HOTEL REVIEWS

Bali resorts review: who are the real standouts in the crowd?

As more visitors bypass hotels for private villas, and government austerity drives kill meetings, there are better deals to be had for MICE, families, weddings and spa seekers. But in Bali's bewildering brand pile, who actually delivers?

by Vijay Verghese
updated June 2025

SEE ALSO Bali fun guide | Bali spas | Bali volcano and safety update | Golf in asia | Asian dives | Palawan resorts | Sanya resorts | Jakarta business hotels | Vietnam Resorts | Pattaya guide | Small meetings in Asia | Lombok guide | Child friendly resorts | Asian dives | Golf | Top Asian hotel reviews | El Nido fun guide and resorts review

Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Bambu Indah, Sayan, near Ubud, is a Hobbit House riverside fantasy that offers sustainable stays in remarkable homes built from bamboo and copper without ruffling the landscape/photos: Vijay Verghese

JUMP TO New resorts | Nusa Dua | Benoa | Uluwatu | Jimbaran | Kuta | Seminyak | Canggu | Sanur | Candidasa | Ubud | Pemuteran & Tembok | Besakih, Sidemen, Penelokan

ARRIVING in Bali, “The Island Of The Gods”, is a journey back in time to a mythical age of folded-hand belief. You put your faith in the Gods as airport officials are hard to find and head through the scrum. The S-queues are neither clearly signposted nor explained, and the "NO TIPPING" video screens above immigration booths are the only indication of general direction. That is the light towards which the teeming masses shuffle.

The green-lit automated immigration counters are for machine-readable passports only Others must queue. First fill out a health form using the QR code posted on a board as you approach immigration. Make sure your smartphone is charged and with mobile access and your passport/ticket details are at hand. You may have filled out and paid for an e-visa application for a VOA in advance and this saves time. You can also fill out a customs form in advance and keep the printout with QR code. This is to be presented after immigration. Your bags may or may not be x-rayed.

Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport is tropical modern and friendly, but maddeningly casual. Still, it's part of the teleporting fun. And you will miraculously get through. Just believe.

Arriving passengers face monster traffic jams — especially in the Kuta-Seminyak-Canggu belt, central Ubud, North Uluwatu and at times, while passing Sanur — but a 12km toll road to Benoa and Nusa Dua and the underpass at the notorious Kuta circle offer some relief.

The slobbering Alsatians who sniffed me in parts unseen since my mother demanded my underwear for the laundry, are less in evidence at hotel security. Brusque guards with mirrors attached to poles continue with their bored routine. More fun stuff for families and romantics from golf and dining to island hopping and black sand in our Bali Guide.

Departure is wonderfully efficient. Lines move steadily through immigration and the ultra-modern security check. You may get through in record time to sample some colourful but expensive brand shopping from TUMI to Quicksilver, Longchamp and Marc Jacobs. Grab a burger and fries or sample a last taste of Indonesia at the rightly popular Made's Warung.

If you care for a spot of duty free shopping at Bali Airport, a one litre bottle of 12-year-old Chivas mid-2025 was roughly US$45, a one litre Johnnie Walker Black US$56 (compared with $33 in Bangkok) and a 50ml EDP of Miss Dior's Blooming Bouquet US$122. Do visit our airport duty-free shopping survey to see comparisons of alcohol and perfume prices at key airports.

Send us your Feedback / Letter to the Editor

With the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate at around US$1 = Rp16,000 (it fluctuates considerably) things couldn't possibly get more welcoming. Check our Bali Map and dive in. On then with our Bali resorts review, spas and wellness escapes, and a look at new designer hotels that are pushing the envelope.

▲ top

Best of Nusa Dua hotels and conferences

Nusa Dua in the far south is a safe and sanitised custom-built tourism enclave. The oldest resident here with mature gardens, statues, big pools, and a good spread of beach is the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa (www.nusaduahotel.com/) in the niorth of this enclave. At the friendly Palace Club, rooms start at 42sq m with gleaming herringbone wood parquet flooring, large flat-screen TV, a work desk and balcony. In 2016 the addition of the large and airy beachfront all-bamboo Tamarind Mediterranean Restaurant designed by late Indonesian icon Made Wijaya brightened things a tad. The hotel has two ballrooms for meetings and Bali conferences as well as open air event space packed with traditional artefacts and statues. Many pose for pre-wedding shots in white bridal finery at the stunning Candi Bentar that fronts the hotel. This is a traditional, slow paced, child-friendly hotel. It is close to the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center.

