VILLA MAWAR FOR BALI PARADISE
Written by Axel Ritenis,…Published in Resorts and Villas Sunday, 24 January 2016 10:10
“Villa Mawar is situated in a tropical forest setting, perfect for families or couples who wish to indulge in luxurious surroundings and experience Bali in its true natural environment.It is probably one of the “coolest places in Bali” near Canguu Beach but inland,..it has 200 metres of river frontage, in the jungle!”
Located on the edge of the Penet River in the traditional village of Cepaka, Villa Mawar is only 25 minutes from Seminyak and 15 minutes from the Nirwana golf course. It is some 45-60 minutes from Denpasar airport under normal circumstances and all said and done ,…I really enjoyed my stay at the Villa Mawar and consider it a fabulous location and great venue for a group holiday e.g. a family reunion or sharing with a bunch of friends wanting the privacy of their own Villa ,..or a honeymoon couple wishing to enjoy some privacy from the noise and glances of other Guests at a Hotel or resort ,..
,…..it really is very private !
“Bali has long been a favourite destination for celebrities such as David Bowie (who indicated in his will that he wished his ashes scattered over Bali),.. and those seeking “soulful, peace and tranquility in an exotic destination,” and continues to attract millions of tourists from the US, Japan, Europpe and Australia in spite of rapid commercialization.
I visited the Villa on my lonesome,. and as a “webmediaworkaholic” my impressions were probably a little “reserved and clinical”,..I suspect that iff I had been with a group of friends (or better still some attractive female company),..I would have been “absolutely ebullient” about this Villa’s “incredible beauty, peace and tranquility.”
Villa Mawar is a luxury private villa featuring 6 master bedroom suites and accommodation for 12 + guests.
The Villa has a staff of 10 including private chefs, nanny and driver, and features beautiful private pools and a river-side Spa centre.
It is located only 15 minutes from Greg Norman Designed Championship Nirwana Golf Club.
It really is a “secluded oasis” on nearly a hectare of tropical landscaped garden and Villa Mawar offers its guests “total peace and seclusion” and I have borrowed this description from the Gourmet Traveller,,..which really can’t be improved on.
“The Villa offers very stylish and beautifully maintained interiors of cool terrazzo floors, alang-alang roofs, crisp white linen and netted four-poster beds. Bathrooms overlook lush oases of fern and creeper gardens backed by natural rock walls. Three of the five bedrooms occupy a two-storey, colonial-style pavilion of broad verandahs; the upstairs master bedroom captures dynamic jungle scenes,… Two discrete pavilions house the remaining two bedrooms, which share an 11-metre pool. The main 15-metre swimming pool, with its bamboo-lined Tiki bar, shimmers above the river.”
The Villa provides everything needed for the perfect retreat for small groups. Ideal for golfing fans, small corporate groups or extended families celebrating a major occasion.
FACILITIES
“Villa Mawar features six beautifully appointed master suites, each with their own en-suites, and two magnificent pools.”
EN SUITE ROOMS
All six bedrooms feature private open-air bathroom en-suites. The bathrooms feature separate bathtubs and showers amidst tropical gardens.
(Each bedroom has its own balcony with expansive forest and river views.)
-Bedroom one is a spacious room which features a super king size bed with large picture windows looking through to the tropical garden. The private balcony features its own seating area.
-Bedroom two is identical in size and interior to bedroom one with an antique day bed positioned on the balcony.
-Bedroom three features twin beds ideal for children as it is located next to bedroom four.
-Bedroom four consists of a king sized bed and private courtyard garden.
-Bedroom five is the master bedroom and features a super king size bed and has magnificent and uninterrupted views of the tropical garden and rice terraces edging to the river.
-Bedroom six private suite with master bathroom.
“Guests enter the villa through a winding staircase which is surrounded by palms and large trees, stepping stones over a lotus pond will bring you to the main entrance of Villa Mawar. The main open air living and dining area is spacious offering cool breezes throughout the day. The dining area is fan-cooled and seats ten people with an additional lounge area with scattered cushions for relaxation.”
The villa is equipped with a large kitchen which has a separate staff service area.
The STUDY
The study is in a separate pavilion which features a lounge, plasma television with satellite connection, DVD player with a movie library and a selection of books.
