Have you ever been to Bali? If so you might have noticed that this magical island holds so much beauty, in nature, culture, heritage, architecture, but also accommodations!
Even though I stayed in over 200 different hotels, resorts and villas in my life already, I do feel that Bali has one of the best villa offerings in the world.
The private villas here are stylish, luxurious, with all the comfort and amenities you might need!
Last month was my 3rd visit to Bali and we were happy to stay in no less than 9 different accommodations, to able to see more of the island and experience some of the best villas Bali has to offer.
I rounded up my 5 favourite Balinese pool villas which are all unique, luxurious, yet authentic, each in a beautiful location spread out over the island, which are among some of my favourite spots on Bali.
Even though there is much to choose from I can highly recommend these accommodations as they are all based on my own experience! Each of these villas is rated 4 or 5 stars, has its own private pool and 1 or 2 bedrooms.
In my top 5 I will start with the most expensive one from around €800-900 per night, to the least expensive one, ranging from €150-200 per night, based on a stay in November.
Do note that traveling off season from September until November or from January until March will keep the price lower. And you can get the best deals for your stay by booking directly on the resort's websites.
I hope I will inspire you with many of my personal pictures and the unique features of these accommodations based on my own experiences:
Banyan Tree Ungasan >> currently changed to The Ungasan
Luxury 5 star all-pool villa resort
Price range: €€€€€
Unique features:
So far we had the pleasure to visit 5 accommodations of the Banyan Tree chain, and each of them is top notch. Even though the prices are steep, the unusual high level of accommodation, service and hospitality is worth it! Combined with their foundation of sustainability Banyan Tree hotels are definitely among the best resort chains in the world.
The Ungasan is perfectly located near the beautiful Uluwatu temple and popular Nusa Dua, but still in a very quiet location, providing ultimate privacy, surrounded by nature.
We stayed in a 130 m2 villa with stunning sea views, as it is perched on a cliff, 70 meters above sea level, at the most southern tip of Bali, with private beach access.
The villas are stunning and the facilities more than we could have expected, with great WIFI, several amenities, a spacious kitchen, living area, 2 toilets, beautiful bathroom and an immense private infinity pool and outdoor space, with several lounge options and private Jacuzzi, see for yourself in this gallery (click on the arrows to see all of the pictures and descriptions):
They offer a unique floating breakfast option served in your private infinity pool in the morning and you will be able to watch stunning sunsets from your villa every night.
The resort’s main infinity pool view is iconic as well, looking out directly upon the ocean, and their extensive Spa is renowned as one of Banyan Tree’s best features.
There are 3 restaurants on the resort, with a generous breakfast, different themed dining and in-villa- and destination dining options.
Dinner and drinks at the clifftop restaurant however is something that can not be missed! The view, excellent food and superb service truly made this a night to remember! See for yourself in this gallery (click on the arrows to see all of the pictures and descriptions):
Nyuh Bali Villas Seminyak
Small scale 5 star boutique resort with only 8 private pool villas
Price range: €€€
Unique features:
While situated in a busy city, these villas are truly a quiet oasis in the center of Seminyak, with their own resort restaurant, Spa, and complete privacy within the villa walls.
These villas are perfectly located within walking distance of several other Spa’s and restaurants, but isolated from the busy street traffic of Seminyak, just a few minutes’ drive from the beach and night life of this buzzing city, and 15 minutes from the airport.
They offer a complementary private shuttle service within Seminyak at any time you may need it.
We stayed in the normal 1 bedroom villa, which is spacious, with traditional high ceilings, beautifully furnished with comfortable king-size bed, free standing bath, outdoor shower and everything you might need, next to an excellent WIFI connection in- and outside😊
The private pool and lush outdoor space with sun loungers, small dining table and private butler service provide you with all facilities to completely unwind and relax! See for yourself in this gallery (click on the arrows to see all of the pictures and descriptions):
The complementary afternoon tea is delicious, and together with the extensive in-villa breakfast and in-villa dining options this small resort with great staff, which will truly make you experience the signature Balinese hospitality, make it very hard to leave the villa at all!
Next year they will also be opening an even more extensive luxury retreat for the body and mind in Ubud with several Spa, yoga and healthy living facilities.
Kayumanis Jimbaran private estate & Spa
Idyllic 5 star retreat with all-private pool villas
Price range: €€€
Unique features:
This beautiful retreat is nestled between tall coconut palms on extensive resort grounds in complete privacy! The villas are placed well apart and have a very spacious private garden area covering 170 m2, together with the villa and outdoor living room.
Kayumanis Jimbaran is 1 of the 4 resorts of this all-villa chain on Bali, in one of my favourite areas on the island. This fisherman’s village is still quaint, yet offers many restaurant options on the beach to sample daily fresh fish, and the resort is just around the corner from the local fisherman’s beach.
We stayed in a one bedroom private estate, which was luxurious, yet authentic, with high ceilings and king-size canopied bed, a lush open-aired bathroom, a spacious outdoor kitchen and living room with all the amenities you might need, large private garden, a 12 meter long private pool and we even had our own Spa pavilion in the garden! See for yourself in this gallery (click on the arrows to see all of the pictures and descriptions):
They offer a private shuttle within Jimbaran and Nusa Dua area at any time you may need, return airport transfer, daily re-stocked minibar with beer and soft drinks, and even a 30 minute massage and cocktail served upon arrival, all free of charge, among many other extra’s!
