Gajah Mina Beach Resort

Rooms

Set back from the pool, the 12 secluded traditional Balinese-style villas blend perfectly with the lush tropical gardens: the colours of the blossoms outside are echoed in shades of saffron, fuchsia and viridian inside.

Designed by the charming French owner, Dominique Guiet, they are simple, airy and comfortable and built entirely from natural materials such as volcanic stone, teak, coconut wood and unpolished marble. Reclaimed wooden doors leading to private gardens, antiques sourced from the islands of the Indonesian archipelago, masses of mirrors, whopping beds and stained glass accents bring together the old with the new. Huge bathrooms in the 7 Standard Villas (numbered 2-8) overflow into the garden for open-air showering.

There are 2 Suite Villas, each with 2 bedrooms; Suite Villa #1 has garden views, and is set furthest from the restaurant, pool and sea. It has the feel of a Balinese house rather than a holiday villa. The bedrooms and 2 roomy bathrooms are in the main, L-shaped villa, while across the stepping stones over the garden is a small kitchen, and, across another path, an alang-alang thatched dining pavilion where you can curl up with a book or a good friend. Ideal for families with older children is Suite Villa #9, which is the closest to the sea and has stunning views over the waves: the main bedroom is a cabin built on stilts. Inside, it’s designed to resemble a ship, with porthole mirrors and wraparound windows that let in the sounds of the crashing waves and give you a view, on a clear day, right the way over to Java. A second, cabin-style bedroom and 2 separate bathrooms are across the private garden, so beware: if you’re caught short in the night it will mean a dash over the lawn to the loo.

The most romantic options are the 2 Honeymoon Suites (number 9 and 10), perched on the top of the cliff. You can see the surf from your kingsize bed or enjoy the sunset from the Jacuzzi bathtub. It also features beautiful handmade teak furniture and a fully loaded iPod and sound system.

We’re yet to see the 3-Bedroom Villa, but it looks like a great option for large families and groups as it is set a short distance from the restaurant and pool, on a ridge, and has 3 double/twin ensuite bedrooms, a living and dining area, and a large terrace with a gorgeous-looking infinity pool.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Minibar/fridge
• WiFi

Eating

Food is owner Dominique’s passion, and the chef, who has been with the hotel since it opened in 2002, works wonders with the tasty local ingredients: organic vegetables picked at the last minute from the garden, a plentiful supply of fresh seafood, home-made pastas and breads.

Breakfast at the restaurant, which overlooks a coconut grove, consists of fresh fruit juices: watermelon, banana, papaya, pineapple or orange, depending on what’s in season, followed by fruit pancakes or eggs cooked the way you like them, with bacon and toast.

During the day, eating arrangements are informal: turn up to the Naga restaurant (with ajoining lounge bar) or the pool bar for a beer, a cocktail or lunch. You’ll find an extensive and reasonably-priced menu of both French and Thai offerings. For starters try the somtam: young papaya with green beans, garlic and tomatoes, or the delicious Thai spring rolls with prawns, carrots, paprika and glass noodles, served with ginger and nam pla dips. For mains, there’s a huge range of veggie options that make good use of tempeh (fermented soy bean cake) and tofu, as well as delicious soups, grilled fish and Thai curries. Omnivores might choose the grilled whole snapper with a lemon butter sauce or the mahi-mahi served with a green pepper sauce. Perfect with a big bowl of home-cooked chips. Finish with a dessert of deep fried banana with grated coconut, palm sugar and home-made vanilla ice cream.

As well as the usual range of alcoholic cocktails, New World and local wines, local and imported spirits, drinks include yummy lassis and healthy teas made from herbs and spices that are said to purify the blood, wake up the circulation or cool the body.

Features include:

• Minibar/fridge

Activities

• Chill out while watching the sunset from the headland
  
• Walk slowly through the gardens so you don’t miss a rare sighting of the 2 giant lizards (they’re not Komodo dragons)
  
• Swim in the spotless mineral-infused pool - if the water’s too warm, cool off in the freshwater fountain at the side
  
• Take an easy 2-hour hike along the beach to the rice padis - if they’re not too busy, someone from the hotel will guide you free of charge
  
• Surfing, wind-surfing and kite-surfing on Bali’s famous (and challenging) Balian Beach - just a twenty minute walk away along the cliff tops
  
• Head off to the local night market for a taste of delicious Balinese street food
  
• Have a massage in a secluded balé overlooking the black sand beach, cooled by the sea breezes - the masseuse, who comes in specially from the village
  
• Take a hire car - with or without a driver - to the fabulous cliff top temple at Soka (where there’s also an even more impressive bat-cave)
  
• Mountain biking (all downhill) from Batu Karu through cocoa and clove plantations, small villages and padi fields

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Cycling
• Hiking
• Shopping / markets
• Surfing

Kids

Children of all ages are welcome, and under 7s are free of charge.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

• Suite Villa #1 is best for small children, with connecting bedrooms, a kitchen and an outside lounge. It also has a wide tropical garden going down to the swimming pool and the sea
  
• Suite Villa #9 is good for those with teenage children; it has 2 separate bungalows with an outside bathroom and a gazebo. In a beautiful garden on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean and a living room designed like a ship with porthole mirrors and wraparound windows
  
• The 3-Bedroom Villa is a great option for larger families as it has 3 ensuite double/twin bedrooms, lots of indoor and outdoor living space, and its own pool

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 1.5 hours

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Gajah Mina is situated 1km from the small town of Suraberata, near Lalang-Linggah in the Tabanan district. It's a 1.5 hour-drive from Denpasar Airport.

By Air:
Denpasar Ngurah Rai (45km). 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 offers a transfer from the airport, which we'd recommend taking as there are no easy public transport links - please enquire at the time of booking.

By Ferry:
There are frequent boats between Bali and the major islands in Indonesia, including Java, Lombok and Komodo. You can ask the hotel to arrange a private transfer from the ferry port.

By Car:
We don’t recommend 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.

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

More on getting to Bali and getting around