Exploring The Samaya: A Luxurious Balinese Villa Experience with Personal Butler Service
For those seeking the comforts of a resort coupled with the privacy and exclusivity of private villas, The Samaya emerges as an enticing choice. In this review, we provide a comprehensive look at our two-night stay, which was provided by the hotel for evaluation.
A Butler Service Like No Other
Butler service takes center stage in The Samaya experience, starting the moment you set foot on the property. From the instant of arrival, the attentive team welcomes you with flower necklaces and refreshing welcome drinks.
Two Distinct Locations
The Samaya is divided across two sites:
The beachside area, where most of the villas are situated.
Approximately 100 meters away, you'll find around ten Royal Courtyard Villas tucked one street back.
A dedicated butler can transport you and your luggage to the Royal Courtyard Villas in a golf buggy. We used this service only for arrival and departure, as it felt a tad indulgent when not burdened with over 60 kilograms of luggage.
At first glance, you might assume that the Royal Courtyard Villas are less desirable due to their distance from the beach. However, this assumption doesn't hold true. Firstly, most villas at The Samaya are enclosed, which means they lack a direct beach view. Secondly, the larger Royal Courtyard Villas offer added perks, including afternoon tea and breakfast.
Once at the villa, our butler provided a tour of the villa's features and inclusive amenities, emphasizing their availability 24/7 throughout our stay.
Incredibly Spacious
Upon passing through the gate, you'll quickly realize why The Samaya spans two locations. The villas are impressively spacious, considering both indoor and outdoor areas – a crucial factor in a destination like Bali.
Outdoors, there are two main lounging areas. The first is a covered veranda featuring an L-shaped rattan sofa and a dining table for two, positioned directly in front. This area is adjacent to the generously sized pool with a soothing waterfall feature.
The second outdoor area is a patio, located directly in front of the villa at the end of the pool, equipped with two sun loungers for sun-seekers. All outdoor furniture includes deep, well-padded mattresses, ensuring utmost comfort.
Entering through the front door leads to a small hallway that connects the bedroom/lounge and bathroom/dressing room.
An Impressive Bedroom and Lounge
The villa's most striking room is the airy bedroom and lounge space. Thanks to high ceilings and light color schemes, the area manages to feel spacious yet intimate with the draped nets surrounding the bed.
The property wisely avoids using excessive dark colors, maintaining a design that aligns with Bali's relaxed atmosphere, rather than going hyper-modern.
The only minor design quibble involves the television placement. Due to the expansive patio doors, the current location is the only feasible option without obstructing the line of sight. This arrangement means that viewers on the sofa may need to angle their heads slightly to watch comfortably. Nevertheless, considering the plethora of Bali's outdoor attractions, television watching wasn't a top priority.
On the opposite wall, you'll find a large integrated desk, handy for a brief work session if needed. Each villa has a dedicated WiFi network located on this desk, offering decent download speeds of around 50mbps and reliable coverage extending to the veranda.
The bed itself is a delight, featuring a comfortable mattress and a pillow menu for a personalized sleeping experience. The default option provided in-room was already quite comfortable.
A Bathroom Oasis
While I had high expectations for this property, it was one of the few times I was genuinely awed by a bathroom. Departing from the light color scheme of the bedroom/lounge, this space embraces dark accents with generous use of marble and wood, evoking the ambiance of a Japanese onsen.
A spacious whirlpool bath sits adjacent to the windows, with double showers directly opposite. This space seems tailor-made for honeymooners, designed for savoring every moment together. Fortunately, the villa's infrastructure can handle it, providing a steady flow of well-pressured, hot water even when both showers are in use.
For those seeking an open-air experience, the windows can be opened to welcome the Bali heat from the inside. Double sinks are also provided, a practical addition when you have double showers.
A walk-in wardrobe connects to the bathroom and easily accommodates enough clothing for a week. However, with such ample space, you might not need to overpack, as the hotel offers complimentary laundering of two items of clothing per person per day.
The hotel generously provides an extensive complimentary minibar along with a convenient pod-based espresso machine. Beverages in the minibar are replenished daily as part of the room cleaning services, which can be scheduled at your convenience.
A separate toilet and bidet complete the bathroom area, ensuring maximum comfort.
Breakfast - A Special Affair
While having breakfast in your villa may seem like a normal routine, there's an added touch of luxury when it's served by your personal butler in your private Bali villa.
Guests at The Samaya can choose to enjoy à la carte breakfast at either of the on-site restaurants, one situated in the Royal Courtyard section and the other on the beachfront, or opt for in-villa dining. Although the restaurant option was tempting, the allure of in-villa breakfast was irresistible.
The breakfast menu is extensive, offering a range of Western and Asian specialties, all available on request through your butler. Breakfast arrived promptly within about thirty minutes on both days, a reasonable wait considering the need to transport it safely to your villa. The quality of breakfast matched the rest of the experience, ensuring that guests on longer stays will never tire of the options.
Afternoon Tea and Minor Feedback
For those interested, afternoon tea is also served, featuring extremely tasty scones. This treat is available daily from 2pm to 5pm in the Royal Courtyard Villas.
However, I do have some minor feedback about the in-villa dining experience. Firstly, it's important to note that the food may not remain at optimal temperature during transport to the villa. While none of the food arrived cold, it's fair to say that for the best dining experience, visiting one of the restaurants might be preferable.
Secondly, for a country and island renowned for its diverse coffee offerings, it would be wonderful to see The Samaya elevate its coffee game. While the coffee served was decent, the standard option felt somewhat weak, prompting me to request an extra shot for added strength. Given The Samaya's premium status and proximity to excellent coffee sources, offering a choice of beans or a more artisanal coffee experience could be considered.
Additional Amenities - Spa, Pools, Beach, and Gym
Like all Bali resorts, The Samaya features an on-site spa, boasting a prime beachfront location overlooking Seminyak Beach. During our stay, we opted for a couples' massage, an experience enhanced by the soothing sound of ocean waves.
While spa prices are higher than those of many external options, the superior service, cleanliness, and location ensure a noticeably more premium experience.
The Samaya offers two pools in addition to those within the villa grounds, each corresponding to the two resort sections. The Royal Courtyard shared pool was frequently empty during our visit.
Lastly, a compact gym is situated in the Royal Courtyard section but is open to all guests. It includes a couple of cardio machines, dumbbells, and three multi-use weight machines.
In Conclusion
The Samaya has meticulously crafted an experience that combines top-notch service, excellent facilities, and luxurious villa accommodations, offering Bali enthusiasts a compelling choice. While not extensively covered in this review, its strategic location near the beach and attractions like Seminyak Square adds to its appeal. Its proximity to vibrant action, coupled with a serene ambiance, makes this unique property truly special.
The Samaya presents a compelling alternative to the numerous independent villa options on the island, providing the attentive butler service that sets it apart as a premium property.
