areas. During our