The Property

When we rocked up to Villa Flesh in Bali for John’s 30th Birthday surprise, I couldn’t believe that this was where we were staying.

Unlike so many places that look better online than in real life (we’ve all been there), this villa was exactly like the pictures—maybe even better. No Instagram vs. reality nightmares here, thank God.

The entrance was understated, but as we walked past the gorgeous sitting room—a stunning, stand-alone space that oozed charm—we were greeted by the breathtaking pool area. The pool overlooked serene woodland, making it feel like our private slice of paradise. To get to our room, we crossed a charming bridge deck that stretched over the pool. And the room? Pure magic.

We stepped into a space fit for royalty, featuring a 4-poster bed draped in fairy-like sheer curtains, and an indoor/outdoor en-suite that felt like a mini rainforest. The blend of authentic Balinese design with modern finishes made every detail picture-perfect.

And yes, I’ll admit it: I spent the first 20 minutes taking pictures and videos (I’m Gen Z, what do you expect?). I couldn’t believe we had this WHOLE PLACE to ourselves for one night!

If I had to nitpick, the kitchen tucked away at the back of the property was a little small. But honestly, it didn’t matter—because I had more surprises planned.

The Experiences

Private Massage

For a little birthday treat, I booked a Balinese massage for John from the comfort of our own villa – to this day, he still says it was the best massage he’s ever had (flex). The masseuse arrived promptly, and while John enjoyed his hour-long relaxation session in our room, I made the most of my time by doing handstands in the pool.

At 160,000 rupiah for an hour, the massage wasn’t exactly cheap by Bali standards. But for a private callout, it felt worth it. That said, one thing I wasn’t thrilled about was the payment situation. The masseuse required cash, but didn’t bring any change, which meant I had to hand over 200,000 rupiah (before anyone comes for me about tipping, remember: this isn’t America and at the time I was unemployed, thank you very much x).

Private Chef

Oh yes, you heard that right. I wanted to make this birthday getaway extra special, and Villa Flesh offers a range of luxurious add-ons. Initially, I thought a floating breakfast would be so cool (when in Rome ey) but was that another ‘for the gram’ kind of thing? Yeah probably. LOVE the idea, but not sure we really want to go in a cold pool first thing in the morning to just eat my breakfast.

Instead, I opted for another indulgence: hiring a private chef to prepare a full breakfast for us. After browsing the menu, I chose the American Breakfast for both of us and I couldn’t wait to see how it would turn out.

Here’s where the Disappointment comes…

After following up multiple times and waiting weeks for a response, the villa finally confirmed our private chef booking two weeks before our arrival. It was scheduled for 9:00 AM, and I couldn’t wait to kick off our day with a freshly prepared breakfast in paradise.

Except… 9:00 AM came and went, and there was no chef in sight (wow, ew, writing that at felt very entitled). When I reached out to our “personal butler” (more of a WhatsApp contact than an actual butler), I learned the chef had been double-booked.

To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. This was meant to be the highlight of our stay, and it had just been forgotten about? The butler was extremely apologetic and did their best to make amends, sending over a menu from a nearby café and arranging to have our breakfast delivered, free of charge.

It’s hard to fault a villa that was so stunning because of logistical issues, after all, this could’ve been a one-off for them, but this did leave a bit of a sour taste. The communication in the run up to our stay was poor to be honest, constantly being passed between various people and management companies. It was a definite case of ‘too many chefs ruin the soup’ in my opinion.

That being said, did we have a fantastic experience? Absolutely. The hiccups were disappointing, but it doesn’t tarnish how beautiful the private villa was and the surreal experience of having that as our own little haven for a day.

I’d still 100% recommend a stay at Villa Flesh in Ubud, just maybe double confirm that your extras are booked in before arrival!