The villa has an iPod sound dock so be sure to bring your own iPod music. Free WIFI facilities. The villa is well designed and features natural alang-alang and wooden sirap roofing which blends in with its natural surroundings.
There is a fully equipped gym that I used sparingly in between watching Rober de Niro films in the Study,…and working!!
OUTDOORS
The gardens at Villa Mawar are perfectly landscaped over one hectare with interesting buddhas and garden art set amongst them.
There is a secluded lawn area ideal for evening cocktails or a special dinner.
The villa has two swimming pools. One of the swimming pools (4m x 11m) is located between bedroom one and bedroom two and has a tranquil water wall. The second swimming pool is (5m x 15m) next to the pool bar. The pool area features lounges and umbrellas for sun bathing and the corner pool bar is equipped with bar stools and perfect for a poolside drink.
The villa also features a separate bale area with day lounges, ideal for relaxing during the day or pre-dinner drinks.
Villa Mawar has many separate areas which allow its guests to experience total privacy if and when required.
VILLA SERVICES
Villa Mawar is fully staffed with a house manager, housekeepers, cook, gardener/pool attendant and evening security. The villa has full mobile coverage, safes are available in main bedrooms and high-speed wireless internet, covering most of the villa and gardens.
Massage and spa treatments are also available in the villa spa on request basis.
DINING
Villa Mawar has highly experienced and competent kitchen staff who will plan and prepare all meals to your request. They have extensive experience preparing traditional Indonesian and Western food.
Villa Mawar’s kitchen staff pride themselves on sourcing the freshest quality produce. All seafood is locally sourced. Beautiful fresh mountain grown Bali fruit and vegetables are always available and dairy and beef products are imported from Australia, New Zealand and France.
THEY offer a fine selection of Indonesian and Western disheson their “in-house menu.”
MENU /DINING
Breakfasts are included in the daily rates and the villa manager will ask you for your other meal choices a day in advance.
Meals prepared this way are a relatively inexpensive part of the holiday.
The services of kitchen staff are included in the daily rate with the cost of food (excluding breakfast) the only additional expense.
You can Enjoy the “Balinese Home Cooking” experience as follows:
BREAKFAST
-Continental Breakfast,Selection of Cereals,Eggs any Style,Breakfast Panckes,Balinese Omellette (with Garlic, fried onion and chesese)
-Bali Kopa (Coffee )or Tea
LUNCH OR DINNER
-Pasta of your choice OR
Selections from Asian Corner
-Beef Rendang with yellow rice served with vegetables green bean or water spinachand Balines spices
-Chicken Curry in Balinese spices with coconut milk with Yellow rice and vegetables
-Nasi Goreng or Mie Goreng Served with Your choice of chicken or prawns
-Sate Chicken or Pork served with steamed rice
-Thai Green Chicken Curry Served with steamed rice and vegetables
-Pink Snapper with balines spices steamed in a Banana leaf with Yellow rice
-Fish Curry with Coriander and white rice
DESSERTS
-Fresh Mango and Ice cream
-Cheesecake
-Balinese Black Rice Pudding
Should you wish to dine out, the Villa Manager Wayan who is very knowledgeable and helpful,…will make a reservation for you at one of Bali’s many fine restaurants,..I know one of the restaurants on Wayan’s list is the Sarong in Seminyak,..and I can certainly recommend a new one I discovered called “Tiger Palm”also in Seminyak!
Jules the Villa’s expert driver will deliver You and collect You with his no fuss and relaxed manner …
SPA and GYM
Discover the beautiful on-site spa built out of old teak and nestled on rivers edge. The views of the jungle beyond are magnificent, complete with the sounds and sights of the local birdlife .
You can enjoy traditional Balinese style massages, yoga and other luxury treatments at your convenience.
Villa Mawar Spa Treatments
(generally 1 hour and a reasonably priced Rp.200,000 )
-Traditional Balinese Massage (1hour)
-Hot Stone Massage
-Reflexology Massage
-Aromatherapy Massage
-Ayurvedic Massage
-Shirodhara Massage
-Deluxe Manicure or Pedicure
-Deluxe Facial
-Cleopatra package
“Revive Your Body and Soul with this massage and facial.”
