Villa Waru

We defy you not to be spellbound the moment you walk through Villa Waru hand-painted entrance doors into its spectacular gardens. This is a rare chance to experience authentic Bali-style living where thatched pavilions merge seamlessly with the landscape in pleasing harmony, blurring the boundaries between indoors and out.

Designed for an international expat family in the 1990s, and updated in 2013, this seven-bedroom villa (comprising two residences and rentable as a three, four or seven bedroom property) rests within enchanting water gardens created by landscaping legend Made Widjaya. Scattered around this sprawling oasis of lawns and lotus ponds, waterfalls and fountains, bougainvillaea and birdsong is a series of living and sleeping pavilions in the style of a traditional Balinese compound, each sensitively placed for verdant views and optimum privacy. The landmark design makes full use of natural materials and local craftmanship: alang-alang thatched roofing, coral limestone and Palimanan stone walls, teakwood and terrazzo floors, elaborately carved traditional doors. Gracing the large, light-filled interiors is a whimsical collection of colonial-era furniture, Asian antiques, artefacts, carpets and curios that reveal the owners passion for Bali and shape Waru unique personality.

A much-loved family holiday home, Villa Waru is sure to appeal to kids of all ages. Cool off in one of the two pools, enjoy a massage in the bale, or meditate in the yoga octagon. Play foosball at the poolside, become immersed in a book, board game or film in the TV room, or enjoy a game of pool and some music in the underground cellar bar. Gather in one of the two huge dining terraces for convivial conversation and a gourmet meal prepared by the villa chef. Seek the privacy of your palatial suite for a petal-strewn bath, air-conditioned siesta or blissful nights sleep.

With an extraordinary choice of both social and private space, the fully staffed Villa Waru is perfect for a few families holidaying together. It is also a sanctuary for yoga, health and wellbeing retreats, and a spectacular setting for special celebrations and stand-out weddings.

Villa Waru is hidden away within an exclusive residential enclave high above Nusa Dua in Southern Bali; you can be at the beach in 10 minutes. But we aim to give you little reason to leave our heavenly hilltop haven.

Villa Layout

Villa Waru comprises a series of pavilions, all oriented for privacy and with plenty of space in between. From the entrance, a path meanders past the swimming pool to the double-storey Garden Residence, with living room, TV room and two bedroom suites on the ground floor and a third bedroom suite and open-sided living area on its upper floor. Just across the lawn is the Garden Residences fourth bedroom. Close by is the kitchen pavilion, dining terrace and comfortably furnished poolside bale. Shielded by landscaping and set around a serene water garden is the Pond Residence, comprising one pavilion housing two bedroom suites fronted by a plunge pool, and an octagonal pavilion containing the third bedroom, living room, yoga room, kitchenette, cellar bar, and pond-edge bale.

Living Areas

Villa Waru has a choice of formal and casual living areas spread throughout the pavilions and garden, from party-worthy spaces to peaceful corners for those seeking privacy and a break from socializing.

INDOOR LIVING

The Garden Residence air-conditioned living room offers a stylish space for socialising, with comfy sofas and Indonesian day bed. Above, and reached by both internal and external stairs, is a fan-cooled open-sided lounge, with sofas and chairs, a pair of chaises longues, dining table seating eight, and bar counter and kitchenette.

Within Lucky Eight octagonal pavilion is an air-conditioned living room with antique day bed and stylish tub chairs where guests can watch a DVD on the 48-inch TV screen. Across the water garden is a furnished entrance hall between the Purple and Sparkle suites, where a marble-topped table and pair of cane chairs are framed by an antique Madura panel wall.

Dining Areas

The villa main dining area occupies a wide covered terrace overlooking the swimming pool. Under eye-catching contemporary chandeliers is a huge table with benches seating 14 guests. Behind is the villa professional kitchen. A second dining terrace by the Pond Residence Lucky Eight pavilion accords 12 guests a view across the water gardens. (Smaller groups may prefer to dine in the Garden Residence breezy open-sided lounge or air-conditioned TV room).

TV Room

The air-conditioned TV Room features a gilded antique Chinese opium bed facing the 50-inch TV (with satellite channels and DVD player) across large floor cushions and bean bags. Kids will gravitate to this room with its shelves of DVDs, books, board games and toys. There also an electronic piano and a table for six for those who wish to dine in air-conditioned comfort.

Cellar Bar

With its stone floor and alcoves revealing the original coral limestone rock excavated during its build, Lucky Eight underground cellar is the place to turn up the noise. There a seating area, high leather stools set before a bar counter, projector and large screen for cosy movie sessions, and a pool table.

