| If like me, you have been bitten by the | | | | to pay for are the cost of the ingredients |
| 'Holiday Villa Bug', you will already know | | | | which are purchased for you, typically at the |
| that no hotel can match the privacy and | | | | local market/supermarket prices, with no |
| luxury of a good Villa Holiday. The great | | | | mark-up. So, financials of eating at your |
| news is that today there are even more villa | | | | own villa becomes just like eating at home, |
| rental options out there than ever before. | | | | but without lifting a finger, and at |
| Not to mention the fact that if you know how | | | | substantially lower Bali prices. |
| to choose the right holiday rental villa you | | | | |
| will be saving a lot of money in comparison | | | | Some villas claim to offer a Chef service, |
| to the same level of service in a comparable | | | | but charge restaurant/hotel prices for each |
| quality hotel. | | | | dish that the chef prepares for you. I |
| | | | prefer to avoid these, as I can always pop |
| It seems that no where in the world has seen | | | | out to a restaurant if I so wished anyway. |
| as big an explosion of luxury fully serviced | | | | |
| holiday villas, as the island of Bali in | | | | So, check to make sure that the Chef is part |
| Indonesia. | | | | of your villa team, and that you will not be |
| | | | charged incrementally for food on a per item |
| OK, I happen to be blessed with a great line | | | | basis. |
| of work, as a Travel Writer, and have been | | | | |
| lucky enough to stay in some of the best | | | | Your Villa Manager |
| tropical resorts around the world, especially | | | | |
| in Asia. But still for me, nothing compares | | | | A professional Villa Manager makes a huge |
| to the peace, luxury and delights (not to | | | | difference to your enjoyment of your holiday. |
| mention the cost effectiveness) of staying in | | | | Even if you have been to Bali many times |
| a good serviced villa in Bali. | | | | before, a good Villa Manager can be a much |
| | | | valued life-line, a great source of shopping |
| So, what makes a 'good holiday villa'? | | | | tips, and a problem solver. A good villa |
| | | | manager can provide a wealth of directions |
| Like everyone else, I have learned how to | | | | advice, from where to eat, to which river to |
| choose the perfect villa through luck, some | | | | choose for your white-water rafting adventure |
| mistakes and sheer experience. | | | | in which season, or where the cheapest golf |
| | | | courses are, to which temples to visit to see |
| Here are my top tips for choosing the right | | | | which local ceremonies. |
| villa in Bali for your next Bali holiday. | | | | |
| | | | Needless to say, they should also be managing |
| Location-Location-Location | | | | the villa team, and making sure that the |
| | | | quality of service and cleanliness are never |
| This sounds obvious, but it is not always | | | | compromised. |
| easy to make the right location decision when | | | | |
| we are sat at home, far away from our holiday | | | | Before I book a villa in Bali, I always check |
| destination. | | | | to see what the Villa Manager arrangement is |
| | | | like, and that there is a full time Villa |
| Like every other world-class holiday | | | | Manager on site at the villa I am planning to |
| destination, Bali offers a range of options, | | | | rent. Typically, for good villas, you can |
| from 'central' locations, to those which | | | | expect to have your own dedicated Villa |
| offer 'absolute tranquility'. | | | | Manager, or have a Villa Manager who is |
| | | | working at 2-3 adjacent villas. However, if |
| I personally like a balance between the two. | | | | a Villa Manager is expected to look after |
| On a Bali villa holiday, the last thing one | | | | 5-6+ villas, then you are most likely not |
| needs is to be sooo central that you feel | | | | going to see him for more than a few minutes |
| like you are an extension of a night club's | | | | a day, only during his courtesy visits (at |
| base unit till wee hours of the morning. On | | | | best), so you loose out on the real benefits |
| the other hand, I really don't want to be | | | | of having the inside-track. |
| more than 15-20 minutes away from where the | | | | |
| restaurants, shops and the action is. I like | | | | Villa Quality & Upkeep |
| my villa to be certainly quiet, preferably | | | | |
| amongst rice fields, but at the same time | | | | Be very, very weary of any rental villas |
| accessible (within 30 minutes of the airport, | | | | which can not provide you with more than at |
| and a few minutes from the action). | | | | least 20 recent photos of the property. |
| | | | These photos should show you not only the |
| The great thing is that Bali caters for all | | | | outside of the buildings, but also the living |
| of these tastes. | | | | dining areas, as well as insides of bedrooms. |
| | | | |
