Our dream trip to Bali wouldn’t have been complete without visiting the wonderful Gili Islands, and we couldn’t have found a better place than Les Villas Ottalia Gili Meno to make our stay perfection. After two weeks riding up and down the winding roads by scooter throughout Bali, the peaceful Les Villas Ottalia on tiny Gili Meno has represented a true bliss for us.
LES VILLAS OTTALIA GILI MENO
Gili Meno, the smallest of the three Gili Islands, lies just off Lombok northwestern coast. It is actually easier to reach from there, a mere 15 minute boat ride from Bangsal port town, rather than from Bali. Still, the majority of the tourists coming to the Gilis leave daily from The Island of Gods, thanks to multiple ferry companies that connect Bali to the Gilis both in the morning and in the afternoon via a 1h30 trip.
Each of the islands has its own vibe: Trawangan is the biggest and known as the party island, Meno is the smallest a.k.a. the honeymoon Gili, and Air is mid size and relaxed with a good choice of bars and restaurants. Things that combine for all of them: pristine sandy beaches, snorkeling&diving deep blue waters, and a silent environment due to the total absence of motored vehicles.
Les Villas Ottalia Gili Meno, located in the heart of the island, respects the wild untouched setting of Gili Meno and indeed merges within it.
RECEPTION
The best and funniest way to get to Les Villas Ottalia Gili Meno is by local taxi, that is a horse drawn cart! A long coconut palm trees boulevard will welcome you to Ottalia.
The kind staff checks us in with fresh welcome drinks served at the open air Surya breakfast and restaurant area. It’s still early for us to get to our room, but they kindly allow us to use the 20m long public pool, perfectly set up in the middle of the resort.
The one bedroom bungalows line up at both sides of the main pool, whilst superior and deluxe villas are secluded and have private bougainvillea decorated walkways leading to their entrances.
A creative shot for our Instagram profile in the bougainvillea walkway
BEDROOM
We are then escorted to our gorgeous Superior Villa. As we walk through the access door we realize how the room name couldn’t be more accurate: we actually have our little home with bedroom, ensuite bathroom, patio, swimming pool and garden too, a proper villa!
Despite being nestled in a wild island, the rooms here have all the comforts needed: a fluffy mattress on a king size bed, AC, TV plus dvd player. But with such a beautiful garden we will spend most of the day outside by our beautiful pool, enjoying a refreshing dip every now and then. The patio is super cozy too, we will love to chill out by the pool on the soft puff chairs, either in the sun or in the shade.
The bathroom is built in traditional island style, open air and surrounded by the sounds of nature, featuring a modern shower and plenty of space.
Our lovely Superior Private Villa
POOLS & BAR AREA
As said before, the large swimming pool in the centre of Les Villas Ottalia steals the scene. Although we had our private pool, we crashed out here a couple of times to take some fun photos!
There’s not a single moment when we were having breakfast or walking by the pool that we weren’t craving for a dip!
The bungalows facing the main swimming pool
BREAKFAST & RESTAURANT
The versatile zone around the pool transforms from breakfast area in the morning to restaurant and lounge at lunch and dinner time.
Don’t forget to include the breakfast option when reserving your stay at Les Villas Ottalia Gili Meno: there’s a great choice between local and continental food, and the fresh French pastries we enjoyed every morning were honestly the best we ever had in our entire Bali trip!
During the whole day the kind and professional staff at Surya Restaurant will take care of all your needs. After spending hours at the beach or snorkeling around the Gilis, having dinner on site at Les Villas Ottalia is a great treat. Also, sipping a cocktail by the pool surrounded by the jungle vibes at night time is an excellent way to end your day.
The breakfast area
Before arriving in Gili Meno, our hopes to enjoy a heavenly peaceful retreat were pretty high, especially after the hustle and bustle of Bali. Les Villas Ottalia Gili Meno went even beyond our expectations, providing us with an impeccable service from the moment we checked-in to our horse drawn cart transfer back to the pier. We couldn’t help but falling in love with this place and we absolutely recommend it to everyone looking for a relaxing getaway in the Gili Islands!
BOOK HERE
You can check the rates for Les Villas Ottalia Gili Meno and book your next stay, by clicking here. Visit their website to include breakfast in your stay and have more info on both their resorts on Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan.
Check our Java itinerary guide to plan your next trip to Indonesia!
