The Damai

Lovina, Pemuteran & North Bali, Indonesia
Book from GBP Book from £138 per night

A clutch of hill-top villas and a fine restaurant with panoramic views of Lovina Bay in unspoilt North Bali

A clutch of hill-top villas and a fine restaurant with panoramic views of Lovina Bay in unspoilt North Bali

You get a fantastic view when you're tucked up high on this mountainside. Surrounded by lush upland forests, overlooking the North Coast by Lovina Bay, these Balinese-style villas let you hide away from frantic southern Bali. Lovina is famous for its dolphin watching and laid-back tropical charm. And if you're into organic gardens, you'll love The Damai's orchards full of tropical fruit and veg, ranging from vanilla to dragon's-eye fruit; they've also opened an organic farm. With all this to hand, people make special trips just to the restaurant.

If you want a break from its massage treatments and gentle ocean breeze, Danish-owned The Damai gives you more ideas than days: treks to waterfalls; diving and snorkelling excursions; local markets; bird-watching and painting. Or if you want to laze away the pre-cocktail hour watching films, there's a huge library to choose from. Damai means 'peaceful', and sitting beneath the crimson bougainvillea, looking out to sea, that's just what it is.

Highs

  • Immense hypnotic views of the bay, plantations and mountains - poolside cocktails at sunset are fabulous
  • Just 15 villas in a peaceful verdant setting, and all are butler-serviced 24 hours a day
  • Scouting out the different exotic fruits in their organic garden - they are passionate about the hotel's eco-projects
  • North Bali is far less commercialised than the south - up here, you get a much better insight into the local way of life
  • Wide range of cultural and nature-based trips and activities on offer

Lows

  • A 3-hour drive from Denpasar airport (and thankfully off the beaten track) so best combined with an overnight stay in the south (eg. Jimbaran Bay)
  • No direct beach access (this is more of a rural retreat although the hotel offers a free shuttle for the 10-minute drive to Lovina)
  • The lava sands of the northern beaches are dark grey but the snorkelling and diving nearby are excellent
  • Not for those seeking nightlife - most guests head back to their rooms after dinner

Best time to go

Mountains in the south protect the north from frequent rainfall, so it's drier. The wettest months are January and February but it seldom rains for more than 1-2 hours. Driest is May to October. Temperatures during the day are between 20-24C.

Our top tips

Take a trip to Menjangan island for the best diving and snorkelling on the island (1hr away)

Great for...

Eco
Family
Foodie
Great Outdoors
Romantic
  • Boutique Hotel
  • 15 rooms
  • Restaurant and bar (open daily)
  • All ages welcome
  • Open all year
  • Outdoor Pool
  • Spa Treatments
  • Beach Nearby
  • Pet Friendly
  • Disabled Access
  • Car not necessary
  • Parking
  • Restaurants Nearby
  • WiFi
  • Air Conditioning
  • Guest Lounge
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Gym
  • Concierge Service
  • Bicycles Available
Room: Pool Villa

Rooms

The 15 villas sit along a winding stone path that leads down from the restaurant, bar and pool terrace through lush manicured gardens. Each has large windows and views across the valley and hills or to the ocean beyond. Inside you'll find an elegant four-poster bed, sunken sitting area, writing desk, a few books and Balinese antiques; we stayed in a Garden Villa and slept very well. We're yet to see the Pool Studios, but they appear very similar, the difference being that they have their own pool and sea views.

The stunning villas with private pool are located on their own hill, accessed by foot or by golf buggy via a flower-clad bridge. All offer a sprawling living space furnished with hardwood, and local and imported fabrics. Each has an extensive collection of Indonesian art and antiques. Outside, every villa is surrounded by heliconias, lemon grass, lotus ponds and fruit trees. It’s all topped off by breath-taking views of the valley and the ocean. The sumptuous 1-bedroom Pool Villas are set amidst lush tropical gardens with balé pavilions. The larger Master Pool Villas are perfect for a family, thanks to their additional bedroom and bathroom, and 2 of everything outside - 2 pavillions, 2 terraces, 1 or 2 pools!

Bathrooms have wood sinks and open-air showers set in vine-clad stone-walled gardens (most also have a Jacuzzi bath). Locally-made organic toiletries are presented in glassware rather than plastic. The Damai burns its own incense to take care of mossies; netted drapes over the bed offer extra protection. You also get a welcome bowl of fruit and a very thorough info pack of the area.

Features include:

  • Bathrobes
  • Hairdryer
  • Minibar
  • Mosquito net
  • Safe box
  • WiFi

Eating

Damai Lovina's restaurant is highly rated and has won a number of awards. Produce mainly comes from The Damai’s own farm - spices and herbs, fruit and veg, pigeon, rabbit, crayfish... even snails! Everything is organic, and hats off to their use of mother nature - we even drank our sunset cocktails through bamboo straws.

