Sarasvati

Four glorious residences - two four-bedroom, one three-bedroom and a one-bedroom villa - make up the Dea Villas estate, an exclusive enclave five minutes from Berawa Beach and only 15-minutes from the buzz of Seminyak. Each is secure in its own garden with pool and outdoor pergola or bale, and enjoys shared gym, spa, and children's playground facilities. Each has its own character and style, from ultra-contemporary to whimsical heritage chic, enriched with high-tech facilities including iPod docks and home theatre systems. Best of all, they can be rented separately or together, meaning Dea Villas can accommodate guests in many combinations, from a honeymooner couple to two families in adjoining villas, right up to 30 or more residential guests for a wedding celebration.

Sarasvati comprises a large living pavilion and a two-storey building arranged in an L shape around a 18m swimming pool looking onto rice terraces. The open-plan living pavilion has a formal seating area with doors onto a covered open-sided garden room, a dining area and, across a bar counter, the guest kitchen and second service kitchen behind. In the second pavilion, which is fronted by a covered terrace on both storeys, two ground-floor master suites flank a central 'art-gallery' foyer leading to the main entrance. Stairs lead up to the second level where two more guest suites and a family TV room open onto the terrace.

The huge living pavilion is a magnificent open-plan space with glass doors running the length of three walls that can be closed for air-conditioned comfort or flung open onto the pool and garden for fan-cooled tropical living. This is the place for lavish entertaining - either at the huge suar-wood dining table which accommodates 14 on bench seating, in the lounge area furnished with extra deep cushioned wicker sofas, or in the adjoining open-sided garden room. Beyond the marble-topped bar counter is the open-plan guest kitchen equipped with welcome extras such as espresso machine and wine fridge. Out of sight behind closed doors is the staff kitchen.

Comfy sofas and king-size velour banquette shug the walls of the upper-level air-conditioned TV lounge, facing a 52" TV with DVD player and surround-sound system. A desk, a shelf of books on Bali and a Yamaha piano make this a truly multi-functional family room.

The shaded terraces running the length of both floors of the two-storey wing accord further private relaxation areas, with clusters of casual seating and cushioned daybeds.

There's lots of outdoor living space too. In addition to the large semi-alfresco seating area adjoining the living pavilion, sun loungers line the ironwood pool deck and two antique pondoks (rice-field shelters) create private garden sanctuaries overlooking a giant chess board and petanque court.