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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the advantages of renting a private villa?
There are many reasons:–
1. A private villa offers you, your family and friends a truly Balinese atmosphere, more space, more comfort, more informality, more privacy, and more personal service than the best hotel. The whole villa, the garden and swimming pool, and the house staff are there for your own use only, and you don't have to share anything with other tourists.
2. Renting a private villa through Balivillas.com is great value. When calculated on a per bedroom or per person basis and considering all the "extras" you'd have to pay in a hotel, a private villa vacation is much cheaper than staying at one of Bali's better hotels or resorts.
High-speed Internet access, local telephone calls and laundry are free; expenses for food and drinks, snacks, international telephone calls and fax are charged at cost and therefore much lower compared to a hotel where they can easily double or triple your bill. When you rent a private villa, you'll save about US$40 to US$80 or more per person per day on food & beverages and "extras" compared to staying at a good hotel.
3. Even more important, a villa vacation is like relaxing in your own private home in Bali. With lots of space and well-trained, friendly house staff caring for your every wish, you simply can't compare it to staying at a hotel. Having enjoyed a villa vacation once, you're unlikely to want to stay in a resort hotel ever again.
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What else is different from staying in a hotel?
The minimum rental period for private villas used to be one week, however, Balivillas.com nowadays accepts for many villas also bookings for just three nights. For bookings of one or two nights a surcharge will be applicable. However, you can arrive any day of the week and reserve villas for any number of days as long as the booking exceeds the specific villa's minimum rental period.
Some villa owners keep valuable personal belongings in their villa so they usually want to know a little more about their guests than a hotel would ask. The information requested about your requirements and preferences is also helpful in finding the villa which suits your personal requirements best and will be kept strictly confidential (see our Privacy Statement).
And don't forget, Bali is not Sydney, London, Tokyo or New York. It can happen that there are power failures, and not all private villas have a power generator as back-up. Dinner by candle light is romantic, but it also means your air-conditioning, refrigerator, TV and the water pump aren't working. It may also happen that your telephone is dead for a day or two – especially during the rainy season. Just relax – that's what you came for to Bali, right?
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What is the difference between renting a villa in Bali and villa rental in other parts of the world?
In the Caribbean, rental rates for good quality villas are much higher than in Bali (double, triple or even more), and even very expensive villas have often just 4 or 5 domestic staff. In Bali, the cheapest villa has at least 3 to 4 full-time staff, 7 days a week, and the top villas are serviced by over 20 cooks, maids, house boys, masseuses, gardeners, etc.
Villa rental agents in places such as Barbados, Mustique, etc. recommend 10% of the rental fee to be given as "tip" (which can be US$100 to US$300 or more per day). In Bali tipping is not necessarily expected but appreciated. However, more than 2% or 3% of the rental cost would be too much (less than 1/10th of the amount you are expected to tip in the Caribbean!).
In Europe and in the US including Hawaii, you will hardly find any full-time house staff, and villa rental is usually a kind of self-service holiday. Rental prices there are often not much higher than in Bali, but don't expect any service!
In Bali, on the other hand, you'll enjoy personal service and being spoiled around the clock. The well-trained butlers and friendly villa staff such as cooks, maids, house boys, gardeners, spa therapists and drivers are probably Balivillas.com's most valuable asset. Many guest say they feel being treated like royalty. Please read recent testimonials with full name and address of guests.
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What kind of villas can I choose from?
The number of villas in the Balivillas.com portfolio is limited because only few villas in Bali meet the high standards of our guests. Although rates range from less than US$300 to US$3,000 per day, each single villa has been carefully selected to represent good value. Balivillas.com does not list low-quality houses or villas with unreliable house staff. Such accommodation is offered on other web sites.
Some of our villas are suitable for large families and groups. They offer a hotel-size swimming pool, private tennis court, archery range, billiard and games lounge, family sauna, etc. and are looked after by over 20 well-trained house staff. Others are much smaller with a charming simplicity and local style. Even these are set in beautiful gardens with private swimming pool and surrounded by an abundance of tropical plants and flowers. Even our smallest cottage in Bali offers all Western amenities and has full-time house staff (including a good cook) to take care of your needs.
All villas in the Balivillas.com portfolio are located in South Bali and close to or right on the beach, usually only minutes away from good restaurants and shops in Nusa Dua or Kuta/Seminyak.
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How do I choose the right villa?
