Villa Masaya Bali: Bringing the Outside In

Villa Masaya in Bali’s up-and-coming Kerobokan is bliss in every possible way. But then many a villa in Seminyak and Canggu are.

Bali villas are generally designed with a one-plus-one-equals-two style. Set-up as stunning reprieves from the outside world, they adopt a mostly heavenly cocktail of high walls providing privacy from the hustle and bustle beyond, an endless array of palms and an open-air living space practically falling into the pool. Villa Masaya has all of those things, but ironically sets itself apart by bringing a touch of the true Balinese world, in. A clear glass panel built into one of the tall villa walls provides an almost ‘peeping tom’ type view of an impossibly lush rice paddy tended to by a few workers and their stray dogs. It is a quintessential Balinese scene. And although the glass is a friendly reminder of the tropical surroundings, the villa couldn’t be more private.

From the moment I greeted the lovely Amandine, the villa’s manager, and walked inside its aquamarine doors, I felt like I’d stepped into my own little cocoon of happiness, complete with a rustic, Robinson-Crusoe-esque day bed next to the massive pool and fresh-cut flowers dotted around the airy living area.The villa’s French owner has, in his words, “built this house with all my heart”. And it shows. A love of Bali, it’s people, decor and culture shines through in every detail of Villa Masaya. “I built this house with nature in mind, with natural materials like wood, stone and rattan,” he says.

“I wanted my house to have the things that made me fall in love with Bali the first time I came here, five years ago. The view of the rice fields, the temple, the calm and peacefulness of this island [and] the craftsmanship of the Balinese people. [It] is what made my villa the way it is today.”

Villa Masaya, Kerobokan, Bali: The Lowdown

Vibe	Gypsy-Luxe
Think	Your own little tripical bubble amidst the real Bali.
Sound	Glorybox – Portishead
Crowd	Honeymooners, families, creatives.
Highlights	Say ‘Pagi’ to the friendly rice-field workers next door. Befriend numerous friendly stray dogs. I could laze on the rustic day-bed for all eternity Modern Balinese decor – just gorgeous! The glass panel built into the wall overlooking the rice paddy (refer above). It’s like a photograph that changes every time you look at it! Fresh-cut flowers inside the villa changed often by the housekeeper Location – tucked away in a quiet Kerobokan neighbourhood off the main drag yet only 5 minutes by scooter to Seminyak’s main street. Service and hospitality – Amandine, the villa’s manager, lives in the villa next door, and is available 24/7 to help with scooter hire, cafe tips, villa stuff and in the off chance you get lost she’ll come and find you! (*cough)
Lowlights	The villa is a little bit hard to find, and doesn’t really come up on google maps, so pay attention on your scooter. This is all part of the charming location though, really. No bath in the outdoor bathroom which made me so sadddd. 🙁 Water is from a well and is a tad, well, well-like in smell… if you catch my drift…
Opened In	Brand spanking new – September 2016
Amenities	2 bedrooms with ensuites (outdoor bathrooms) can comfortably sleep 6 Air-con in bedrooms Hair-dryer Fully-contained kitchen Free filtered water coffee-make Free wi-fi Garden Pool Lounge Personal Driver Breakfast on-site (for a fee) Multi-lingual staff (French, Indonesian English) 5 minutes from Seminyak, Petitinget 10 minutes by scooter from Echo Beach, Canggu
Price	The villa is listed on Airbnb at $215AUD/night