We love the rural wilds of northwest Bali with its dry, almost Mediterranean climate and total lack of tourist hordes, so we are almost loathe to share news of this little gem of a villa for fear that it will become so popular that we will never get a chance to go back.

Surrounded on all sides by thick lowland forest with towering mountains to the rear and ocean views to the front, the villa is an oasis of lush lawns and gardens and glorious contemporary-Bali-style architecture that fair cries out “Love me. Enjoy me. Never leave me!”

As chilled out as we were, we were keen to seek a deeper state of atrophy through the art of massage, which turned out to be only a phone call away with the choice of a female therapist or a local healer man from the nearby village. Both massages come highly recommended but do not exceed one per day or else you will turn to jelly.

The staff are all from the local village and haven’t wasted time in tourism school learning how to unfold starched white linen napkins in your lap - that’s not what this part of Bali is about. But, even so, expect great tasting Western and Indonesian dishes, honest service, smiles and a glorious welcome.

We love the rural wilds of north-west Bali with its dry, almost Mediterranean climate and total lack of tourist hordes, so we are almost loathe to share news of this little gem of a villa for fear that it will become so popular that we will never get a chance to go back. But share we must and we just can’t sing high enough praise for Villa Timor.

Surrounded on all sides by thick lowland forest with towering mountains to the rear and ocean views to the front, the villa is an oasis of lush lawns and gardens and glorious Bali-style architecture that fair cries out “Love me. Enjoy me. Never leave me!”

Despite the remoteness of the area (or is that because of it?) there are many adventure activities to be had and experienced: snorkelling for the laid back, scuba diving for the more intense, mountain climbing, mountain biking, nature trekking, kayaking, bird watching and all round general rural exploration, which always turns up a few unexpected goodies such as stumbling across a Hindu village ceremony or witnessing fishermen bringing in their catch at dusk. Alternatively, like us, you can just do nothing and lie beside the pool and read books, drink beer and watch the gardeners cutting the grass.

The staff are all from the local village and haven’t wasted time in tourism school learning how to unfold starched white linen napkins in your lap - that’s not what this part of Bali is about. But even so, expect great tasting Western and Indonesian dishes, honest service, smiles and a glorious welcome.

We’ve been lucky enough to visit a lot of beautiful villas in our time, but Kaba Kaba Estate exceeded all expectations of comfort, luxuriousness, good taste and space.  There’s so much to do on the estate itself that its out-of-town location is not an issue.  Everything has been thought of, from tennis, foosball, air hockey and all the major electronic game consoles, through to a library, gym and even a croquet lawn.  If only we’d had more time!  As it was, the pools, the spa and the spectacular home cinema were more than enough to relax and entertain us.
    
The staff were just the right mix of professional and friendly, and the chef is a consummate pro, delighting us with everything he presented.  Although there is a selection menu, we highly suggest that you just ‘go blind’ (like we did) and let the chef and his team surprise you with their magic.  Our simple, three-course Balinese dinner was off-the-charts delicious.

Do go for an early morning wander through the rice fields.  The locals are very friendly and the experience will be something the regular tour guides can’t give you.  The wide-open spaces are awe inspiring.

What an amaaaaaaazing villa! The moment we walked into Latitude, we knew we’d found something really special – an absolutely stunning villa in the most breathtaking location that ticks more boxes than we could ever need. Great views, check. Beach in minutes, check. Fabulous food, check. Fantastic staff, check. Top-notch design, check.

We loved the apparent isolation and felt no compunction to break away from the spectacular views to play pool or watch a movie, let alone actually leave to explore the area! Exploring the grounds was fun, as there are architectural or design surprises at every corner. We loved the jacuzzi ‘grottoes’ in the guest bedrooms – bathing on a clear night with the stars twinkling in the circular open window overhead was divine. Listening to the surf breaking on the beach as the sun emerged on the horizon was pure magic. And dining on chef Wayan Trimayasa’s fabulous dishes was to taste heaven in every mouthful.

