Villa Bayad

From the edge of Villa Bayad’s eighteen-metre infinity pool, the water seems to spill straight into a canopy of jungle, with tall coconut palms and the hills north of Ubud rolling away beyond. Set in around eight thousand square metres of terraced gardens bordered by rice fields, this four-bedroom villa is a place to slow right down, with yoga at sunrise, long lunches in the open air and nothing but birdsong after dark.

The house is arranged as a series of traditional Balinese pavilions linked by garden paths, fish ponds and a vine-covered walkway. The main living pavilion has a long timber dining table, a cosy lounge and walls hung with local art, and two thatched bales offer shady places to doze by the water. The infinity pool steps down into a shallower plunge pool that is ideal for children, and a secluded yoga pavilion, a private gym and a games room with books and a television keep every mood covered.

Each bedroom sits in its own named house. The master suite in the Tenganan House has a private terrace, a dressing room and a bathroom with a spa room and bathtub, while the Ubud and Singaraja houses have private verandas and outdoor rain showers. Breakfast is included, the team of staff takes care of the villa, and a complimentary shuttle runs into central Ubud, around fifteen minutes away, with free mountain bikes for exploring the countryside.