Close by, Kayumanis Nusa Dua (www.kayumanisnusadua.com, also in Ubud, Sanur and Jimbaran) offers a contemporary Bali luxury villa option. The villas are plush and smartly set out and have become more child-friendly though Ubud may not accommodate children below 12 years. Expect a rustic chic ambience, a soothing spa, and brisk service. Also in the vicinity are the villas and suites from Awarta (awartaresorts.com/), that took over in 2015 from the short-lived Centara Grand Villas Nusa Dua.

Just to the north, Club Med Bali Resort (www.clubmed.com) is for people with French accents who like to use coloured beads for money. Well no more actually. Kids used to flush the beads down the toilet. The place sports the usual raft of adrenalin-charged activities. Sultry women with pneumatic bodies waft about in day-glo bikinis, accompanied by bronzed men with arms like tree trunks. An all inclusive resort, this remains a popular with families and has a good track record.

Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort (opened Dec 2013, sofitelbalinusadua.com/) occupies a prime stretch of beachfront and garden to the north of this tourism enclave bordering Club Med. The resort serves up a little over 400 elegant rooms radiating out in two wings from the soaring central ‘banyan tree’ lobby with arcing wood and breezy open views above and restaurant below. As many as 12 function rooms are available for conferences and corporate meetings, while the main restaurant ripples down the centre of the resort towards the sea under a multi-section ‘roof garden’ that thrusts upwards at eye-catching angles.

Look out for a wedding chapel, a beach club, and subtle spa work-ups for tired bods. A Luxury Room offers 48sq m of stretch space with grey-stone and stressed wood flooring. There are pool access rooms too. Expect a coffee machine, a terrazzo soaking tub, and thoughtful seating under the rain shower. There are three-pin multi-plug electric sockets on either side of the bed. There are 17 private villas too. The resort is neat and modern but it can get noisy at times on account of its elongated enclosed design. It has gained appeal as a venue for Indian weddings.

On our Bali conference hotels review, the 334-room The Westin Resort, Nusa Dua (westin-resort-nusa-dua-bali) comes up tops for convenience, beach and price point. The Westin is a straight up convention hotel albeit with all the trimmings of its fancy Nusa Dua peers with a large atrium lobby, three swimming pools, four floodlit tennis courts, a wonderfully reimagined breezy and happening beachfront, and the de rigueur WestinWORKOUT fitness programme.

Kids will be kept busy at the Westin Kids Club (with facilities like a 12m water slide in the freshwater pool, gifts and healthy greenery), while frazzled parents unwind at The Heavenly Spa by Westin. There is a Westin Kids Spa as well. The Heavenly Spa offers 16 treatment rooms with a warm-up Himalayan salt sauna, hydro pool and steam room. You can even choose to have your massage in a pavilion on the beach.

For long comfortable stays, pick a 117sq m family suite if you have tiny tots in tow or opt for a luxurious 86sq m Ocean View Suite or a more roomy Two Bedroom Suite. These refurbished rooms, unusually for a conference hotel, can compete with the best on the island. The hotel works well for kids (there is excellent dedicated space for them) and as a Bali beach weddings spot. Its real strength of course is as a top Bali conference hotels pick with 2,700sq m of exhibition space and a total of 26 meeting rooms, several with natural light.

Just down from here is The Laguna, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Nusa Dua (laguna-a-luxury-collection), formerly a Sheraton Luxury Collection property and still quite a mouthful, with a charming Lagoon Spa and smart rooms including the 36sq m Lagoon Access Rooms that enable you to tumble out of bed and into the pool assisted – in the event of too much champagne – by 24-hour butlers.

In-the-works Spanish Paradisus by Melia Bali (www.melia.com) is a promised late 2025 beachfront makeover of the former traditional Melia Bali, this time in contemporary hip tones.

