Villa Toscana
The first thing you’ll notice about two-bedroom Villa Toscana is its wooden door, double my height and framed by greenery and bougainvillea. You might think you’re somewhere along the Mediterranean — an illusion that, given the Italian name, is clearly deliberate.
In fact, Villa Toscana is in Uluwatu, in the south of Bali: tucked off a main road, down a gravel path and to the left. It’s so hidden that when my Go-Jek driver first dropped me off, we both wondered if we had the right spot (we’d missed the sign out front). I wasn’t worried, though: the villa’s operational manager, who had already reached out via WhatsApp with a detailed introduction to the property, was a quick call away.
The villa’s secluded location and towering tree canopy easily muffle any street noise or stray dog barks, making it feel like an oasis worlds away from the island’s usual chaos. At the same time, the seamless indoor-outdoor living — sliding glass doors that opens to the pool area and greenery used like art — that Bali does so well serves as a constant reminder of where you are.
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I stayed at Villa Toscana, an Airbnb Guest Favourite, for five nights — partly to write this review, but mostly, of course, to enjoy Bali. Unfortunately the villa made that hard to do. Every minute I wasn’t swimming in the private pool, soaking in the standalone stone tub in the open-air master bathroom or keeping cool in the glass-walled kitchen, I felt guilty.
So, I gave in — partially. In the mornings, I’d pull back the thick blackout blinds in the master bedroom, pause to admire the glimmering pool and tropical garden, and head out for a coffee, workout class and lunch. Despite the villa feeling so tranquil, it was within walking distance from cafés and restaurants — Heal was just three minutes away — and a beach — Nyang Nyang. Most other Uluwatu highlights were within a 15-minute scooter ride.
Staying in Bali? Check-in to Villa Toscana
This two bedroom, Mediterranean-style villa in Uluwatu is just a few minute walk from Heal Cafe and a 20-minute walk from Nyang Nyang Beach.
After my exploring, I’d return to spend my afternoons swimming, reading on a sun lounger or working at the air-conditioned dining table using the high-speed WiFi. A TV hung high on the wall, but I never felt the urge to turn it on.
A couple days in, I realised the wine bottles decorating the exposed-stone kitchen wall like artwork were actually available for purchase. A menu on the kitchen island tipped me off. The kitchen also had everything else you’d need for meals at home: pots and pans, chopping boards, plates and cutlery and, like at most villas, filtered water. Conveniently, the villa also had a washer, which I annoyingly realised only after I’d left.
As the sun began to dip and shadows stretched across the pool, I’d rinse off in the outdoor shower by the front entrance or in the master bathroom before getting dressed in the walk-in wardrobe. Then, I’d call my Go-Jek and head out for a sunset dinner. Back by 8pm, I’d end the day either with a late-night swim or by drawing a hot bath in the stone tub to continue my book.
While I stayed on my own in the master bedroom, the villa’s second bedroom with a closet and ensuite, plus its driveway for parking two cars, meant it could easily accommodate a family, two couples or two friends (who might have to toss a coin for the master suite). One thoughtful detail for those wanting to host is the separate powder room and toilet, which keeps visitors from having to walk through the bedrooms to use a bathroom.
In my eyes, the villa, at a starting nightly rate of $283, is a steal. A group of four could stay for just under $71 per person a night – that’s la dolce vita at a bargain price.
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