From humble beginnings, the once sleepy seaside village of Seminyak in Bali has grown into one of the most vibrant hotspots in Asia. During the years, Seminyak has sprawled far and wide, with different areas catering to different tastes. On Seminyak’s northern fringes, high-end Petitenget is home to some of the best beach clubs on the island (Potato Head, W and Mrs Sippy have all set up shop here), while heading down south towards Legian, the area gets more laid back and low key.
While personal preferences may vary, there is one thing everyone seems to agree on: if you want to stay in the very centre of it all, you need to look for accommodation around Jalan Kayu Aya, also known as Eat Street. Sahana Villas is one of your best bets in this sought-after zip code – and one of our team’s favourites.
Welcome to Paradise
Sahana Villas is a boutique complex of five three-bedroom villas set side by side down a small lane right off Eat Street (around 50 metres or so to be somewhat precise). Tonight, our team is staying in villa number four. Head butler Putu is there to greet us on arrival and introduces us to all the applicable bells and whistles.
Right from the get go, our villa has an easy breezy summertime feel to it – just what you want from a Bali villa. The open-sided living and dining room overlooks the garden and pool, flanked by a bedroom on either side. The third bedroom is housed in a beautiful joglo pavilion close by. It’s immediately clear that the villas are kept spotlessly clean and the overall feel is oh-so-fresh, even amidst the humid tropics.
Though the villa’s design is spot on, in the end, it all comes down to the details. The villa has been beautifully set up for check in, with bright orange marigold blooms dotted by the pool and in the tropical open-air bathrooms. Our fresh coconuts (purchased from the local market) are stamped with the villas’ name. With turn down service, a letter explaining the basic principles of Balinese Hinduism is placed on our bed and makes for the perfect bedtime read. On a more practical note, the bedrooms are fitted with blackout curtains which allow you to sleep in when needed.
Good Food and Caffeine
The perfect location, lush tropical design – but what about the service? After staying here, we’re happy to report that Sahana Villas really does tick all the boxes. There is security at the villa complex’s entrance and once inside the villa, you have a team of butlers and housekeepers to look after your every whim. Speaking from experience, we highly recommend sampling some of the villa’s menu.
When it was time for dinner, we settled around the dining table and tucked into steaming dishes of chicken curry, corn fritters and chicken satay (don’t forget the peanut sauce!), served with plenty of rice and ice tea. This is home cooking at its finest: the staff prepared the food right in our villa, allowing us to watch the magic happen and see that everything really was cooked fresh and from scratch. Trust us – there are no shortcuts here! The proof is in the pudding: our evening meal was filled with rich flavours which felt distinctly Indonesian – there’s no watered down tourist grub served at Sahana Villas.
It’s always a treat having breakfast by the pool and at Sahana, the first meal of the day was another yummy affair: pancakes with maple syrup, a rainbow of tropical fruit, toast with butter and jam, eggs cooked to our liking, healthy juices and of course, strong cups of the house coffee.
And this brings us to Sahana’s secret weapon. When you stay in these villas, you simply must try the coffee. Each of the five villas has an espresso machine and the beans are ground fresh. The best part? The beans in question come directly from Sahana’s own coffee plantation, located in the misty mountains up north in Bedugul. Not every villa can boast its very own coffee farm! Needless to say, the lattes and cappuccinos we had in the villa were absolutely flawless.
The Heart of Seminyak
After soaking up that private villa bliss, it was time to explore our surroundings. We really can’t overstate just how centrally located Sahana Villas is: just a two-minute stroll down the lane and you’re on Eat Street. If you’re looking for direct access to all the best restaurants, cafes and shops, this is the place to be.
As soon as we exit the Sahana Villas’ lane, we’re greeted by the purple logo of Gelato Factory – the perfect excuse for a not-so-little after dinner treat. You could easily spend a week (or three) staying in Sahana Villas and still not be done exploring all the restaurants and bars located within a short walk. There’s Char Char for people watching and barbecue, Ginger Moon for modern Asian fare, Blow Bar for blow dries and cocktails… and the list goes on. And on. And… well, you get the idea.
If you ask us, staying in Sahana Villas is the perfect way to experience Seminyak. You have direct access to all the most raved about restaurants and cutest boutiques in Bali – when you can tear yourself away from the villa that is. If you have any questions about the villas, don’t hesitate to contact our villa specialists. Having stayed in the villa ourselves, we can give you the full inside scoop. See you in Seminyak!