The daily complementary afternoon tea is great as well, combined with the 24 hour service of your private butler, super friendly local staff, excellent in-villa breakfast and dining options, Kayumanis resorts always make us feel completely at home.
Last January we already visited their villas in Sanur, which were excellent, but the ones in Jimbaran are even more spacious, luxurious and unique, with the same high level of service, hospitality and a stunning restaurant and excellent award-winning Spa that can not be missed!
The Indonesian cuisine in their atmospheric Kayumanis Resto on the resort grounds are among the best dishes we tasted so far in such a wonderful authentic setting, see for yourself in this gallery (click on the arrows to see all of the pictures and descriptions):
Kayumanis Sanur private villa & Spa
Small scale 4 star boutique resort with only 11 private pool villas
Price range: €€
Unique features:
Last January we already visited these villas as you can read in this blog, but since then they have been completely upgraded and refurbished, with a stunning result, which you can see here:
Next to Jimbaran the fisherman’s village Sanur is also one of my favourites on Bali because of its heritage, authenticity, its wide and tranquil beach and laidback atmosphere. Definitely recommended if you want to experience the true spirit of Bali, opposed to the hustle and bustle of Seminyak and Kuta for example.
Kayumanis Sanur is located just outside the center in a local residential area, creating a tranquil oasis amidst the lovely sounds of the locals with all the facilities and luxury you need to completely unwind.
These villas also offer all the complementary extra's that Jimbaran does, including the private shuttle, welcome massage & cocktail, all day breakfast, afternoon tea, combined with their 24 hour butler service and so much more. These are certainly some of the many reasons why we came back here again after less than a year.
We stayed in a one bedroom 120 m2 villa, 2 stories high, again with high ceilings and king-size canopied bed, a semi open-aired bathroom, a second room/bedroom upstairs, and as is the signature of Kayumanis resorts, a spacious outdoor pavilion including a kitchen, dining area and living room, looking out upon our own tropical garden, big private pool and traditional entrance gate (click on the smaller pics to see the bigger version and descriptions):
This small scale resort offers everything you need to enjoy Bali's most unique features without having to leave. The local staff is super friendly, they have their own traditional temple altar on the resort grounds, and the extensive Spa treatments here are, as can be expected from Kayumanis, of really high quality, performed in a wonderful atmosphere and with great care by the highly skilled therapists.
The in-villa dining options are various and their beautiful Gong restaurant was proclaimed 'Best restaurant of 2017' by Indonesia Tatler, providing a beautiful setting to enjoy authentic Balinese cuisine, which makes leaving the resort grounds even harder! (click on the smaller pics to see the bigger version and descriptions):
I can however highly recommend to visit their private beach club or even experience their signature sunrise breakfast on the beach as well. This required an early rise but truly was a unique experience that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss!
Sankara Ubud
4 star resort surrounded by authentic villages and rice fields
Price range: €
Unique features:
I really love Ubud, but as this popular city can get pretty busy I prefer staying outside the center in the rural areas nearby, and the Sankara resort is the perfect place for that! This spacious resort with its own local plantation is situated just outside Ubud, surrounded by rice fields, coco palms and authentic villages, providing a true Balinese experience with all the comfort, luxury and service of a 4 star resort.
Just a 15 minutes’ drive by complementary shuttle from the cultural center of Ubud and 90 minutes from the airport.
The resort has 30 Balinese style rooms, suites, and we had the pleasure to stay in one of the private pool villas, with traditional high ceilings, spacious bathroom with ceramic panoramic bath and 2 shower options, king sized canopied bed and comfortable outdoor terrace. See for yourself in this gallery (click on the arrows to see all of the pictures and descriptions):
The villa looked out upon our small but beautiful private pool surrounded by rice fields, palm trees, lush tropical plants and gorgeous nature views, the perfect setting to completely relax!
But the view from the resort’s spacious design infinity pool is stunning as well, fully surrounded by nature, and their own Spa, Yoga Center and in house restaurant, offering an excellent breakfast and dinner (click on the smaller pics to see the bigger version and descriptions):
Each night they serve different themed dining options on the second floor above the reception, looking out upon the pool with live music and cocktails in the weekends.
We booked a 3 hour Spa treatment here which was surprisingly affordable, complemented with different treatments and a flower bath in a lush and spacious setting, great value for money and certainly recommended!
Also the complementary rice field and village morning walk with the resort’s local guide is something you must experience while there.
I hope these private pool villa reviews and my pictures will make it easier for you to choose the perfect place to stay for your visit to Bali. All of these villas will certainly make you feel the true vibe of the island, while experiencing the ultimate comfort, luxury and hospitality, but also authenticity that Bali has to offer.
You can read all about my 2 earlier Bali visits in these blogs here, here and here, with more sightseeing tips and on my Bali page for other favourite local hotspots.
What do you think of these luxurious Balinese villas and did you ever stay in a private pool villa before? I would love to hear your opinion and which of these villas you would choose to stay in, just leave a comment below!
