Gordon is a massive help. No issue with changing flight dates - he couldn't be more helpful. A great asset for DialAFlight
Brilliant!
Excellent service from start to finish.
Very reliable. Always available if you have any questions. I feel very happy to have booked with DialAFlight.
Perfect as usual
Fantastic service by Dale Walton. His hotel suggestion was exceptional! Will definitely use DialAFlight again. I have passed his details to a few friends, one of whom booked their summer holiday this year through him.
Marcus and Tommy were excellent from start to finish (as usual) and I will definitely be contacting them again for my next trip.
Bruce as ever kept us informed with everything. Thank you for great service
Have been using DialAFlight for over 20 years and never had a problem
Really pleased with the services from Lucas, Harriet and team. We were treated very well, even when we changed our minds about hotels and locations. We were notified at every stage of the process and they saved us money overall.
As always Cody extremely helpful .
All flight arrangements worked well. Singapore Airways were excellent - on time and good service. I was a bit concerned about only 50 minutes between the Bali -Singapore leg landing and the Singapore -London departure time but it all worked out!
Jason was very professional and we’ve booked again to Antigua.
A great service from Philippa. She came back very quickly and once I had agreed, everything was put in place. She kept me up-to-date with all the information and sent reminders in advance of the holiday. She answered any queries really quickly, I would definitely use her again.
A very good trip well organised and provided by DAF
Fantastic service - Rafael went above and beyond what you'd expect from a travel agent.
An excellent service - will be booking again for next year
Very good service and will use again when needed.
Philippa returned my email straight away and helped me change my flight from Bali without any drama or stress. She will always be the one I call for my travelling.
Jessie was fantastic! Will definitely be in touch again for our next trip
Finn is excellent. We have always looked to him over the years for our holidays. His recommendations are always spot on and service is impeccable.
As travel plans went it was a simple enough plan but had numerous opportunities to go badly wrong - from layovers to airport hotels being available etc. Courtney ensured everything went smoothly with a knowledgeable, experienced and well travelled eye on our plans. I’m very grateful as it was the first time I’d taken my young family longhaul so it was very important it worked out.
The team were amazing and looked after us so well when we needed to change our flight due to illness.
Absolutely fantastic. And so efficient and easy.
I want to thank Ralph Summers for helping me book my travel to Bali. Also a massive thank you to Karina Evans on the 24/7 team who helped me with flight issues after missing my connecting flight. DialAFlight have been amazing and will definitely be using them again.
Everything worked as planned and as someone who doesn't travel much, it was very reassuring.
Jonathan was very helpful booking the flights and kept in touch right till take off.
Amazing service by DialAFlight from start to finish.
The assistance I received at the airports was very efficient and helpful. Thank you for arranging
This was our fourth time with DialAFlight and once again everything was perfect. They have always provided a very professional, courteous service and it is very reassuring to have their expert support.
Bali was the place friends kept telling me I should visit. Surely nowhere could be that fabulous - but it lived up to the hype. I loved it.
There was an enormous sense of tradition, belief in family values and beautiful aesthetics - there's nowhere like it.
I hadn't gone with any intention of searching for new fabrics or inspiration for designs - after all, I really had no idea what I would find.
It is so spiritual - it's astonishing how many temples there are. I arrived after an exhausting Fashion Week, but from the moment I entered Alila Villas Soori - the most amazing hotel I've seen - I felt thoroughly relaxed.
Alila Villas Soori is on Bali's south-west coast in the Tabanan regency, 20 minutes from Tanah Lot temple, the island's most sacred. It's one of Bali's prettiest regions, between the sea and rice terraces, with mystical Mount Batukaru in the distance.
My bedroom overlooked a glorious beach - the sand black and volcanic.
When I woke on the first morning, it felt almost enchanted. It had been stormy overnight and the beach was full of people collecting driftwood for fuel. Some were dragging away large pieces to turn into sculptures, to sell to tourists.
I had incredible spa treatments. ?They make their own soaps - volcanic, rice and cinnamon - all beautifully scented. And I saw how they use volcanic sand in body scrubs
The hotel's Cotta restaurant had a French and a local chef, together creating a magnificent fusion of French and Balinese.
After three days it was time to explore. The mountains in the centre of the island were a two-hour drive, but worth it.
I was in the picturesque Bali you see in guidebooks - rice fields and irrigation ditches everywhere.
I went whitewater rafting - and all around were stunning temples and rice fields. It was one of the greatest outdoor adventures I've ever had.
Later I thought I could hear music. When I asked what it was, I was told: 'It's the monks praying.'
There were often religious processions, and I was able to enjoy it all at close quarters.
For the second part of my stay, I moved to the Alila Villas Uluwatu at the south of the island. It was in a gorgeous area, above limestone cliffs and sandy beaches - very smart and fashionable, yet very tranquil.
A pool was set high above the Indian Ocean, with one of the world's best views.
I was surprised to find a well-stocked library, with books about traditional crafts such as weaving and basket-making.
My guide took me to a museum in Denpasar focusing on local handicrafts, with displays of traditional textiles and hand-made masks and tapestries.
Then I went on a bit of a 'treasure hunt' to learn more about the local dyeing techniques of batik and ikat. I discovered beautiful ikat weaves using gold and silver threads. I was learning about the culture and history of Bali through its crafts.
I bought so much local handiwork I had to buy a second suitcase.
I came across antiques shops where they have lots of textiles - some hundreds of years old - which you can buy.
At a temple at Uluwatu, on a cliff edge, I saw people performing a traditional dance.
There was a choir of 70 men who sang and then went into a meditation dance called a kecak -extraordinary.
What I saw in Bali proved to be a source of inspiration for my designs. I took many pictures, and I'm going to translate my experiences into some very modern, glamorous, Julien Macdonald designs.
I'm sitting surrounded by batik, ikat and incense - ready to go to work.
My ten days in Bali simply weren't enough. I'm already planning another trip.
First published in the Mail on Sunday - October 2015
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