Amanusa

Amanusa, meaning 'peaceful isle', is an exclusive luxury boutique hotel with a commanding hillside location. The 37 striking thatched roof suites sit on a peaceful garden hillside in southern Bali overlooking the azure Indian Ocean.

Each of Amanusa's suites is tucked behind a mossy stone wall to ensure privacy and incorporates Balinese design with a contemporary edge. Every conceivable comfort and convenience has been considered from sunken baths to four poster beds with white drapes and soothing palettes of cream, beige and honey. All suites have a private tropical courtyard garden perfect for romantic alfresco dining and several have a private swimming pool.

Amanusa's Beach Club is set on an idyllic private beach of pristine powdery white sand dotted with comfy bales, perfect for escaping the sun, enjoying a drink or snack or even a private sunrise breakfast. The coral reef that fringes the beach provides a safe lagoon for swimming and watersports and the beach club is also a fabulous setting for beach barbecues.

Amanusa is an ideal spot for golf lovers as the adjacent Bali Golf and Country Club has one of Asia's top five courses and Amanusa guests can enjoy the resplendent coastal setting and the facilities there. Other ways to pass the time include fabulous spa treatments using organic local products including the two hour Balinese lulur body scrub, a traditional exfoliation and body polish treatment which concludes with a Balinese massage and luxurious herbal bath.

The nearby beaches of Kuta, Legian, Seminyak and Sanur all have an abundance of restaurants, bars, handicrafts and antique shops so although Amanusa is an oasis of calm, it is easy to get out and about and explore the region's other attractions.

Amanusa has 35 thatched roof Garden, Deluxe and Pool Suites and each is an individual Balinese retreat with a four poster bed, sunken bath and walled garden. Garden Suites are self contained and private with lots of foliage and indoor and outdoor living space. For views of the ocean or the golf course, the Deluxe Suites are the best choice, whereas for the ultimate in privacy, the Pool Suites have spacious terraces and private pools.

Children are very welcome to come and stay at Amanusa who offer all families 4 hours complimentary babysitting per day. Special child friendly activities can also be organized on request.

In-villa dining and private dinners at romantic spots around Amanusa's grounds are an experience not to be missed but The Terrace and The Italian restaurant also serve wonderful Asian and Continental food in striking settings. The Beach Club organizes non-d watersports, serves drinks and light meals and is home to one of Bali's finest beaches. There is also a swimming pool, extensive spa treatment menu, gym, two tennis courts and library.

Activities at Amanusa are extensive for those who can bear to leave the fabulous beach or the comfort and peace of their suites and include snorkeling, golf, boat charters, picnics and barbecues, cooking classes, cycling, temple and village visits.

Straddling the equator, Indonesia tends to have a fairly even climate year-round. Rather than four seasons, Indonesia has two – dry (between May to September) and wet (between October to April) – and there are no extremes of temperature between winter and summer. In most parts of Indonesia, the wet season falls between October and April and the dry season between May and September. December and January see Bali at its most humid and rain tends to come in sudden tropical downpours, but it can also rain for more prolonged periods.