Bali
I find it hard to understand, sometimes, why people would spend US$750 to spend the night in a five star resort when for the same money they could luxuriate in a multi-bedroom villa with all the comforts of a well appointed home.
Together with several of their family or friends ... With highly trained staff at their beck and call ... With many of the same facilities that resorts do have ... And a whole lot more, that resorts could only dream of.
Pictured: Michael Taylor relaxing in a hammock at the Villa Kavaya during his recent fact finding mission to Bali. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
Villas vs Five Star Resorts
Bali is famous for its luxurious four and five star resorts, which are built along beaches, atop cliffs overlooking the ocean, amid tropical rain forests, and next to rice paddies, where time seems to have stood still for generations.
What many people unfamiliar with the Indonesian island are not aware of, however, is that the Balinese landscape is also dotted with sybaritic villas set amid beautifully landscaped tropical gardens that offer amazing value for money.
Villa Kavaya
Take Villa Kavaya, where I spent 24 hours several weeks back during my two week fact finding mission to Bali.
Located in Canggu, which is a 20 minute drive from Seminyak, if traffic cooperates, Villa Kavaya is a 500 square metre villa set amid a 2,000 square metre landscaped garden complete with an expansive lawn, an 18 metre infinity pool, and an antique Javanese style teakwood cottage, which sleeps two.
Did I mention the spacious terrace, the comfy hammocks, the well equipped fitness centre?
Competitive Advantage
There are an estimated 1,000 such villas in Bali, perhaps about 20 in Canggu alone, but what sets Villa Kavaya apart from many of its competitors is that it was designed and decorated by a talented young architect cum interior designer well versed in both art and antiques.
Alain Pons, who owns the property, is director of A2P Productions Furniture and Accessories. With impeccable taste and an unerring eye for detail, Alain conceived the villa and oversaw its construction and decoration with Gallic savoire faire.
The three bedrooms in the main house are spacious, each with an antique king size bed, a flat screen TV, a sound system (if I remember correctly), a desk and other furniture, and an en suite bathroom with tumble marble floors, a standing bathtub, and two rain showers – one indoors and one set in an enclosed patio.
The bathtub in one of the bathrooms – hand selected, as with practically everything else, by Alain – was fashioned from a massive piece of marble. It was so large, in fact, that it had to be installed before the walls were built. Otherwise, it would have never made it through the door.
Common Facilities
Needless to say, there is a beautifully furnished living room with all of the expected accouterments, an adjoining dining room that is both formal and casual, and a fully equipped open plan gourmet kitchen.
Not that you are going to be expected to cook while you are there (though you could, if you really wanted to).
Villa Kavaya, as with many other private villas in Bali, comes with staff – in this case nine – and they are included in the price.
Should you want them to prepare a simple snack – or a formal sit down dinner for 12 – they can do it. And you pay only for the price of ingredients, plus a 20% service. And we are talking about five star chefs, yummy cuisine, and impeccable service.
I know what they are capable of. The night my traveling companion and I stayed at Villa Kavaya, Alain hosted a sumptuous dinner party for 12 on the lawn. Fabulous food, great wine, excellent service, wonderful ambiance, stimulating conversation - without doubt, it was the highlight of my two week stay in Bali.
Off the Beaten Track
When you're there, you feel like you're totally off the beaten track, and yet, should you want to shop till you drop, go clubbing, surfing, or horseback riding, Villa Kavaya is just ...
- 20 minutes from Seminyak with its boutiques, galleries, clubs, and restaurants.
- 45 minutes from Densapar International Airport.
- 10 minutes from Gred Norman designed Nirwana Golf Course.
- 800 metres from Echo Beach with its surfing and seafood restaurants.
- 200 metres from horse stables.
Comment
Multi bedroom villas such as Villa Kavaya go for about the same price as standard rooms or suites at many of Bali's top five star resorts.
But they sleep more people while offering more privacy, more room, and more personalized service.
When you factor in five star chefs serving yummy cuisine priced at wet market prices (plus service charges) – sounds like a pretty good deal to me.
Private villas such as Villa Kavaya are perfect for family reunions, intimate weddings, corporate getaways, or friends wanting to travel together.
Copyright: Michael Taylor. Photo Credit: Accidental Travel Writer.
