Villa Belong Dua

Set in the tiny fishing village of Seseh on the island’s southwest coast, lies Villa Belong Dua an enchanting two-bedroom holiday villa in beautiful Bali. Resting on a large estate in a beautiful walled garden Villa Belong Dua features a series of five pavilions – positioned in accordance with ancient cosmology, which house the villa’s charming living areas, along with stunning swimming pool. The traditional architecture and artefacts of Villa Belong Dua celebrate the heritage of Bali, incorporating the symbolic elements of Balinese Hinduism across the contemporary, stylish interiors and modern facilities.

While relatively new, Villa Belong Dua is designed around the time-honoured Balinese compound style, offering guests the luxuries of space, comfort and privacy in two charming bedroom pavilions and open-sided living and dining areas, all encircled by a delightful, mature walled garden featuring a 20-metre-long swimming pool alongside a delightful bale gede (relaxation pavilion). Facilities within the villa include Wifi throughout, LCD flat-screen satellite TV and DVD players, an iPod with three docking stations, and a modern, well-equipped western kitchen.

Guests at Belong Dua are treated to five-star service by a warm and friendly team of staff including a villa manager and team of experienced staff including a private chef and full housekeeping services. Villa Belong Dua is the perfect destination for those who want to get lost in the beauty of the Bali countryside, immerse themselves in the Balinese Hindu lifestyle and experience the warm hospitality, history and culture of this unique tropical island.

VILLA LAYOUT

An imposing replica of a Hindu temple gate at Angkor Wat in Cambodia marks the entrance to Villa Belong Dua, to the other side of which a lily pond complete with a bubbling water feature and a Balinese guardian statue welcomes guests to the villa.

In keeping with traditional Balinese style, each room within this peaceful compound occupies its own detached pavilion. Open-sided, fan-cooled living and dining pavilions survey the mature tropical walled gardens and pool, either side of which lie the air-conditioned master bedrooms. The cosy media room, which doubles as a peaceful study, is tucked behind the living pavilion.

INDOOR LIVING

Belong Dua’s living pavilion is located close to the villa’s entrance, overlooking the garden and pool. Distinguished by a vaulted roof supported by eight wooden pillars, and open on three sides, it is furnished with a huge, comfortable, built-in sofa and a low dining table sourced from a Javanese warung (café), surrounded by floor cushions. A large mirror reflects the sunny garden, and the pavilion is beautifully lit at night. Behind the living pavilion is an air-conditioned media room which doubles as an office. Furnished with built-in desks and a comfortable brown leather sofa, this room is equipped with a satellite-channel TV, DVD player and iPod dock.

The semi-open-air dining room shares a pavilion with the kitchen, the two rooms are creatively screened from each other with rows of earthenware bottles. The dining room is furnished with an antique table, six chairs and an antique wooden chest on wheels, known as a gerobog, originally used for storing rice. Fascinating maps and prints hang on the walls, and a captivating portrait of an old Indonesian gentleman takes pride of place at one end of the room. This room, which is cooled by ceiling fans and natural breezes, has the provision of electric blinds on its two open sides in case of inclement weather and is equipped with an iPod and dock. A guest washroom is positioned to one side of the dining room.

The immaculate polished-concrete kitchen is fully equipped with a five-burner gas hob, oven, microwave, fridge, and everything else that the cook needs to create delicious meals.

OUTDOOR LIVING

The fragrant landscaped garden at Villa Belong Dua is characterised by mature trees, a velvety lawn and open skies, and is planted with coconut palms, frangipani, lemon and mango trees, pineapple plants, ginger and lemongrass. It is surrounded by a rustic wall crafted from crushed paras stone applied by hand and unpainted. A Balinese temple shrine sits in the north-east corner.

The dazzling 20 x 4 metre swimming pool is the garden’s central feature. The slate-lined pool is presided over by a Buddha head statue; it presents a separate shallow section for children and is bordered by a candi stone deck furnished with one double and two single Sunbrella sun beds. An outdoor pool shower is thoughtfully provided here.

Resting beside the swimming pool is an antique balé gede from Bali’s Gianyar regency. Originally a traditional two-bedroomed family home, this (now open-sided) pavilion comprises twelve wooden pillars which rest on paras stone plinths and support a roof of radiating beam work crowned with alang-alang thatch. Still furnished with the two original timber bed frames, some step stools taken from an old sugar cane press and a prayer table, it’s a perfect spot for couples to enjoy a massage, or just relax with a good book.

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation at Villa Belong Dua comprises two bedrooms in stand-alone pavilions named Menaga and Bangkat. These names go back to the time when the village of Seseh was much bigger and administratively divided into banjars or local village councils.

