As a travel writer, people often ask ‘What is your favourite family holiday spot?’  It can be hard to narrow it down to just one but Bali is right up there as one of the best. Our family always tries to rent a private pool villa for a couple of nights whenever we visit the ‘island of the Gods’.

I get sent to some beautiful hotels when I’m on assignment but there aren’t many I would choose to go back to as a paying guest. Mainly because I can’t afford them on my less-than-five-star salary.

However, many four-star resorts are now adding impressive pool villas with a much smaller price tag to their accommodation offerings.

Novotel Bali Benoa has embraced this concept with 210 sqm villas that come with a frangipani-draped plunge pool, outdoor bathroom, jacuzzi, gazebo, dining pavilion, complimentary bar fridge and a butler for around A$300 per night.

While this isn’t exactly cheap, it is an affordable luxury for travellers who want to live a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget for a few days. The formality of some upper-end resorts can make people feel uncomfortable so this budget-friendly option is ideal for many travellers.

Some people think that private villas will give you no change from A$1,000 a night, but this new wave of accommodation is changing that perception. Here are five reasons you should rent a private pool villa in Bali.

1. Free extras for villa guests

Guests staying in a pool villa room often get extra goodies included in their room rate. Our pool villa at the Novotel Bali Benoa came with complimentary soft drinks and a traditional Indonesian afternoon tea.

This was delivered by our butler at around 3pm every day. Even though we weren’t entirely sure what to do with him, having our own butler was another benefit of staying in a pool villa.

2. Ultimate bathroom

Villas often have an extra special bathroom. Ours was indoor/outdoor with a rain shower and huge tub that was almost big enough to swim in. Some villas include extra-special toiletries which can’t be found in the resort’s standard rooms.

3. Outdoor lounge area

Our villa had a separate outdoor living area that was like having an extra room. Room service at the Novotel Bali Benoa is very affordable with most meals costing less than $10. We enjoyed the luxury of having dinner delivered to our villa both nights we were there.

4. Our own private pool

They don’t call it a private pool villa for nothing. Having our own pool was a dream come true, especially in Bali where the weather is always hot. We spent most of the day either splashing around with a beach ball or floating blissfully under the clear blue sky.

5. Space to spread out

When you are travelling as a family, it is great having accommodation that lets you spread out. We saved our pool villa stay to the end of our holiday so we could really appreciate it. After squeezing our family into standard hotel rooms for a week, having the extra space was a holiday in itself.

If you are looking for a Bali villa hotel, we have reviewed Belmond Jimbaran Puri, the Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay, Inaya Putri Bali, Peppers Seminyak, Wyndham Tamansari Jivva Resort Bali, Aria Villas Ubud, Bulgari Bali Resort, and the Banyan Tree Ungasan.