First-timer with questions on Bali villas...
The wife and I are tentatively planning a Bali visit in October. We'll be travelling from Java to Gilimanuk, then across Bali to Lombok. We'll be staying 3-5 days somewhere in Bali, and I'm looking for recommendations on someplace to stay. This is where things get complicated - my wife (Indonesian) seems to choose places that seem to me very, well...hotel-like, where I (American who has been to Jakarta once) seem to be looking for the quintessential private villa. Now, given that my wife is Indonesian, I realize I should defer to greater experience in these matters, but since I'm a painfully fastidious, list-making and researching fool, I keep pressing for alternative choices (shame on me, I know).
So my question to you all is, what recommendations would you make if you were looking for a nice, private villa in Bali (one that would include a private pool, which is very important because I would hate to subject other pool guests to my distressing, grub-like whiteness), and what specific areas in Bali would you recommend (or warn against) for first-time visitors?
To date, the following villas have ranked high on our list (my wife's single choice appears at the top, and all my alternatives listed below):
Kupu Kupu Barong (Ubud)
Villa Isabella (Ubud)
Villa Awang Awang (Ubud)
Taman Rahasia (Ubud)
The Watergarden (Candidasa)
Seraya Shores (Candidasa)
Villa Singa (Tejakula)
Would anyone care to comment on these choices, make other recommendations, or just make observations in general?