where we stay – bali…

we have been to bali a few times now (kurt 4, me 3) so have stayed in a fair share of different places. without further ado i will rattle off some of our preferred places to stay, in no particular order.

seminyak

villa kresna (boutique suites) - located around 80m to seminyak beach, this is one of our favorite places to stay. it’s got a fantastic pool area, a groovy little café and an unbeatable vibe. its modern décor is more our taste, as we often find the traditional balinese fit out a little dark for our liking. the staff are super friendly and they often have fantastic deals (all including breakfast and airport transfers).

bali yarravillas - located more so between seminyak and legian, this place is again a new, clean and modern hotel. the pool is really the heartbeat of this small complex of villas with all rooms having a great view. rooms come completely equipped with dvd players, stubby coolers and beer cheaper than the bintang supermarket.

ubud

gaya fusion - we stayed here on our last trip to bali, as it was full this time around. it is a little more on the luxury side with villas ranging from $120 AUD per night and above, but i can honestly say – its worth every penny. a little far away from the main part of town, however they run a shuttle bus into the center of ubud every hour, if you haven’t got yourself a motorbike or driver. gaya is also home to our favorite gelato place in the whole of bali, along with an amazing restaurant. cooking classes here are also a lot of fun!

villa manis - breathtakingly gorgeous, this private villa is located alongside another larger villa with views over rice paddies. as it was just the two of us, we opted to stay in villas manis which came equipped with an outdoor shower, fully functional  kitchen and a fabulous open living room complete with daybed and pool views. this was without a doubt our favorite place to stay.

nusa lembongan

bungalo 7 - this place is obviously only relevant if you are planning a trip to lembongan, which in any case, will mean you are a surfer or diver. this little island is a real slice of chilled out heaven and this is possibly one of the best places to stay to surf the many breaks. with a cute little restaurant overlooking the beach, this place doesn’t have a pool, but the close proximity (10m) to the sea well and truly makes up for it when needing a reprieve from the heat.