Just 300m from the famed surf break and Echo Beach lies a four-bedroom villa that is the epitome of elegant contemporary Balinese living. Villa Asante is set in glorious walled gardens full of stately Travellers Palms, flowering gingers and frangipani trees. Its pleasing symmetrical design – a two-storey building flanked by a pair of open-sided living and dining pavilions gazing across the swimming pool to the rice terraces beyond the river’s-edge lawn – is the creation of international architect Ross Franklin and interiors guru Dean Kempnich. They’ve hit the perfect balance between the uber-cool open-air living areas and comfortable air-conditioned bedrooms, with loads of entertaining space as well as quiet corners to get away from the crowd.
This is the perfect villa for families; the owners clearly understand what ticks the boxes for kids of all ages and there’s plenty to entertain them. If they tire of cavorting in the pool, playing table tennis or PS3, strumming the guitar or watching movies, they can head for the beach and ride the waves at one of Bali’s famed surf breaks, or enjoy the sporting facilities of the nearby Finns Recreation Club*. And if a day’s shopping in Seminyak or an outing to the Elephant Safari Park appeals, a car and driver is available for up to eight hours a day (at a nominal rate).
An integral part of the Asante experience is the degree of cosseting guests enjoy. The well-trained long-serving staff (many have been at Asante since the beginning) includes an experienced chef who is a whizz in the kitchen, whipping up spectacular dishes throughout the day. Both butler service and security is provided round the clock, and massage therapists and babysitters can be called in at short notice.
Asante means ‘thank you’ in Swahili and is close to the Bahasa Indonesia word for relaxed (‘santai’). One thing’s for sure – on leaving Villa Asante, you’ll be both relaxed and thankful.
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