Bali welcomes its newest luxury beachfront villa

There are few places on earth that are as romantic and steeped in mystical spirituality as Bali. Known to some as The Morning of the World, and to many as The Island of the Gods, it is no small wonder that Bali is still one of the most sought after luxury holiday destination.

Pantai Lima is situated at Pererenan, a largely deserted stretch of beach 25 minutes by car from Bali’s sophisticated and cosmopolitan shopping, dining and clubbing, the estate comprises five luxurious beachfront villas.

Pantai Lima is not just another cookie cutter-estate where villas are identical to one another and shoe-horned into a tiny plot of land. Each villa is completely different in design and ambience one from another, and sited in such a way that one is not aware in the slightest of staying in an estate.

The property is spacious, extending over 1.6 hectares, or four acres. That’s about the size of two football fields. Individual gardens range from 2250 to 3270 square metres (24,220 to 35,200 square feet) and the villas themselves all exceed 800 square metres of floor area (8,600 square feet).

Each villa has been uniquely created by French designer Gaelle Echene, with considerable personal input from the owners.

Four villas are 5-bedroom, one has six bedrooms. Many of the bedrooms offer stunning ocean views to wake up to. All five villas are right on the water’s edge, sharing 170 metres (560 feet or 185 yards) of beachfront. Guests step from their front lawns straight on to the beach. The beach itself is largely deserted save for an occasional fisherman or surfer.

Finishing, furnishings, fixtures and fittings are of the highest quality. All bedrooms in each of the villas, for example, have 37 inch LCD TV, and Bose DVD players and sound systems. Another great touch is iPod docks in each villa which connect with speakers in every room and in the gardens. Individual villas offer spacious cinema rooms with High Definition projection systems.

All villas occupy vast tropical gardens planted with lush vegetation and swaying palm trees. Swimming pools are equally large scale. All are 100 square metres or larger. Each villa also has a separate, generously proportioned shallow pools designed for children. Pantai Lima’s innovative approach extends to its food and drink policy – no premium is charged for food prepared by French executive chef Manuel Wendling and his team of sous chefs.

Guests decide on a menu, provide a cash budget, then culinary staff shop at local markets, delicatessens and specialty stores to buy produce and ingredients. There is no mark-up on anything purchased on a guest’s behalf. The same goes for soft drinks, beers, wines and spirits. Guests decide what they want to drink, and provide the butler with funds to buy it. The estate has an extensive selection of fine wines in its cellars, and guests may purchase these if they wish.

Pantai Lima has over 70 staff to guarantee the guest experience. Heading the team is an on-site estate director. Each villa has its own butler who acts as major domo, concierge and household manager. Each villa also has its own sous chefs and kitchen staff working under direction of the French executive chef.

Shared facilities at Pantai Lima include a tennis court with night-lighting, and a 250 square metre seminar room complete with High Definition projection and sound systems. This – and the fact that the estate accommodates over 50 guests in luxury and privacy – makes Pantai Lima an ideal choice for large scale functions such as weddings, corporate functions and other events.

The estate is about 25 minutes by car from Seminyak, Bali’s centre of sophisticated shopping, dining and nightlife. The world-famous Nirwana Golf Course is just 4 km to the north-west. The international airport is 45 minutes by car.

The estate may be viewed at www.pantailima.com and the individual villas at www.villawaringinbali.com, www.villamelissabali.com, www.villasoundoftheseabali.com, www.villaambrabali.com, and www.villamarybali.com.