Villa Lalu

The setting is very quiet, away from the all-day traffic, and there’s lots of greenery around the villa. The room and bathroom are spacious, though it took me a while to adjust because some things aren’t what you’d expect in a modern stay. It’s about a five-minute slow walk to Bintang supermarket. For local breakfast, turn right twice as you leave the villa, then look on the left for a small eatery where you can get rice or noodles with meat or vegetables. Housekeeping was good. We came back from sightseeing to clean floors, and fresh towels were provided every day. The downsides were mosquitoes in the room, a weak toilet flush that sometimes needed two tries, and a shower heater that took around five minutes to warm up. The air conditioner was on a timer and switched itself off after a while. There’s a ceiling fan, but we didn’t find its switch until our last day, behind the bed and covered by the net. I wish the staff had mentioned it earlier. After we’d been there a while, I thought the place was pretty decent. I saw a neighboring guest leave their front door open all day, and a cat went in for a nap. Still, lock your bedroom door if you have one. I’d consider staying again, though there are so many villas to choose from.

The staff were lovely and always glad to help, and the pool was a beautiful spot to unwind after sightseeing. The gardens are overgrown and the villas feel a little rundown, but that gives the place a tropical jungle feel that was a nice break from the city. There was very little street noise for the location, and shops and restaurants are close by. A great place for a girls' weekend.

Villa LaLu felt like a forgotten kingdom when I first arrived, with traditional buildings full of character and nature woven through the grounds. Sitting anywhere around the complex felt peaceful. I especially enjoyed having an outdoor bathroom as a little morning holiday treat, even though the water ran cool. The staff were kind and accommodating, and it was a pleasure coming back after a day out. The main street in Seminyak is a short walk away, and I felt safe walking back at any time, day or night.

I wouldn't recommend this place. The photos don't match what we found: the villa was very dirty, smelled musty, had blood on the sheets, mosquitoes everywhere, and water leaking in the bathroom. The air conditioner switched itself on and off, none of the TVs worked, and the breakfast was poor. The woman serving breakfast was rude and unfriendly with guests, and was on her phone all the time. It looked like the villas hadn't been maintained for years. Guests were asking for refunds, while the owner was out of the country and didn't seem to care about them. I later found out the place was bankrupt.