Staying in a luxurious villa on one of the most dramatic cliffs on the Bukit Peninsula of Bali doesn’t sound like work! But when Alastair and I inspect our villas, I assure you we are working hard.
We explore every centimetre of the grounds to ensure the villa is in immaculate condition, we put the staff through their paces to ensure they are well trained, and we ensure every detail has been considered before awarding the villa ‘Ministry Approved’ status.
Pandawa Cliff Estate in Bali
We recently stayed in Villa Markisa, the newest villa within Pandawa Cliff Estate in Bali, Indonesia. Pandawa Cliff Estate has a total of 4 large villas, with a combined 21 bedrooms, sleeping 42 guests, and can host up to 400 people for an event.
The villas can be rented individually as each villa is completely private and has it’s own swimming pool (a ‘must have’ when staying in Bali) or you can book the entire estate and take your celebration or special occasion to the next level!
Seeing Double
Villa Markisa is unique in its layout: the main building is perfectly symmetrical with massive sliding doors that can separate the 4-bedroom pavilion into two halves. So you have two entries, two living rooms, two kitchenettes and two pools.
This is ideal for wedding groups who need their own space to get ready or two families that have different sleeping schedules (i.e. kids with different age groups). Of course you can open it all up and have double of everything!
Weddings at Villa Markisa
With its romantic cliff-top setting and gorgeous garden overlooking the Indian Ocean, its flowing emerald green lawns, large purpose-built decked garden areas and superb guest facilities, Villa Markisa is a dream destination wedding venue. The team at Pandawa Cliff Estate handles everything so you don’t need to lift a finger or hire a wedding planner to coordinate people from outside the estate.
Villa Markisa’s cliff-edge master bedroom with private pool is a dream bridal suite, and its ocean view garden is the perfect setting for sunset nuptials.
Yoga Retreats
Finding a villa that has all single beds to cater for groups of solo travellers is very hard to find in Bali. Most villas have king-size doubles, which doesn’t work very well for a girl’s trip or yoga retreat. Given all of the bedrooms have beds that split into a twin bed configuration and the lawn is an incredible size, I feel Villa Markisa is the perfect villa to host yoga or health retreats.
Pandawa Cliff Estate also has a sports centre with full size tennis court, squash court, gym and spa that you are welcome to use during your stay.
Waking up to the Birds
Alastair and I had the pleasure of staying in one of the upstairs bedrooms within the main pavilion. However it didn’t matter which bedroom we chose, as the four rooms are equal in size, each have en-suite bathrooms with bathtubs, his and hers basins and are fully enclosed bathrooms with amenities.
Each morning we woke up naturally listening to the birds chirping away. Villa Markisa was so peaceful we were tempted to cancel breakfast and have a Sunday sleep-in.
In-Villa Dining
Villa Markisa has two kitchenettes with fridge and coffee making facilities. The coffee machine is a must for someone like me who can’t live without one in the morning. They even serve Illy coffee, my favourite brew.
All meals are prepared and cooked in their main industrial estate kitchen shared between the villas. The priced menu makes it easy to order and they have an extensive list of International and Indonesian cuisine to choose from.
Pandawa Cliffside Estate also cater to dietary requirements whether it’s an allergy or you are just watching the waist line, it makes it really simple for fussy eaters like me to order meals. We had omelettes for breakfast, Indonesian one night and a Western dinner the other, but my favourite dish was the roasted pumpkin soup – so simple, but delicious and worth trying.
Where is Villa Markisa?
Villa Markisa sits atop the cliffs above Pandawa Beach on the Bukit Peninsula in Bali, Indonesia. The beach can be reached via a new road that cuts down through the cliff, about a 10-minute drive in one of Pandawa Cliff Estate’s cars.
On the Bukit you have world-class dining options, stunning beaches popular for Instagram photos and also for surfing. It’s just over an hour away from Seminyak and a very tranquil part of the island.
Speak to our villa specialists to know more about Villa Markisa.
