accommodation

puri ganesha villas

Puri Ganesha is situated on the island's unspoilt north coast. A stunning drive across the mountains takes you far from the hordes. Its four large villas are set back a stone's throw from the calm sea in the sleepy village of Pemuteran. Each is enchantingly styled thanks to English owner Diana von Cranach. Bold and eccentric she may be, but it's her imagination and originality that makes this place such a one off: each villa is a home filled with carefully chosen pieces from her many travels.

You'll have your own smiling staff (who also make great babysitters), private pool and grounds, and the restaurant's delicious organic food is some of the best on the island. A deep sense of peace has been created in this magical place; it is genuinely homely and relaxing without pretention.

style	small hotel
location	pemuteran, north coast
rooms	4 ocean-facing individually styled villas
features	all villas with balconies, verandahs, 4 poster beds, mosquito nets, air conditioning and plenty of spots to sit, eat, read relax and sleep.private swimming pools, open air main house restaurant with superb food, friendly butler and maid service, 2.5 hectares of grounds, 400 metre reef beachfront, close to superb snorkelling and diving
transfer time	3½ hrs

sanda butik villas

Just eight stylish suites are scattered like miniature versions of the hotel's huge dining bale in this tranquil plantation retreat. Built in the coffee-growing foothills of Gunung Batukau in central Bali, its freshwater infinity pool, sunk into the mountainside, makes you feel as though you’re swimming off the end of the world.

At sundown, 24 candelabra are painstakingly lit by gently attentive staff, while complementary pink gins are mixed for guests. This is the perfect place to hide away and relax or to pull body and soul together. It’s also an ideal base for exploring the lesser known north and west regions of the island. Mountain, waterfall and rice field walks (including a 4-hour trek to Mt Batukaru at sunrise) can be organised, complete with a local guide.

style	colonial boutique hotel
location	pupuan, tabanan, the north and west coasts
rooms	8 suites
features	views, views, views! garden bathrooms, freshwater infinity pool, manicured gardens, own organic fruit and veg farm and coffee plantation (you can buy the beans, vacuum-packed, to bring home), book-swap library with plenty of english language fiction, laundry service.
transfer time	1 hr 50 mins

damai lovina villas

Surrounded by lush upland forests, overlooking the North Coast by Lovina bay, these 8 Balinese style bungalows let you hide away from more frantic Southern Bali. It's good for going dolphin watching and visiting local markets. If you're into organic gardens you'll love their orchards full of tropical fruit and veg, from vanilla to dragon's-eye fruit. With all this
to hand, cooking classes are run daily and people make special trips just to the restaurant.

If you want a break from its massage treatments and gentle ocean breeze, choose from treks to waterfalls, diving and snorkelling excursions, bird-watching and painting. Or if you want to laze away the pre-cocktail hour watching films, there's a huge library to chose from. Damai means - "peaceful" and sitting beneath the crimson bouganvilea looking out to sea that's just what it is.

style	small rural hotel
location	lovina, the north and west coast
rooms	8 bungalows
features	gardens, hills and ocean with air-con, sitting area, cd/dvd player, mini bar, hair dryer, bath robe and slippers,swimming pool and terrace bar area with sun loungers, towels, parasols and spectacular view across mountains and sea, restaurant with 2 open sides looking out to pool, ocean and Singaraja, organic local farm providing tropical produce for the restaurant, spa and beauty treatments available in pavillion overlooking neighbouring rice paddies or in your bungalow, large collection of dvds, optional international newspapers
transfer time	3 hrs

uma ubud

Uma Ubud overlooks Tjampuhan Valley Gorge with the river Oos running below. With only 29 rooms and suites, Uma Ubud styles itself as a boutique hotel and prides itself in its friendliness and intimacy.

All you see and touch has a soothing affect from creamy white bedrooms, bleached wood carvings and super soft bedding to the tranquil Como Shambhala spa for yoga and wellbeing therapies. The cuisine is light and imaginative and the low slung bar area serving Expresso Martinis lets you pleasantly drift into conversations with whom you wish. This is pure understated quality.

Just minutes away are the temples and museums of Ubud; their heritage provides a fascinating insight into this region. With the unspoilt countryside all around there are guided walks through forests and paddy fields as well as mountain biking and white water rafting. This is the perfect setting to explore the wonderful culture and rare beauty of Bali.

style	designer retreat
location	ubud
rooms	29
features	como shambala spa, mountain biking, guided walks, white water rafting, yoga and infinity pool, in-room yoga mats.
transfer time	1 hr 30mins

the bale

A small luxury resort located on a breezy hill overlooking the Indian Ocean in the upmarket enclave of Nusa Dua, on the southern Bukit Peninsula. Its 20 individual pavilions are cutting-edge contemporary design. Walk into the bathroom and you could find yourself drifting down into your own infinity swimming pool. Each pavilion has its own small garden, with king-size day bed the size of a small house. What's clever is how they've combined the seclusion of private walled enclosures without losing a sense of open space. You can look out, nobody looks in. Your own butler checks you in and will sort out any trips you need. With armies of staff, ultra style, a funky restaurant and fabulous spa, they don't come more luxurious than this.

