Alila Villas Soori

Dear readers,

I'm not here. No not really. My body is stranded in my day to day job, on the train, washing up and ironing clothes, blowing my nose and cursing my head cold. My mind though is on holidays in Bali ... still. I just moved hotel that's all. To the sister property of last week's virtual trip to paradise. This week I have moved my luggage on over to the Alila Villas Soori. Nestled between rice fields and volcanic black sand beaches. Ah the luxury, the relaxation. Maybe my body should hustle on over and join me.

Cheers, Jo

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Bali beauty

What a way to start the working week! Daydreams of holidays in a tropical paradise. Poised on a cliff above the warm waters that lap the shores of the island of Bali is a small piece of perfection. The Alila Villas Uluwatu. Beauty, serenity, relaxation and luxury with views that go on forever or idyllic privacy surrounded by high walls. Whatever your weary soul desires. The architecture seamlessly flows from the inside to outside. Pools stretch to infinity. The design is by award-winning Singapore architectural firm, WOHA. I don't want to go to work tomorrow. Not now. 

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A dream vacation

Catarina sent us a link to a hotel her father worked on, located in Portugal (less than an hour from Lisbon) close to her parents' home. It's absolutely gorgeous and would be a complete dream vacation. It's called Areias do Seixo. They have rooms of various styles to suit everyone's desires - from modern to rustic/earthy to vintage/glam. They also have villas complete with kitchen, swimming pool and BBQ. Yes, I think I could see myself settling in here quite nicely. :-)

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Rough luxe beauty

After we have finished our stay in Le Grotte della Civita we can wind our way up the Italian roads to Abruzzo, to the hill top village of Santo Stephano di Sessanio. To another albergo diffuso, another Sextantio property. Scattered around the village are rooms in sympathetically renovated buildings, their spartan beauty saved from a modern desecration, just enhanced by simplicity and touches of hedonist luxury. Fine sheets, fine bathing, fine food and, of course, fine wine. You'll find me soaking in the tub by the fire.

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More breathtakingly beautiful

You may remember a post from January this year that featured photos of an albergo diffuso. A stunningly beautiful series of hotel rooms in caves scattered down a slope in Italy. Today I fell in love all over again when I revisited the now fully up and running website for Sextantio Albergo Diffuso at Le Grotte della Civita. Can such a special place become even more special, more beautiful, more stunning the more I see of it? I am smitten. This is definitely a must see (and stay) spot on my wish list. The hardest thing would be choosing which grotta to stay in. Then again there is another albergo diffuso in Abruzzo ... but that will have to wait till the next post.

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