Lumbini Villas and Spa, Bali

If you know me then you know how much I adore Bali. This is where my husband and I had our “first date” when I was still living in Sydney and he was in Singapore. We’ve had many trips there together. We even had our wedding in Bali last August. Besides being a special place to us, I love the Balinese people, the relaxing vibe and the Balinese way of life. Living in Singapore it’s a quick flight to the “land of the Gods” and we take advantage of that whenever we can. Our most recent trip was over the long Easter weekend with some friends. We stayed in the Jimbaran Bay area at a wonderful property, Lumbini Villas and Spa. One of our friends stayed at the villas on a previous trip and enjoyed it. This turned out to be a perfect spot to enjoy a few days of Bali bliss.

Lumbini Villas are located in the heart of Jimbaran only about ten minutes from the airport. If you’ve been to Bali and stayed in Seminyak you know the trip from the airport can be quite long so a short ride to the villas after getting off the plane is a bonus.  While the villas aren’t beachfront it’s a quick ride to Jimbaran beach, shops, good cafes and numerous massage spots. A fresh seafood feast on Jimbaran beach is a must during your stay! The staff are happy to arrange transport for you wherever you’d like to go. Or if you’re a bit more adventurous some opt to hire a motorbike to get around. The villa also has regular bikes available.

When you arrive at Lumbini a feeling of serenity washes over you. The tranquil open-air lobby area is very relaxing and the perfect way to be greeted upon your arrival. Enjoy your refreshing “welcome drink” surrounded by Balinese decor, frangipani and beautiful furniture. The friendly staff greet you and instantly make you feel at home. They are genuinely happy to have you there as their guests. The property is very new having just opened in February so everything is in pristine condition. Although I’d venture to say even one, two or three years from now it will look the same as the staff and management are very attentive to detail to ensure their guests are completely satisfied.

There are 28 villas on the property, 24 one-bedroom and 4 two-bedroom villas. The one-bedroom villas, perfect for a couple, are 200 square metres including the spacious bedroom, living area, dining area, private pool and gazebo. The two-bedroom villas, perfect for a family or two couples, boast two large bedrooms separated by a private pool, a dining and living area and a gazebo. We found the 2-bedroom was ideal for two couples. You felt you had privacy but also the pool, and living/dining area to socialise as a group. The villas are tastefully decorated continuing with the Balinese theme and beautiful furniture. I found our bedroom to be quite large with a king bed, desk area, couch and table and the high ceilings that create the feeling of the room being even larger. The bathrooms are a good size also with a lovely bathtub next to a giant window, double sinks and an outdoor rain shower.

With their private pools and living areas the villas can be your own, private oasis you don’t have to leave if you’re looking for the utmost privacy during your stay. We found the service in the villas to be excellent. The staff even arranged for a late night pizza delivery from a local Italian restaurant for our group after returning to the villas post-cocktails at the incredible Rock Bar at the Ayana Resort. Add the Rock Bar to your list of must-dos during your stay in Bali too! If you’re keen to just lounge by your private pool sipping on a cocktail enjoying some scrumptious Nasi Goreng your villa is the perfect place to do just this. The staff is there to ensure your stay is truly relaxing.

Lumbini Villas also has their main villa pool with a swim-up bar and plenty of lounge chairs if you feel up to venturing out of your villa hideaway. If you feel like wiggling your toes in the sand the villa staff will gladly take you to Jimbaran Beach and provide access to their Beach Club. There is also a lovely spa that offers a variety of treatments to really get you into relaxation mode. A fitness centre with new exercise equipment is there too for those of you that insist on hitting the gym in Bali! I admit I don’t fall in that category. The restaurant on the property serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with choices ranging from Balinese dishes to Western. I had the breakfast a few days and found it to be quite nice with omelettes, eggs benedict, pancakes, fresh fruit and more to choose from. Our afternoon snack of Nasi Goreng and satay was delicious too!

A quick five minute drive down the road is Jimbaran Corner which has my favorite cafe in Jimbaran, Grocer & Grind. The food is delicious regardless if you’re looking for breakfast, lunch, dinner, a healthy smoothie, milkshake or even a wheat grass shot to balance out the Bali cocktails. There is also a little deli area in the back which is perfect to grab some nibbles and cheese to take back to your villa. At Jimbaran Corner you’ll also find a few shops and some great massage spots. Another beautiful spot to enjoy a sunset cocktail is the newly-opened Sundara at the gorgeous Four Seasons Resort in Jimbaran Bay.

We truly enjoyed our stay at Lumbini Villas and everyone in our group agreed this is a place we’d continue to stay on future Bali trips. The great location coupled with the wonderful staff and gorgeous property are hard to beat in the Jimbaran area. I highly recommend Lumbini Villas and Spa for your next trip to Bali if you’re looking for a more relaxing option to Seminyak.

Thank you to Made and the wonderful staff at Lumbini for making our stay so pleasurable! We are already looking forward to our next trip to Bali.