Le Kawan Villa

Birdsong at first light, coconut palms swaying over manicured lawns and rice fields stretching off towards the hills: Le Kawan Villa sits in the countryside village of Keliki, north of Ubud, where life slows right down. The terraces are within walking distance, local painters still work in the village, and central Ubud is around twenty minutes’ drive when traffic is kind, close enough for a temple visit or dinner out, far enough to feel properly away.

Spread across some three thousand square metres of tropical garden, the villa centres on a striking eighteen-metre infinity pool lined with sun loungers and bougainvillea. The heart of the house is a traditional carved-timber joglo, open on all sides, with a sunken lounge, a long teak dining table and a modern island kitchen that looks straight out over the greenery. A second, glass-walled living room with a TV offers a cooler retreat for film nights, while a covered deck along the garden edge is the place for quiet reading and morning stretches.

The four bedrooms are all of a similar size, each with its own bathroom, so no couple draws the short straw. Three sit in the main house under high timber ceilings and draped canopy beds, and the fourth is a self-contained garden bungalow with its own small pool, sitting area and kitchenette. Breakfast is included each day, and the small team looks after the house discreetly, appearing when you need them and leaving you in peace when you don’t.