With its spacious manicured grounds, swimming pools and child-friendly features, Grand Hyatt Bali remains a top pick in Nusa Dua with a welcoming feel like an old home you have grown familiar with/ photos: Vijay Verghese

The gracious Grand Hyatt Bali (www.hyatt.com/grand-hyatt) that stands atop a low rise like a lone sentinel with a fabulous arrival panorama experience that really puts you in the destination. It is a typical red-tile-roof mega-resort in the Hawaii mould with a sprawling campus bursting with iridescent tropical foliage, signature pink bougainvillea and more swimming pools than you could throw a herd of grumpy hippos at. This is the one that set the international tone that many copied.

Spread out in four ‘villages’, each a self-contained cluster of multi-level low-rise rooms and suites connected by open sided zigzagging corridors overlooking vast lotus ponds with monitor lizards (alarming some but fascinating many), this has always been the one to beat. The large rooms are a tad tired and ageing now (a common source of complaints) but remain functional and homey. Some soft refurbishment has happened over the years. But it is in the beautifully landscaped grounds (perfect for children, events, and weddings) that the hotel really comes into its own. The alfresco Balinese buffet dinner amphitheatre Pasar Senggol hosts traditional kecak (pronounced kay-chuck) dances drawing inspiration from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. En route to this venue is the village ‘market’ with branded stores from all over.

The Karangasem Ballroom is a Muscle MICE draw that pulls in big conventions. The hotel boasts over 13,000sq ft of meetings space. Grand Hyatt Bali sets the bar high with a simple unassuming style, hyper-clean public toilets, the secluded kriya spa (everything from a four hands massage to an aromatic stone massage), intuitive smiling staff and the quintessential gamelan twosome tapping out cheery hypnotic discordant melodies. There are tennis courts and five swimming pools (well equipped for kids too with a splash slide). A larger beachfrontCamp Hyatt (the kids’ club) helps make this one of the top child-friendly hotels in Bali. Despite its 636 rooms, Grand Hyatt is more a gentle giant with an unfussy attitude, and an undeniable Balinese feel.

Neighbouring Grand Hyatt is the sprawling Merusaka Nusa Dua (merusaka.com/). In April 2021 this state-run hotel replaced the INAYA Putri Bali, which in turn had grown out of Hotel Putri Bali Nusa Dua in September 2015. With a top-to-toe makeover as a five-star contender, the property has morphed from dark and traditional to bright and contemporary with clean lines and vast open spaces, huge uncluttered green lawns for weddings and events, expansive mirror-smooth swimming pools set in three tiers, and low-rise accommodation blending the contemporary and classic. Bright rooms with contemporary touches start from 48sq m with Indonesian motifs, and marble bathrooms with soaking tub and rain shower.

The acreage is vast. Yet, interestingly, the architects have sought to move all the accommodation well away from the beach, thus opening up huge communal space for guests to enjoy. This offers ample elbowroom for energetic kids. Engage in a contemplative evening stroll, or opt for a Balinese wedding by the sea with grass underfoot and lots of value accommodation in a prime location.

A small A-frame glass chapel sits just above the main restaurant facing the pools, aimed at Bali resort weddings. But it is in the area of MICE and corporate meetings that this property could come into its own with a grand ballroom for conferences and five meeting rooms for smaller breakout sessions.

A minor niggle for some will be the close proximity of the rooms that tend to look onto each other. The residential dip pools similarly are set right by walking paths, open to quizzing eyes.

The Ayodya Resort Bali (ayodyaresortbali.com/) was once the Bali Hilton. Its exclusive Ayodya Palace wing is crammed with all manner of striking statuary depicting scenes from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Its design mimics a traditional Balinese water palace with ample lagoons and pools. This child-friendly Bali resort is hotel-cum-museum and girdles a beachfront lagoon with swimming pool. Kids can avail of special games, camp counsellors and “art corner”. A 48sq m Classic Family Room here with small in-room kids' tent comes with wood flooring, flatscreen television and a balcony. Ayodya Palace rooms start at a spacious 56sq m in traditional Balinese style with villas serving up 160sq m.

Alas not on the seafront, but cheerful and brilliantly welcoming of kids and with a beach club a short buggy ride away, the Courtyard Bali Nusa Dua Resort by Marriott (courtyard-bali-nusa-dua), opened in March 2011. It is unpretentious, served straight up, and is a solid Bali child-friendly hotel on this review. It boasts a modest 234 rooms on three floors and a few suites. This is a neat grey-stone construct with clean lines and a Zen sense of space.

