“Instant Getaway to Bali”
As part of the KLM x Airbnb Instant Getaway 2014 held in December, 10 lucky groups of 4 won a free 4D3N flight and stay in Indonesia Bali. The air flight was sponsored by Royal Dutch airline KLM, while a beautiful villa was provided by Airbnb for the winners.
Being at the bustling Instant Getaway draw event at Scape on a rainy Saturday morning, you see a lot of drama like ‘winners’ being picked who were not present during the draw, thus resulting in a redraw that suits the excited crowd just fine. I’d think that being present would be obvious enough if you want to win a lucky draw, but you’d be surprised how many people step out for coffee/toilet/walk their dog/mountain climbing when the getaway draw happens.
Lesson learnt: Be physically present when the lucky draw happens on the dot if you want to win.
A group of beautiful bloggers under Gushcloud were also given the chance to experience this amazing travel trip. Oh yea, the food blogger yours truly was happy to be sneaked in as well.
Once the draw was announced, winners were chauffeured to the airport immediately, ready to fly off on the same day. That’s some instant gratification for you right there, and the adrenaline rush of flying off immediately is no doubt a novel idea well-received by the crowd. Be ready to fly now, or not fly at all!
It was my first time flying KLM, and check-in was quite a breeze. Did you know KLM has daily flights to Bali?
The KLM crew warmly welcomes you onboard as you enjoy a truly Dutch hospitality. The KLM air stewardess remembered all requests despite how many demands were made from all directions. For me, it was indeed a pleasure to receive my multiple orders of Gin and Tonic thousands of feet in the air.
What surprised me was the food served onboard – it was pretty delicious compared to many other airlines. There was obviously a tailored Asian twist to it, with warm curry chicken and rice being served for our flight to Bali.
There is also of course, in-flight entertainment available for your personal viewing the moment you board the flight till your arrive at your destination gate. Act fast though if you want to finish a movie before landing in Bali, which only takes about 2hrs and 30 minutes. You can also use your portable devices on board as long as it’s switched to airplane mode. It would have been nice if there was a usb port to charge my phone though.
As we arrived in Bali, we were escorted through a fast-track immigration and baggage service by the staff, and quickly met our driver to be whisked off to our villas in Seminyak.
K Villa
Address: Unit 4, Jalan Pangkung Sari No. 12, Seminyak, Bali.
This is where things get exciting as we get to stay in our private villa with a personal pool. This was made possible by Airbnb, which connects you to unique travel accommodation experiences in 190 countries, from penthouse to villas and even castles.
Upon reaching your villa, the amicable housekeeper welcomes you and gives a tour of the place. The natural greenery in this villa was just astounding. You’re pretty much one with nature while still having all the comforts and luxuries of a home.
Check out the amazing personal pool, complete with lounge beds as well for a relaxing day of sipping drinks and suntanning.
Since I don’t exactly have a bikini-ready body, I’ll leave my more aesthetically pleasing housemate Joanna to pose for various shots so you can imagine what it’s like.
The villa we stayed in had 4 bedrooms, with nature being a recurring theme, as well as having many traditional local elements like the rattan furniture and various Buddhist statues around.
Rooms were cleanly simple and spacious, as well as having a queen sized bed in each room. Look at how comfy Junying is lying with Joanna – I’d ask to join in but Joanna would probably be able to kick my ass despite their deceivingly demure appearances.
Bathrooms are also conveniently connected to each room.
In fact, my room connected to an outdoor shower area which might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m totally cool with showering with loads of space. Bowel movements in the morning were never more enriching.
There’s really just so much space, you could have fit way more than the 4 of us staying this villa. The owner also adds artistic touches to the villa, like this self-portrait canvas replica of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo that sits as a centerpiece in the living room.
A fully functional kitchen is also part of the villa facilities, where you can feel free to turn into Gordon Ramsay during your stay.
The personalized hospitality is most impressive, with the housekeeper preparing a simple home-cooked breakfast for us when we rise from the dead in the morning. You feel right at home and being taken care of which is such a different experience from staying in a hotel.
This particular morning, we had a simple toast with scrambled eggs, coffee and fruits all prepared a la minute. You can actually also request for a different style of breakfast as long as you tell the housekeeper beforehand so that she can prepare the ingredients. I love how flexible and customized everything can be – in some villas, you could even arrange for a pool-side BBQ according to your budget! Say the word and the housekeepers try to meet your every demand.
Book K Villa Airbnb!
What’s a Bali experience without heading to the beach? The great thing about staying in the Seminyak area is that it’s not only accessible many top notch restaurants, it’s also convenient to the emptier beaches like Seminyak beach just minutes drive away from our villa, unlike Kuta beach which is packed with tourists.
By asking our villa’s host, we easily learnt how to get to the best hidden local spots to really immerse ourselves as how the locals would – this is something no guidebook can beat.
Again, let me employ the more eye-pleasing models Joanna and Isabel for this beach shot. Magnificent azure tones in the sky and sea, the beaches are not only more beautiful than Singapore, but has more beach activity options as well like surfing or paddle boarding.
Stretches of sunny sand and sea makes almost every moment picture perfect. Even this random photo of the beach looks so comforting – I guess it helps that there are some pretty girls in it too.
It has truly been an amazing trip that has been made enjoyable and fuss-free with the help of our local hosts from the villa. Booking Airbnb is definitely going to be my top choice when holidaying in Bali next time around, while KLM‘s superb Dutch service in the air is an option to keep in mind as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5UWapL9oWo
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This trip was made possible by Airbnb and KLM. Book your next stay via Airbnb.com‘s website now! You can also book the Royal Dutch airline KLM through their website.