Each bedroom pavilion features a terrace at the front lit by colonial-style bell-jar lanterns and furnished with an antique daybed. Sliding doors lead into romantic air-conditioned and fan-cooled bedrooms with cream coloured walls, wooden floors and soaring roofs. Each is furnished with a king-size netted four-poster bed backed by terracotta tiling, and equipped with a wall-mounted LCD screen satellite-channel TV, DVD player and iPod dock.

The delightful air-conditioned ensuite bathrooms are decorated in earthy tones and fitted with a sculptured terrazzo bathtub for two, and double washbasins upon a terrazzo vanity unit which faces a window to ensure plenty of natural light. Glass doors can be opened for a semi-alfresco bathing experience, complete with an outdoor rain shower set in a private walled courtyard with a pebbled floor and a serene Buddha statue. There is also a handheld shower in the bathtub, and a circular skylight that channels the moonshine. Both rooms also feature a spacious dressing room furnished with a wardrobe, chair and dressing table that doubles as a desk.

DINING

- The menu
Guests at Villa Belong Dua can enjoy delicious home-cooked food – Asian and Western – prepared where and when they like. The chef loves to delight visitors with his beautifully presented dishes – from Balinese chicken curry, to nasi goreng (fried rice), to steak and chips. Italian cuisine is his speciality, so ask him to whip up a pizza or pasta dish. He is happy to try out new dishes and even to share his kitchen with guests – especially if they can show him how to prepare their favourite foods.

- Food and beverage charges
Daily breakfast for up to four adults is included in the villa rate, but all other provisions will be purchased by the chef and charged to guests at cost plus a small transport fee. Receipts will be provided either daily or at the end of the stay – as preferred. It is also requested that the chef be given a float to cover the grocery shopping.

Wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks are also available on request and will be charged for at the end of your stay.

- The system
Suggestion menus are available at the villa but it is highly recommended that guests meet with the villa manager and chef at the start of their stay to discuss food preferences, special dietary needs and meal schedules. An open dialogue will keep both chef and guests happy! It is also necessary to discuss meals in advance (ideally 24 hours) to allow the chef the time he needs to prepare and provision.

Guests are welcome to self-cater and buy their own groceries should they prefer; just let the chef know that his services will not be required.

An additional single bed with mosquito net can be assembled in Bangkat on request.

STAFF & SERVICES

The friendly and experienced staff team at Belong Dua is dedicated to making your stay enjoyable and relaxed. They are also keen to introduce you to the local culture; from practicing Indonesian cooking to making Balinese prayer offerings.

- Manager
Belong Dua’s full-time manager meets and greets guests on arrival and is responsible for the overall operation of the villa, including staffing, special guest requests and guest satisfaction.

- Chef
The villa’s skilled chef is experienced in local and international cuisine. At the villa daily to prepare delicious home-cooked meals, and to oversee grocery and market shopping, the chef is happy to accommodate any special requests or dietary needs.

- Butlers
Three butlers attend daily to all cleaning and tidying requirements at Villa Belong Dua. The same team are skilled waiters/waitresses and will assist the kitchen at mealtimes.

- Gardener/Pool attendant
The villa’s gardener and pool attendant works discreetly to maintain the landscape and the pool without disturbing the guests.

- Security
The villa provides two night-time security guards.

FAMILIES

Villa holidays are an excellent option for families. Advantages include having access to your own private facilities, such as a swimming pool, living space and gardens, and having the freedom to use them whenever you want. Knowing that the kids can run around happily, independently and safely, without you having to worry about other guests, is a real plus – and one that means parents are certain to have a more relaxed holiday too.

Villa Belong Dua has a safely enclosed garden with bags of space, a great swimming pool with shallow section, a playhouse with a difference in the jineng rice barn, and a TV/media room complete with childrens’ games, books and movies.

The team of friendly staff will go out of their way to make children feel as welcome as adults – whether its baking cookies in the kitchen, organising a tea party in the rice barn or inviting in some local dancers to entertain the troops. Having these willing helpers on hand gives guests plenty of flexibility and freedom to do their own exploring beyond the villa grounds (full-time babysitting incurs a small extra cost).

Although the equipped kitchen allows you to prepare meals for fussy eaters or babies with ease, staff will happily do this for you – just talk through your requirements and meal schedules with the villa manager or chef and they will take care of the rest. Pancakes for breakfast? Toasties for tea? No problem. The chef can customise all meals to suit children’s taste buds.

SPA

Massage and spa services can be provided within the privacy of the villa by professional therapists from a nearby spa at very reasonable prices, and villa staff are on hand to assist with appointments. Alongside the pool, the antique balé gede makes a delightful spot for a massage.