VILLA MAWAR RATES
Rates are inclusive of :
-Private return airport Transfers
-Daily continental breakfast
-a car with a driver for 8 hours (excluding fuel ) additional hours by negotiation
LOW SEASON
US$1,150.00 per night**10% VAT & 5% Service Charge
January 9-June 15
September 01-December18
HIGH SEASON
US$1,475.00 per night**10%VAT & 5%Service Charge
June 16 – August 31
January 29- February 3 (Chinese New Year)
April 15-April 25 (Easter Week)
PEAK SEASON
US$1,550.00 per night**10%VAT & 5%Service Charge
December19- January 8
Discount of 15% for Repeat Bookings and Stay of more then 14 days
Nearby Attractions
-Golf at Nirwana Tanah LotVilla discount at Asia’s most admired Greg Norman Golf Course
-Beach,…Fun and relaxed dining on the beach
-World class surfing at Canggu Beach 15 minutes from Villa Mawar
-Private Yoga classes can be arranged with Villa Manager
-Many other exciting tours can be arranged with the Villa Manager
-Try white water rafting or horse riding or bike and sightseeing tours
*TESTIMONIALS
*Whilst it is the editorial policy of Connoisseur Magazine to not publish unverified testimonials,.. on this occasion we have relaxed our policy,..and included several,… as they are quite illlustrative of the way other guests have assessed the Villa and give a good idea of the overall flavour and style of the place.
They are consistent with what I saw in the Villa’s Official Guest Book so We have no problem in reproducing them here.
“Villa Mawar is not near the hustle and bustle of the main strips Bali is famous for, but that is but one of its great virtues for those who want to spend time away from the noise and traffic Kuta and Legian exhibit and prefer to be in more of a paradise feeling area. It seems that everyone we met who work at Villa Mawar has been there for a number of years and that, alone, says a lot. Everyone treated us with great care and warmth, and were particularly accommodating to the children (5 children aged between 5-12).The villas were beautifully appointed, with the most comfortable bed and a spacious and magical indoor/outdoor bathroom.Every request we made, no matter how big or small, was met with immediate positive, accurate responses.
The head chef Osin is an exceptional cook, catering to our every request as best she could with the supplies available. The children (and the adults!) gobbled up every meal Osin and her staff served, which as a parent, you would appreciate how stressful mealtimes can sometimes be. Osin was even kind enough to share with us her recipes for the bean salad and satay sauce, but I am yet to be able to accurately replicate them back home to her standard!
Villa Mawar was a wonderful experience from start to finish, with the children, my husband and I, left discussing when we will be able to return for a future holiday!”
G. Martini September, 2015
“At Villa Mawar we found ourselves in paradise. I could not believe that there could be such a serene destination for our long awaited holiday. Here you escape the bustle and hustle of Seminyak, Legian and Kuta, but we knew we were only a short drive away by the lovely Julie who drove us anywhere we wanted to go. We made frequent trips into the nearby village of Canngu, which offered great cafe’s, yoga and very funky shopping.
Putri the villa chef made sure our meals were cooked to our requests. She did specialise though in her signature satay and bean salad.”
E. Roberts September, 2015
“What a beautiful property. A complete paradise. We had the most brilliant rest and were looked after like kings and queens. Wayan and Osin were incredibly professional and always available to our needs. Food spectacular. Attention to detail awesome. Amenities top notch. The only complaint is that we couldn’t stay longer. We will certainly be spreading the news.
Sincere thanks again for your professional liaisons during the booking process.”
Laureena August 2015
“Hello from Villa Mawar. Amazing place, very private and beautiful and peaceful. The staff are amazing and make the holiday and stay so much better. Nothing is a problem. I have been to Bali many times and love it. And I have stayed and stay in amazing resorts. But Villa Mawar has a special touch and privacy.
We love it. I will definitely look into coming here again for a longer stay.”
Michael May 2015
“Villa Mawar is the ultimate Balinese experience! The grounds are incredibly beautiful and you feel completely secluded waking up to views of the rainforest and we cannot recommend enough the staff of Villa Mawar. The food and the service was exceptional and all of our needs were accommodated.Situated within an easy distance of Ubud and Seminyak , Villa Mawar is the perfect place to stay in Bali and you will never want to leave.”
Cassi, Sydney, Australia, April 2015
Written and Edited by *Axel Ritenis
Editor of Connoisseur Magazine
*The author was a Guest of Villa Mawar
