The Mawar Estate

Our group of 13, including the kids, stayed in Bali Seminyak from 21st of April to 26th of April, and had a perfect holiday. Mila, our Butler, was lovely and handled every request with a smile, making everything feel easy. The rooms were clean and close to everything, and the food was great. We also appreciated the free massage and airport transport both ways. The owner kindly let us check out late because of our late flight. We had no issues and would happily come back. I definitely recommend the place.

The villa was set back from the main street, so even busy Friday nights stayed quiet. It was a great setup for our big family, with a bathroom in every room except one, whose guests used the spare bathroom downstairs. The rooms looked lovely, the pool was well kept and didn't sting our eyes, and the staff were around whenever we needed towels, water or more coffee. The air conditioning worked well, and the outdoor areas stayed cool with a nice breeze. Breakfast each morning included Indo and American options. They were happy to make my mei goreng and nasi goreng vegan, so I wasn't left with just jam on toast. The coffee was beautiful too. Terima kasih Heri and to all your staf, and to our driver Putu. You should be proud of this team. Sampi jumpi lagi!

The kitchen was the worst part of our stay. It was disgusting, with a toilet pipeline running through it, and the kitchen wasn't shown in the photos. Breakfast was included and made there; by the sixth day most of us were sick, which we believed was due to the unhygienic kitchen and food. Frogs also came up through the bathroom floor waste. We complained, but nothing was done. We were 14 friends, seven couples, and had booked the whole villa after seeing the photos, which looked amazing. The booking service and correspondence had been great, so we arrived expecting a good stay. Instead, the pool water was completely green, and one bathroom flush never worked during our six days. The airport pickup bus was pathetic, going only 20kmh. Please avoid this villa if you can. If you still decide to go, pay when you arrive.

The people looking after the villa were welcoming and polite, and we had a pleasant four-day stay. The pool was clean and maintained, and the rooms were thoroughly cleaned. Breakfast came in local nasi or mee goreng, or American options like pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast and fruit. You can also pay the staff to arrange a BBQ, or order a whole roast pig for 1.5m, enough for 10-15 people. There are two mini marts and a laundromat within five minutes. Grab and gojek are cheap and easy to get, and transportation is available if you cover petrol. The area is quite westernized, with nearby places mostly serving burgers and steaks, so you'll need to travel farther for a more local experience. WiFi is available, as is a TV in the dining area, but the connection is relatively weak. The doors lock and each room has a safe for personal belongings. The staff are honest, so we didn't worry much about that. Body soap and shampoo are provided. The toilets don't lock. Sometimes the water stopped because of generator or pump issues, and staff needed to be told. The pool chlorine could be strong enough to sting your eyes. Fishing out the chlorine block helped.