Yoga & Meditation Room

The teakwood-lined Tip Top room above Lucky Eight is a wonderful space for yoga, meditation, and retreat circles. With the octagonal ceiling showing the underside of the alang-alang thatching, this low-light space invites quiet contemplation.

OUTDOOR LIVING

The villa alfresco focus is the 15-metre swimming pool with sun terrace complete with 10 cushioned loungers. Alongside is a large poolside bale furnished with a four-metre-wide daybed, table football, and a seating area at the water edge. The plunge pool to the front of the Purple Suite makes a cool, quiet alternative to the main pool.

Close by the Gecko suite is yet another breezy fan-cooled living pavilion with more casual seating and a kitchenette a quiet corner for reading, or for enjoying a massage.

Looking over the water gardens at the heart of the Pond Residence is a relaxation bale with deep cushions and privacy curtains. And suspended over the water in front of the Sparkle suite is a deck with more seating.

The gardens with their expanse of lawns, ponds and water gardens also reveal many hidden corners complete with intriguing sculptures and moss-covered statuary.

Bedrooms

Villa Waru offers seven large individually styled bedroom suites, each oriented for privacy. Bedrooms are grouped within two residences: the three-bedroom Pond Residence and the four-bedroom Garden Residence. They feature teakwood or terrazzo floors under vaulted ceilings, with antique furniture and intriguing artefacts. All have air-conditioning, overhead fans and top-grade mattresses and bedding, as well as thoughtful extras such as in-bed reading lights and batik kimonos.

GOLDEN SUITE at THE GARDEN RESIDENCE

Taking centre-stage in this spacious suite is a stunning Venetian-style four-poster bed, facing a pair of handsome antique armoires and looking onto a private terrace where two sunbeds lie by a lily pond. Thoughts dont stray far from romance in this 60sqm haven, which even has a separate thatched bale for the stately terrazzo bath tub within the bathrooms private courtyard garden.

TEAK SUITE at THE GARDEN RESIDENCE

Crafted by a master ship-builder, the Teak Suite is a curved symphony in teakwood, echoing the captains cabin in a royal galleon. Age-worn leather chairs and bed-frame and an antique roll-top desk deepen the theme of this 50sqm suite, which has a walk-through dressing room with vanity and basin leading to a shower room and then onto an open-sided vaulted sitting area.

GECKO SUITE at THE GARDEN RESIDENCE

The Gecko Suite enjoys the privacy of its own pavilion tucked away in the corner of the garden. The queen-size four-poster bed faces a koi pond through a wall of sliding doors, and the charm continues in the courtyard bathroom with alfresco shower. Close by is a living pavilion edged with a lotus pond which can be the exclusive preserve of the Gecko suite residents as a honeymoon suite, for example or enjoyed by all villa guests.

COLOURFUL SUITE at THE GARDEN RESIDENCE

Accessed from the TV room as well as from the garden, this brightly coloured suite has two single beds with trundle beds under perfect for up to four children or teens seeking freedom to roam and easy access to games and toys.  Alternatively, the bed can be configured as a queen-size. Adjoining it is a marble-walled shower room.

SPARKLE SUITE at THE POND RESIDENCE

Contemporary chandeliers of hand-crafted crystal and brass, together with the shimmering light reflected from the pond, inspired the name of this 40sqm suite one of two within a pond-edge pavilion with a furnished entrance area in between. In the centre, an imposing queen-size canopy bed looks onto a teakwood deck suspended above the pond a private place for reading, relaxing and perhaps an intimate candle-lit dinner for two. A beautifully carved and painted wall panel from a heritage Mandara house opens onto a statue of the Goddess Lakshmi at the entrance to the ensuite bathroom, with twin basins, rain shower and recessed bathtub.

PURPLE SUITE at THE POND RESIDENCE

Presiding over the Purple Suite is an impressive four-poster 3.4-metre-wide platform bed, comprising three single mattresses joined together in one bed frame perfect for couples who appreciate extra space, or a bunch of kids. The suite is spacious and self-sufficient, with a seating area, pantry with microwave and bar fridge, and beyond sliding doors, a plunge pool. Within the bathroom is a sunken Moroccan-style bathtub, twin basins and rain shower.

LUCKY EIGHT SUITE at THE POND RESIDENCE

The largest of Villa Waru seven suites, the fabulous Lucky Eight offers fortunate guests the chance to stay in an octagonal bedroom with a king-size four-poster bed, walk-through dressing room, and huge bathroom with Turkish-inspired domed shower room and private garden with bathtub seemingly floating in a lotus pond.