Puri Ganesha Villas

Rooms

There are just 4 large 2-storey Balinese style thatched villas, each with 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms, very spacious dining and living areas, and a kitchen. Each is set in an acre of garden fronting the seashore with an antique beachfront rice barn; sit here to relax, meditate or just gaze out and watch the evening fishermen try their luck across the coral reefs. You also get 2 discreet and smiley staff, its own pool and an open-air pavilion where you can dine in private should you wish. Each is dedicated to a famous person who played an important role in Bali's cultural history, expect to find posters, paintings and books about that character in your villa.

Diana, an interior designer, has furnished the villas with items collected from her travels. Think uncluttered authentic chic with intricately carved wooden doors, white linen drapes held back with silk ties, antique day beds and four-poster beds, colourful batik cushions (her own design), bathroom sinks made of giant clamshells, trinkets and emblems of an elephant theme. All this magically produces a stylish yet lived-in atmosphere, you feel as if you have returned to visit an old haunt. Standard features include mosquito nets, air conditioning and huge open air bathrooms - beautiful.

Villa Senang and Villa Sepi both have 2 bedrooms - one master bedroom with attached shower room upstairs and an additional double/twin bedroom downstairs with outdoor bathroom. Villa Senyum (sleeps 6) follows a very similar setup with an upstairs master bedroom and 2 twin/double bedrooms downstairs. Villa Santai (sleeps 2) is the honeymoon villa and is the most private; picture elegant black and white checks, gold and silver threads, dark red, black and cream ikats from the east of the island.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Coffee / tea making
• Cots available
• In-room treatments available
• Mosquito net
• WiFi

Eating

You may be staying in your own villa, but there's no need for tiresome self-catering. The only time we ventured into our kitchen was to grab a cold drink from the fridge. Food at Puri Ganesha is simple but seriously delicious and very reasonably priced compared to the other hotels we checked out in Bali. Diana serves only fish and poultry (no red meat), and uses organic local produce. They can also cater for all kinds of dietary needs, such as raw, soy-free, gluten-free, vegan and even nightshade-free. Water comes from the nearby springs of Sanggalngit.

Breakfast (included) is served whenever you want - the table in your open air pavilion is set up with fruit salad and fresh coffee. Staff ask the night before if you want anything special: we chose banana pancakes, watermelon juice and soft boiled eggs with toast soldiers.

Don't miss out on lunch - Diana's salads are legendary. Our Nicoise salad made with fresh tuna, washed down with a glass of chilled white wine and served poolside was exceptional. A few hours later we were offered fresh ginger tea from an elephant tea pot and indulgent lemon crumble cake.

Dinner can be served in the privacy of your villa but we preferred to wander over to the intimate and convivial open-air restaurant in the main house. If you wish to socialise with Diana and the other guests, here is the place to do it. There is a small but carefully chosen selection of dishes on offer (the menu changes daily) along with a few good wines and some lethal cocktails. We tried the chilled gazpacho (Bali style), aromatic Thai green chicken curry, giant prawns steamed in banana leaves, and swordfish with pesto on garlic mash - all utterly delicious. We also loved the vanilla and orange crème brûlée.

Features include:

• Communal dining
• Fridge
• Full kitchen
• In-house cook
• Kids' meals
• Oven
• Restaurant
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Do nothing but enjoy your pool and private villa grounds
  
• Take part in a foodie trip: guests can join Diana on jaunts to the local markets or head up to spice farms in the mountains to see turmeric, vanilla and cloves growing. Then return to watch Diana cooking.
  
• Have a massage and happy feet treatment in your villa, rice barn or their Sunyi Spa overlooking the sea
  
• Go shopping - Diana is a professional shopper and organises personalised trips to nearby Java to scout out antiques
  
• Whilst visiting Java, ask Diana to arrange a trip to visit the volcano. She can also arrange a number of special interest trips
  
• Learn to cook Balinese dinner chez Diana's Balinese husband Gusti
  
• For those who simply want to cleanse and rejuvenate, Diana also offers special detox diets and Live and Raw Food workshops. These provide a balance of gourmet living foods and a juice diet
  
• Hire a boat to look for dolphins
  
• Visit Menjangan Island via the local turtle sanctuary then enjoy its exceptional snorkelling and diving - one of very best spots in the world
  
• Attend evening meditation at Melanting temple or one of the numerous village ceremonies
  
• Horseback riding along the beach through the hills to the local villages

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Cooking classes
• Hiking
• Horse riding
• Sailing
• Scuba diving
• Scuba diving courses
• Shopping / markets
• Snorkelling
• Swimming
• Traditional cultures
• Well being

Kids

The privacy and intimacy of Puri Ganesha lends itself well for children: there are plenty of grounds and beach front to explore. Beyond the villas, boating trips, snorkelling, and other trips will appeal to older children. We think it best suits those aged 4 and above.

There is no additional charge for children sharing with parents or for a baby cot to be put in the villa.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

Book whatever suits you best: a 2-bed villa sleeping 4 (Senang or Sepi), a 3-bed villa sleeping 6 (Senyum) or the honeymoon villa if you have a small child who can sleep in a cot (Santai).

Cots Available

Distances:

• Airport: 3.5 hours by car, 25 minutes by helicopter
• Hospital: 3.5 hours by car (Denpasar)

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Puri Ganesha Villas are situated on the northwest coast of Bali, close to the village of Pemutaran. Denpasar is a 3.5 hour drive away and it's 3 hours from Ubud.

By Air:
Denpasar Ngurah Rai (130km) is served by many international airlines. Please click on the links below for further information. You can also fly to Jakarta, then travel overland (approx 24 hours) or catch a connecting flight to Denpasar. You can also fly in to Surabaya from Singapore, and Diana will arrange for you to spend the night at a Colonial hotel, then fly or take train through volcanic landscape to the ferry to Bali next morning.

From the Airport
We'd recommend booking a car transfer with the hotel, as there are no easy public transport links. The journey takes 3.5 hrs from the airport or more depending on time of day you arrive, or 3 hours from Ubud, by car; see Rates for details). For the more adventurous, Puri Ganesha can also arrange for you to be picked up on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. You hop on the back, enjoy the Bali air and arrive with your luggage following behind. The drive takes you past the volcanic lakes and central mountains, through the coffee and clove plantations and through some of the most spectacular scenery on the island.

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

More on getting to Bali and getting around