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A rare and appealing combination of five star surroundings and amenities,\u00a0 intimate size, and modern design with lots of traditional Balinese influence, the Jewel is a balance of everything an up-scale resort-goer in search of escape could want.\u00a0Traditional Balinese design means architecture that is uniquely suited to its environment. Instead of sealing the indoors off from the outdoors with cost and energy intensive climate controls, Danes has created a space that naturally makes the most of soft tropical breezes to optimize guest comfort. Of course, every room is equipped with air conditioning and can be sealed, just in case the weather is less than perfect.\u00a0 Luxury finishes include abundant natural stone polished to a high gloss, tropical woods, and lots of rich and brilliant colour.<\/p>\n

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Here in Canada, we have an, er,\u00a0restrained\u00a0relationship with colour. A few winters ago, I bought a white down-filled jacket. Now that I\u2019m on a first-name basis with my dry cleaner, I remember why it is that we prefer coats, boots, and carpets in the colour of sand mixed with salt residue\u2026 and everything else in our wardrobes and spaces tends to follow. It is so refreshing to see high-end architecture with such a distinctly Asian and tropical colour palette\u2026 just visiting\u00a0The Jewel\u2019s website<\/a>\u00a0is a little visual vacation.<\/p>\n

I love the old-fashioned romantic image of mosquito nets over the beds, and here, they have a very real and practical function. Generous fabric curtains puddle on attentively polished floors in the communal dining area. Guests can eat out or cook for themselves, but with only a maximum of three other parties visiting at any one time, this looks like a great way to make some new friends. The villa also hosts lessons in all the most enjoyable aspects of traditional Balinese culture: Music, dance, floral arrangement, and food. Just in case the intimate surroundings become too small for some guests, there are two villa vehicles with professional, multilingual tour-guide operators at the guests\u2019 disposal.<\/p>\n

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Among the spa services offered is the ridiculously sensual \u201cflower aroma bath\u201d. The outdoor tub is made of solid stone. Don\u2019t even get me started on the pool\u2026 Ok, I\u2019ll start. Huge (18 metres), with stone infinity edges all the way around, and fantastic views both from the pool, and of the pool from the villa. Make sure to check out the\u00a010 things must try\u00a0section on the villa\u2019s website. Most of the activities are off-site, and the best of the best that the local neighborhood has to offer.<\/p>\n

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The Jewel is a luxury holiday villa designed by Balinese Architect\u00a0Popo Danes. \u00a0With only four guest suites, each with the name and colour way of a precious gem, this cliff top villa sits within the \u201cTiara Nusa\u201d private estate in south Bali. Tiara Nusa translates roughly as \u2018the crown of the island\u2019. The views from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36079,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4706,20],"tags":[632,634,635,628,630,629,633],"yoast_head":"\n