Going For Golf Villas

Our
Rating 9.0 Guest Rating 8.9

Sleeps 12

Villa Sapi

Indonesia » Lombok » Northwest Lombok » Tanjung

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 extraordinary architectural design to the random acts of artwork around the villa and gardens. The TV room – curvilinear, boxed-in with glass and filled with assorted beanbags – looks and feels like an annex of George Jetson’s cartoon space house.

The ebbing tide occupies a big part of your day because it takes up such a big part of your view. We sat on the beach one evening watching a brilliant sunset over a low, low tide with the dusk light reflecting off the rock pools and silhouetting the fishermen stalking the shallow waters. Yet, while nature’s sea views are pretty special, be sure to take the time to turn the sun loungers around so you can stare back at the equally impressive artistic achievements of man.

Come mid-afternoon, it’s fun to amble down to the Hotel Tugu for a glass of something cold and a journey into Indonesia’s diverse indigenous past before returning to Sapi for a sunset drink and the anticipation of what chef has in store for dinner. At the time of our visit, the daily charge for food per person was a mere US$40 (US$20 for children). Every meal was a three-course gourmet indulgence, and in our opinion this was some of the best food we have ever had in a villa; the chef is five-star-trained after all. If you’re worried about gaining a few kilos (and you probably will) you can opt for the chef’s low calorie fare. If you’re looking for in-house activities, the manager can arrange tennis with a professional coach, table tennis, volleyball, cooking classes and more.

All in all, this is a villa where you will want to bring your friends so they can see it for themselves. Photos and tall tales just won’t suffice.

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From $1,236

Our
Rating 9.3 Guest Rating 9.4

Sleeps 12

Villa Sapna

Thailand » Phuket » Cape Yamu

Villa Sapna really bowled us over with its amazing east-coast setting and sublime design. Every sense-pleasing thing we could dream of in a tropical holiday villa was to be found here: sunrise views, sunset views, sea views … yes! Add to that captivating paintings by celebrated Asian artists, modern architecture with a touch of Thai elegance, vibrant living areas that fully open to lush gardens, a 20-metre swimming pool, and attentive staff. And a gym. And a private chef who creates heavenly Thai tastes. And for ease of access, a lift. It’s hard to describe how uplifting it feels to be here, the quality of the tropical light and the vivid skies and the total serenity – just book it and see for yourself!

We also thought that, with its balance of bedrooms and living rooms arranged across two separate pavilions, the villa’s layout was ideal for extended families or two families seeking added privacy. We’re also partial to the Cape Yamu area of Phuket as we prefer to avoid the tourist crowds. Though it’s becoming something of an enclave for ultra-luxury villas and resorts, much of the area is still swathed in native jungle and plantations, with fishing and farming the main activities of the local people.

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From $1,530 Special 4br Rate

Sleeps 8

Our
Rating 8.6

Villa Sapna

Thailand » Phuket » Cape Yamu

Villa Sapna really bowled us over with its amazing east-coast setting and sublime design. Every sense-pleasing thing we could dream of in a tropical holiday villa was to be found here: sunrise views, sunset views, sea views … yes! Add to that captivating paintings by celebrated Asian artists, modern architecture with a touch of Thai elegance, vibrant living areas that fully open to lush gardens, a 20-metre swimming pool, and attentive staff. And a gym. And a private chef who creates heavenly Thai tastes. And for ease of access, a lift. It’s hard to describe how uplifting it feels to be here, the quality of the tropical light and the vivid skies and the total serenity – just book it and see for yourself!

We also thought that, with its balance of bedrooms and living rooms arranged across two separate pavilions, the villa’s layout was ideal for extended families or two families seeking added privacy. We’re also partial to the Cape Yamu area of Phuket as we prefer to avoid the tourist crowds. Though it’s becoming something of an enclave for ultra-luxury villas and resorts, much of the area is still swathed in native jungle and plantations, with fishing and farming the main activities of the local people.

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From $1,766

Sleeps 10

Our
Rating 8.6

Villa Semarapura

Although there’s no doubt it's a visually striking villa, Semarapura’s luxurious functionality seemed to unravel itself slowly so that the more we experienced, the more it drew us in. As we relaxed in one of the sea-view balés, swum in our (huge) private pool, sipped drinks from our own bar (sat on one of the ‘wet seats’ at sunset – wow!), enjoyed the pampering of the friendly and personable staff team and the comforts of our well-facilitated bedroom, we realised what a great villa it was as it appeared to cater not only excellently for group arrangements but also individuals within a group too; everything has been thought of and there are plenty of private places as well as sociable spots. The pool deck and its adjoining media room was very congenial; you can either watch a movie here ‘en famille’ or select one from the library to watch in your own room ‘à deux’, as every bedroom has a TV. Note that the bedroom TVs can only play DVDs and are not connected to cable channels. It’s no wonder that the villa is a very popular place for weddings and other special events; not only is the location idyllic, but the experience and hotel-like approach of the staff clearly shows through too. The food was good at the villa and the kitchen a delight; if we had mustered up the energy to cook for ourselves, it would have been plain sailing as the kitchen was equipped with everything that we might have needed. As it was, the villa’s suggestion menu listed a range of dishes and we only had to pay for the cost of the ingredients (plus 20% handling fee which is subject to service charge and government tax) so it was much more fun to sit back with a cocktail from the bar until long after sunset whilst someone else rustled up something delicious to eat. The dining room was atmospheric; however it could do with a ceiling fan as well as the air conditioning option so you can comfortably have all the doors open. The villa’s out-of-the-way location could be a good or bad thing depending upon your preference, however we liked the unspoilt coastline and thought that the fact that the villa had its own car (to sweep us into Seminyak for example) really made up for this. For the active, there’s also a shared tennis court and a rowing machine.

