For those who dont want the hustle and bustle of hectic [----] Kuta, and want to be close to the hip cool crouds at the multiple beachside bars/restuarants and boutique clothing shops in trendy Seminyak, The Ahimsa is second to none. This was our second stay at The Ahimsa in less than a year, and well worth the visit once again. We stayed there in April 2006, just the two of us, but this time took two friends with us to share the experience.

Both friends were a bit sceptical that The Ahimsa website accurately represented the facilities (many hotels put their absolute best rooms in their marketing and leave you disappointed when you check into your room), but they had no reason to be. They were blown away by the privacy, tranquility, and sheer size of our three bedroom villa with private pool. It was sheer bliss.

The staff are always smiling, respect your privacy so much so that they are almost invisible until you call for them, and provide prompt, professional service that would rival some of the best hotels in the world. All staff have excellent English speaking skills for those of us who cant speak a word of Bahasa Indonesian, and are more than happy to arrange absolutely ANYTHING you could want. Breakfast is included in the room rate and is cooked/prepared for you every morning in your villa at whatever time you like. Transport within the local Seminyak/Kuta area is free and provided in clean, new, fully airconditioned comfortable mini vans that can also be booked for a small fee for longer trips around the island. The staff will make your restaurant and spa bookings, and the security staff will even stop the traffic in front of the villa to allow you to cross the road!!

Bali Deli is literally 50 metres away, and fantastic restaurants like Ku De Ta, Cafe Warisan, La Lucciola, Gado Gado and many many more excellent places to eat. There's a plethora of great shopping in the area as well....everything from outdoor furniture and water features and stone carvings, to boutique clothing and jewellery stores.

We'll definitely be back!

We stayed at The Ahimsa for 6 nights over Easter and loved every bit of it. We were met off our flight with cold towels and bottles of water for the trip to Seminyak. We stayed in The Ahimsa Club part, a one bedroom villa. The beds are big and comfortable, the private pool is inviting and the living areas well appointed. Breakfast was prepared every morning in the villa, and for $20 you could get a relaxing one hour Balinese massage by your pool! It’s location is very handy – right across the road from the Bali Deli (full of delicious imported deli items and a great café and garden) and a short walk to shops, boutiques and restaurants. The complimentary car service will also drop you off and pick you up from other places like KuDeTa and local shopping centres, or the beach. Each night someone came through and turned down the bed, lit mosquito coils and cleaned up.

And the staff were so friendly, nothing was a problem.

For us, we don’t go to Bali for the beaches – there are better ones elsewhere (such as Nusa Lembogan - off the coast of Bali - or over on Lombok). It’s about staying and being pampered in such luxury villas like The Ahimsa - with easy access to restaurants and shops and your own private pool and deck for a few days of R&R. We would definitely stay at The Ahimsa again, and are converted to the Seminyak area of Bali.

The main thing I liked about the Ahimsa was the tranquillity. Apparently the Ahimsa was full during the 2 weeks we stayed there however it felt at times as though we were the only people there!
The Villas are large, comfortable and are refurbished to a high standard - the privacy of your own swimming pool is fantastic you never have to leave. We have been to many places over the globe - but this was just surreal. The staff are fantastic - they are so friendly and not overbearing. You have to take a tour with the staff around the island they will take you to the most beautiful sights, and ones that the normal tour guides wouldn't take you. We also tried the Ahimsa BBQ, you have to love sea food, but it was sensational.

You have to try the various different spa treatments offered to you in your own villa... we just got a massage but it was so relaxing.
I really recommend staying at the Ahimsa Villa's its the best place to stay for getting away from the hustle and bustle of city life. But if you want to Party Kuta is only 20 min away and you can organise your own driver, my friends and i felt like celebrities while we stayed there, i'm just glad we choose to stay there, and we have already booked our second trip next summer!!!

Having never been to Bali before and looking at the maps, you would be convinced that you were a stroll from the beach, and 10 minutes from the Tahna Lot temple, famous for its sunsets. We booked for two whole weeks and stayed 4 nights! The beach was at least 30 minutes away, so take fresh water for the trip, and the temple, well expect 1 hour each way in a taxi ! Believe no one and barter for everything - nothing is 'fixed price'.

The Ahimsa is directly on a busy road; so do not expect any silent nights. Whilst there were security guards around the entrance, we could open our door in a millisecond using a credit card, so this left us uneasy. And by the way, get out around 4pm as they 'fog' the whole area to aggravate the mosquitoes - it certainly didn't get rid of them - we had 78 after one short spray of Baygone in our bathroom alone!

Instead, head to Ubud - much closer to the real Bali, with more genuine trustworthy locals, a slower pace of life and padi fields for your back garden - far better recommended.