Service is warm and attentive and the poolside breakfasts at Momo Cafe start at 6.30am, filling quickly. A kid-friendly lagoon swimming pool meanders playfully around the inner tree-shaded courtyard with stone slab walkways. There are other pools and Lazy River, as well as a fitness centre to work up a sweat. When you’re done, stop by the Courtyard Spa and let the therapists get to work. Children can enjoy a range of activities including cycling. Village cycle tour? Sure.

At the far end of the Nusa Dua strip the former Bali Golf and Country Club with its 18-hole championship golf course that closed for a major overhaul and returned late 2014 as the Bali National Golf Club has mysteriously disappeared. This revamping manicured green enclave was briefly referred to as 'The Maj' (the hospitality arm of the owning Ancora group) encompassing seven private villas, the golf club, the David Leadbetter Golf Academy and a long-in-the-works Shangri-La. The whole development was on ice mid-2025 when we visited and no one had a clue as to what was going on though the website was functioning.

The magnificent thatched-roof all-villa Amanusa with its sunken Roman bath swimming pool and golf-green views, was one of the Aman resorts Bali trinity that launched in 1992. It left the group 28 February 2018, the space taken over by the Kimpton Naranta Bali, which remains a work in progress, or not. There has been no word since its planned opening in 2022.

Set just behind a green vale, the Aman Villas at Nusa (launched mid-2013, aman-villas-at-nusa-dua) remain with the group. These are a secluded set of private hideaways serving up a few 4,000sq ft living spaces with three to six-bedroom ensembles — huge living areas with separate bedroom villas, living room and dining areas and, of course, that staple emerald swimming pool that runs long enough for fast calorie-burning laps.The Aman Villas lack the heart-quickening views of the former Amanusa but they offer a private and understated yet sumptuous space with your own chef and butler.

At this southern end of the Nusa Dua beach stretch is The St Regis Bali Resort (st-regis-bali) that opened late 2008. The long driveway rises up to an elegant but wonderfully sparse high-ceiling open lobby with cream marble, a central floral arrangement, and wide sofas. This looks onto a ‘river’ of lava stone – illuminated by burning torches at night – that leads to the main pool with its island of gauze-draped bales and adjoining kids’ pool, all fronting a generous beach. There is a second 3,668sq m swimmable saltwater lagoon pool for further water adventures.

With 2,820sq m of recreational space and 350m of beachfront there’s pretty much something for anyone here no matter how pernickety (for hardboiled grumps there’s always those suave butlers, some with Spanish names and impeccable manners). Figuring out what to do? Pick from swimming, gym and yoga to jet therapy pools, sauna, wedding chapel, and the dedicated Iridium Spa with its glowing onyx lamps set amidst reflecting pools.

The hotel features a combination of suites, "residences" and villas with plunge pools and gardens. Upper storey suites in the main building (accessed by lifts) get a generous balcony while ground floor digs enjoy a private garden with relaxation bale. The 79 wooden-floor suites offer a spacious (at least 92sq m) homey feel with differing furniture and lampshades that attempt to break the symmetry of this vast sybaritic playground. Handsome dark wood doors lead to a vestibule with mini-bar.

Master and room light switches are large, tactile and splendidly responsive (a far cry from the whimsical Singapore St Regis mood lights that can be downright frustrating). The bedroom leads to a broad balcony with a treetop view or an ocean view depending on your room. The pièce de résistance is the generous white marble bathroom with its well-lit twin vanities, leather stool, spoiling toiletries, and a soaking tub by the window. There is a rain shower and hand shower cubicle with easy controls to avoid a 6am scalding. Hot water arrives briskly and the shower jet is reassuringly strong.

St Regis Bali is in many ways a grand, almost imperial, enterprise. You might expect to turn a corner and run into a coliseum or the odd vestal virgin amidst the hip and happy. But it manages to be intimate too despite the long walks. And for culinary romance with a view there’s the fusion Kayuputi Restaurant in an elegant villa by the beach facing the main pool and sea.

The Balé (the-bale-nusa-dua), with a few stylish and spacious private pavilions (they don't call them villas) each with a small pool and garden is located just across from The St Regis, rising up a hillock. It has extended its accommodations with fresh new pavilions in an uncluttered setting, each in its own compound with open shower areas, day beds, glass-panelled bathrooms, big soaking tubs, pool, 40-inch flat-screen plasma TV, and fast complimentary WiFi.

