Villa Marie is the most Balinese of the three Pandawa Cliff Estate villas in terms of her style and layout, echoing the traditional compound design of many Bali homes. Although the villa is set just back from the cliff top, nearly all of its rooms, as well as its garden and pool, offer tantalising ocean views.

Gurgling ponds bordered by wooden decking are key features of the villa’s garden landscape and the feel is relaxed and comfortable. Two master bedroom pavilions lie opposite each other across the T-shaped 17-metre swimming pool (with shallow area for kids), while a glass-wrapped living pavilion sits at the heart of the villa. Villa Marie also has the advantage of a spacious outdoor dining area, with built-in barbecue and kitchenette for extra convenience.

Behind the living pavilion is the two-storey guest bedroom building with its four bright and spacious rooms. Bedrooms at Villa Marie are thoughtfully configured to offer ideal accommodation to families, with a king and a twin-bedded room on each floor. As well as having exclusive use of the leisure facilities at Villa Marie, guests have full access to the sports centre (with squash and tennis courts), spa and gym, shared with Villa Rose and The Pala.

A friendly yet discreet team of butlers, housekeepers, gardeners, security and kitchen staff all work diligently under the experienced villa manager to take care of every guest requirement and two cars with drivers are on hand for those who wish to explore beyond the villa.

The crystal clear, reef-protected waters and white sands of Pandawa Beach lie immediately below the estate and can be reached via a new road that cuts down through the cliff, while many of Bali’s best surf beaches are also close by. Only slightly further afield is the sacred sea temple of Uluwatu, the New Kuta Golf Club, some cool beach bars and the many fine-dining and seafood restaurants of Jimbaran and Nusa Dua.

Villa layout

Water features and wooden decks meander between the four individual buildings that make up six-bedroomed Villa Marie. Two master bedroom pavilions, each with covered terraces, face the ocean at the front of the villa’s tropical landscaped gardens; between them lies a 17-metre T-shaped swimming pool (with shallow kids pool) and a large, covered barbecue balé.

The centrally positioned living pavilion is enclosed in glass to maximise views on all sides, but can be fully opened to the pool and gardens. This big square room is divided into lounge, TV, dining and kitchen areas and makes a wonderfully convivial space – all overlooking the pool.

A deck crosses burbling pebble-lined ponds to the only two-storey building at Villa Marie, which houses the four remaining bedrooms, all ensuite and two on each floor.

Living areas

Villa Marie’s central living pavilion houses all her indoor living space in one big, convivial area. This is a lovely room for socialising, gazing out over the pool and gardens, chilling in front of the television, enjoying a meal at the 10-seater dining table – or even cooking one in the well-equipped open-plan kitchen. This is undoubtedly the hub and the heart of the villa.

Next to the living pavilion and right beside the 17-metre T-shaped pool (with the top of the T forming a shallow swimming area especially for kids) is a spacious outdoor dining balé fitted with a built-in barbecue, wet kitchen area and a circular, all-weather-rattan table for eight.

Bedrooms

Master suites

Villa Marie’s master suites occupy two luxurious pavilions towards the front of the property. Each has wide sliding glass doors on two sides – facing the ocean in one direction and the pool in the other.

The suite to the far side of the pool is accessorized with cheerful turquoise fabric and furnished with a king bed – above which is an attractive carved wood panel – and equipped with a large flat-screen TV with satellite channels and Blu-ray/DVD player. The spacious ensuite bathroom incorporates a dressing area and boasts an oval terrazzo bathtub in a sunny alcove and an outdoor rain shower. In the second master suite, a super-king bed lies below a high wood-and-rattan ceiling, and a covered ocean-view terrace to the front is furnished with a large daybed. Beyond the dressing room is a bathroom fitted with a centrally placed oval terrazzo tub and an enclosed rain shower.

Guest suites

A timber boardwalk over pebble-lined ponds leads from Villa Marie’s living pavilion to her four guest bedrooms. Both floors of this contemporary two-storey building contain a king bedroom and a twin bedroom, and all rooms are virtually identical, with only minor differences in their bathrooms and outside areas (balconies for the upstairs rooms; decadent outdoor river-rock tubs for the ground floor ensuites). Floors are of warm teak framed by cool marble and bathrooms are bright and spacious – all incorporating well-designed dressing and vanity areas.

Sports Centre and Spa

In addition to The Pala’s private spa room, villa guests have complimentary access to Pandawa Cliff Estate’s first-class, on-site sports centre, with its own squash court, well-equipped gym fitted with top-of-the-range equipment, and a pristine floodlit tennis court that sets the scene for fun holiday tournaments.

Adjacent to the sports centre, is the estate’s opulent ocean-view spa, fitted with three professional massage beds and a sumptuous spa tub.  With a few hours’ notice, guests can enjoy an array of deluxe treatments carried out by experienced spa therapists.  Here’s a sample of what’s on the menu:

Massage

Release built up tension with a traditional Balinese massage.  Using a combination of gentle stretches, acupressure and aromatherapy oils to stimulate the flow of blood, oxygen and energy around your body, you will feel totally relaxed in no time.

Foot reflexology

Foot reflexology is a natural healing art based on the principle that there are reflexes in the feet which correspond to every part of the body.  Through application of pressure on these reflexes tension is relieved and circulation improved leaving you feeling balanced.

Body scrub

A full body scrub will exfoliate and hydrate your skin leaving it soft and smooth.  A rejuvenating scrub combines an abrasive material such as salt, coffee, rice bran or pecan hulls with essential oils to remove any impurities and make your skin glow.

Manicure/pedicure

Our hands and feet work hard for us every day but rarely get the attention they deserve.  Treat them to a manicure or pedicure, which usually comes with the added bonus of a quick hand or foot massage.

Dining

Pandawa Cliff Estate’s personal chef and his skilled team are at your service to prepare complimentary daily breakfast, as well as snacks, lunch and dinner selections from the villa’s extensive restaurant-style priced menu.  From freshly made salads and seafood pasta to traditional Indonesian favourites, succulent steaks, and classics such lobster thermidor, plus a range of sinful but delicious deserts – a mouthwatering choice of dishes are available whenever and wherever you chose.

The chef and his team will also be pleased to prepare meals according to guests’ request and to cater to special diets.  To make the most of the kitchen and allow time for grocery shopping, please discuss meal requirements with your villa manager or senior butler in advance.

Families

The family friendly advantages of a villa holiday are many, including access to your own private facilities and the freedom to use them whenever you want. Knowing that the kids can run around happily, independently and safely, without you having to worry about other guests, is a real plus – and one that means parents are certain to have a more relaxed holiday too.

The villas at Pandawa Cliff Estate have been thoughtfully designed with families in mind. In each villa bedrooms are arranged to offer twin- and king-bedded rooms in convenient pairs, and extra kids’ beds and baby cots are readily available. The Pala boasts its own playroom, Villa Rose has a cosy TV lounge tucked behind the dining area, and the open-plan living areas at Villa Marie make a lovely informal family space. The swimming pools at The Pala and Villa Marie also have shallow areas specially designed for little ones, and of course there’s always the white sands and shallow waters of Pandawa Beach, just a couple of kilometres away.

The team of friendly staff at Pandawa Cliff Estate will make children feel as welcome as adults, and having these willing helpers on hand gives guests plenty of flexibility and freedom to do their own exploring beyond the villa grounds (full-time babysitting incurs a small extra cost).