Villa Cendrawasih

Imagine staying in the hottest holiday spot in Bali, next to the coolest nightspot and with your own secret passage to the beach. Rubbing shoulders with the hip Woo Bar at W Resort and with private access to Petitenget Beach a five-minute walk away, the ultra-chic Villa Cendrawasih delivers on all counts.

In keeping with its fashionable surroundings, this four-bedroom villa makes quite a design statement itself, with contemporary furniture, a gray-and-indigo color palette and stunning paintings adorning the walls. There’s masses of entertaining space in the large living and dining room that opens onto the pool. And for glimpses of the ocean and a ringside seat for Bali’s spectacular sunsets, guests are quick to head skywards to the rooftop terrace for colorful cocktails sipped in supine comfort on the turquoise daybeds and beanbags.

Sunbathe by the 18m pool. Pump some weights in the air-conditioned gym. Select a move from the 250-strong digital library and settle down in front of the 55-inch TV in the media room? Flip through the suggestion menu and let the resident chef cook up a storm for the evening? Daytime, the only action required of you is making simple decisions; otherwise, with a full complement of staff including 24-hour butlers attentive to your every whim, you won’t need to lift a finger. There’s even a driver and car on stand-by for your use at a special rate of US$ 45++ for up to eight hours a day excluding petrol – but as the beach with its panoramic coastline views is a five-minute stroll away, Bali’s fourth largest temple not much further, and a proliferation of designer boutiques are within an easy walk, you might not see so much of him.

Villa Cendrawasih takes its name from New Guinea’s birds of paradise– those remarkable birds known for their spectacular plumage and arresting courtship displays. It’s certainly the place to indulge in your own romantic rituals, spread your wings on the beach, or strut your stuff around Bali’s most noted restaurants and bars – Potato Head, and La Lucciola are all within a kilometer away.