a shore hit
Anyone for tennis? At Arnalaya Beach House in Bali (from US$1,795, RM8,000 per night), there’s plenty of it to go round, given that one of the 4,430sqm estate’s main attractions is its international-standard tennis court. There’s even a SAM ball machine, a full range of trainer balls, coaching equipment and a tennis concierge service.
Equally athletic surfing enthusiasts will revel in the knowledge that the villa – managed by luxury villa rental specialist, Elite Havens – sits on pristine Nelayan Beach in Canggu. It’s so close to the curling waves of Echo Beach, the famous surf break, that it’s possible to tumble out of one of Arnalaya’s five ocean or courtyard suites and paddle straight into the swell.
Within the minimalist-chic villa, designed by Singapore-based architect Sonny Chan and furnished by Australian- born interior designer Albano Daminato, is a well-equipped gym in which Pilates instructors can keep you on your toes. A shimmering 20m saltwater pool looks out onto the seafront, lending itself excessively well to languid laps along its length, followed by a few sunset asanas on the nearby yoga platforms. Arnalaya’s service team, which includes a villa manager, private chef and security staff.
You can even book treatments with specialist therapist Oka Dewa at the on-site spa. A signature Balinese massage under his practised hands will rejuvenate your body and unknot aching, overworked muscles, allowing you to glide freely around the tennis court again.
Guests of a less sporty inclination can top up their tans and then cool off in the entertainment room, which boasts an Apple TV, a music library and a Nintendo Wii. A poolside lounge and dining bale with a kitchen, cocktail bar, built-in barbecue and a solid timber table that sits 14 makes entertaining a breeze if you’re all in party mode.
For more sedate occasions, there’s the formal dining room with its candlelit hurricane lamps, split bamboo wall panels and clusters of fresh white orchids – a space that can be as intimate or as open to the sea and sky as you’d like.
Even the most restless soul can be coaxed into Arnalaya Beach House’s beautifully balanced, elegant suites, which all feature canopied four-poster beds, Bose ceiling speakers, open terrazzo bathrooms and standalone bathtubs. At full capacity with 15 people spread across the villa’s ground and upper floors, it’ll still feel like you have the place to yourself.
Then again, if you need a brief escape, Greg Norman’s scene-stealing Nirwana Bali Golf Club course isn’t too far away – so bring your clubs along with your racquet and surf board.
