Slow Gili Air

Rooms

The 10 villas hide behind traditional hand-carved wooden doors, off a central pebbled walkway. Identical in size and layout (but for the one 2-bedroom villa), each has a deck and rippling plunge pool, beyond which lies your enormous, private lawned garden with loungers. Inside, interiors are airy and beautiful; snowy-linen topped four-poster beds, waffle robes and wall-mounted flatscreens for music and movies. Gallery-white walls display captivating original photography by Serge Anton, depicting local tradesmen during Slow Gili Air’s construction.

Furniture includes solid wood tables built from old fishing boats, rugs sourced in Marrakech, and artisan ceramic vessels re-purposed as lamp bases. It’s an eclectic, autobiographical mix that reflects Slow Gili Air’s inclusive and creative ethos.

Bathrooms are open to the heavens and feel pristine and indulgent. We loved our drench shower, the solid stone basins and the locally produced organic products.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Bathrobes
• Cots available
• DVD player
• Hairdryer
• In-room treatments available
• Mosquito net
• Plunge pool
• Safe box
• Toiletries
• TV
• WiFi

Eating

Each villa has a well-equipped kitchenette that's perfect for light lunches and snacks (there are local grocery stores), but it would be just as easy to skip the self-catering altogether. You can order a range of home-cooked meals to your villa; staff can even prepare traditional Indonesian barbecues by your pool.

Breakfast is brought to your private terrace at a time of your choosing and we were blown away by the delicious offerings. Fresh juices, sweet tropical fruit salads and sunshine-yellow avocados atop perfectly poached eggs. The menu is creative and original, so there’s no danger of getting culinary fatigue during longer stays.

In the evenings, romantic Balinese barbecues can be served in the privacy of your villa, but Gili Air has a wealth of cool beach bars and eateries to explore. Julie has the inside track on the island’s best hangouts. Thanks to her we spent an awesome evening at sunset hotspot Mowies, where the food is fantastic and the cocktails are even better. Get there by 5pm, grab a beanbag and watch the sky turn pink to the sound of chilled Balearic beats.

Features include:

• Breakfast
• Dinner by arrangement
• Hob or stove
• Kitchenette
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service
• Toaster

Activities

• Embrace the ‘slow’ vibe. Wake up late, linger over breakfast, paddle in your pool and soak up the sun in your garden
  
• Rent a bicycle or walk over to the east-coast beaches for swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing. This area's waters offer the best chance of seeing turtles and Slow Gili Air guests can sunbathe at Cabalitto Del Mar beach club
  
• Alternatively, wander 5 minutes from Slow to the quieter west coast and swim in seclusion. At dusk, catch the sunset from one of the nearby beach bars
  
• Gili Air is a diving hotspot and Julie is an experienced instructor; Slow offers various excursions and courses for all levels
  
• Book a privateyoga or pilates session in Slow's studio and relax with a spa treatment afterwards - our Aloe Vera massage was outstanding.
  
• Daytrip to Gili Meno, an even sleepier Gili island (regular fast boats)
  
• The hotel can arrange excursions to Lombok and activities such as kite-surfing and horse riding

  Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Boat trips
  • Cycling
  • Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Kayaking
  • Nightlife
  • Private guided tours
  • Scuba diving
  • Scuba diving courses
  • Snorkelling
  • Swimming
  • Yoga

Kids

Families are welcome at Slow Gili Air and the island is entirely motorised vehicle free, perfect for a free-range family holiday. Kids will love playing in their villa's huge garden and plunge pool, snorkelling on the beach, and making friends with the locals.

Best for:

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

Family friendly accommodation:

All one-bedroom villas can hold an extra bed and baby cot. The Two-Bedroom Villa is made up of 2 separate buildings which book-end a private pool; each bedroom can be set-up with double or twin beds. Every villa also has a kitchenette and a large lawned garden; note there are no bathtubs, only showers.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 2 hours (Lombok)
• Hospital: 1 hour (Mataram, Lombok)
• Shops: 15 minutes walk

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Slow Gili Air is located on Gili Air Island, between Bali and Lombok.

By Air:
Although Lombok International Airport is closer, Bali's Denpasar Airport is better served by international flights. You can also fly to Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, then travel overland or take a connecting flight to Denpasar or Lombok.

From the airport
Slow Gili Air can arrange a driver and fast boat tickets to take you from Bali or Lombok airport to Gili Air. Once on the island, it's an easy walk or horse-and-cart ride to the hotel.

The fast boat takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes from Bali's Padang Bai port, or just 30 minutes from Lombok.

Getting around:
Everything on the island is within walking distance but the hotel also offers bicycle hire and there are horse-and-cart taxis operating across the island.

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

More on getting to Bali and getting around