Spirituality is a recurring element, from the four en-suite bedrooms named after Hindu Gods to Tibetan prayer flags and constantly burning incense, chosen for its therapeutic qualities. Manager Asmara is also the villa’s spiritual advisor and expert on Balinese traditions. He is more than happy to impart his wisdom and arrange guest participation in traditional Hindu ceremonies, such as the villa’s monthly full moon blessings or rituals at the village temple.

As avid collectors of Indonesian art and antiques, the owners’ personally sourced Indonesian pieces – including fine old textiles, antique furniture and objects – are tastefully displayed in all rooms. Committed to eco-friendly practices and a healthy lifestyle, food is predominantly local organic, recycling is practiced and household cleaning materials are biodegradable. Supporting the local community, the villa established the Hansa Foundation, helping fund village children in the arts, sports and environmentally-aware education.

With its positive energy and genuine Balinese hospitality, Villa Hansa offers a relaxed bolt-hole, where the extremely friendly staff of ten – as well as three resident dogs – are all part of one big happy family.

Accommodation
Contemporary Balinese style with traditional touches, Villa Hansa comprises a main open-air pavilion with serap (ironwood) roofing, containing the living-dining room, kitchen and adjoining staff quarters. This building looks out over lovely tropical gardens with infinity-edge pool, bale and wooden deck area. Just outside the pavilion, to the left of the kitchen, a stairway leads to the detached yoga room.

Within the gardens and beside the pool, a detached one-storey wing contains bedrooms one and two. Further down on the same side, a double-storey, contemporary designed block contains bedrooms three and four. The pool and bedrooms extend to a lower lawn section and gardens flanking a small river; to the right stands the villa’s shrine.

The villa front entrance is accessed via an outer compound comprising manager’s office and parking area. Through traditional wood doors, stone steps lead down to a Balinese-style pond, filled with lofty lotus blooms and koi fish, surrounded by a moss-engulfed high wall with water feature. This section backs on to the main pavilion and living-dining room.

Bedrooms
All four unsuited bedrooms are located in two, separate outdoor wings in the gardens, flanking the pool’s left side. Each is individually named after Hindu Gods and varies in character and decor, but all are exquisitely furnished with antique pieces and furniture personally sourced by the owners. Rooms feature dark wood floors and king-size beds with four-poster frames and attached mosquito net. Quality white bed linens are draped with old, hand-woven Sumbalese throws, while soft furnishings vary in color in each room. All rooms supply safety deposit boxes and air conditioning (apart from bedroom three, all have traditional high ceilings with fan).

Bathrooms, especially those of bedrooms one and two, are a strong feature. All are fitted with stylish stainless steel his n’ hers Grohe sinks, white stone floors and separate stone wall partitions disguising the toilet and shower. Centre-stage is an indulgent circular stone bathtub. Villa Hansa sleeps eight guests in total, but provides a baby cot and rollaway bed.

Bedrooms One and Two
Nearest to the main pavilion and lying just off the pool, these two bedrooms are contained in a one-storey wing with serap roof. They are entered through glass patio doors.

Bedroom one, Brahma (’God of Creation’) offers a creative mix of old and new, with striking contemporary Balinese art contrasting with antique pieces such as stone Buddha heads. Traditional wooden doors lead through to a tropical outdoor bathroom, comprising high walls encircling a lush garden area with simple Balinese-style shower, as well as the features common to all the bathrooms mentioned above.

Bedroom two, Wisnu (’God of Protection’), is similar to its neighbor; again an interesting contrast of old and new, with Andy Warhol-style, Indonesian pop art and traditional pieces including old batik stamps. The outdoor bathroom here is similar to above, but features a larger garden shower section.

Bedrooms Three and Four
These two bedrooms are housed in a double-storey modern wing beyond the pool, surrounded by tropical foliage. Contemporary in design, rooms here contain more understated, traditional art and decor. On the ground floor, bedroom three, Ciwa (’God who destroys negative energy’) features floor-to-ceiling windows and a low, flat ceiling without ceiling fan. Leading out from the bedroom, the large porch with poly-rattan daybed and antique Javanese wooden chairs offers views of the gardens and terraced rice fields opposite. The bathroom is also more contemporary than those in the other wing. Apart from a small outdoor shower area, the grey-hued room is indoors. Facilities follow the other bathrooms’ format, but with only one sink.

On the first-floor, bedroom four, Ganesha (’God of wisdom and prosperity’) is reached by an outer stone stairway. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows look out over the pool, and the large private balcony with outdoor furniture offers the best views from the villa, overlooking the terraced rice fields, river and gardens. The bathroom is similar to that in bedroom three.

Living, Dining and Kitchen
The property’s heart, the open-plan, open-sided main pavilion is edged at the rear by a stunning walled pond section. A living area on the right comprises two white leather sofas and contrasting antique wood chairs and table; Indonesian objects, stone statues and vases of exotic blooms add a decorative touch. From the vaulted, traditional serap-wood ceiling hangs a huge lamp comprising Tibetan characters encased in shell pieces – this Tibetan element is a recurring theme throughout. Timbered floors feature fine Borneo woods, while the water wall feature behind ensures a constant soothing sound.

The central dining area comprises an expansive table crafted from solid teak wood, seating ten. To the left and on a lower level, the open-plan kitchen is contemporary in style and well equipped; a small guest washroom plus staff quarter’s leads off from here.

Being open to the elements, this pavilion doesn’t have air conditioning, but is kept cool by ceiling fan and natural breezes; bamboo blinds run along the entire front length, which looks out across the garden and pool. In keeping with the spiritual ambiance of the villa, this pavilion is without a TV or DVD player, but an iPod and dock is provided for musical diversion.

Yoga Room
The stand-alone yoga room is situated behind the kitchen and accessed via a high-walled stone corridor and up a staircase. Sunlight streams into this glass-encased, lofty-ceilinged room which comes tastefully decorated with antique pieces and furniture, including a Javanese carved wood table and Buddhist stone statue. Floors are of polished dark woods, littered with Balinese floor cushions. Continuing the spiritual theme, a striking chandelier-style ceiling lamp features 108 miniature Buddhist characters in individual glass pieces.

Although designed for yoga (several yoga mats are supplied), this multi-functional room also contains the villa’s only TV (29-inch plasma TV with 380 channels), plus DVD / CD player and Bose sound system. DVDs are also provided.

Pool, Garden and Bale
From the living-dining-kitchen pavilion, manicured lawns and lovely gardens of exotic blooms and leafy trees stretch down to the infinity-edge pool (18 x 6m, 2m depth) where the shallow end doubles as a customized whirlpool. Six sun beds and one daybed furnish the deck area while antique wood chairs and tables sit below a frangipani tree. Across the pool rests a spacious serap -roofed bale for quiet reads and contemplation.

Beyond the pool, lawns edged by tropical foliage leads down to River Tibu, marking the property boundary. Stone steps lead across this small river to a steep bank of terraced rice fields and the local farming communities beyond. The villa can arrange hikes through this scenic rural landscape. The garden is dotted with stone bas-relief murals and Hindu and Buddhist stone statues; a traditional shrine on the riverbank is used for daily prayers and ceremonies.
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