Situated next to the Bali Golf and Country Club The Bale offers privacy, minimalist architecture, sea views, outstanding comfort and high quality service, while only a short drive from Uluwatu's spectacular cliffs.

style	luxury contemporary resort
location	nusa dua
rooms	20 villa pavilions
features	private infinity swimming pool & garden, air conditioning, tv, cd/dvd players, minibar and safe, personal butler service, sanctuary spa and gym, restaurant & cocktail bar, ultra chic main swimming pool, restaurant and lounge, library, boutique gift shop & art gallery
transfer time	20 mins

tugu hotel

Nestled between the pristine sunset beach of Canggu and the Batu Bolong Temple, Hotel Tugu Bali is an experience too surreally beautiful to be true. Those with a passion for the romantic beauty of the art, history and culture of the islands of Java and Bali will love this unique hotel. A vast collection of priceless Indonesian antiques, furniture and artworks adorn the pavillions, and the lobby shelters a century old gamelan set.

The staff take exceptional care of guests and the food is not only delicious, but served in a choice os spectacular settings. For the flamboyant, there is the red 300-years old Kang Xi period temple. For the more traditional, there is the Majapahit era-Waroeng Djawa kitchen, which serves some of the best Javanese and Balinese food on the island. And for the pure romantic, there is everywhere else: from a lotus pond pavilion to a private beach BBQ under the stars, in Tugu Bali, a table for two is a table for two.

style	luxury boutique hotel
location	canggu
rooms	26
features	plunge pool & semi-outdoor bath in all ground floor suites, private massage area, sunken bath & ocean view in upper floor suites, satellite tv, stereo cd & dvd system, valet and laundry service, 24 hour in-room dining, complimentary traditional sunset high tea with freshly baked traditional delicacies, tennis court access, swimming pool, bike rental, library, snooker & games, wifi internet connection, southeast asian art & antique gallery, traditional indonesian all-natural apothecary, complimentary airport transfer, complimentary drop off to kuta and seminyak, welcome foot and shoulder massage.
transfer time	30 mins

la joya

At the far end of Balangan Beach, and only two minutes from Uluwatu, La Joya welcomes its guests to a spacious air-conditioned villa and set of eight bungalows, smartly decorated with fine textiles and wooden furniture in a very peaceful garden. The large pool has a special children’s area, while the villa sleeps six people and has its own small pool and private garden. An open bale dining room offers snacks and sandwiches throughout the day. Lunch and dinner menus (including crayfish, prawns, fish, sushi, barbecues, and Balinese specialties) change everyday, and guests can choose what time of day they would like to eat, either at the restaurant or in the intimacy of their own bungalow.

The main swimming pool of 25 meters long is surrounded with long deck chairs, a special area for children. It’s an overflowing swimming pool offering a panoramic Indian ocean view, from Uluwatu to Kuta.

style	small hillside beach resort
location	nusa dua
rooms	11
features	balinese massage
transfer time	20 mins

sarinbuana eco lodge

Located at 700m on the slopes of Mount Batukaru in central Bali, with spectacular views to the sea and the top of the mountain, and protected jungle just 5 minutes away, this is the perfect place for a romantic get away and those who love peace and nature. There are spectacular panoramas to Lombok and Java, all of south Bali, from the 20m high Eco-tower and guests can directly experience the vibrant Balinese Hindu culture at the frequent local ceremonies.

Stay in a beautiful hand crafted bungalow made from natural materials, with its own balcony, surrounded by a lush tropical “food forest” of cacao, coffee, vanilla and jungle fruits. The service here is private and intimate, the staff are all local and there are only ever a maximum of 10 guests staying here. Traditional local dishes are produced by the lodge’s chef from the organic gardens.

style	eco lodge
location	mt batakaru
rooms	7
features	natural swimming pool, 20m eco viewing tower, total peace
transfer time	2hrs

jimbaran puri bali

Stay at Jimbaran Puri Bali and get a hit of instant barefoot chic at a hotel built upon the long white sands of Jimbaran Bay. There are 40 traditional Balinese cottages set in tropical gardens, a picture of bougainvillea, rose-pink waterlilies, hibiscus and frangipani. Cottages have Alang-alang thatched roofs and are set in small walled enclosures. Vaulted bedroom ceilings look down over muslin-swathed beds. Marble bathrooms open out through sliding doors to the patios.

Its impressive lake-size pool created using Javanese stone is hard to match and from here you can step onto the beach to watch the gentle surf and children playing. You can take a short stroll along the shore to find bustling fishmarkets and local beachside restaurants. The sound of the sea, the chirruping frogs and the distinctive calls of the geckos will lull you to sleep at night and its location makes it a great way to begin or end a stay in Bali.

style	boutique beach hotel
location	jimbaran bay, the south coast
rooms	40 cottages
features	cottages with walled garden, indoor sitting area, marble bathroom, outdoor shower, hairdryer, cable tv, dvd, ac, fan & mosquito net. tunjung cafe (indonesian cuisine); nelayan beach restaurant (light meals during the day and 'the freshest seafood in bali' and french mediterranean cuisine in the evening); puri bar, 24 hour room service, private loungers on beach with parasols, freshwater swimming pool, library, in-room traditional balinese massages and facials, exotic gardens, laundry service.
transfer time	10mins