Desa Seni

Rooms

Desa Seni’s antique houses are all repurposed, hailing from Sumatra, Java, Lombok and Bali. Each is utterly unique with its own history, and each is named after a Hindu God and styled differently.

We loved how tiny windows shed coloured light into the interiors and onto hand-carved beds. Open-air bathrooms with wooden sinks brought the tropical gardens inside, and made for a fun showering experience. Our huge front porch was ideal for quiet time, curling up with a book or writing a journal, and upstairs, the crow’s nest was a secret daytime retreat or evening aerie. At night the turndown service transforms your bed into a romantic, glowing space encased in a mozzie net.

Features include:

• In-room treatments available
• Minibar
• Mosquito net
• Safe box

Eating

Set back from the pool, the open-sided restaurant’s soundtrack is the call of tropical birds, and the light breeze whispering through the trees. The hotel's co-founder Thomas is the inspiration and chef behind the fusion food, which combine local favourites with a luxury twist. Everything tastes divinely fresh - much of it from the organic gardens - and presentation is immaculate.

Breakfast starts with just-squeezed tangerine juice and a generous platter of seasonal fruit. Eggs, French toast and pancakes all have a Balinese influence with tropical fruit, sugarcane syrup or local veggies. Lunch and early dinner (the restaurant closes at 6 pm) include raw salads showcasing local ingredients like pomelo and bongkot flowers; sandwiches span wraps, tacos and flat breads. Delicious mains feature locally caught prawns, fish, chicken and veggies. We were seriously impressed by our grilled snapper with a mango sambal, polenta, baby fern and acar, and a Seafood Medley with coconut milk, lemongrass and lime leaf.

For evening meals, there are plenty of restaurants within walking distance for a change of scene; staff can advise.

Features include:

• Bar
• Coffee maker
• Kids' meals
• Organic produce
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• The main activity at Desa Seni involves downward dogs. There are 2 open, breezy yoga salas, both with a tangible feeling of peace and serenity. Our Sunday morning class had a great mix of guests and locals and a complete range of abilities. Choose between Astanga, Hatha, various flow classes, Kundalini, Vinyasa and more
  
• Have a facial, flower bath or holistic massage in the breezy spa. Or try the Aura Chakra Therapy, during which a local healer combines Reiki with spiritual healing and chakra alignment
  
• Various workshops include meditation and art
  
• The surf breaks at local beaches are some of the most consistent in Bali. There are several places at Echo Beach that offer surf lessons/board hire
  
• The hotel runs various day trips, including the Ubud Village Tour, the mountainous lakes of Bedugul, and temple tours (Gunung Kawi, holy Kintamani, ulu Watu and Tanah Lot)
  
• Go horse riding at sunset, along the water’s edge on Berawa Beach
  
• On Sundays there's an artisan market in Canggu - beautiful homecrafts and handmade jewellery

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Art classes
• Birdwatching
• Cooking classes
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Meditation
• Plantlife / flora
• Shopping / markets
• Surfing
• Well being
• Yoga

Kids

Children are warmly welcomed at Desa Seni. They will love playing with Desa and Seni, the dogs, and there are kids' yoga classes and special spa treatments!

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

The Village Homes have 2 double/twin bedrooms apiece (each with an ensuite shower bathroom) and plenty of inside and outdoor living space; they can fit 2 extra beds, too. The Suite Village Houses can also be configured for 4, but kids will need to sleep in extra beds in the living areas. Families of 3 should book a Deluxe Village House

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 15 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Desa Seni is set in the village of Canggu, on Bali's southwest coast. It's a 15-minute journey from the international airport.

By Air:
Bali’s Denpasar Ngurah Rai airport (15km) is served by many international airlines - click on the links below for a list. You can also fly to Jakarta or Singapore and connect from there. The hotel can arrange transfers from the airport, and from Ubud if you’re coming from there, although it's easy to just jump in a taxi.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Bali and getting around