Private villas in Bali have been designed and built according to the taste and requirements of their individual owners. So each is unique and has its own character. Balivillas.com knows each villa inside out, and we're happy to help you select the villa best suited to YOUR particular needs.
Unlike villa owners themselves, Balivillas.com – and any other reputable villa company – will tell you also the negative aspects of any particular villa. (Please click here for some hints on how to protect yourself and avoid possible disaster when booking over the Internet.)
So let us have details of all those traveling with you. It's not enough just to know the number of bedrooms required. The type of vacation you plan is another important factor in recommending your ideal villa. Do you want to spend a quiet time with your family or will you be doing any entertaining? Perhaps you plan a romantic vacation alone with your spouse? Or will you have business associates visiting and staying with you?
By completing and returning our secure Villa Inquiry Form as early as you can, you help us to suggest those villas we believe will suit your needs best. The earlier you let us start the selection process the better the chance that a villa which suites all your requirements is still available.
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How comfortable are these villas?
Most villas in Bali are designed for life in the tropics. All have spacious, comfortably furnished open-air living and dining areas with ceiling fans and a stereo system surrounded by lush tropical gardens. Bedrooms are air-conditioned and often have large open-air (but private) garden bathrooms with tropical plants and flowers.
Kitchens are equipped with a stove, refrigerator/freezer and all the normal cooking utensils together with the right number of glasses, knifes and forks, plates, cups, and so on. Each villa is supplied with bed sheets, towels, etc. sufficient for the maximum number of guests.
You'll find also cordless phones, fax machines, large - state-of-the art flat/LCD TV sets with satellite receivers offering many international movie, news and sports channels, DVD players, an electronic safe, books on Bali, magazines and games, shampoo, bath gel and house coats in the bathrooms, and large umbrellas to use during the rainy season.
All villas have a private swimming pool and several deck chairs. The most luxurious villas have facilities such as a games room with a billiards table, a family sauna, archery range, and a private tennis or badminton court.
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What about the domestic (villa) staff?
All villas in the Balivillas.com portfolio are serviced by reliable full-time house staff including maids, house boys, gardeners, security guards and trained cooks (see below).
Balivillas.com is now providing in an increasing number of its top villas Personal Butler service to assist guests in any way possible around the clock. These well-educated young gentlemen and ladies help you to plan your meals, arrange parties at your villa, schedule Spa treatments, recommend tours and activities, check whether your clothing needs cleaning or repairs, reconfirm flights and even help you pack for your departure.
Many maids, house boys and other domestic staff in Bali speak and understand only limited English but they easily make up for this with their friendliness and genuine desire to be of service. All are well-trained and used to look after foreign guests. They will do their regular jobs without requiring specific instructions from you.
Don't worry about having too many staff around: they are not intrusive and often barely visible. However, if you want total privacy at certain times, you can simply send them to their quarters.
During the night, discrete security guards will be outside – to make you feel safe in unfamiliar surroundings but without intruding on your privacy. All staff members in your villa wear Balivillas.com uniforms with photo name tags that you can easily identify them at all times.
If required a baby sitter or nanny can be provided (Indonesians adore children). You may also want to hire an interpreter or trained guide. Please let us have advance notice. A hair cut, facial, massage, manicure etc. can be arranged in your villa at any time. Just call the Balivillas.com Service Center or tell your Butler.
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What kind of food can we expect?
Your trained villa cook can prepare delicious local meals and a limited range of Western dishes. He (or she) will show you a menu of dishes to choose from, and you'll find in your villa the book "The Food of Bali" with photos and detailed descriptions of local delicacies to help you order your meals.
To get an idea of Balinese delicacies and to see some samples of local dishes your cook can prepare, please click here. Many guests feel that the food served in their villa is better than in any outside restaurant! Please read recent testimonials with full name and address of guests.
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Shopping for meals and costs.
Normally your cook does the shopping after you ordered the dishes for your next meal. Depending on what ingredients he/she needs to prepare your orders, shopping will be done at local markets, local supermarkets, the Jimbaran fish market, or at shops such as Gourmet Garage, Bali Deli, Dijon, etc.
You will be presented with the bills showing the original cost of the ingredients bought for your meals, and that is all you have to pay. Expect an everage meal to cost not more than US$5 to US$6 per person. However, if you order specialties such as imported oysters, lobster etc. it can be much more expensive.
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Tell me more about the Free Car and Driver.