The resort's approach is minimalist with blue-green streams and pools filled with smooth, rounded volcanic rocks to set off the pale beige sandstone. The largest 11m pools are with double pavilions 22 and 23, 19 and 20, and 16 and 17. While not located on the beach, the resort has a Beach Club a short walk away.

This attractive property from Lifestyle Retreats also features an intimate, small and secluded spa. Try crystal healing, honey massage, a steamed rize facial; or take a cooking class (not at the spa of course). Small weddings are possible too.

Breezy big view Indonesian gem Royal Pita Maha spills down the Ubud hillside past pool villas to the sacred Ayung River where you can feel the true essence of Bali through a local lens/photos: Vijay Verghese

From Jakarta haute hoteliers Mulia comes the sprawling The Mulia (www.themulia.com/bali) — or The Mulia, The Mulia Resort & Villas Nusa Dua - Bali, in its complete form, a mini destination on its own with three hotel experiences in one. Stroll through The Mulia (an all suite seafront medium rise complex), the Mulia Resort, the middle section set away from the beachside with hotel accommodation, and the Mulia Villas, set farther inland up a rise with electric buggy access. Run the gauntlet of a thorough but smiling security detail to arrive at a breezy, modern raised lobby with pyramidal glass skylights adorned with large hanging blown glass discs. The accent is on contemporary rather than classic Balinese, an architectural meld that might be equally at home in Sanya or Cannes. It is very popular with Chinese travellers.

From the lobby the two arms of the 526-room Mulia Resort stretch out seawards, tipped by the exclusive The Mulia with its high-end suites and many ocean-facing balconies doubly blessed with Jacuzzis. A 63sq m Royal Suite in Mulia Resort serves up 400 thread-count cotton linen, pale baby blue and cream textures, flat screen TV, balcony, sofa bed, twin vanities, soaking tub (perhaps with a view of the courtyard pool), rain shower, iPod dock, laptop safe and nifty mobile device charges.

A short buggy ride leads up to the spacious Villa reception. One Bedroom Villas offer a canopied sun lounger, patio and 50sq m hydrotherapy pool with clean lines and contemporary yet classical furniture. Bathrooms are huge. Mulia Bali is a grand, if borderline bland, with plenty of stretch space and an excessively strict rulebook at times that caused it to trip up at launch time. At one time slippers were frowned upon in breakfast areas and neighbouring hotel general managers were screened and barred from entering. This is a well regarded MICE and weddings address with separate access for conference-goers.

Heading on from here along the coast is the secluded Hilton Bali Resort (www.hilton.com/, formerly Grand Nikko Bali rebranded 1 December 2016) perched on a cliff with four pools and fun-filled unofficial camel safaris on the beach. The little ones will be fully occupied with the dedicated kids’ lagoon and pool featuring 30m water slides.

There is also a camp for kids aged six to twelve. Children love the occasional camel rides on the beach but this is freelance fare, not the hotel's service. This is an older resort styled much along the lines of the Grand Hyatt but in a more compact setting and sited up a cliff with vast views. Expect a gentle pace despite the occasional patter of conference footfalls.

Hilton had introduced fresh totally remodelled rooms by late 2019. Premier Rooms and Suites with their cliff-front location, arrived in time for the IMF Bali summit. And another upgraded wing featuring new-look rooms has added zest to the rooming options. The 86 units of the Deluxe Ocean View with 45sq m of neat airy space include a balcony, large 'smart' HD TV, an even larger bed, small foyer, wooden flooring with a patterned blue and gold carpet and a cobalt headboard for the bed. The rooms are a far cry from the earlier offering - smart, contemporary and unfussy with room for children to romp without smashing some priceless object.