The Balinese-European fusion cuisine is elaborate and sounds great: starters such as sashimi of kobe meat with lime jelly and enoki mushrooms; mains like Damai bouillabaise or the Balinese classic Babi Guling (suckling pig). There's a separate vegetarian menu too, incorporating plenty of farm produce, and almost any dietary request is catered for. Great care is taken with the presentation - expect fancy plates, artistic swirls of jus or coulis and imaginative caramel and wafer constructions.

Tasty breakfasts and panoramic views from the first-floor restaurant are a wonderful way to start the day. A continental breakfast is included in the room rate and includes freshly baked bread, Danish pastries, hot croissants, homemade jams, fresh fruits and seasonal tropical juice. A la carte dishes such as banana pancakes and porridge are available at an extra cost, and you can order picnics for any trips you go on.

Most guests dine at the hotel at night, but there are a couple of bars and plenty of restaurants to choose from in town.

Features include:

  • Bar
  • Kids' meals
  • Organic produce
  • Restaurant
  • Vegetarian options
Eating:
Activity:

Activities

  • Wander around the organic farm and grounds, walk up into the hills and soak up the fertile plantation mountain landscape
  • Catch your breath for views of the north Bali coast, from the old capital Singaraja in the east to the sun setting behind the volcanoes of Java to the west
  • Relax with a massage in the rustic spa - or try the traditional Melukat water cleansing ritual
  • Take one of The Damai excursions to nearby villages or travel further afield to the south, east or west of Bali. The following are a few examples of what they can arrange:
  • Boat ride into Lovina Bay to watch the dolphins at the crack of dawn (by arrangement)
  • Take a trip to Lovina Beach, 10 mins away (free shuttle) - the lava sand is black but waters are clear for snorkelling out on coral reefs a short boat trip away
  • Visit Singaraja, 15 mins away - an authentic Indonesian city with genuine early morning markets for fish, fruit and spices
  • Visit the village of Munduk, 40 mins away, for fine examples of terraced rice paddies, a Buddhist monastery, and a waterfall
  • Journey to Bedugal to 40-metre-high Gitgit Waterfalls and jump in its pools... or visit Gitgit’s totally unknown cousin, the waterfall in Ambengan. The only other visitors you are likely to meet here are groups of monkeys playing in the vines over the crystal-clear rock pool
  • Golf can be arranged at the Bali Handara Golf and Country Club, 50 mins away

Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Golf
  • Hiking
  • Plantlife / flora
  • Scuba diving
  • Shopping / markets
  • Snorkelling
  • Swimming
  • Traditional cultures
  • Well being
  • Wildlife
  • Yoga

Kids

Children of all ages are welcome but there are no special activities for them at the hotel. There are 6 rooms with sunken lounges, and the mattresses from these can easily be converted to children’s beds. Children under 6 years of age stay free of charge in their parents' rooms. There is a supplement for extra beds.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

The best option for a larger family or group is the Master Pool Villa (sleeps 6 plus baby). On the lower level is a small study room which can be used as a third bedroom on request; on the upper level is a master and second bedroom, a living space with dining room, a library/cinema, a large swimming pool, and its own cozy bale pavilion. The Pool Studios and Pool villas all have their own private pools. All rooms can fit an extra bed or baby cot.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Babysitting:

Babysitting available by arrangement.

Children's meals:

A children’s menu is available and other meals are charged at 50%.

Kid Friendly:

Location

Damai Lovina Villas is situated on the north coast of Bali near the town of Lovina. It's a 3-hour drive from Denpasar airport.

By Air:
Denpasar Ngurah Rai (90km). Served by many international airlines. Please click on the links below for further information. You can also fly to Jakarta, then travel overland (approx 24 hours) or catch a connecting flight to Denpasar.

From the Airport
The hotel can arrange for an air-conditioned car to meet you - please enquire at the time of booking. The drive takes you past the volcanic lakes and central mountains, through the coffee and clove plantations and through some of the most spectacular scenery on the island. We'd definitely recommend doing this, as public transport links to the hotel are pretty complicated.

By Ferry:
There are frequent boats between Bali and the major islands in Indonesia, including Java, Lombok and Komodo. The hotel can arrange for an air-conditioned car to meet you at the ferry port - please enquire when you book.

By Car:
We don’t recommend you renting a car unless you’re a very seasoned visitor to Bali as some of the on-the-spot fines for ‘traffic violations’ can be annoying. Narrow roads and overtaking procedures can also be unnerving, especially through the mountains.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Bali and getting around

Airports:

  • Denpasar Ngurah Rai 90.0 km DPS

Other:

  • Beach 3.0 km
  • Shops 3.0 km
  • Restaurant 3.0 km

Rates for The Damai

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