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7 of the most incredible Bali villas for your next getaway

Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
Renting a villa in Bali allows large groups and families to split costs while enjoying shared amenities and communal spaces. Here are seven of the best villas in Bali.

The enduring Australian obsession with Bali transcends any sudden spikes in social media envy or FOMO.  Add a villa to the equation for a tropical island escape, and Bali becomes the dream getaway, especially for groups. Unlike standard hotel rooms in Bali, villas offer a home away from home with multiple rooms, fully equipped kitchens and expansive lounge areas.  For larger parties, staying in a villa will often place you closer to local communities and traditions. Here are seven of the best villas in Bali.

1. Akashi Residence

Sleeps 12.

PurePods Akashi Residence
Slide into the villa pool.

Akashi Residence is featured on International Traveller’s guide to the best Bali accommodation for a multitude of reasons. The three-storey, six-bedroom, seven-bathroom luxury villa was designed for those seeking a sense of seclusion that feels far from the chaos of Canggu. The Akashi Residence is suitable for large family gatherings: it has an ice bath, pool table and a waterslide with wow factor that corkscrews into the pool. Channel Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love and start your day with a swim followed by breakfast cooked by your own private chef in the designer kitchen. There’s also a gym and dedicated space for yoga practise. There are massage therapists available on request and a driver at your disposal. Don’t worry. We won’t judge you if you decide to stay glued to a day bed.

2. Villa Babadan

Sleeps eight.

PurePods Villa Babadan
Enjoy a personalised concierge service.

Gather eight of your nearest and dearest and make a beeline for Villa Babadan in Canggu. It’s easy to see why Villa Finder’s team of travel experts chose to include Villa Babadan in their listings. All up, Villa Babadan has four bedrooms and four bathrooms as well as a saltwater infinity pool lined with palm trees and frangipanis. And, like all of the Villa Finder properties, the luxurious abode offers a personalised concierge service which can arrange everything from airport transfers to stylish get-together. Up to 20 guests can be accommodated on the terrace or upstairs balcony for a cocktail party or small gathering.

3. Villa Kubu Dewi Sri

Sleeps 10.

aerial view of PurePods Villa Kubu Dewi Sri
Stay in a river of rice paddies.

Pack your favourite crop top and crochet shorts. We’re Bali bound. Out of the 277 villas available on the Villa Finder site in Canggu, this one caught our eye. Villa Kubu Dwi Sri is surrounded by a rippling emerald river of rice paddies, making it perfect for groups and families who want to feel a sense of place. The true allure of a stay here has to do with the fact the villa is built with a Balinese design bent in mind, with a thatched-roof gazebo a modern take on the Indonesian tradition of communal living. The five-bathroom, five-bedroom villa has nine staff on hand, including a complimentary driver standing by to transport you to the nearby beach clubs. Daily breakfast is included.

4. Villa Suka Sawah

Sleeps eight.

PurePods Villa Suka Sawah
Get a massage, or eat snacks by the pool.

The colour wheel changes from blue to green in Bali as you travel from the beaches to the jungles of Ubud. Villa Suka Sawah is set amid the crayon-green surrounds of Central Bali where the chitter of forest creatures is the soundtrack. Bookmark this minimalist-chic villa for next year’s Ubud Writer’s Festival as a great home base from which to soak up the creative scene in Ubud. The five-bathroom, four-bedroom villa is near to the village of Pejeng, where you’ll find vibrant local galleries and incredible restaurants. Like most of the Villa Finder offerings, this secluded retreat is best suited to groups who want to play board games or chit-chat rather than hide away in a hotel room. You can still get a massage and order snacks from one of the three villa butlers, but without the price hike of hotel room service.

5. Villa Aamisha

Sleeps eight.

PurePods Villa Aamisha
Take in views of Bali’s East Coast.

