by Jane Milojevic

For me, the notion of a butler presents an image of a slightly balding gentleman in long coat tails, starched white shirt and spats, offering me tea on a silver tray. “Thank you, James.” I fantasise, “And would you be so kind as to draw my bath?”
However, in the Villas at AYANA Resort and Spa Bali the butler’s name is much more likely to be Ketut and his attire, while impeccable, will be more suited to an exotic tropical paradise than an English country manor. The feeling of wellbeing and privilege remains the same.
Perhaps this is because, despite the disparity of their location and culture, both were trained by the Guild of Professional Butlers in the UK and, having undergone substantial training in order to satisfy the Guild’s high standards, both make it their mission to make you feel truly pampered and to meet your every need, sometimes before you even realise you have a need!
At AYANA, Villa Butlers are trained in the protocol of serving guests through every stage of their experience, from pre-arrival to departure, with instruction covering more than 200 personal presentation and service lessons. The objective is to wow villa guests with the “Ultimate Butler”, to offer their services unobtrusively yet ubiquitously.
The guild-trained butlers are knowledgeable about their property and all of its facilities, fully conversant with their destination and are technologically savvy, able to handle questions regarding laptops and internet connections as easily as they answer queries regarding the cultural significance of a Balinese festival.
The James of my fantasy would have relied upon a silver bell to summon him. Not so our technologically savvy Ketut. With a property covering 77 hectares and including 13 dining options, five pools, an 18-hole golf putting course, gym and tennis pavilion, a spa centre and the world’s largest Aquatonic Seawater Jet Pool, a more innovative solution is required.
 The solution is a mobile phone. With all villas served by a butler on call 24 hours a day, each villa is assigned a mobile phone, pre-programmed with only two numbers; the butler and the night butler, allowing guests to contact their butler whenever they wish and from wherever they are on the property.
With this sort of flexibility, spontaneity is optimal and forward planning superfluous. A sudden urge for some in-villa dining, advice on the best place to shop for furniture or for assistance back to your villa after your final drink at the Rock Bar, the need is met seamlessly at the touch of a phone pad.
If there was one thing I especially liked about my particular Ketut, it was the way he intuited my weakness when it comes to leaving things behind. Whether it was ensuring I had my key when I left the room or checking my chariot (okay, golf buggy) when he deposited me back “home”, he always made sure I had everything I needed, leaving my brain free to morph into serious holiday mode.
So this is what it is like to have a butler. I’ve always wanted to say “Home, James, and don’t spare the horses”.  Though perhaps “Home, Ketut, and don’t spare the pedal” would be more appropriate in this setting.
Staying in luxuriously appointed villa with a butler on call is about US$608 a night including breakfast for two. There are other luxury accommodation and spa/health treatment options and packages available at AYANA that start from around US$200 a night. For details, go to www.ayanaresort.com This resort is the pinnacle of style and comfort, make sure you visit the site often to see what specials are on offer.