The Arsana Estate

From the moment you weave your way past a grove of bamboo and descend the flight of frangipani-fringed steps, The Arsana Estate will have you in its thrall. The sheer amount of space! The ravishing beauty of the architecture! The spectacular setting!

Arsana is Sanskrit for ‘flowing’ – an apt name for this extraordinary two-hectare estate where a cascade of living and sleeping pavilions streams past lotus ponds and water walls down the terraced hillside towards the river rippling on the boundary. A destination in itself, this is a place where one can truly relax and be in the flow. No need to lift a finger here; the highly professional staff will work magic for you behind the scenes. Why even leave the estate when it includes everything you could think of to entertain and enchant?

Lounge by the 19-metre pool overlooking the river, or play pool in the games room. Work up a sweat in the gym or smash it on the tennis court. Enjoy a massage in the spa annexe or watch a movie in the home cinema on the 85-inch TV or drop-down projects screen. Preside over sparking conversation at the head of the five-metre dining table while the accomplished chef serves a gourmet meal. Then retire to one of the five spacious ensuite bedrooms and be lulled to sleep by the soothing sounds of nature.

Everywhere, the design flair and attention to detail is phenomenal. Massive contemporary carpets mix with oriental rugs under a copper canopy of designer lamps. A sophisticated palette of warm greys and soft sand flows through textured linen, latticed teakwood and textured walls. Contemporary paintings complement antique Chinese ceramics, and heritage artefacts sit comfortably alongside hi-tech facilities. The British owner’s passion for Asia shows in carefully curated furniture too, such as burnished lacquerware chests and towering Chinoiserie chairs. Everything is built to the highest specification, with no expense spared.

South-west Bali’s famed black-sand surfing beaches and Canggu’s laid-back café and beach scene may only be a short drive away, and the bright lights of Seminyak reachable within half an hour; but you’re unlikely to want to leave this enchanting tropical paradise.

VILLA LAYOUT

The Arsana Estate’s multiple living and sleeping pavilions luxuriate over two hectares of stunning terraced gardens sloping down to the river. From the entrance and staff office an avenue of lush tropical greenery leads to a grand stairway that descends to the enormous U-shaped living and dining pavilion. A level below is the 19-metre swimming pool, two sun decks, pool pavilion, bar, massage annexe and breakfast pergola. The five bedrooms occupy three pavilions spread along an upper garden terrace. Overlooking the river is a gym and balé, while elsewhere in the garden is another balé, children’s play area and full-size tennis court.

BEDROOMS

All five light-filled air-conditioned and fan-cooled bedrooms are tastefully decorated with natural tones in warm greys and creams, with red, turquoise and blue accents. The furnishings are curated with exquisite and expensive taste – supremely comfortable beds with top-range King Koil mattresses and luxury cotton bed linen, beautiful lacquerware cabinets and comfortable chairs, and both sun-shade and blackout curtains. Antique ceramics and elaborately carved mirrors balance contemporary art and hi-tech lighting controls. All five bedrooms have a private terrace with comfy reading chairs set before the view.

Master Suite:
In the master suite, warmed by a red-hued Persian carpet, rests a king-size bed dressed in fine cotton bed linen. Antique lacquerware cabinets and Chinese pottery sit comfortably alongside contemporary art, lamps and leather chairs. Elaborately carved Balinese double doors open onto a small sitting room where an upholstered sofa is set before a 50-inch screen with satellite channels and Apple TV. Behind the bedhead, flanked by triple-door wardrobes, an opening leads into the bathroom where the twin-basin marble vanity, walk-in rain shower and WC enclosure all look onto a private courtyard pond with water feature and Buddha statue.

This suite has a connecting door to the children’s bunk room.

Guest Suites:
Both guest suites occupy their own self-contained pavilions, with panoramic treetop views from their private terraces. Each has a bedroom – one set up as a king, one with twin beds – and separate alcove rooms filled with deeply cushioned daybeds and 43-inch TV screens with Apple TVs. The daybed areas can be converted into children’s sleeping areas. Beyond the extensive dressing areas are bathrooms with walk-in rainshowers – and in the twin suite, a bathtub – looking onto courtyards with lotus ponds.

Children's Bunk Room:
The children’s room has the capacity to sleep eight children in considerable style and comfort. Built into the length of a bright orange wall-grey toned striped wall are three sets of bunk beds screened by curtains. Resting on a pair of contemporary black and white carpets are two twin beds that can also be configured as a king. There’s a 65-inch TV screen and Apple TV to keep the kids amused indoors, and beyond the private terrace is a football pitch.

A brightly tiled bathroom is accessed from the dressing room, where there’s also a connecting door to the master suite.

