Villa Kaniksa

This was the second time we chose Kaniksa as “home” for our reunion, and again, it didn’t disappoint. From the moment we arrived until we left, we felt like VIPs. If you get together with friends, you don’t need much because the “being together” is what its all about. However, being at Kaniksa and enjoying its staff and luxuries made our stay extra special. I’m not used to having staff that prepare my breakfast or dinner. I’m not used to having an ocean view from every room in my house. I’m not used to being surrounded by the many little things that convey the culture of Bali. I’m not used to infinity pools and Jacuzzis. BUT I CAN GET USED TO THIS!!! We had such a lovely and relaxing stay. The Villa and its staff are so welcoming! The bedrooms are all spacious and beds are super comfortable; airco works well and the bathrooms are nicely appointed. The meals prepared by the chef were delicious: I loved my breakfast tropical smoothie, my friends had nasi or other breakfast items. There is a lot of choice, and no request goes unanswered. For me, the pool area is a highlight. The infinity pool got a lot of use from us – you just can’t beat the Lombok Strait views and luxury feeling while floating in the pool with your best friends. Of course, the staff checks in from time to time to see if you need drinks… I can highly recommend Villa Kaniksa for families, reunions, and really any group that wants to feel spoiled!

Villa Kaniksa is the most spectacular luxury Villa set on the ocean with direct access to the sea. The villa has four king beds all with ensuites, a kitchen pod and a big central open dining & living hut. The decor is contemporary island style with solid wood furniture carved with Balinese motifs, wicker lounge setting with comfortable cushions for relaxing to read a book under cover or watch TV (Netflix is available but we didn’t use it). The bedrooms are lovely and well appointed. As there was only the two of us we only used the master bedroom which is spacious, has heavy duty air conditioning, a large walk-in wardrobe, big bathroom with spa. The bed is a four-poster with enclosed sheer nets and was super comfortable. With the breezy bed nets we felt like we were sleeping in a medieval romance movie! The gardens are incredible: the grass is lush and soft, the surrounding plants a tropical delight, and the abundance of wildlife was beautiful (chorus of birds, geckos, dragonfly & hermit crabs). My first evening, I had a massage next to the pool, at dusk with the birds chirping and the waves lapping. It was truely heaven on earth! The staff are so accommodating and friendly. They are helpful but never intrusive. They go about their work at intervals and when needed, otherwise they give you privacy. The food that was cooked by the chef (Su the talented resort-trained chef) is delicious and of the highest quality. The menu has many options and it’s easy to plan the day before for the meals the following day (we did go out for two lunches and a dinner and then had the rest of our meals at the Villa over our five days). Chicken BBQ, crumbed chicken, salads and Nasi Goreng was exceptionally good for dinner, club sandwiches by the pool for lunch & breakfasts of tropical fruit, eggs or pancakes with fresh watermelon juice & coffee eaten from the long dining table overlooking the garden, pool and out to the ocean. 24 hour staff rotate but it’s nice to see the same people each day to built a rapport. Villa Manager Dian drops by every few days to say hi and check-in. Rai and Simpen assist through the day, along with others. Your room is serviced each morning and turned down at night. Security arrives by 9pm for the night shift. Prior to our arrival Dian messages via WhatsApp (national message service of choice) to see what groceries we would like. Take it as an opportunity to order alcohol (beers etc), soda mixers (mineral water, coke, soda/tonic) , snacks (chips, nuts, fruit, crackers & cheese etc). They will do a top-up shop if required. Everything gets added to your bill for payment at the end of the stay. There is a market a few hundred meters up the road for anything else. The night before we were to depart Dian presented the bill so that there would be no surprises. The charge is of excellent value for money. There are only a few small things that could possibly warrant complaint (but these are minor against the overall stay): - the pillows

Wow, just wow. There isn't anything negative I can say about this villa. We stayed as a group of 6 people; 3 couples, and there was more than enough space. The staff were very efficient, like ninjas. You didn't see them unless you needed something, then they would magically appear in the kitchen before you could reach for the kettle. Rooms were very clean, towels and bedding changed regularly. Pool was very welcome. Unfortunately, the jacuzzi was broken so we were unable to enjoy it. With fishing and snorkeling available from the bottom of the private steps to the sea, what more could you ask for?