In Reply to: Perhaps do a JBR, sure to get lots of posted by Balimagic on Saturday, 2. September 2006 at 04:23 Bali Time:
Sorry! I had no time last night to elaborate!
This was our 2nd time to the gorgeous Wilsana Villas right near The Living Room restaurant in Seminyak. There are only 2 - a 3 bedroom and 4 bedroom. All King bedrooms with Wilsana 1 having a seperate "pool suite" at the back of Wilsana 1 with a plunge pool - perfect for the bride and groom, an older couple, or just people who want that little bit more privacy. In Wilsana 2 they have the 3 bedrooms plus a fantastic Theatre Room which not only kept the 3 year old happy, but we enjoyed the DVD's too!
There are 12 staff between the 2 villas. Your laundry is taken care of daily, 4 hours free babysitting per day, a car and driver for each villa (complimentary for local distances - Seminyak/Legian/Kuta), one free "day tour" per villa (eg. Ubud, Elephant Park, Sukawati), 24 Bintang on arrival plus other basics like cheese, milk, biscuits, lollies (sweets), 1 free hour massage per adult and the best? Delicious breakfasts cooked for each person as they like it! Fried, poached, scrambled, boiled....bacon, tomato, toast....fresh fruit platters....Balinese coffee or Nescafe....AND they will fix everything for you individually so you are not expected to be downstairs for breakfast at a dictated time. Heaven!!
There are also 2 x security gusrds for each villa who start at about 6ish and stay overnight.
As far as bali in general it was pretty quiet compared to same time last year (just before Jimbaran Bay), however I tended to go out in the mornings before it got too hot so maybe I just missed the crowds? Ku De Ta seemed packed every night so obviously people are sticking to favourite haunts. La Lucciola was full on the Saturday night with more diners waiting for table at the bar - there was security everywhere and we felt very safe. Bags being checked at the bridge over the vreek to the restaurant, security on and around the beach with big hand held flashlights scanning the surrounding area. this was in no way intrusive, they were quite discreet about it. Walking along the beach from La Lucciola we had out bags checked about 4 times before reaching Gado Gado, so all the restaurants/bars with beach frontage seemed to have implemented the same policy.
The Seminyak strip seemed to be quite busy in the evenings but everyone would disappear after eating - no drinkers in the bars really. We were the only people in one bar at 11:30pm one night. Mind you, villas are becoming so popular now (especially down Seminyak end) that most people would retreat to their villa I guess.
So secuity-wise, we felt fine.
We also found a fantastic children's playground about 5 minutes from the jail (Seminyak) called Munchkins. It has lots of tables and chairs to eat/drink/read at and an enclosed 0-3 year old play area, massive fish tank housing Nemo and his crew and then a huge outdoor area (all visible from the under cover tables) which is shaded by trees and those sail shade thingies. It costs 20000RPH per child, no charge for adults. I can get the address if anyone wants to know, it is quite difficult to find and many drivers could not find their way, we took the name and number of a taxi driver who knows the area like the back of his hand and most certainly had the cleanest taxi in Bali!!
Flights wise? We flew Garuda, was maybe 75% full outbound and 95% full inbound. So people are still coming and going. I just hope the Jetstar flights from Australia help to get the tourism back up and running!
Any questions, please ask!
Lucy