Latitude is such a cool chill-out place with loads of social spaces for parties and events, and yet plenty private corners to escape to for some peace and quiet even with a full house (10 adults plus 2 kids). Villa manager Nick Home goes out of his way to create magic for everyone, and nothing seems to be too much trouble for him and his staff. A wedding party had just checked out before our arrival and their enthusiasm was a common theme in the guest book, which made delightful reading (hmmmm, how soon before my daughter weds?). We also thought what a wonderful place it is for groups of friends united by a love of food, for instance, or surfing – or simply wanting to unwind in luxury.

There was for us only one major problem that was impossible to overcome: that we had to leave Latitude at the end of our stay. How is it possible to disengage gracefully from this slice of heaven on earth? Bet you’re planning your next visit before you’ve even left!

Villa Karishma is certainly a very large villa that offers luxury and privacy. Our first impressions were that the high walls to either side of the villa made it feel a little hemmed in, but after a while this enclosure actually became quite comforting, and the views across the pool remain open towards the river and its wooded embankment. Although the master suite is without doubt the largest and most indulgent of the six bedrooms, the others are all of a similar size and so would be good for equitable sharing. A big selection of DVDs should suit everybody’s tastes – and can be enjoyed in the privacy of your own bedroom. We found the staff team, and in particular the butler, to be friendly and responsive to our requirements; they were very experienced and although perhaps few in number for a property of this size (only five full time), more can be called upon if the villa is fully occupied. The kitchen is very well-equipped and although presided over by a good chef who creates meals at cost price (plus 15% service charge), the staff did mention that guests are welcome to use it too, and that they are happy to help prepare and wash up. That said, we felt that Villa Karishma really is a place for escapism and pampering; the massive living room, complete with bar, is the perfect social hub. As well as a security guard, the villa also has 24 hour CCTV with cameras in the kitchen. There are no shopping or dining facilities within walking distance of the villa so if you wish to venture out a car is necessary. Alternatively, the staff can easily call for a taxi.

Kavya's clever design encouraged us to divide our time equally between the various spaces on offer. It was as pleasant reclining on the wide sofa looking out over the lawn as it was lying on a sunbed by the pool, swinging in the hammock with a book, or retreating to the cool of the TV room to watch a movie. After enjoying our first delicious lunch so much, mealtimes became something to look forward to. The chef applied every one of his 15 years of resort and cruise ship experience to cook up a storm and with everything from local specialties to Italian and fusion food on the suggestion menu, it was as if Seminyak's best chefs had all been invited to make a guest appearance. Despite the slick, minimalist design we found Villa Kavya easily met our practical needs and families would certainly enjoy all the facilities on offer, as would a group of young hip urbanites on a party weekend. The wide, central lawn is large enough to throw a frisbee, have a picnic on or even pitch awnings for a garden party and when it rained briefly the aroma of cut grass evoked memories of bygone summers. The three on-site staff were discreet yet available, which left us free to choose our favourite places and diversions during the day, coming together at mealtimes around the square dining table. After dinner, appetites appeased, the TV addicts slipped off to the TV room, the rest of us happy to recline, chat and enjoy the balmy Balinese evening.

