The Look

With just 11 villas in a serene spot in southwestern Bali, the Santai is a true boutique escape. This very modern resort is an architectural feast that employs the gentle facets of Balinese design using superior materials. The lobby (which doubles as a round-the-clock executive lounge) and the main restaurant are covered by a vast sloping roof that allows the breeze to waft beneath. Statuesque gray stone columns are inscribed with Balinese script, and the villas are set well apart to allow for maximum privacy.

Bed & Bath

There’s a choice of two or three bedrooms per villa, but both sport an aquamarine-tiled private pool bordered by small trees and shrubs, a sundeck, a living room, a dining area and a kitchen. Subtle lighting and muted colors lend a calming vibe to the interiors, while the glass-walled bathrooms are deliciously airy and exciting. Butlers are on call 24/7 and will stock the fridge if supplied with a shopping list prior to arrival.

Beyond

Gong restaurant serves Asian and international dishes made from locally grown ingredients. The gado gado (vegetables in a peanut sauce), the earth-oven lamb, and the sharing platter of satay (barbecued meats) are all amazingly good. The chef’s team will also cook in your villa, whistling up anything from a degustation menu to an assortment of canapés. In general the staff is exceptionally well attuned to the needs of the guests, who are encouraged to compile a wish list when they check in.

In the Area

Inland from the coast, Umalas is the Bali of everyone’s imagination: lush rice fields dotted with small homesteads and villages and overlaid by an air of calm. The appeal is immediately obvious, and there are scores of private villas in the area, as well as spas and small resorts like the Santai. An organized bike tour with Bali Bike Baik is a great way to explore. Restaurants such as Lezato, which serves Mediterranean fusion, provide a tasty alternative to resort dining. And Tanah Lot, Bali’s ultimate seaside temple, is only a short ride away.