Overview
Villa Alamanda is a special place. After four years searching for the perfect location to create their dream holiday home, the owners decided on the lush jungle setting near Ubud, and their affection for this tropical paradise is evident as soon as you open the villa doors.
Set high on a ravine amongst tall trees, lush green foliage and twittering birds this four-bedroom villa takes you back in time. Alamanda is part of a traditional wood-carvers' village that conjures up images of the Bali of yesteryear. Here, guests are privy to the routines of daily Balinese life from elaborate Hindu ceremonies to children playing in the street.
What really makes this villa special is the way its design complements its natural setting with alang-alang thatched roofs, wooden beams and polished floors featuring a large open-sided terrace to enjoy the balmy tropical climate. Air-conditioned king-size bedrooms with marble ensuite bathrooms provide the perfect respite from the heat along with the fully enclosed media room.
The gardens are spectacular, with a 13 x 9-metre infinity pool that hangs over the ravine and a poolside balé just made for relaxing. Frangrant frangipanis, red heliconias and the bright-yellow alamanda (after which the villa is named) inject colour against the rich green foliage of the surrounding jungle.
The villa's location is convenient for accessing nearby attractions including Ubud, Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave) and the UNESCO rice terraces of Tegallalang. The villa staff team, including Ibu Made, the villa's experienced in-house chef, will look after you well: daily breakfast is included in the villa rate and other meals can be selected from a suggestion menu on guest account. But if guests do wish to dine out, there are plenty of dining options in Ubud catering for every taste and budget.
Accommodation
Perched on a hillside high above a ravine, Villa Alamanda is built on two levels. Guests enter the main living quarters through imposing antique carved wood doors that open to a foyer and long T-shaped living and dining terrace with wood floors and an alang-alang thatched roof. The master bedroom, red room and cinnamon room all face the ravine and open onto this terrace.
To one side of the main house rests the garden bedroom suite and media room, with the kitchen located at the rear. To the other side, a steep stone staircase leads down to the beautiful gardens and swimming pool area, where sun loungers, an outdoor dining table and the poolside balé beckon.
Bedrooms & Bathrooms
At Villa Alamanda, all four air-conditioned bedrooms feature king-size beds, polished wooden floors, high-vaulted alang-alang ceilings, glass sliding doors with louvre shutters, safety deposit boxes and an ensuite bathroom with shower and bathtub.
Master Bedroom
The spacious master bedroom, or honeymoon suite, is furnished with Indonesian artefacts and artwork by local artists. A large lantern suspended from the ceiling creates a romantic ambiance while glass sliding doors with wooden shutters open onto the outdoor terrace where a daybed is positioned for relaxing and taking in the jungle views.
Louvre doors open to a dressing room which, in turn, leads to the master bathroom with its sunken marble bath and shower. Shuttered windows open out to the garden and pool area below capturing the natural breeze.
Cinnamon and Red Room
Similar in design these two neighbouring bedrooms are differentiated by their furnishings. The Red room is characterised by red lamps and paintings, while the Cinnamon room gets its name from the scented cinnamon-stick vase arrangement above the bed. Both rooms feature a private walled garden bathroom and open onto the large living terrace with a daybed for curling up and enjoying a good book.
Garden Suite
A separate pavilion houses the Garden suite, which is decorated with Indonesian artefacts, paintings and tapestries. This suite has a fully enclosed marble bathroom and its own private deck for soaking up the tropical surrounds. The Garden suite is located next to the media room.
Living Areas
Villa Alamanda is characterised by a delightful T-shaped terrace that stretches the length of the main house. This beautiful open-sided living space features polished wooden floors, high ceilings hung with overhead fans, and wooden balustrading that makes the most of the villa's picturesque natural environment. Two daybeds adorned with silk cushions provide the perfect places to meditate and enjoy soothing sounds on the CD player.
The dining area that juts out over the ravine and is furnished with a wooden table for eight, is the ideal spot for an intimate dinner party. The kitchen, which delivers exquisite meals, is housed in the staff quarters at the rear of the property.
The fully enclosed air-conditioned media room adjacent to the garden suite is equipped with a large flat-screen satellite TV with DVD player, games, toys, movies, bean bags and a comfortable sofa.
Its unique jungle setting is what makes Villa Alamanda special and the owners have designed the gardens to make the most of the tropical surroundings. An arched gateway with Balinese doors marks the entrance to the enchanting garden accessed by a flight of 17 stone stairs.
A curved 13 x 9-metre blue-tiled infinity swimming pool gives the illusion of disappearing into the ravine as water cascades over its edge. Sun loungers and umbrellas rest on the Palimanan stone pool terrace strategically placed to capture the sun. A round outdoor dining table is ideal for casual poolside dining while the thatched balé, equipped with bright coloured cushions and a CD player, is perfect for sunset cocktails.
A grassed area with two carved wooden seats and a traditional Hindu shrine makes a lovely setting for an intimate wedding blessing or a private yoga session.