Oh the serenity! We were lucky enough to be staying at Villa Kawan (formerly Villa Asmara No. 2) during one of the many rice harvests and got to see the farmers and sharecroppers threshing and bagging the rice. They were more than happy to pose for a few photos. We spent a contented couple of hours walking through the fields along the beach, happy-snapping rural life as we went. A car is essential, and a driver highly recommended. The villa owner has a good relationship with the chap who collects you from the airport (transfers are extra), and he will supply this service at a reasonable daily price. The money you save on the super-reasonable villa rates will more than make up for the expense. We made sure we were well-provisioned with food for our stay by doing our grocery shopping in Seminyak in advance, (and we recommend that you do the same), and we then cooked our own meals without any problems. However, the villa manager-cum-butler, Jana, is very willing to help you with the grocery shopping, but bear in mind she will have to travel a long way to find imported or gourmet items, so allow a good hour or more for this service. Although the villa is marketed as self-catering, Jana will happily prepare your breakfast and lunch. Additionally, she can cook your dinner (for an extra charge as it would be outside her 9am – 4pm working hours). Make sure you bring a lot of reading (or writing) material because you will definitely have the time and inclination to finish at least three books and a year subscription’s worth of magazines during a one-week stay. Another major recommendation is to head out for a ride on one of the villa’s two (very tasty-looking) mountain bikes to explore the local countryside. Remember to take a copy of the villa’s business card in case you get lost in this rural paradise and need help getting back in time for sundowners in the rooftop gazebo. Priceless.

Villa Kelusa is magical, and we feel really privileged to have stayed there.  When we first walked through the entrance and into the living pavilion we could hardly believe our eyes – the views are simply the best we’ve ever come across in Bali, and the way the landscape changed with each shift in the light was bewitching.  After a stunning crimson sunset, fireflies glowed in the darkness, the Southern Cross twinkled high above, and flashes of lighting in the far distance revealed fleeting glimpses of Bali’s mystical mountains on the horizon.  Then pulling back our bedroom curtains in the morning, we counted nine volcanoes hovering above the gossamer mist that carpeted the valley below.

We loved the layout of Villa Kelusa, which works wonderfully for multi-generation families and groups of friends who like to be together but still have space to spread their wings.  We haven’t come across another villa that accords such privacy and space for four bedrooms, and with three separate living areas and two swimming pools, even a crowd could get lost here.

While we retreated to the fabulous master bedroom of Pondok Sapi, a contemporary glass cube with fabulous views, our honeymooning friends loved the privacy of Pondok Surya, whose romantic bedroom, starting-within-the-living-room infinity pool and sensual double bathtub were much appreciated!

A special thank you to Wayan Sudana, the villa manager, who was a fount of information and enriched our stay. His delightful team hails from the local village, and many have been attached to the house from the beginning.  We’re just thankful the owner decided to share her delightful Bali home with us!

If you’re into nightlife, shopping and eating out in fancy restaurants, then Kembang Desa Villas are not for you, but if you love the great outdoors, the sight and sound of the ocean, the mountains and rural local life, you will love them… we certainly do; they are among our favourite villas in Bali.

Returning to the villa after a long walk along the beach one evening, a delicious meal awaited us – nothing gourmet, just honest, well-prepared food. The cook produces meals from a tasty repertoire of Balinese / Indonesian / International dishes that hit the spot. We were also delighted by the villa’s collection of hundreds of digital movies – all without the evil scratch demon that can ruin the last five minutes of the most-engrossing films!

Make sure you wake up early in the morning when the air and sky are at their most calm and be rewarded with a mountain vista that will leave you speechless. We felt so privileged to stay in this magnificent location, not many visitors get to venture this far, so it really is a rare pleasure and an experience that will stay with us forever.

If you’re into nightlife, shopping and eating out in fancy restaurants, then Villa Breeze at Kembang Desa is not the villa for you, but if you love the great outdoors, the sight and sound of the ocean, the mountains and rural local life, you will love this place… we certainly do. Kembang Desa Villas are among our absolute favourite villas in Bali.

Returning to the villa after a long walk along the beach one evening, a delicious meal awaited us – nothing gourmet, just honest, well-prepared food. The cook produces meals from a tasty repertoire of Balinese / Indonesian / International dishes that hit the spot. We were also delighted by the villa’s collection of hundreds of digital movies – all without the evil scratch demon that can ruin the last five minutes of the most-engrossing films!

Make sure you wake up early in the morning when the air and sky are at their most calm and be rewarded with a mountain vista that will leave you speechless. We felt so privileged to stay in this magnificent location, not many visitors get to venture this far, so it really is a rare pleasure and an experience that will stay with us forever.