Home   |   Contact Us       Please Click Here to Log In

Tips and Advice on Wedding Honeymoon & Travel

newspaper article Sunday Telegraph Sydney

1239 hits

Author:    Pamela Hayes (VILLA SUNGAI BALI)
Publish Date:    03 Jul 2006

Description

It takes forty minutes from Denpasar airport along Sunset Road to reach Villa Sungai.

Once you’ve arrived at Kerobokan and are surrounded by rice paddies on both sides of the road, you know you’re almost there.

Situated in the tiny village of Cepaka in south west Bali, the luxurious villa is tucked away in a narrow valley between the local temple and school. Two large white frangipani trees stand opposite the unobtrusive driveway which is lined with three long purple Balinese prayer flags.

But it’s not until you’ve descended a long flight of curved stone steps and stepped through the typical Balinese wooden doorway that you have any real sense the villa is there. Even the locals have difficulty finding it.

At night the steps are marked with lanterns and the villa is lit with flickering candles and lamps. The sounds of a gamelan orchestra float up towards the night sky and the scent of tuber roses fills the air. The Balinese call these “sedap malam” which loosely translated means “pleasant evening”.

As we enter the large open-air pavilion the scent of the tuberoses intermingles with appetising smells from the kitchen – hints of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, the rich aromas of char-grilled pork and chicken sates and spicy beef rendang..

A smiling young Balinese woman, dressed in a batik sarong and smart shirt, greets us on arrival with banana daiquiris.

Another pleasant evening at Villa Sungai has begun.

If you’ve ever dreamt of staying in an exclusive up-market Balinese villa surrounded by natural beauty, then this is the place for you. ‘Sungai’ means ‘river’ and the villa overlooks the Penet river, the banks of which are covered in luxuriant rainforest trees and bamboo. The only noises you hear are those of an occasional barking frog or rooster crowing in the mornings, and the daily ritual of sweeping the steps and outdoor areas.

There are three bedrooms, each with extravagant four poster beds draped with fine nets and huge indoor/outdoor bathrooms. The beds are covered with white Egyptian cotton sheets and king size feather pillows and the rooms are air-conditioned and fitted with ceiling fans for maximum comfort. A fourth king bed in the lounge pavilion, with its own bathroom and dressing room, is also available.

Vast high ceilings covered with traditional Balinese thatched roofing, off-white terrazzo floors, white-washed woodwork and neutral Armani tones throughout lend a spacious elegant feel. A natural-coloured knife edge lap pool runs along the front of the outdoor pavilion, perfect for dipping in and out of during the day – or for swimming laps. If you’re not feeling energetic, massages are available on request on the professional beds by the pool.

One of the outstanding features of the villa is the attention to detail from booking time through to arrival in Bali and the high standard of personalised service offered when at the villa. Friendly well-trained Balinese staff are on hand at all hours of the day and night to provide you with breakfast, drinks in the pool bar, lunches and dinner on request. Rooms are serviced twice a day and a chauffered car is available around the clock.

The villa is just twenty minutes north of Seminyak and Legian where you’ll find some of the best shops and restaurants (Ku De Ta, La Lucciola) in Bali, 15 minutes from the famous temple of Tanah Lot and 45 minutes from the artists’colony of Ubud.
Particularly suited to honeymooners who have total exclusivity of the villa and its 9 staff or for groups of friends/family (2-9 guests).

Sheridan Rogers

Comments

There are no comments for this article.

Advertisement