Outdoor living
Its unique jungle setting is what makes Villa Alamanda special and the owners have designed the gardens to make the most of the tropical surroundings. An arched gateway with Balinese doors marks the entrance to the enchanting garden accessed by a flight of 17 stone stairs.
A curved 13 x 9-metre blue-tiled infinity swimming pool gives the illusion of disappearing into the ravine as water cascades over its edge. Sun loungers and umbrellas rest on the Palimanan pool terrace strategically placed to capture the sun. A round outdoor dining table is ideal for casual poolside dining while the thatched balé, equipped with bright coloured cushions and a CD player, is perfect for sunset cocktails.
A grassed area with two carved wooden seats and a traditional Hindu shrine makes a lovely setting for an intimate wedding blessing or a private yoga session.
Comfort & Amenities
| Children | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Baby crib |
Baby equipment |
Children's Activities |
High chair |
|
Toys |
| Confort | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Beach towels |
Bed linen |
Ceiling fan |
Centralized A/C |
|
Pool towels |
Toiletries |
Towels |
| Equipments | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Blender |
Full Kitchen |
Microwave |
Oven |
|
Washer |
| High-Tech | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
CD player |
Computer |
DVD |
Dvd Library |
|
DVD player |
Satellite TV |
Telephone |
TV |
|
Wi-Fi access |
| Outdoor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
BBQ |
Beach chair |
Beach umbrella |
Garden |
|
Outdoor dining |
Outdoor furniture |
Private parking |
| Security | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Safe |
| Services | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cocktail on arrival |
Welcome drink |
| Services extra | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Driver |
Spa treatment |
| Staff | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Chef |
Concierge |
Gardener |
Maid Service |
|
Pool Attendant |
Security guard |
Villa Manager |
| Staff extra | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Baby sitter |
Masseuse |
Staff & Services
One of the greatest advantages of staying in a villa is the personalised service provided by dedicated staff. Villa Alamanda's warm and friendly staff have worked at the property for many years and will do their utmost to make you feel at home.
Please don't hesitate to talk to your villa manager to discuss any specific requirements.
Villa manager
Experienced villa manager, Ely, is responsible for the overall operation of the villa. His role is to oversee and coordinate the staff and property and to assist guests during their stay.
Chef
The villa's skilled private chef, Ibu Made, will happily prepare anything from the Western, Asian, vegetarian and children's suggestion menus. Her specialties include local dishes.
Housekeepers
Three housekeepers attend to daily housekeeping and domestic duties and a lady from the local village also performs daily offerings throughout the villa in keeping with Balinese Hindu tradition.
Gardener
A gardener ensures the villa gardens are maintained on a daily basis.
Pool Attendant
The pool is serviced daily by a pool attendant.
Security
A security guard provides night-time security.
Pool & SPA
Private pool - Chlorinated 13m x 9m
Location
Surrounded by lush tropical rainforest, Villa Alamanda is located five kilometres from Ubud near the sleepy wood-carvers village of Tengkulak. This traditional village offers a fascinating insight into daily Balinese life including the colourful and hypnotic Hindu ceremonies.
While the villa enjoys a remote and quiet setting it is only a short drive to many of Bali?s tourist hot spots including the famous Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave), the UNESCO rice fields of Tegallalang, the Tirta Girtu water temple at Tampak Siring, and the Bali Marine and Safari Park.
The main attraction, though, has to be Ubud, Bali's cultural heart, famed for its art, wood carving, jewellery, textiles, antiques, restaurants, markets and cultural performances ? including the Kacek dance. Three hundred metres above sea level in the foothills of the central mountain range, Ubud offers a cooler, wetter climate making it perfect for rice farming.
Distances
Ubud
5 km
Bali Zoo
11.5 km
Bali Bird Park
13 km
Bali Marine and Safari Park
15 km
Seminyak
31 km
Padang Bai
34 km
Kuta
36 km
Denpasar Airport
40 km*
Candidasa
43 km
Activities
Your villa manager has a wealth of information about nearby places of interest and will be pleased to help with any tour or restaurant bookings. Do also ask the staff about the local area. Many of them live nearby and will be able to give an interesting insight into some of the fascinating aspects of Bali life.
In the meantime, here is a taste of the many and varied activities on offer within reach of the villa.
- Ubud's shops are filled with unique and beautiful crafts, art work, carvings, jewellery, and gifts to take back home. The sprawling, indoor Ubud Market caters mostly to tourists in search of cheap souvenirs. Be sure to haggle prices - negotiation is expected - or you may end up paying triple what something is worth.
- Ask your chef to escort you to the local produce market to buy fresh ingredients for an Indonesian cookery class back at the villa.
- Lush green rice fields still blanket much of the area around Ubud and can easily be reached on foot or bicycle. Do visit the UNESCO world heritage site at Tegallalang (13km) - the rice terraces will simply take your breath away.
- With scores of holistic medicine practitioners now living around Ubud, it is no surprise that so many spas and meditation centers have opened up. In town you will find all types of Eastern and Western therapies.
