Private Villas in Bali offer Better SCUBA Holidays than Hotels

It's something of an open secret that budget-focused holidaymakers can rent a luxury villa on the hugely popular tropical island of Bali, Indonesia, rather than restricting themselves to booking a hotel.

A common travellers' misconception is that villas are more expensive than hotels when this is not necessarily the case.

 Many people come to this view because they believe villas to be imposing or pretentious residences, maintained as retreats by wealthy people and hence out of reach of the everyday traveller.

Perhaps because the major hotel chains spend large sums of money on marketing and promotion, current official statistics show that some 70% of tourists who travel to Bali, choose to stay in hotels, compared to just 16.4% who rent villas for their holiday.

But there are many good reasons why renting a luxury Bali villa for a SCUBA holiday is better value and more cost-effective than staying in a hotel, which, for most people, involves renting just one room.

Hotels are often part of multi-national chains, owned by big corporations, whereas villas are likely to be privately-owned by individuals very keen to ensure that there guests have an enjoyable stay.

Private villas in Bali can sleep up to eight people, meaning that if the overall nightly rental rate is shared - for example, by members of a SCUBA club, it can translate to much less, per person, than for a hotel room generally occupied by just two people. For example, a villa may charge US$340.00 per night, which appears expensive, but, if this is divided up amongst eight people (four couples) it would cost just US$42.50 per head.

Villas are ideal for events and holidays such as SCUBA holidays, family reunions, getting together with close friends, corporate planning sessions, or club holidays, which could involve eight people. In such cases the expense of staying in a hotel would be much more expensive. Group holidays can be enormously enjoyable and great fun.

Some villas offer further rental discounts if you book a holiday of a week or longer, so, if you are able to do this, it is well worth asking.

And cheaper per-head rental rates are just the start of the benefits that come with booking a luxury Bali villa for a holiday. Other villa advantages include more living space, on-site helpers who provide greater personal service, private facilities like swimming pools where you will not be disturbed by crowds of other tourists, lush tropical gardens with plenty of places to hide and relax, and, of course, amazing ocean and/or mountain valley views. Some villas can even offer SCUBA lessons in their private swimming pools.

The fact is that privately owned Bali villas are generally built away from busy tourist areas for the very reason that some guests prefer privacy and natural surroundings. Some villas, particularly in north Bali, which has some fantastic features, well worth visiting, are even built in the middle of clove fields, so guests can enjoy the pleasant aroma of cloves wafting over them.

Private villa owners love to build their houses to actually live in themselves, which they often do when they are not rented out. This means villas are generally more warm, friendly and atmospheric than your average hotel.

Villas also generally come with their own on-site staff, employed from nearby villages, who are renowned for their warmth and friendliness. Many guests say they form good friendships with local villa staff and can't speak highly enough of their personal service.

Bali luxury villas give their guest plenty of variety regarding meals. The help staff can cook meals to your personal specifications and use the freshest local produce. They know all the good local recipes so you can sample real Balinese food. You can eat whenever you like, so long as you give the helpers enough advance warning. And don't think the help staff will always be underfoot and getting in your way. If you prefer they stay in the background, we can let them know.

Luxury Bali villa help staff are coordinated by a villa manager, who is on call around the clock, with a special hotline, to promptly handle any issues that may arise. Of course, the manager comes from the local area too and knows all the attractions, some not even in the guidebooks, that can be recommended.

For example, in north Bali, villa managers would know all about the Menjangan National Park, with its world-class SCUBA diving and snorkeling, plus its unique small deer (Menjangan means 'deer' in bahasa Indonesia). They are also full of information about other northern attractions such as the turtle farm, pearl farm, hot springs, wild waterfalls, morning dolphin boat rides and even golfing in the caldera of a volcano.

So, if you choose a Bali villa instead of a boring hotel, you will likely be away from the bothersome crowd, but also close to many natural attractions and local culture that make a Balinese holiday very special. You will discover why private villas in Bali offer better holidays than hotels.

There is the question you must answer. Why not experience the unforgettable holiday experience offered by staying in a Bali villa? Many people who make this choice say they will never go back to a hotel.