Bali Gita Estate - Villa Puri Sungai Ubud

Villa Bali Gita was a beautiful oasis in the hills, and my family and I absolutely loved our stay. We were lucky to have our wedding there too. Yolande, our wedding planner and coordinator, made the day magical and brought everything we’d imagined to life. Ayu and the rest of the staff took such amazing care of us. Thanks again, Yolande. We hope to visit again soon.

Our wedding turned out to be more than we could have hoped for. Planning it with Yolande was easy, and she made what I wanted happen. The villa is tucked away in the mountains, with little spots all around where you can sit and take in the beauty. It’s a hidden gem among lush tropical gardens, and all the staff, including Yolande, went above and beyond to look after us.

We’re heading home after a wonderful week, and already know we’ll all be back next year. The villa was immaculate and well cared for, everything worked, and the cleanliness was faultless. The staff were lovely, and the food surprised me with both its quality and variety. It was a real treat for our children and grandchildren. See you next year, Yolande and Ayu.

There aren’t enough words for how good our week at Villa Bali Gita was. After staying there, we realized how spoiled we’d been while getting to experience Balinese culture. It’s an elegant little paradise in a very cultural part of Bali, about 30 minutes from Ubud. A shuttle bus for up to 10 is included daily; going farther or hiring a driver costs extra. Getting to the villa is an experience in itself: you follow a winding path through the jungle, cross a bridge, and pass hand-carved doors into the gardens. There are five bedrooms, a pool, a snooker table, and a tennis court, all surrounded by beautiful nature. We chose Villa Bali Gita for our elopement and blessing in Bali, and couldn’t have picked a better place. Yolande was helpful from the time we booked the year before. She was honest and knowledgeable, and her team kept the place clean, cooked, and helped as much or as little as we needed. Her visits, her humour, and even her dogs coming down from her house made us feel like family. Ayu, who leads the kitchen, was just as brilliant. Both she and Yolande speak excellent English, so communication was easy. Ayu even found a few personal items I couldn’t find myself. Planning a wedding from the UK was tough with the time difference and not knowing the area. If you’re doing the same, I’d trust Yolande to take charge. She arranged decorations, Balinese music, traditional dancers, and fire dancers for the wedding evening. It was breathtaking. We hadn’t arranged a photographer for dinner, but Yolande recommended one at a reasonable price. She was there organising and helping from 6am until 11pm, making sure things went smoothly, including giving our outside photographers a needed push. Ayu and her team made a fantastic Indonesian meal for our party, including excellent traditional Babi gulang. Ayu can cook whatever you request. She shops at the local market daily and provides the receipts. I’d suggest planning meals with your guests to get better prices on things like large bags of rice. Western ingredients like pizza cheese are harder to get and cost more. Food for 10 people was roughly £50 a day. Laundry was cheap and quick, taking about two days, so we recommend using the service. When our luggage went missing at the airport, Yolande and Ayu were up at 2am helping sort it out, and they also helped iron our belongings. They were up again at 5am to make breakfast and drinks before our day trips. Yolande can also arrange massage therapists when requested. They came to the villa, and having a massage outside to the sounds of the jungle was magical. I could stay here forever.