Balivillas.com provides a free air-conditioned car with a reliable driver for up to 10 consecutive hours every day from your arrival until your departure, and you even don't have to pay for gasoline.
You just tell your driver when you'll need him, and he'll be there with the car. This can be early morning, afternoon or at night. All drivers have a hand phone which means you can reach him any time if he's unable to park right next to your favorite restaurant or shopping mall and has to be called when you've finished eating or shopping.
You can use your car for excursions throughout the island, but you can also send the driver out to do some errands such as picking up items you purchased somewhere or to get special delicacies from a certain restaurant to be served at your villa. This can be important if you suddenly feel like having some more unusual delights such as Indian vegetarian dishes, fresh sushi, French or Australian oysters etc. without giving your cook advance notice.
Keep in mind, a reliable driver is more important than you may think: many visitors complain that much of their time in Bali is wasted by drivers who don't take them where they want to go but instead bring them to shops, spas, restaurants etc. where they earn a commission on your purchases. This is not just a waste of money, it's a waste of your valuable vacation time. Our drivers won't do that to you.
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What other services can I expect from Balivillas.com?
Renting a vacation villa through Balivillas.com is not a self-service holiday. You'll be looked after from the moment you make your reservation until you finally leave Bali.
Before you leave home:
We can tell you what you should bring with you. Supermarkets and delicatessen in Bali nowadays carry a wide range of imported food, beverages, toiletries, etc. so you don't need to bring anything special. If you do have special dietary or other requirements, send us your shopping list in advance so your house staff can buy those items before you arrive.
When you arrive:
You'll be greeted at the airport by your personal driver and a guest service representative of Balivillas.com who will escort you to your villa and introduce you to your house staff.
A chilled bottle of sparkling wine will be waiting for you. The refrigerator will be stocked with an initial supply of soft drinks, fruit juices and some beer, coffee and tea, eggs and bread etc. for your first breakfast. All bathrooms will be supplied with soap, shampoo, bath gel, cotton buds, paper tissues, toilet paper, etc.
Your "Welcome Pack" contains a current guide book with maps and information on Bali, a CD Rom with a complete Balinese cooking course (introduction plus 7 lessons) and over 60 recipes and an audio CD to take home with you (as a souvenir), and there will be also a print-out from our Baliguide.com web site with the latest information on what to see & do, food & restaurants, night life, shopping, etc. The "Villa Guest Information" folder in each bedroom will answer most additional questions you might have.
If you have placed an order for special items to be bought before your arrival, your groceries will be waiting for you. If you've asked for dinner to be prepared for your first evening, that will be ready, too.
During your stay:
Your cook, maids, house boys, and gardener will take care of all routine chores such as washing dishes, cleaning the premises, maintaining the garden and pool, changing linen and towels, handling your laundry, shopping for groceries, preparing your meals, etc. Some of our top villas feature Personal Butler service which will take care of ANY of your requirements you might have around the clock.
Throughout your stay in Bali you'll enjoy the free use of an air-conditioned car with a reliable driver (up to 10 hours per day consecutively) who knows Bali well. Balivillas.com's local Service Center staff is on call around the clock to provide all the assistance you may need.
We can arrange guided excursions by car, boat, helicopter, sea plane or on horseback, book a tennis coach, a game of golf, and fishing, sailing, or diving trips. Interested in meditation, Balinese cooking, painting, dance or music classes? No problem.
We can also arrange a cultural performance in the privacy of your villa. If you would like to get married in Bali – no problem either. If you are interested in joining one of the monthly "Bali Wine Club" lunches, a "Chaine des Rotisseurs" event, or want to meet a celebrity living in Bali – let us know, and we'll try to make it happen.
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What about travelling with children?
No problem whatsoever! Bali is a paradise for children, and there is plenty for them to do and see. All Balinese adore kids. In your villa, in restaurants and wherever you go, there will always be someone to take care of them. Your biggest problem might be to get them back when you want to leave!
In supermarkets you can get anything you need for children including imported baby food. There are also some international-standard medical clinics such as the BIMC (Bali International Medical Center) open round the clock, seven days per week.
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How much does it cost to rent a private villa ?
Rental prices depend on the number of bedrooms, location, season, and facilities of the particular villa. Generally speaking, you should expect to pay between US$150 and US$400 per day per bedroom for a high-quality villa with private swimming pool and trained staff during the regular season. Bear in mind that renting a private villa is actually much cheaper than comparable accommodation at a good hotel if you consider all the "Extras" such as snacks, meals and drinks, mini bar, room service, laundry, telephone charges, etc. which can easily double or triple your hotel bill. This applies even more if you travel with kids.
