We loved our 3-night stay at the Khayangan villas in Kerobokan! From the minute we arrived, we were welcomed with smiles and without the hassle of huge paperwork. A walk through a path lined with tropical plants took us to our 1-bedroom villa, which was just paradise. Private pool, lush garden, open-air living / dining room, clean bedroom with a comfortable bed and pillows, and an outdoor (and indoor) shower! Also, free wi-fi with a good, steady connection.
Having stayed at several different 4-5 star hotels and villas in Bali, I have to say that the Khayangan was one of my best experiences. The villa was beautiful and well-maintained. I am extremely picky about cleanliness (especially for bathrooms and showers) and my standards were well met. Be prepared though to encounter small creatures like geckos, grasshoppers, dragonflies, toads...all just a part of the nature you have to appreciate in Bali. But keep the bedroom and bathroom doors closed to minimize the mosquitos. The pool was a good size to swim in and relax, and was usually warm, except right after rain.
The best part about our stay there was the staff and service. Extremely accommodating and pleasant. The service at a villa is also generally much more personalized. I loved the front office staff! Always smiling and prepared. One of the best things about the service was that whenever we requested laundry, transport or other services from the morning receptionist, any other receptionist we spoke to throughout the day knew exactly who we were, what we had requested, and knew the status of our requests. Very professional and organized management. Our rooms were cleaned properly everyday and the staff even accommodated an extra night cleaning when I requested it. We had an early start on most days and they were ready with our made-to-order breakfast right on time each morning. Good breakfast -- we had our choice of eggs, fried rice, fruits, etc. Anytime we wanted to go to Seminyak, they prepared our free transportation and we were there in 15 minutes. On the last day, our flights were at night and they continued to extend their best service to us all the way to the end of our stay in Bali.
The location of the villa is just outside the busy areas, amidst a mix of other villas, housing, and rice fields. It felt a lot more relaxing than being smack in the middle of all the action in Seminyak or Legian. Some taxi drivers might not know the villa name yet so be sure to have the street name and hotel phone number on hand, in case they get lost. It happened to us a couple times. We ate most of our meals in Seminyak or other areas in Bali where we were exploring. I think the villa can help you arrange your activities but since I was familiar enough with Bali, we arranged transportation and activities on our own.
The only issue we ran into throughout our experience with Khayangan was confirming our reservation before we arrived (to book the free airport transfer arranged by the villa) and contacting the reservation office. That was quickly sorted with a call to hotels.com.
Overall, a great memorable impression by the Khayangan villas and staff. I would definitely stay there again and recommend it as a place to enjoy a relaxing and stress-free holiday.
