Seminyak is a little  beach town in south Bali, about an hour and half drive south of Ubud.  Because of its close proximity to the airport, I thought it would be a great place to explore before heading back home.  While hosting unforgettable sunsets, it also offered a slightly more upscaled shopping and hotel experience.  I’m really glad I started my trip in Ubud, as it delivered more of what I was looking for, but that’s not to say Seminyak wasn’t amazing.

Walking down the sidewalks in Seminyak felt very much the same as in Ubud.  But rather than being surrounded by rice fields and jungle, I was never more than a 5 minute walk to the beach.  In fact, I found walking to shops and restaurants via the beach, much faster than heading out to the busy streets.  Not to mention more scenic.

After hearing rave reviews from several friends and colleagues about W Hotel, Seminyak, I knew there was only one place to consider.

After taking in the bright colors and bold prints used throughout the W Hotel, I was relieved to find a softer more soothing palette in the villa.  I’ve come to realize the importance of spending time with old friends… like ground, fresh air and my long-lost favorite… easy.  Getting re-acquainted with my old friends, made for a really special weekend.   It was a lot like having my old house and pool again.

The villa neighborhood being slightly removed from all the lobby, pool and bar action, really helped create a home-like feel.

The Seminyak Beach… well, it was really ugly.  Seriously, I didn’t know a beach could take hold of my heart, mind and soul and shake it to its core.

Magnificent.

I spent the better part of my second day building this huge W out of sand.

I was pretty happy with myself.

On my last day, all my eating and drinking finally caught up with me and I came down with a bad  stomach infection.  Which brought its fair share of down falls.  1) really bad tummy cramps, 2) realization of how much I miss having a house and pool, and 3) learning owning a villa in Bali could fulfill that void.

None of those things are good.