You can choose a cosy 2-bedroom villa with spacious dining and sitting area set in a beautiful tropical garden with your private swimming pool for about US$340 per day during the regular season, or a magnificent beach front estate with 5 luxurious guest suites surrounded by two hectares (5 acres) of private gardens with 24 well-trained staff (including an Italian-trained cook), billiards lounge, open-air cinema, sea view sauna, large swimming pool, private tennis court, archery range and your own herb and vegetable gardens for US$2,000 per day.
Season, Length of Stay, and Booking Date are other important factors: Most villas cost 25% to 50% more over certain holidays (Christmas, New Year, Lunar New Year, and Easter) and during Bali's peak season in July and August. On the other hand, certain villas are offered at SUPER SAVER Rates which are generally about 30% below normal rental rates and let you enjoy additional saving of 10% if you stay 10 days or more. There is a surcharge of US$100 for staying less than 4 nights. Balivillas.com offers also LAST MINUTE Savings of 20% if you book within 7 days before arrival.
Remember: Balivillas.com's rental prices include all staff salaries and costs for laundry, electricity, water, gas, gardening, taxes, use of an air-conditioned car with driver, and even the gasoline! For Balivillas.com guests many "extras" which will double or triple your bill at a hotel are already paid for with the villa rental fee.
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What extras do I pay in a villa?
You pay extra only for international telephone calls and faxes (at cost), for the ingredients your cook has to buy to prepare your meals, and for the drinks you consume. You can either let your cook do the shopping, or you can make a trip to one of Bali's markets, supermarkets or delicatessen yourself.
The fact is, staying in a villa will save you 60% to 70% on food and beverage expenses compared to staying at a good hotel. Savings are even higher on telephone and fax charges. All laundry done in-house is free, dry cleaning is given out and charged at cost.
As a result you'll save about US$40 to US$80 per person per day compared to a good hotel where all 'extras' (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks, mini bar, laundry, telephone, internet access, fax, etc. plus Bali's 21% service charge and government tax) add up quickly.
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What about tipping the house staff?
We recommend about US$2 to US$3 per day per staff member if you were satisfied with the service. This is VERY little (about 2% or 3%) compared to your rental fee but more than this would be too much. Tips should be given on your last day to the supervisor, manager or your butler in the presence of other staff members.
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When should I make my reservation?
There are only a limited number of good villas available for rent in Bali which meet Balivillas.com's standards, and demand is high. So book as early as you can.
Our policy is strictly first-come, first-served. So to be certain to get the villa they want, many guests reserve their villa as much as eight or ten months in advance (sometimes even more).
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Why should I book through Balivillas.com?
There are many unreliable villa companies and misleading web sites on the Internet. Always check carefully with whom you do business before making a commitment. Please click here for some hints on how to protect yourself and avoid possible disaster when booking over the Internet.
Balivillas.com is in this business since 1992 and has handled thousands of villa bookings for guests from all parts of the world. Many of these have become regular clients and even friends. Please click here for Testimonials from recent villa guests (with full name and address).
The high standards of the company's villas, the well-trained and uniformed cooks, maids, house boys, gardeners, security guards and other domestic staff, the in-house massage and spa services and the free use of an air-conditioned car with a reliable driver during your whole stay guarantee a thoroughly relaxing vacation.
The 24/7 convenience of your personal Butler and the local Balivillas.com Service Center as well as several "Managers on Duty" for guests speaking English, Chinese and Japanese are not offered by any other company.
All villas operated and cars provided by Balivillas.com are properly licensed. Therefore, you don't have to worry about any problems with the police relaxing at your villa and during excursions exploring the island.
Balivillas.com is also the only company in Bali to enter long-term management contracts with property owners which guarantee the owner a regular year-round income, professional management and top maintenance of their villa.
This commitment as "villa operator" makes it possible for Balivillas.com to offer rates much lower than any other villa company. After having secured the exclusive use of the property for a number of years, Balivillas.com invests in improvements to meet the company's high standards. Being the villa operator, Balivillas.com has full control over the staff and therefore can guarantee top service.
Because of its long-term management contracts and full control of the product and service, Balivillas.com can guarantee a better vacation experience at lower rates than any other company in Bali.
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