- A strange, natural phenomenon occurs each evening just north of Ubud in the village of Petulu (6.5km). Thousands of white herons arrive here around 6pm and prepare to roost for the night before flying off again in the morning. The birds first began coming here after a communist massacre in 1965 but no one is sure why they continue to return. Local lore holds that these are the souls of those that were killed. Such a predictable gathering of these large and beautiful birds is a spectacle not to be missed.
- No visit to Ubud is complete without seeing at least one traditional dance performance. Although the performances are very tourist-oriented, this is a great opportunity to see classic Hindu legends being told through dancers in colorful, traditional costumes. Ubud Palace is a popular place providing shows nightly. Or get the staff to arrange your own private dinner and dance at the villa.
- Just 1.5 kilometres from the villa lies one of the most sacred sites in Bali: Goa Gajah. Also known as the Elephant Cave, this Hindu site dates back to the 11th Century and is believed to have been home to Hindu priests. The site is still used for worship by locals so proper dress is required to enter.
- Two other very sacred places - Tirta Empul, the water temple at Tampak Siring and Gunung Kawi, an ancient archaeological temple complex of carved rock, are well worth a visit. Those wishing to bathe in the holy waters at Tirta Empul must dress appropriately (a sarong and sash can be hired on site).
- Kintamani in North Bali is home to Mount Batur and some of Bali's most dramatic scenery. Mount Batur is an active volcano that regularly smolders and surprises visitors with minor eruptions.
- While Ubud is not the obvious location for a beach holiday, we do recommend a day trip to White Sand Beach just north of Candidasa: a back-in-time place with beautiful sand, rolling waves, and an assortment of beach huts serving traditional beach food cooked over coconut coals. Why not stop off at the Bali Marine Safari Park on the way - a great treat for the kids.
- Finally while you will be hard pressed to beat the cooking of your own private chef, Ubud has some of the best restaurants on the island. Try Mozaic for fine dining, Bebek Bengil for crispy duck, Bridges for a romantic meal overlooking the Campuan River and the Melting Wok for Laotian fare.
Services included
Exclusive use of the whole villa and listed services and facilities, including villa manager, private chef, one 8 hour car & driver at USD25++/day (exclude petrol); swimming pool and unlimited internet access.
Additional Notes
Families
The family friendly advantages of a villa holiday are many, including access to your own private facilities and the freedom to use them whenever you want. Knowing that the kids can run around happily, independently and safely, without you having to worry about other guests, is a real plus ? and one that means parents are certain to have a more relaxed holiday too.While young children will need close supervision at Villa Alamanda because of its steep hillside location, it is a great villa for families with older kids. With a large swimming pool, lawn area for games and a media room well equipped with DVDs and indoor games, the kids will be kept well entertained.
The team of friendly staff at Villa Alamanda make children feel as welcome as adults too, and having these willing helpers on hand gives guests plenty of flexibility and freedom to do their own exploring beyond the villa grounds (full-time babysitting incurs a small extra cost).
Although the equipped kitchen allows meals for fussy eaters or babies to be prepared with ease, staff will happily to do this for you - just talk through your requirements and meal schedules with the villa manager or chef and they will take care of the rest. The chef can customise all meals to suit children's taste buds. Pancakes by the pool for breakfast? Milkshakes with your movie? No problem.
Neither do you need to worry about packing all that cumbersome kids' equipment for your stay. There are a number of children's items already at the villa including a high chair and baby cot with mosquito net, but should you need anything else, equipment can be hired on your behalf (click here to see list of available hire items).
And when the excitement of exploring the villa starts to wear off, check out our Things to do page; there's plenty in the area to keep kids of all ages amused throughout the holiday.
Spa
Feel like a body scrub or massage? We can recommend deluxe treatments carried out in the privacy of the villa by fully trained therapists from a reputable local spa (extra charges will apply). Here's a sample of what?s on the menu:Massage
Spoil yourself and release built up tension with a traditional Balinese massage by the pool or in the privacy of your room. Using a combination of gentle stretches, acupressure and aromatherapy oils to stimulate the flow of blood, oxygen and energy around your body, you will feel totally relaxed in no time.
Foot reflexology
Foot reflexology is a natural healing art based on the principle that there are reflexes in the feet which correspond to every part of the body. Through application of pressure on these reflexes tension is relieved and circulation improved leaving you feeling balanced.
Body scrub
A full body scrub will exfoliate and hydrate your skin leaving it soft and smooth. A rejuvenating scrub combines an abrasive material such as salt, coffee, rice bran or pecan hulls with essential oils to remove any impurities and make your skin glow.
Manicure/pedicure
Our hands and feet work hard for us every day but rarely get the attention they deserve. Treat them to a manicure or pedicure, which usually comes with the added bonus of a quick hand or foot massage.
Transport
A driver and car (seating up to six passengers) is available to villa guests for eight consecutive hours a day (excluding petrol) little surcharge.If additional or after-hours transport is required, don't hesitate to ask the villa manager to call one of the island's safe and reasonably priced metered taxis.
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