| Those seeking a central location, with a | | | | If you are not provided with a sufficient |
| lively night life may want to look into | | | | number of photos giving you a clear idea of |
| Legian and Seminyak, (I exclude Kuta area | | | | the property, then it is quite likely that |
| from this list, as there are hardly any | | | | there is something substantially wrong with |
| proper rental villas left in this bustling | | | | the property, such as a building overlooking |
| tourist centre). | | | | it, an abattoir next door, or at the least |
| | | | peeling paintwork or missing fixtures |
| Those who don't mind a bit of a trek, and | | | | furniture. |
| don't want to go out and about much during | | | | |
| their holiday, may opt for areas such as | | | | Remember, not all villas are created equal. |
| Uluwatu or Canggu and beyond. | | | | But additionally, not all villas are kept and |
| | | | maintained equally well. It is your right to |
| For me the perfect choice is Kerobokan and | | | | request and see these photos of the property. |
| Umalas areas. Quiet rural environment, | | | | |
| surrounded by rice terraces and real | | | | Mod-Cons |
| villagers going about their real daily | | | | |
| routines (instead of trying to push you a | | | | OK, you are planning to stay on a tiny |
| handicraft (Kuta) or pull you into a | | | | island, in the middle of the tropics. What |
| restaurant you really couldn't care for | | | | mod-cons should you expect? From own |
| (Seminyak)). | | | | experience, I would suggest that even in the |
| | | | middle of the tropics, good Bali villas |
| Quality and Availability of Service Now | | | | should be able to provide at least the |
| this is an area where villas differ from each | | | | following mod-cons: |
| other immensely. In Bali most villas | | | | |
| proclaim to be 'fully serviced'. However, | | | | Air-conditioning in all bedrooms |
| how 'fully' and how 'serviced' range from the | | | | |
| most basic to being totally pampered. | | | | Clean, Western style kitchen -fully equipped |
| | | | with a fridge, microwave, electric kettle, |
| A good villa should provide a guest to total | | | | and a coffee maker, as well as sufficient |
| staff ratio of nearly 1 to 1, or at least 1.5 | | | | crockery and cutlery |
| to 1. So, if you are a group of 8 you should | | | | |
| be looking at, at least, 5-6 full time staff, | | | | Safe deposit box - at least one for your |
| or for a group of 4 at least 3-4 full time | | | | private villa use, and preferably one in each |
| staff. Sounds ostentatiously high? It | | | | bedroom |
| really isn't once you consider the effort it | | | | |
| takes to keep a holiday villa, its gardens, | | | | TV/Satellite/DVD Player - as there will |
| and the pool in a tip-top shape. | | | | always be someone who wants to catch the |
| | | | news, or children who will need entertaining |
| Of course, quantity is never the only answer. | | | | |
| The staff needs to be full-time and | | | | Telephone - whilst many of us live attached |
| fully-trained at a professional level. There | | | | to our mobile/cellular phones, it is |
| are too many villas out there, which are run | | | | important that there is a permanent phone |
| by 'part-time' managers and staff who | | | | connection at the villa, in case of |
| actually have other full time jobs elsewhere! | | | | emergencies |
| | | | |
| Your Own Chef | | | | En-suite bathrooms - if you are looking at |
| | | | going as a family or a group of friends, you |
| One of the great pleasures of traveling to a | | | | really don't want to spend your holiday in |
| foreign destination is to experiment with and | | | | Bali queuing for the next available slot at |
| experience the local cuisine. And what | | | | shared facilities! |
| better place to experience this, than in the | | | | |
| comfort of your own villa! | | | | Enjoying a fully staffed and serviced villa |
| | | | with your own Chef may seem like an |
| So, make sure that your villa comes with its | | | | un-attainable dream in most other parts of |
| own Chef. Once you have tasted the delights | | | | the world. However, renting a Villa in Bali |
| of enjoying home cooking in your own villa, | | | | is by far one of the most cost effective ways |
| you will probably not want to venture out to | | | | of enjoying this beautiful island and the |
| restaurants at all. The best thing is, | | | | company of its hospitable people. |
| having your own private villa Chef in Bali, | | | | |
| is substantially cheaper than eating out. | | | | Now armed with this check-list you are ready |
| | | | to plan you next dream holiday in a Villa in |
| However, make sure to check how the Chef | | | | Bali. Like me, you will probably never |
| arrangement works. | | | | want to leave, and go back to reality! |
| | | | |
| Ideally, the Chef cost should be included in | | | | Many happy returns... |
| your rental rate. In this case all you have | | | | |