The Pala is truly epic. The sense of scale inspires awe the moment you enter, starting with the towering, carved and gilded entrance doors. Dangling from the glazed roof of the light-filled double-height entrance hall, four bronze birdcage lights cast artistic shadows on the floor of polished-to-sheen marble. This is a place that doesn’t do anything by halves – a fact confirmed on stepping into the enormous second-level living room and setting eyes on the ocean panorama. Break away from this vista if you will, and look up; like an Italian palazzo, the ceiling is adorned with an extraordinary Wayang Kamasan-style Balinese painting depicting scenes from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana.

Popo Danes is a Balinese architect of international repute, and his design is city-chic contemporary with shades of 1930s influence in the curved balconies and semi-circular verandas. There’s a stunning amount of indoor and outdoor living space, encouraging social interaction while providing

quiet corners for those who want to escape from the crowd. Animating the acres of space are some gorgeous Balinese design details, such as walls of sculptured sandstone, bronze latticework lamps and large ceramics.

Families should be happy here. Four of the bedrooms have anterooms that can be partitioned off to create a separate bedroom for little ones – a plus for parents seeking privacy. The kids themselves get to rule the roost in their own playroom brimming with toys, books and games; they’ve even got their own TV room with Nintendo Wii and a separate shallow section by the pool. And while they’re happy, parents will be in heaven ensconced in the master wing.

For larger gatherings, Villa Marie can be booked together with the four-bedroom Villa Rose, five-bedroom Villa Markisa and six-bedroom Villa Marie that make up the prestigious Pandawa Cliff Estate; collectively they offer a total of 21 bedrooms accommodating 42 adults (with room for several children on extra beds). The villas share a huge team of professional staff who provide courteous service; nothing is too much trouble for them, and the chef and kitchen team take great pleasure in whipping up wonderful meals from a priced menu of Indonesian and western dishes.  Guests of the four villas enjoy access to the estate’s private sports centre, with full size tennis court, air-conditioned squash court, gym and spa.  (Ocean sports such as kayaking, surfing and snorkeling are on offer at the base of the cliff, on the beach after which Pandawa Cliff Estate takes its name).

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