Other feathers in the cap at this lively, friendly casual resort are a spa, HUGE ocean views, 300sq m pool villas (in one to three-bedroom layouts), and a 1,100sq m convention centre with banquet space for 760 persons. Clearly MICE and weddings (there is an open air wedding pavilion) are the name of the game here.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bali (opened Dec 2014, www.ritzcarlton.com) marked the return of this legendary brand after it vacated its old establishment in Jimbaran (now the Ayana). Set below a high cliff are luxurious rooms, suites (will 1,000sq ft suffice?) and pool villas (going up to 7,290sq ft) where butlers are on hand to do your every bidding – if you don’t know how to unpack, for instance. Open balconies and terraces offer wide-angle sea views and flaming sunsets, while indoors, await marbled bathrooms, deep soaking tubs and rainshowers. Expect a hotel that is willing to ‘childproof’ the room for you. This is a family-friendly escape with an excellent spa and corporate meeting facilities for those who insist on conferencing and ignoring the sun outside.

From the unremarkable low-key arrival lobby, a see-through glass lift whisks you far below to the actual resort complex where buggies are on hand to trundle you about. Lifts and buggies are sometime choke points at this resort where 400 steps climb from pool level to the lobby and not in a straight line. Later, leave footprints in the sand — though at low tide there may be precious little of this — or splash out in the stunning swimming pool. The grassy beachfront area with its resuarants and wedding chapel is a delight. This entire strip once supported a seaweed collection cottage industry as the more favoured beach areas around Nusa Dua developed.

At the stylishly contemporary chic  The Apurva Kempinski Bali (Feb 2019, www.kempinski.com) set atop a low hill and cascading down towards the azure sea far below, find 475 rooms, luxury suites and private villas. Expect, fine restuarants and flair as at the Izakaya by Oku and the hotpot Chinese Bai Yun. Also expect the Reef Beach Club, a luxury spa, a vast pillarless ballroom, wedding chapel, and 2,200sq m sea-facing lawn for everything from conferences to elegant weddings. Its centrepiece is the breezy high-ceiling lobby with Indonesian wood carving and filigree work. This is a stunning space that affords a breezy and breathtaking arrival experience, even if this is a non-traditional bolthole in a contemporary mould that may not suit all comers.

One level up is a spacious state-of-the-art ballroom with three crystal chandeliers. The ballroom - flooded with natural light overlooks the resort and the sea. From here 250 steps run arrow straight down to the vast 60m pool and kids' water slides. There are swimming pools at intermediate points too along the steps with sunning spots. The conventional way to get to the main beach area (and the accommodation) is via two separate elevator banks that can create a bit of a squeeze if several guests are moving at the same time.

A spacious 65sq m Grand Deluxe Room is in classic earth tones with a rustic semi Indonesian finish, ikat wall hangings, and an open-air terrace to take in the views. Yet, it has a sparse contemporary straight-lines feel that borders on modern apartment. You could be in Hong Kong or Dubai. Bathtubs are set window-side. Think spoilingly large flatscreen televisions, de rigueur complimentary WiFi, a selection of pillows to pamper your neck, a working desk and a laptop-friendly safe.

The 'Lady in Red' art de vivre ambassador is a nice personalised Kempinski check-in touch that will be a takeaway memory along with the pampering indulgence of The Apurva Spa with its menu of local 'Lulur' and 'Jamu' treatments.

▲ top

Benoa hotels and resorts

Among the smart smaller picks along the Benoa seafront to the north of Nusa Dua is The Royal Santrian (royalsantrian/sister property of The Puri Santrian and Griya Santrian, Sanur), with a breezy 2.5 hectares by the beach with three oceanfront Royal Villas and 17 Deluxe Villas. The resort is contemporary and smart with clean lines, an attractive slim pool running arrow-straight towards the beach (lined by crimson sun umbrellas) and thatch-roof luxury villas with private pools. There is a Royal Spa on the premises with a range of treatments. Regular shingle-roof villas are set in private walled courtyards with generous pools and lounging pavilion. Inside expect beige woody tones, dark wood floors, huge flat screen TV, big safe, dressing area, twin vanities for him and her, rain shower, and bathtub. It is a smart ensemble set off by verdant lawns and large stone statues. At one-bedroom Royal Villas also expect Royal Butler service, handy for all that packing and unpacking. Plan a romantic Bali wedding here, enjoy a honeymoon dinner under the stars.

A nice and high energy spot on the Benoa stretch is the attractive child-friendly Novotel Bali Benoa (www.novotelbalibenoa.com) with almost 200 rooms, a few beach cabanas, three pools, two whirlpools, a tennis court, fitness centre and a shuttle bus to Nusa. In season, the resort offers daily recreational programmes poolside. With a dedicated Kids Club, there are enough activities here to keep an army of tots fully occupied for a week.