LIVING PAVILION

Step across a lotus pond flanked by massive verdigris copper planters into the magnificent open-plan living pavilion lined with bi-fold glass doors and windows. Within this immense space – the social heart of the estate, designed for easy entertaining on a lavish scale – supremely comfortable sofas, over-sized armchairs and daybeds form multiple seating areas that flow around an alfresco sun terrace with fire bowls rising from the pond. A five-metre dining table, inset with stone and surrounded by 16 armchairs, commands centre stage in one wing. Alongside is a guest kitchen, where eight woven-leather bar stools are set before a marble-topped island counter with butler’s sink and under-counter fridge; behind, a wall of latticed teakwood conceals the wine fridge, fridge-freezer and hi-tech central electronic controls. (The professionally equipped service kitchen is tucked away out of sight).

HOME CINEMA

To one side of the living pavilion is an air-conditioned home cinema. A bank of modular seating and ottomans faces a massive 85-inch TV screen and a 135-inch retractable projector screen – perfect for watching satellite TV channels or Apple TV movies; there’s a video library and surround-sound Sonos system and, for the kids, PS4.

GAMES ROOM

Also off the living pavilion is an air-conditioned games room, dominated by a full-size pool table set before a gilded triptych of bamboo stands. A pair of lacquer-ware cupboards house a welcome collection of board games and puzzles to keep all ages entertained.

BREAKFAST PERGOLA

Down a few steps from the living pavilion is a delightful alfresco breakfast pergola with table for 10 set before a signature wall of Palimanan stone carved panels, where guests may enjoy their morning coffee and croissants under a canopy of white Thunbergia flowers.

POOL PAVILION

Flanking the 19-metre pool, and overlooking the river snaking below, is an open-sided living pavilion with a comfortable seating area and table for 10 set before a handsome tree-of-life relief carved from Palimanan stone. This fan-cooled area provides a shady retreat from the heat, and an alternative to the cushioned loungers resting under parasols on the two Indian stone sun decks.

On either side of the water-wall cascading down from the living pavilion above are two large annexes – one fitted as a service bar area, the other as a massage space.

Just below the pool and overlooking the river is a large cushioned balé. A second balé rises on Sunset Hill at the highest part of the two-hectare estate.

GYM

Within the Arsana Estate is a Benkirai-wood pavilion that houses a dedicated gym /yoga room. Here, resting on the burnished coconut-wood floor is state-of-the-art fitness equipment – a Concept2 rowing machine, Life Fitness treadmill and pulley weights system. A wall of glass leads onto an ironwood deck looking down onto the river ravine.

Elsewhere in the two hectare estate is a full-size hard-surface tennis court.

FOR FAMILIES

Villa holidays are a great choice for families, who can enjoy their own private facilities with complete freedom. Knowing that the kids can play safely and securely, without you having to worry about them disturbing other guests, is a huge benefit – and one that means parents are certain to have a more relaxed holiday too.

The Arsana Estate is a fantastic choice for a large family, or for a few families holidaying together. With its children’s bunk room sleeping up to eight kids – or fewer kids and their nanny – they will love having their own space, with their own TV and bathroom. And just beyond this slumber-party heaven is a play area with football pitch.

Kids of all ages will love the huge swimming pool with steps and shallow end; parents can keep an eye on them from the poolside pavilion or sundeck. Older kids will gravitate to the games room with full-sized pool table and foosball as well as a cupboard full of board games and puzzles. And the home cinema is bound to be popular with its 85-inch TV, Apple TV, 135-inch projector screen, and PS4.

You are welcome to prepare meals for fussy eaters or babies yourself, but the kitchen staff will happily to do this for you – just talk through your requirements and meal schedules with the villa manager or cook and they will take care of the rest.

STAFF

One of the delights of staying in a private villa is the personalised service accorded to guests. The Arsana Estate’s well-trained and gracious staff know when to be on hand to help, and when to keep discreetly behind the scenes. With every interaction, they aim to please with their warm and distinctively Balinese hospitality.

DINING

Effortless in-villa dining is one of the key attractions of a stay at The Arsana Estate. The cook and kitchen team are on hand to prepare daily family-style breakfast, lunch and dinner plus snacks in between. There’s an extensive suggestion menu of delicious home-style meals featuring Asian and international dishes to cater to all tastes, with an excellent selection of vegetarian, super-healthy and children’s options. The cook is more than happy to tailor meals to accommodate any special dietary requirements. Balinese favourites include sate lilit (minced snapper in Balinese spices wrapped around a skewer of wood or lemongrass), ayam betutu (traditional roasted chicken with special local spices) or babi guling (Bali’s celebrated dish of whole suckling pig with cassava leaves).

F&B SYSTEM

To allow the kitchen staff time to shop and prepare, it’s necessary to order in advance – either the evening before (for special requests) or at breakfast time each day. Groceries and beverages are charged at cost price plus 20% handling fee which is subject to service charge and government tax and guests will be requested to provide a float for provisions. Receipts will be provided for an end-of-stay reckoning.