The pull of Bali’s East Coast remains irresistible, especially when you manage to secure a stay at luxury digs like Villa Aamisha. Villa Aamisha looks like the kind of property that would feature on Location, Location, Location. Just six kilometres to the town of Candidasa, it overlooks the endless blue of the ocean and features a breezy living pavilion perfectly suited to the tropical climate. Villa Aamisha is a popular villa for bridal parties and intimate destination weddings. Each of the four bedrooms has an ensuite and there’s a cosy sofa lounge and swinging chairs for taking in the sunset views. Villa Aamisha also has a chef onsite who can prepare everything from nasi goreng to a Caesar salad.

6. NicoNico Mansion

Sleeps 12.

PurePods NicoNico Mansion
Enjoy funky interiors and short walks to the beach.

Picture this: you’ve opened the door to your dreamy mansion and are lounging by your private pool, sipping a chilled glass of rose, within minutes of your arrival. There is no lengthy check-in, no crowds to contend with, just you and your girl gang swanning around the luxe mansion in Seminyak in your sarongs. NicoNico Mansion is one of 1055 Bali villas listed on the Villa Finder website and the 9.8/10 rating is spot on. The six-bathroom, six-bedroom villa, which has five staff on hand, has ping pong and billiards and large private garden with swimming pool. The villa tucked down a leafy lane in the heart of Petitenget is within walking distance to Potato Head and Petitenget Beach.

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7. Villa Alam Mountain

Sleeps four.

PurePods Villa Alam Mountain
Stay in luxury in the middle of Indonesian jungle.

Watch the buttery light of dawn pour over the jungle as the sun rises over Mt Agung in the distance from your day bed. It’s one of many lovely aspects of a stay at Villa Alam Mountain, which has two detached bungalows with exclusive access to trails that run like rivulets into the rice fields and mountains. This 10/10-rated two-bedroom villa has a 6:4 staff ratio. Located on the slopes of Mt Adeng, Villa Alam Mountain is aimed at adventurers who like a few creature comforts after a jungle trek or hike up Adeng Mountain. Using the treetop villa as your base, you can set off for Angseri Hot Springs, work on your handicap at Handara Golf Course or visit Ulun Danu Beratan temple. An extra perk is the private chef who is on hand to create nourishing meals from locally sourced ingredients.

About Villa Finder

PurePods
Book your favourite locations.

Whether you’re seeking a beachfront villa for the family or a jungle-clad retreat for your entourage in Ubud, Villa Finder will ensure your escape to the Indonesian island will be nothing short of extraordinary.

Villa Finder goes beyond being just a booking platform, offering a concierge service and experts when it comes to finding the very best group travel accommodation. All villas listed on the site are also inspected and intentionally selected, which is an important point of difference.

Start booking your dream Bali getaway at villa-finder.com.

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Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti avoided accruing a HECS debt by accepting a cadetship with News Corp. at the age of 18. After completing her cadetship at The Cairns Post Carla moved south to accept a position at The Canberra Times before heading off on a jaunt around Canada, the US, Mexico and Central America. During her career as a journalist, Carla has successfully combined her two loves – of writing and travel – and has more than two decades experience switch-footing between digital and print media. Carla’s CV also includes stints at delicious., The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australian, where she specialises in food and travel. Carla also based herself in the UK where she worked at Conde Nast Traveller, and The Sunday Times’ Travel section before accepting a fulltime role as part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK. Carla and has been freelancing for International Traveller for more than a decade, where she works as both a writer and a sub editor.
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5 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
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    Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

    The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

    1. Easy access to good food

    meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20
    Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

    One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

    In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

    In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

    Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

    At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

    While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

    It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

    2. Better sleep options

    Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room
    Sleep deeply with Novotel.

    There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

    For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

    The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

    3. More ways to move

    woman hiking around queenstown new zealand
    Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

    Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

    At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

    Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

    4. Better connections

    Novotel Sharm El Sheikh
    Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

    One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

    Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

    A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

    5. Location is everything

    Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld
    Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

    Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

    All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

    Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.