Villa Jade

The pool at Villa Jade ends in a clear glass edge, so the water seems to run straight into the treetops below. It is a small, beautifully judged detail that sets the tone for this two-bedroom hideaway in Ungasan, high on the Uluwatu peninsula, where a curtain of palms and frangipani screens the villa from the lane and the only sounds are birdsong and the odd splash from the pool.

Life here is built around that turquoise strip of water. Both bedrooms slide open onto the pool deck, white loungers wait beside a tumble of tropical planting, and the open-plan living room rises to a high timber ceiling above a long teak dining table. Upstairs, a covered rooftop terrace with bright cushioned seating looks out over the greenery towards a glimpse of the ocean on the horizon, a lovely place for a sundowner or a late night under the stars.

It is a natural fit for a couple, two couples travelling together or a small family. Housekeeping keeps everything pristine and meals can be arranged in the villa, while the clifftop temple at Uluwatu, the surf breaks and the beach clubs of the southern coast are all an easy drive away when you feel like leaving the pool.