Desa Seni, A Village Resort

The hotel is fairly secluded and quiet, and feels far removed from the hustle and bustle of nearby tourist locales like Seminyak and even central Canggu. Set in a quiet corner of the Canggu area, the region around the hotel is lined with rice fields, boutique villa hotels, and residential housing. That quiet vibe carries over nicely to the property, which features stunning tropical grounds, a great range of facilities, and a serene wellness-resort vibe. Most of the facilities are health oriented and include a saltwater pool, a restaurant serving organic meals, a holistic spa, and an open-air yoga shala where daily classes are held. Style-wise, the hotel blends artsy details with rustic Balinese accents for a convincing village atmosphere that has just enough eclectic pop to keep things interesting. A number of guests who stay here are single travelers that come for the yoga and health retreat packages. Even so, it's a fine place to simply kick back and unwind, and there's appeal for couples and families as well.

The hotel is located in a small village within the Canggu area, around a 10-minute walk from Batu Belig Beach. The immediate area features some dining and shopping options, but is much less developed and crowded than nearby Seminyak and even more central parts of Canggu. Also, there are no nightclubs in the area, so it stays quiet at night. Canggu Club is around a five-minute walk from the hotel and features a bowling alley, fitness center, trampoline park, and water park. The dark sand beaches in the area -- such as Batu Belig, Echo, and Berawa -- all have great surfing waves, but aren't well suited for swimming due to the strong riptides. Also, the beaches along this stretch of coast are poorly maintained and are often littered with trash and debris. There are some decent dining options a short walk from the hotel, like Peloton Supershop, Watercress, and Milk & Madu. Petitenget features a much larger selection of restaurants and some of Bali's most popular beach clubs. It takes 15 minutes to reach by car. Guests should budget at least 45 minutes for commutes to Kuta or the airport.

The hotel offers spacious one- and two-bedroom bungalows that feature roomy balconies and elegant interiors decorated with local crafts. All of the bungalows are repurposed traditional wooden houses from throughout Indonesia. The houses are intact and preserved, though the interiors have been modified to be more contemporary. Room decor is eclectic, with brightly colored handwoven ikat textiles and rugs, local artwork, intricate wood carvings, and solid teak furniture. Rooms are outfitted with canopy beds, wooden sofas, work desks and chairs, and roomy wardrobes. Standard amenities include air-conditioning, tube TVs with DVD players (but no working channels), free Wi-Fi, mini-fridges, coffee- and tea-making facilities, safes, and free mineral water. 

The views from bungalows vary, and there are garden, rice field, and pool-facing options. Rooms near the pool tend to be noisier than those overlooking the gardens or rice fields. The two-bedroom bungalows have plenty of space for small families or groups, and feature large living rooms plus two bathrooms. En-suite bathrooms are mostly clean and modern, and feature roomy vanities with porcelain or wooden sinks, glass shower cubicles with rainfall showers, and -- in some higher room categories -- the bathrooms are semi open-air and surrounded by tropical greenery. 

One of the best features at Desa Seni Resort are the open and spacious grounds, lined with tropical greenery, tall trees, flowering bougainvillea, and organic gardens. The hotel also features great facilities, most of which revolve around health and wellbeing. A large saltwater swimming pool sits in the center of the grounds, and is lined with tropical greenery, palm trees, grass lawns, and a wooden deck. There's a both lap pool and shallow kids' section, plus lounge chairs for relaxing.

Yoga is a central focus here, and free daily classes are included in the room rates. There are a variety of sessions and numerous yoga styles are taught. Meditation classes are also available. Classes are held in a spacious open-air yoga shala surrounded by greenery. However, keep in mind that they're quite popular with outside guests and are often crowded.

Desa Seni's restaurant serves up a range of Asian and Western dishes, with a focus on healthy organic meals. Much of the produce that's served comes from the hotel's own gardens. Reviews of the food are consistently high and the prices are also reasonable. Breakfast is free and consists of coffee or tea, juice, a fresh fruit platter, and one main course from the a la carte breakfast menu. Merapu Spa features elegant private treatment rooms and offers a variety of beauty, massage, and wellness treatments. The small hotel gift shop sells local handicrafts, apparel, jewelry, and natural body products. There's plenty of on-site parking and Wi-Fi is free throughout.