Villa Melati

Villa Melati clings to the Sayan Ridge above the Ayung River, and the view is the first thing that stops you: a rolling sea of rainforest and palm-fringed ravines falling away beneath the pool deck, with mist drifting through the valley in the early morning. Set within more than a hectare of tropical garden, it feels utterly removed from the world, yet central Ubud is only around six kilometres away.

This is a villa of standalone pavilions under hand-tied alang-alang thatch, joined by stone paths and lawns and built from carved timber, polished floors and soaring roof beams. The open-sided living pavilion looks straight out over the jungle, with deep sofas, planter’s chairs and a long dining table for eight, while timber decks hang over the valley for breakfast or a sundowner. At the centre sits a ten-by-ten-metre infinity pool, its edge seeming to spill into the treetops.

The three bedrooms are each set apart in their own pavilion, two with king beds beneath carved panels and the third a characterful rice-barn hideaway with a lofted sleeping platform. A mezzanine study with a desk and space for two extra beds adds welcome flexibility. A warm, long-serving team of five looks after the house, with breakfast included each day and home-cooked Balinese and international meals on request.