Indonesia »
Bali »
Nusa Lembongan
This Robinson-Crusoe-meets-Roberto-Cavalli villa is sensational! Not usually prone to hyperbole, we consider it nigh on impossible not to be bowled over by the entire ‘barefoot luxury’ Villa Voyage experience. From the moment we caught sight of the dramatic sea vista
beyond the living room, we were completely hooked. We lazed on sun loungers and beanbags by the pool, enjoyed siestas on the mezzanine bedroom balcony, and slumbered within the “I had a farm in Africa” tent bed, soothed by the pounding surf. The staff looked after us brilliantly, serving us a delicious daily complimentary breakfast in the beachfront gazebo, and a three-course candle-lit dinner (tenderloin steak for him, sea bass for me) served with the best chips in Bali. (Ingredients – which are charged to guests at cost plus a 30% shopping fee - are boated in from the mainland fresh every day, so we were asked to make our menu selection 24 hours in advance).
This is a place that doesn’t do things by halves; all the design details have been painstakingly thought through, right down to the place mats and napkins (different for each meal – what perfection!). We loved the ‘voyage’ theme – the exotic travel books, the safari-style furniture. Every inch of the villa is a rich sensory pleasure, packed with surprises and with no part overlooked…like the antique daybed in the shadows of a sacred tree by the villa temple and the gate to the beach
We could have happily stayed put at the pool, so deeply relaxing is the Voyage experience! But the villa’s bikes, open-sided van, and jukung (outrigger) encouraged us out of our indolence, and we loved exploring the island – next time we’ll make a point of diving with the manta rays! We also dipped into the beach club next door for a tasty lunch, and strolled along the cliff tops – Dream Beach is only ten minutes away, and the restaurants of Mushroom Bay not much further.
Would we return to Villa Voyage? In a heartbeat! We felt so privileged to be among its first guests, and think that, once word gets out, this tropical island hideaway is going to get booked solid – by families and groups of friends.
more......
.jpg)
