Dharma | 
01 31st, 2008| 
Villa Alamanda, situated 8 minutes south-east of the cultural town of Ubud, is approached through the traditional Balinese woodcarvers’ village of Tengkulak. Perched high on a ridge above the Petanu River, across the forest canopy, the graceful Bali villas architecture blends contemporary elegance with ethnic charm. Designed to harmonise with the environment, this Bali luxury villa comfortably sleeps up to eight people in four stylish and spacious air-conditioned bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom.
Elegant teak furniture is complemented by clean lines, natural colours and local artwork. A sizeable, open-air lounge and dining terrace overhangs the jungle, creating a real feeling of space. Villa Alamanda presents tropical living at its best.
This bali property is built on the side of a hill; the living area and bedrooms are all on the same level with steps leading down into the garden. A large gate opens onto a paved parking area, where indigenous ‘serai’ stone walls are complemented with timeworn statues. These jovial characters greet the guests as they step into the cool interior of the villa through a set of antique double doors. Inside, the hallway extends towards a T-shaped wooden terrace. Furnished with antiques, this breezy open-air living area runs the length of the house and boasts a delightful dining section that juts out over the tranquil gardens as they tumble into the steep ravine. The back garden is laid out with the overhanging frangipani and three mulberry root loungers to provide a gracious resting area.
The lower garden and pool area provide the perfect spot for relaxation. The garden is equipped with a large bale with plenty of space to stretch out and enjoy the afternoons in luxurious style. The garden area is large enough for children to play or for you to entertain friends. At night, the house, gardens, soaring forest and pool area are lit up by a festival of lights, presenting guests with a dramatic sense of serenity.
Accommodations
Each of the four bedrooms features red-hued hardwood floor, double sliding glass and louvre doors that open onto the terrace, en-suite bathroom and fitted wardrobes.
The ‘Master Bedroom’ is furnished in a contemporary style, enhanced by a bell jar ceiling lantern, Indonesian artefacts and paintings by local artists. Louvre doors lead into a dressing room, fitted with a chunky marble washbasin and teak cabinets and adjacent to the bathroom, with its marble bathtub and shower. The glassless windows in the bathroom allow the cool breezes to permeate, and provide lovely views of the main garden area and swimming pool bordering the river valley.
The ‘Red Room’ is characterised by red accessories such as the lamps and paintings; and the ‘Cinnamon Room’ by the spicy-scented cinnamon stick arrangement in the vase above the bed. Both of these bedrooms feature a private garden bathroom with a marble bathtub surrounded by walls and leafy shrubs.
A separate thatched pavilion houses the ‘Garden Suite’, a cosy bedroom that also doubles as air-conditioned lounge containing shelves of DVDs and books. The Garden Suite features an en-suite garden bathroom with a canopied bathtub.
A fully-equipped kitchen is behind the Garden Suite and is accessible from the car-parking area. There is so much attention to detail; even the water tower is decorated with fanciful carved flowers, dragonflies and birds.
