Summer at the Samaya

The treatment rooms in the Samaya Spa are positioned so that you can have an ocean view, and even with eyes closed, ensconced in the privacy of the room the oceanic presence is audible and restful.

The Friendly Samaya Spa staff guide you through the choices of treatments and offer knowledge on essential oil blends and suitable styles of massage for problem areas. Well trained and in tune with the healing culture of their heritage, the massage therapists are among the islands' finest. They have a beautiful work ethic; 'share the gift of touch and touch someone's heart'.

A sense of gentleness pervades as the pretty gardens are echoed in the room by the petals strewn on the massage bed and the soft traditional music that flows through the room. The Samaya have a full range of treatments available and what we especially like is the Rama Men's treatment, it is so wholesome and male it provides the perfect excuse for a man to tend to his wellbeing. An afternoon spa session is a perfect gift and can be provided as a treatment for romantic couples or simply as a solo undertaking

Samaya Spa : 0062 361 731 149

Indonesia, The Bali High Life

In spite of a troubled year, Bali remains a favoured destination for discerning travellers seeking luxury living at package prices.

In between the luxury hotels and backpackers’ hostels are far more intoxicating options. The secret of Bali is the breadth of luxury villas, bungalows and estates for hire, with or without staff, at prices that would make a two-star hotel blush. This option provides an opportunity to have an authentic Balinese holiday rather than the micro-managed ‘Balinese experience’ you might expect from one of the larger hotels.

All the private villas, which are located all over the island, come with cooks, housekeepers and gardeners, who will take care of everything. You wake up in a private villa on the Mertasari estate in Sanur, an unspoilt seaside community on the southeast coast, the first rays of morning light shimmering through the coconut and banana trees. You’re greeted with a plate of fresh papaya and mango, a cup of kopi Bali (Balinese coffee) from a beautiful, handmade ceramic mug, and a view over the lotus pond. The homes have thatched roofs, air conditioning, and everything you could need to feel comfortable but not cut off.

There is a Shangri-La quality to the landscape: everywhere you look you can see lush greens and fiery red hibiscus flowers. Reading by the pool or lounging on an oversized bamboo couch, enjoying sumptuous meals of fresh grilled fish prepared by the cooks on your own private porch, it’s easy to lose yourself in the temptation to do nothing. The distinctive, Lumbung-style architecture - a traditional, Balinese rice storage barn accessed by a ladder, with a thatched roof that you sleep under - is to be found all over the island. There’s a Lumbung house for rent on Mertasari; when you wake up you’re high in the trees, or overlooking the rice paddies or the sea, depending on where you stay.

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