Lataliana I is a majestic five-bedroom villa, ideally situated in a quiet side street just 500 metres from popular Seminyak beach in south-west Bali, and within easy walking distance of some of the island’s most fashionable shops, bars, restaurants and nightlife. The villa was built in 2011 and is part of an exclusive enclave of two villas complete with a dedicated on-site spa. If required, the two villas (Lataliana I & Lataliana II) can be rented at the same time to provide guests with a seven-bedroom renting option.

This exceptional property blends stylish modern architecture with custom-made furnishings crafted from the century-old recycled timbers of a traditional Indonesian phinisi schooner. With its spacious rooms, large free-form swimming pool, historic joglo balé pavilion, dazzling designer chandeliers, soothing antique water features and high-tech facilities, Lataliana I is classy and chic. It also presents an abundance of space, making it the perfect venue for weddings.

Bedrooms

All five of Lataliana’s bedrooms are equipped with air conditioning, ceiling fans, satellite-channel TVs and Blu-ray disc players. Each has its own unique character or colour scheme – ranging from gold to pink to turquoise – and each is elegantly furnished with beds, cabinets, and chests fashioned from the recycled wood of a traditional sailing boat. Four bedrooms feature king-size beds (two of which can be converted to twins) while the smallest bedroom is furnished with a queen-size bed. The two master bedrooms have retractable mosquito nets around their beds. All five ensuite bathrooms are remarkably spacious; finished with non-slip acid marble floors, and fitted with twin washbasins, soaking tubs, and monsoon showers that are open to the sky in private walled courtyards or gardens. Even the old ship’s rum barrels have been used to create the vanity units in one of the bathrooms.

Living Room

The large living room has glass doors at both the front and the back that can be opened for cross ventilation or closed for air-conditioned comfort (ceiling fans are also an option). This elegant room is furnished with a baby grand piano, an Oriental rug, and segmented sofas and modern daybeds big enough to accommodate ten people. Soaring above the terrazzo floor is a pitched roof with a skylight at its pinnacle which channels sunlight or moonlight into the room and highlights a spectacular chandelier reminiscent of a bunch of gold ribbons. The gold theme is carried through to a fountain ornamenting the pond that lies just beyond this room. The living room is perfect for entertaining as it opens to a broad covered terrace running the length of the building, just a step or two above the pool deck.

TV Room

Connected to the living room is an air-conditioned home theatre room with Bose surround sound and a 51-inch flat-screen satellite-channel TV and Blu-ray disc player, complemented by a library of 1000 DVDs. The room is furnished with three comfortable sofas, two of which are customized chaise longues, each big enough for two, plus a large daybed-type-sofa big enough for at least four, all are crafted from the recycled wood of an old phinisi boat. Fitted shelves on one wall are filled with books while glass doors open to the covered terrace at the front.

Dining

Open on three sides to the pool deck, the dining pavilion features a terrazzo floor and stone pillars supporting a vaulted wood-lined roof. Cooled by natural breezes and four ceiling fans, it is furnished with a solid wood table seating 16 and a sideboard. A guest wash room also leads off the dining pavilion, and to one side is a pond which carries the sound of water in motion as it cascades over a traditional wooden mortar that was originally used for threshing rice.

Kitchen

The villa’s commercial kitchen, professionally equipped with stainless steel appliances, is conveniently situated behind the dining pavilion and is the domain of Lataliana’s three chefs. In addition, a small kitchenette for guest use is positioned next to the bedrooms towards the back of the property, and equipped with a kettle, coffee maker, toaster and fridge.

Garden and Pool

The 25-metre free-form swimming pool features comfortable lounging shelves at two ends and a bubbling water feature crafted from an old millstone. Three ancient frangipani trees have been transplanted around the pool deck, together with a unique relaxation gazebo – actually a traditional, Indonesian, grass-roofed cowshed, which presents an unusual twist on the more-familiar form of balé pavilion. At the head of the pool, presiding over the garden is a secondbalé, featuring the ornately-carved core of an antique timber joglo building from Java, complete with a typical trapezium-shaped roof. This multipurpose structure can be used as a wedding pavilion, a bar area with a portable bar, or a dining venue with a removable awning that extends to the four corners of the raised deck. To one side of this is a gamelan of smiling musicians depicted in white stone.

Location

Lataliana is ideally located just 500m from the beach in the very heart of trendy Seminyak. This is an area exemplified by chic cocktail bars, designer boutiques, internationally-acclaimed fine-dining restaurants and hot night spots. Sweeping Seminyak beach is renowned for its world-class surf breaks and panoramic coastline views; this is the place where the local and expatriate communities gather every evening to enjoy the legendary sunsets. The neighbouring Mesari Stables offers rides along the beach.