When planning a holiday to Bali, one of the key decisions travellers face (especially families with kids) is choosing between a private villa or a resort. While resorts often promise luxury and convenience, they can also come with a significant downside...shared facilities.
In contrast, a private villa holiday offers a private, personalised experience that eliminates many of the concerns associated with communal spaces.
1. No Shared Facilities = No Compromise on Hygiene and Comfort
One of the biggest advantages of staying in a private villa is the complete exclusivity of all facilities. Unlike resorts, where guests must share pools, sun loungers, dining areas, and gym equipment, villas provide an entirely private retreat.
This means:
No Shared Pools: Forget crowded pools filled with strangers. In a villa, the pool is yours alone to enjoy, offering a serene and hygienic swimming experience.
No Competing for Sun Loungers: Say goodbye to the early morning rush to claim a sunbed. Your villa provides exclusive lounging areas with no need to share(they're all yours!!).
No Buffets or Crowded Restaurants: Instead of standing in line at a buffet with hundreds of other guests breathing over communal food stations, enjoy freshly prepared meals in your own private dining space (when booking a full-service villa). Otherwise if your villa does not offer a meal service, there's apps like Go-Jek that work like Uber Eats in Australia to deliver meals to your villa door 24 hours a day from the hundreds of amazing local eateries.
These aspects above not only enhance your comfort and relaxation but also significantly reduce exposure to common hygiene risks found in high-traffic environments. In recent years, 'we' as travellers have become more health-conscious and increasingly aware of the risks posed by communal facilities in resorts. The main reason tourists are getting sick in Bali and other developing countries is often due to viral gastroenteritis, which is commonly referred to as "Bali Belly" along with many other illnesses or reasons for illness. This condition is typically caused by exposure to bacteria, viruses, or parasites found in contaminated food, water, or surfaces and generally is either the Rotavirus and Norovirus. The spread of gastroenteritis and other contagious illnesses which is 80% of the illness that is going around at the moment. With shared pools, buffets, and public seating areas, the risk of cross-contamination is extremely high. Think about the below for a minute:
High-touch surfaces like poolside furniture, gym equipment, and buffet utensils are used by hundreds of guests daily.
Large dining spaces increase the likelihood of food-borne illnesses, with buffet-style dining allowing germs to spread easily.
.....and what about the Cleaning staff who are often use the same cloths and equipment across multiple rooms, potentially transferring bacteria and viruses between guests.
In contrast, a private villa ensures that the only people using the facilities are you and your chosen guests being friends or family. With dedicated housekeeping staff maintaining your villa with personalised care and attention, the risk of cross-contamination is significantly reduced.
2. No Packing a Day Bag for the Pool – Everyone Enjoys Their Holiday!
Staying at a resort generally means packing a day bag every time you want to go to the pool (unless you’ve managed to snag a pool-front room or have your own private pool within the resort). Feed the kids, dress the kids, pack the bag, and off you go... only to hear your youngest say, “I need to go to the toilet
Mum” So, you pack everything up, risk losing the pool bed you finally managed to secure, and head back to the room. Then it’s back to the pool again...just in time for one child to then need their afternoon sleep. And once again, it’s back to the room, where the whole family sits quietly while the arvo nap takes place.
Now, let me walk you through this same scenario in a villa:
Mum, Dad, and the kids are all in the pool. When Mum and Dad are ready to relax, they step out and lounge on their private sunbeds. Dad grabs a couple of cold Bintangs from the fridge, and they enjoy their drinks while watching the kids play.
When it’s nap time, the youngest is tucked up into a bedroom that overlooks the pool, making it easy to keep an eye on them. No disruptions, no packing, no stress...just seamless relaxation….for EVERYONE!! Everyone gets to enjoy their holiday without putting anyone’s plans on hold. 3. A Personalised Experience Tailored to You Another major advantage of a villa stay is the personalised service that comes with it. Villas often include dedicated staff who focus solely on your needs and not those of hundreds of others at the same time, whether it’s preparing breakfast, arranging in-villa spa treatments, or organising activities. Unlike resorts, where staff cater to hundreds of guests simultaneously, villa guests enjoy individualised attention in a peaceful and private setting.
4. Privacy, Peace, and a True Bali Escape Beyond the health benefits, staying in a villa offers a sense of tranquility and exclusivity that resorts simply cannot match. Whether you’re enjoying a romantic getaway, a family holiday, or a group retreat, villas allow you to create your own schedule, dine at your leisure, and unwind in complete privacy—free from noisy crowds and interruptions. So you get home from an evening out and you want to have a cool down swim in your own pool? No worries! Your Private Pool is YOUR pool and does not have Open or Closing scheduled times. You can even have a nudie swim if that takes your fancy in complete privacy!
But what about the resort ’Kids' Club ‘you say? Villas don't have these....
I get it...kids' clubs provide a place to send the kids off for a few hours while parents relax. However, they can also be breeding grounds for bugs and gastro issues. Many families end up spending their holidays cooped up in a hotel room due to illness.
Most family-friendly villas come equipped with toys and activities for kids. Additionally, amazing services like Bali Kidz Hire allow you to rent everything you need to create your own kids' paradise in the villa. They even have waterslides available for hire that will make your private pool into a resort style pool! Nannies are also easily available, allowing you to enjoy some alone time while your kids are cared for or if you want the best of both worlds; You can take your nanny to a beach club with you and enjoy the resort-like atmosphere while your kids are supervised.
My Final Thoughts: Why Choose a Bali Villa Over a Resort? If you’re seeking a holiday experience that prioritises hygiene, exclusivity, and personal comfort, a Bali villa holiday is the clear choice. With no shared facilities, no crowded spaces, and personalised care, villas provide a safer, more intimate, and truly relaxing experience allowing you to enjoy Bali the way it was meant to be.
But if you Can’t decide... Why not split your stay? Spend a few days in a resort and then switch to a villa for a more private and relaxing second half of your holiday. Trust me, you’ll appreciate having your own space after the resort hustle and bustle before heading back home to reality!
Comments