Villa Description
Getting to Villa Babar incorporates a delightful journey through traditional villages, via quiet country roads, wooded valleys, causeways across rivers and, finally, a simple track that winds through the swaying fields of rice.
Upon arrival, your senses will be awakened by the purity, spirit and timelessness of an extraordinary landscape. You will be greeted by welcoming Balinese smiles, the fragrance of tropical flowers and the constant sound of the waves.
The two-storey villa is characterised by white Yogya stone walls, cream terrazzo tiled floors, limewashed timbers, and a colonnaded walkway on either side, on both ground and upper floor levels. A single-storey guest wing, linked to the main building, presents two guestrooms and a media room. The style is modern and minimalist, cleverly blending sophisticated elegance with the ambience of the setting. The architectural concept reveals comfort and simplicity, while the interiors unobtrusively introduce natural materials, fabrics, and colours. There isn't anything ostentatious about this villa; the chic simplicity ensures that nothing detracts from the incredible view.
The awesome vista takes in Bali's chain of volcanoes from the mighty Mt Agung in the east, to Mt Pohen, Mt Sangkiang and Mt Batukau - the island's second highest volcano - which rises from its foothills just 20 kilometres away, and majestically stands guard over Villa Babar. On the seaward side is a windswept beach of glistening black sand, and a coastal panorama that extends all the way down to Uluwatu on Bali's southwestern tip. On a clear day you can see Java; to the east you can watch the sunrise behind Mt Agung and, to the west, the sunsets are amazing.
Living Room
The villa is entered via an impressive open-air living room, complete with a soaring roof and an upper gallery on either side. Ocean breezes keep this welcoming living space delightfully fresh and cool.
It is simply furnished with large and comfortable cream sofas, ottomans, and a pair of carved coffee tables from Timor, together with a primitive Timorese wooden statue. A floating Yogya stone staircase leads to the upper floor, and a colourful framed patchwork of painted wood brings a splash of colour to the wall. This tropical room is open on two sides - on the seaward side is the garden, swimming pool and the ocean, while on the inland side is an ornamental pond presided over by a 'floating' 2.5-metre-high Buddha statue. Beyond the statue is an infinite vista of ricefields, unbroken by borders and fences, stretching as far as the eye can see. In another direction, a line of palm tress and jungle follows the path of a river.
Dining Room
The open plan dining room adjoins the feature kitchen, and has sliding glass doors on three sides, designed to be opened for a semi alfresco dining experience or closed when it becomes too breezy. A teak dining table, complete with stool seating, can accommodate up to 18 guests. With fabulous views of the garden, swimming pool and ocean, the dining room is complemented by mood lighting at night, and serenaded constantly by the rhythmic crashing of the waves on the beach below.
Kitchen
Open plan and adjacent to the dining room, Villa Babar's immaculate, designer kitchen reveals a discriminating taste for functional beauty and cutting-edge style. It is fully equipped with an imported oven and five-burner hob, a double-door refrigerator, a built-in wine cellar and wine fridge, a cappuccino/espresso machine, a microwave, and everything else that the chef needs in order to prepare delicious meals in accordance with your whims. This bright and airy kitchen is further enhanced by a sliding glass door at the far end overlooking the ricefields. A wet kitchen is tucked away out of sight at the back, linked by a hatch.
Lounge
Entered from the open-air living space via antique double doors from Java, the spacious lounge features three sets of sliding glass doors on two sides, which maximise the views and allow for the cross ventilation of sea breezes. Alternatively, these doors can be closed for air-conditioned comfort. Furnished with an L-shaped segmented sofa, ottomans and a coffee table handcrafted from coffee wood, the room is equipped with a sophisticated Harman/Kardon music system presenting surround sound with seven speakers and a wide choice of music. There is also a billiard table and a selection of books and games to keep you entertained. A fitted shelf unit showcases some fascinating Indonesian artefacts including stone carvings and wooden statues, in addition to some tribal shields from Irian Jaya.
Media Room
The media room is positioned in the single storey wing, with views of the mountains and ricefields. This spacious home theatre is equipped with a big, flat screen, satellite-channel TV and DVD player, as well as a library of books, DVDs and a computer for guest use with Broadband internet access.
Garden
There are gardens on all sides of the villa, including the Ganesha garden, and the Sumba garden, which is distinguished by a cluster of enchanting statues from Sumba. The entrance garden showcases an ornamental pond, presided over by a towering Buddha statue. The front garden is dominated by the swimming pool and a helipad rests to one side, for guests who choose to arrive in style with a thrilling helicopter ride along Bali's dramatic coastline. The garden is just footsteps away from the beach on an elevated buff, 13 metres above sea level. The beach is good for surfing although the strong currents make it dangerous for swimming. A walk along the beach at sunset is delightful.
The Swimming Pool
The enticing 27 x 11 meter swimming pool is ideal for swimming laps, it is curved on one side, following the contours of the terraced garden, and there is a shelf at the inner edge, which is a nice place for relaxing in cool shallow water.
Bedrooms
Each bedroom is equipped with a safe deposit box and an iPod dock, and each has an ensuite bathroom. All bedrooms are blessed with magnificent views of the coastline, ocean and gardens, or the mountains and ricefields, or - in the ca