Nestled in the heart of Bali’s most stylish neighborhood, Seminyak is Bali luxury villa, a century old antique Javanese ‘Joglo’. Villa Des Indes, named after a famous early 20th century hotel offers guests a captivating journey through time, combining nostalgic luxury with the exemplary services of personal butlers and top class chefs.
With passion for preserving and sharing the rich culture tapestry of Indonesia, the owners have an extensive collection of Balinese and Javanese antiques. One of the most delightful things about residing in Villa Des Indes is that there is always something fascinating to look at.
Having the privilege to not only view but also to be surrounded by these fascinating artifacts is a pleasure in itself. Each piece has it’s own story; the paintings by famous early artists, the old traveling desk with removable legs, and the more modern pieces such as the 1940’s radio, weighing scales as well as numerous original Dutch East Indes travel posters.
All these fine pieces melt into the luxurious comfort that is Villa Des Indes.
The Bedrooms
Within this 4 bedroom villa in Bali there are three separate early 20th century style bungalows with oversize antique Balinese beds, en-suite grand bathrooms and tropical outdoor showers.
The Joglo is a peaceful centerpiece of Villa Des Indes I, an open-air living area that appears to be floating on water, surrounded by a 21-meter lagoon swimming pool. Complete with a table for fine dining, a relaxing lounge with plantation chairs in which you can while the evening away and comfortable corners to curl up in with an interesting book, the Joglo typifies the best in tropical Asian luxury.
Two of the sleeping pavilions have wide verandahs and den-libraries full of interesting books, attached to the bedrooms. The third has an upper open pavilion for sunset cocktails with adjacent butler’s pantry and guest toilet. The open pavilion houses a traditional Javanese day bed and an old Chinese rocking chair, a perfect shady area to disappear into with a book. Complete with a kitchenette/butler’s pantry, this self-contained pavilion is perfect for friends sharing the residence. Children are welcome at Villa Des Indes and these Seminyak villas are perfect for Bali vacations with kids. There are descending steps into the pool and the Villa Manager can arrange all manner of kids’ activities in Bali too.
The Joglo
Luxury villas in Bali rarely house such intricate works of art as Joglos which were former houses of Javanese noblemen. The skilled artisans of Demak in Central Java cleverly carved Joglo houses using traditional tongue and groove techniques, forgoing any use of nails in the design. Within this antique villa in Bali, the Joglo features finely carved pillars fluted with delicate floral patterns and symmetrical intricate layers of mandala style artwork in the ceiling.
The Joglo is a peaceful centerpiece, an open-air living area that appears to be floating on water, surrounded by a 21-meter lagoon swimming pool that curves amidst the orchids and frangipanis. Complete with a table for fine dining set with antique cutlery and crockery, a relaxing lounge with plantation chairs in which you can while the evening away and comfortable corners to curl up in with an interesting book, the antique Joglo style typifies the best in luxury accommodation in Bali.
The Garden
An important feature in the design of any Bali luxury villa should be the tropical garden. Villa Des Indes I has the effect of being surrounded by water. Pool villas in Seminyak tend to be standard in design yet at Villa Des Indes I, the Joglo appears to float on water with a twenty-one meter lagoon swimming pool surrounding it.
Upon entering this Seminyak luxury villa you are surrounded by an Asian fishpond with floating water lilies and teaming with koi fish, an amusing site to watch at feeding time! With traditionally carved antique stone dragon head water spouts blanketed in moss, the constant sound of gentle running water adds to the natural ambience of the residence.
Tropical palms and fragrant frangipanis are so very relaxing instead. Statues hide amongst the foliage and orchids hang from shady trees. The garden has a calm and peaceful tranquility, truly a botanical paradise.