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As many of you know, I have a long and ongoing history with Bali, having lived there for five years and yo-yoing between the island and other parts of the world for the last 10.

One of the questions I’m most often asked is about my favourite Bali villas. These are my top picks:

Noku Beach House

A dreamy beachfront Seminyak pad that was featured on Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals. Two beautiful pools, a rooftop and manicured lawn area. If you like being in the centre of it all, you can’t beat this location.
https://www.nokubeachhouse.com

I wrote about it here for Escape:

https://www.escape.com.au/destinations/asia/bali/how-bali-is-changing-instagram-bans-new-hot-spots-off-the-beaten-path/news-story/84b2b70fb1afe2034cf598c3d1b7fc2c

”In Seminyak, award-winning Sydney interior designer Alex Zabotto-Bentley has applied his magic touch to Noku Beach House, a six-bedroom sanctuary with two pools, a tennis court and exotic greenery.”

The Ungasan, Uluwatu

This all-villa resort in the Bukit near Uluwatu has a variety of villas and they rent them out by room or as exclusive use for groups. My reel from the clifftop, five-bedroom Tamarama is still one my most viewed reels on my Instagram (see below), clocking up more than 16K views. It’s also the home of Sundays Beach Club.

The Cali Villas, Canggu

Great for couples or small groups of friends, these white-washed one- and two-bedroom two-storey pool villas are stylish, self-contained and stocked with everything you need for a comfortable stay. Love this location on quieter Jalan Nelayan, which runs parallel to Batu Bolong.
https://www.thecalivillas.com

I wrote about them here for Delicious:

https://www.delicious.com.au/travel/international/gallery/best-new-hotels-bars-beach-clubs-bali/ypgxiw7o?page=4

”Location, style and practicality come together in perfect hipster harmony at this boutique villa hotel off Canggu’s Jalan Nelayan. As the name might suggest, the vibe leans to Palm Springs, with pastel blue or candy pink striped outdoor poolside lounges, pool floaties on request and cactus gardens. The two-bedroom villas come with everything you might need for a self-contained stay, including matte gold cutlery, complimentary Bintangs, snacks and milk, and Samsung Frame TVs.”

Umalas Creek, Umalas

Excellent value in a quiet area of Umalas between Seminyak and Canggu. Both the one- and two-bedroom villas are comfortable and ‘modern minimalist’, and there’s a larger villa for groups. Can’t beat the pool area complete with glass sauna and hot and cold plunge pools. Would live here if I could haha!
https://www.umalascreek.com

Candi Beach Resort & Spa
I love this tranquil four-star resort in East Bali. They have one-bedroom villas that are suitable for couples and very decently priced. This place reminds me of the original Bali resorts, very laidback and authentic, but the villas are modern with their own pools.
https://candibeachbali.com

Samanvaya Resort & Spa
Another one for couples. Every one-bedroom villa I have stayed in at this Kiwi-owned resort has been exceptional. They’re just about to launch their new villas which are located across the road from the original resort and overlook the valley and rice terraces. I did a tour last time I was in Bali and I cannot wait to check these out. They’re also opening a huge modern wellness centre and jungle spa with sauna, ice bath and hot pools, and treatment rooms.
https://samanvaya-bali.com

I wrote about them for Traveller here; https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/six-of-the-best-adults-only-resorts-in-bali-20240102-p5eunr.html

“The east Bali rural area of Sidemen Valley is a bit of a trek from the resorts of the south, making it less appealing to families. Just over 90 minutes’ drive from Denpasar airport, depending on traffic, this bamboo bolthole in the foreground of Mount Agung is surrounded by rice fields, and its new pool villas and two infinity pools merge into an ocean of swaying green. There are plenty of local crafts to seek out, including textile weaving and jewellery making.”

Red Door Villa, Pererenan
This was one of the first villas I reviewed in Bali when I moved there in 2016/17 and it has remained one of my faves. Back then it was owned by former Ksubi designer turned hotelier George Gorrow (and his wife Cisco) who opened The Slow Canggu and have just launched SeaSea Hotel in Crescent Head in NSW. It’s a magical place in an upcoming area with a central pool, open-air kitchen and living area and some standalone rooms.
https://www.reddoorbali.com

Where I’ll be staying next…

Uluwatu Surf Villas
Where the cool kids coop up in Bali. Clifftop setting overlooking the Indian Ocean with a surf vibe, great Mexican restaurant and venue for live gigs of a similar ilk, such as Jack Johnson.
https://uluwatusurfvillas.com

Akashi Residence
Anything designed by Bali-based German architect Alexis Dornier should be on your list (also check out Bond House in Ubud). One of his latest projects is this six bedroom villa that initially opened as part of a collaboration with the fashion brand BOSS. Its most discerning feature is a central silver spiral slide that leads from the second storey into the pool.
https://theluxenomad.com/indonesia/bali-villas/canggu/akashi-residence-36610/

My top tips for booking villas in Bali

1) If you’re part of Booking.com’s loyalty program, always check to see if the villa is being rented out on there first as you can often get good discounts.

2) My motto is never book a villa that has no reviews.

3) Use a well-known and reputable booking service or third party website to research and book villas, such as The Luxe Nomad, https://theluxenomad.com.

Happy villa-ing!