Villa Jenggala

An eleven-metre pool sets the rhythm at Villa Jenggala, a long ribbon of blue running beside a timber deck with stepping stones laid across the water and a wall of jungle green along its far edge. This is a sleek, single-level four-bedroom villa on the quieter side of Ubud, built low and wide so that almost every room looks straight out at the water and the trees beyond.

Floor-to-ceiling glass does much of the work here. The living room, with its deep sofas and smart TV, opens towards the garden, while a long dining table sits beside a modern kitchen with a stone-topped island, woven pendant lights and plenty of space for anyone who likes to cook. Outside, loungers and umbrellas line the deck, and in the evening the villa lights reflect across the pool for slow conversations after dinner.

All four bedrooms are evenly matched, each with a king bed, air conditioning, a TV and its own ensuite, so no one in the group draws the short straw. A small team looks after daily housekeeping and the pool, and can arrange massages, meals in the villa or a floating breakfast. Ubud’s cafés, galleries and market are a short drive away, with smaller restaurants and shops within walking distance, and rice terraces and riverside walks close by.