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From $1,444

Our
Rating 8.6 Guest Rating 9.2

Sleeps 10

Villa Sepoi Sepoi

Indonesia » Lombok » Northwest Lombok » Tanjung

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 staff were on the beach to greet us and help carry bags, which was a relief as the property is so spread out it’s quite a hike to the rooms. Staying in the company of five other adults and four adolescent children, we found that Sepoi Sepoi works well for all ages (which is no surprise given the owners have children of their own). While we lazed by the pool, ambled down to the beach, or enjoyed an indulgent massage (best in the open air pavilion beside the pool, costs extra) the kids were off waterskiing, bicycling, and playing board games - it was often difficult to know where they had disappeared to.

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.

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From $1,086 Special 4br Rate

Our
Rating 8.8 Guest Rating 8.8

Sleeps 8

Villa Sepoi Sepoi

Indonesia » Lombok » Northwest Lombok » Tanjung

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 staff were on the beach to greet us and help carry bags, which was a relief as the property is so spread out it’s quite a hike to the rooms. Staying in the company of five other adults and four adolescent children, we found that Sepoi Sepoi works well for all ages (which is no surprise given the owners have children of their own). While we lazed by the pool, ambled down to the beach, or enjoyed an indulgent massage (best in the open air pavilion beside the pool, costs extra) the kids were off waterskiing, bicycling, and playing board games - it was often difficult to know where they had disappeared to.

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.

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From $1,236

Our
Rating 8.8 Guest Rating 8.8

Sleeps 12

Seseh Beach Villa I

Arriving at Seseh Beach Villa after dark, our first impressions were of a luxurious haven under a vast starlit sky. The crests of huge waves crashing onto the beach just beyond the villa gardens reflected brightly in the moonlight. It was an exciting and exotic welcome.

After a deep sleep in a super-comfortable four-poster bed in one of the upstairs Ocean Rooms, we drew back the curtains to get our bearings. The ocean looked as amazing as it had sounded the night before, and from below a cloudless sky the gardens and pool beckoned. Breakfast was a feast of fresh fruit, good coffee and freshly baked pastries – a great start to the day. Later we enjoyed a delicious chargrilled salmon salad, which confirmed the chef’s skills and had us eagerly anticipating our next meal. A chat with the friendly villa manager armed us with the information we needed to go on an exploratory walk around the village, which gave us some fascinating glimpses into rural Bali life. The beach is beautiful for walking and photos, but huge waves warned us away from the water.

We thought that the layout at Seseh Beach Villa – both inside and out – would work very well for both family holidaymakers and for wedding parties. Nearly all rooms face the gardens and ocean and the two bales at each end of the lovely long pool make gorgeous, breezy outdoor living areas. A second Seseh Beach Villa, situated immediately behind the first, will open next year, making this an even better wedding destination, with a total of 11 bedrooms across both villas.

Seseh’s rural location may not make it everyone’s cup of tea, but a complimentary car and driver make it easy to reach Canggu and Seminyak should you want to. Personally, we were very happy just to rest, relax and enjoy the villa.

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From $1,559

Our
Rating 8.1 Guest Rating 9.0

Sleeps 10

Seseh Beach Villa II

We had a great stay in Seseh Beach Villa II and found everything to be nigh on perfect with all the modern comforts of home mixed with all the lazy pleasures of a tropical holiday. It was incredibly peaceful and quiet with lots of sunshine and swimming by day, while by night we enjoyed big-screen movie sessions, long leisurely dinners and the sounds of the waves lulling us to sleep in our super-soft beds.

After spending much of the day beside the pool, sunset proved to be the best time to head down to the beach for a wander along the sands and a paddle in the surf. There are no lifeguards here and the water can be a bit rough, so swimming is not recommended.

In the evenings, it was fun to gather around our own private bar for a pre-dinner drink. The chef here is a very talented man, and the Balinese and Indonesian specialties that came out of his kitchen were superb. Getting out of our incredibly comfortable bed in the morning was made easy in the knowledge that a hearty breakfast would soon be on the table.

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From $1,386 Special 5br Rate

Sleeps 10

Our
Rating 7.7

Seseh Beach Villa II

We had a great stay in Seseh Beach Villa II and found everything to be nigh on perfect with all the modern comforts of home mixed with all the lazy pleasures of a tropical holiday. It was incredibly peaceful and quiet with lots of sunshine and swimming by day, while by night we enjoyed big-screen movie sessions, long leisurely dinners and the sounds of the waves lulling us to sleep in our super-soft beds.

After spending much of the day beside the pool, sunset proved to be the best time to head down to the beach for a wander along the sands and a paddle in the surf. There are no lifeguards here and the water can be a bit rough, so swimming is not recommended.

In the evenings, it was fun to gather around our own private bar for a pre-dinner drink. The chef here is a very talented man, and the Balinese and Indonesian specialties that came out of his kitchen were superb. Getting out of our incredibly comfortable bed in the morning was made easy in the knowledge that a hearty breakfast would soon be on the table.

more...

From $1,502