Tabanan R802

For romantic wedding parties, extended family gatherings and groups of well-heeled friends, this villa is peerless. This extraordinary no-expenses-spared eight-bedroom villa rises on royal land on the edge of the prosperous village of Kaba Kaba in Bali’s fertile Tabanan regency, just 10 minutes from the beaches of Canggu. The setting is spectacular –  three acres of garden extending into a sea of rice terraces that stretch to the volcano-dotted horizon. The interiors are equally impressive, hosting museum-quality antiques, paintings and objets d’art that reveal the owners’ passion for Asian culture and contemporary art.

The estate has been designed for lavish entertaining, supported by five-star service provided by a large staff of butlers, housekeepers and kitchen staff including an accomplished chef. There are multiple formal and casual living areas that can hold a crowd – among them an air-conditioned living room, open-sided dining pavilion with its six-metre table, large poolside sun-deck, and a huge rooftop terrace with bar and balé. Spread across the series of individual one- and two-level pavilions that make up the estate are smaller living areas as well as decks and balconies for private ‘me’ space away from the social whirl.

Among the exceptional facilities are a Moroccan-themed media room with 106-inch projector screen and 60-inch TV, a library, games room with air hockey and table football, a well-equipped gym and professional spa. Within the extensive gardens is a 25-metre swimming pool as well as two plunge pools (one serving the master suite and the other adjoining a guest suite), a children’s wading pool, a superb tennis court, croquet lawn, lotus ponds and a duck pond … complete with resident ducks.

With its multiple-pavilion layout and magnificent facilities, Kaba Kaba estate is perfect for two or three families who love holidaying together while enjoying their own breathing space. And as a wedding venue, it’s breathtaking.

A formal living room rests at the heart of the estate’s main building. Conversation flows in this elegant space with generous seating, gilded Burmese and Thai Buddhas displayed against a silk-lined wall, and spectacular 180-degree views beyond the pool and garden. Sliding glass doors on two sides can be closed for air-conditioned cool, or left open for fan-assisted tropical living.

Two more living rooms complement the guest pavilions. Designer fiberglass bulldogs guard the entrance to the Pilisan living area with its Andrew Martin ikat-covered seating, colourful kilim and garden deck. The open-sided Pande living area exudes Raffles-style elegance with its diamond-patterned marble floor, colonial-style cane seating, steamer trunks, whirring paddle fans and crisp white colour scheme splashed with blue accents from Chinese ceramics. The TV is discreetly hidden behind sliding doors, and pride of place is given to the stately table with an 18th-century marble top from a Rajasthan palace.

Dining room

A solid Suarwood table – so heavy it took 40 people to install – stretches over six metres and is surrounded by 18 upholstered dining chairs, commanding centre stage in the open-sided dining pavilion. Among the eclectic collection of Asian antiques that adorns this space is the gilded throne from a Burmese temple and an Indian Kerala river boat. Alongside is a gleaming open-plan guest kitchen with sit-up bar, coffee machine and TV and, behind a wall of gold lacquer hiding two wine fridges, the main service kitchen contains an enviable range of quality culinary equipment.

Media room

In this Moroccan-themed media room, curtains of rich maroon velvet frame plush sofas set on a Persian carpet and facing the 60-inch TV with Bose surround-sound. For an enhanced cinematic experience, movies can also be enjoyed on the huge retractable projector screen. In an adjacent washroom, where bevelled mirrors hang on metallic walls, the decadent souk-style continues.

Games room

Kids of all ages will love playing air hockey and table football in the games room, which has a long bench with bar chairs designed for gaming (bring your laptop), a walk-in play room full of toys, books and board games, and a cute washroom.

Library

The library adjacent to the master bedroom suite is the perfect spot for some quiet time in the company of an absorbing book. The shelves yield an intriguing selection, from popular fiction to photography-rich books on Bali; take your pick, then curl up on the canopied seat hand-printed with an antique map of the East Indies.

Outdoor living

On the upper level of the entrance pavilion is a huge entertainment space, with alfresco performance area, covered bar, and enormous rooftop balé where guests can enjoy Bali’s legendary sunsets sprawled in cushioned comfort. Around the main 25-metre swimming pool are deeply cushioned sunbeds-for-two and all-weather rattan seating arranged in a convivial u-shape. The bedrooms’ balconies and decks provide many private areas for quiet relaxation too.