The Sakala Resort Bali, (www.sakalaresortbali.com, formerly The Mantra Sakala that took over from the Chedi Sakala, which originally launched 1 November 2013). It is at the very end of the hotel strip after Novotel at Tanjung Benoa. It is not a quiet thatch-roof retreat but a hip hotel with grey-stone and dark-wood infused, in particular into the 14 duplex pool villas that stretch out from one side of the futuristic mushroom lobby. The 161 rooms are in a neat mid-rise array behind the lobby, stretching far back with a wonderful – and huge 116m – blue tile Z-shape pool set within their inward-facing ‘courtyard’ fold. Expect straight lines and sharp angles rather than curves, lots of black and mirrors.

A 62sq m hotel room is smart and modular with wooden floors. Expect a small kitchenette with small cooking range and microwave leading into the living area with a work desk with two three-pin plugs, sofa, flat-screen TV and, perhaps, a pool access verandah on lower floors. Sakala is certainly different, but it works mainly for the younger set and families. The hotel can also rustle up meetings – and ample parking space – for up to 450 people cocktail style.

In stately contrast to a number of eager players here is the impeccable 353-room Conrad Bali (conrad-bali/). The arrival experience is reminiscent of Grand Hyatt on a smaller scale, with a vew of the ocean beyond. The large and breezy lobby offers immediate ocean views and leads on down to the pools, massage bales and the beach (not suitable for swimming). The resort presents clean, well-planned, imperial lines, almost a Rome-comes-to-the-beach sort of look, with open spaces as well as snuggeries for couples. Arriving early or have a late departure? No worries, the hotel has set up a lounge for guests to relax while they wait.

The rooms are bright with an abundance of blues and, replacing the customary yellow rubber duck, is a green rubber turtle to grace the bath. Another feather in its cap for those in search of a romantic Bali wedding is "Infinity", its dedicated weddings venue. This all-white, A-frame, futuristic venue with floor-to-ceiling glass panels and attractive water features, offers ample light, breeze and views. It is set in a 1,200sq m garden reserve. Soothe your conscience after all that extravagance by donating to the needy through one of the many community causes that the Conrad Bali donates too.

JUMP TO New resorts | Nusa Dua | Benoa | Uluwatu | Jimbaran | Kuta | Seminyak | Canggu | Sanur | Candidasa | Ubud | Pemuteran & Tembok | Besakih, Sidemen, Penelokan

Jumeirah Bali is hidden away in North Uluwatu. Once through the traffic expect cream tones, broad buggy paths, plush Javanese villas, and a small beach. It's authentic and with warm service/ photos: Vijay Verghese

▲ top

Uluwatu, Ungasan, Pecatu spas and villas

In secluded Uluwatu west of Nusa Dua, I drove past another clutch of heavily-muscled guards, knowing these people would wrench my head off if I so much as looked liked misspelling Bulgari, one of the first trend-setter designer boutique resorts to open on Bali. For the uninitiated, it is spelled two ways, BVLGARI in capitals and Bulgari in lower case, and never to be confused with Bulgaria (which also claims a few resorts). The difference between a night at the chic Bulgari Resort Bali (www.bulgarihotels.com) and a Bulgaria resort is about the GDP of Bangladesh. Now you know.

It is true the area suffers from a chronic and worsening traffic problem, a deal breaker for many. Still, Bulgari and its leggy models, glitterati, beautiful people, and impoverished journalists, is a welcome pick-me-upper. Its 59 swish villas with quietly luxe interiors, private gardens, plunge pools, ocean vistas and spoiling BVLGARI amenities cascade down a quiet Uluwatu hillside, just past Pecatu village, hoping to offer the ultimate in branded designer chic. 'Cascading down the hillside' means lots of waits for buggies and this may be irksome for some at a fairly vertically arrayed resort.

Each self-contained villa has its own sundeck running alongside a dark-timbered bedroom under a traditional sloping alang-alang thatch roof. Indoors, Balinese gives way to textured, minimalist Italian. The starched white-linen bed with its intricate songkat runner looks out over the ocean through floor-to-ceiling glass panels with the black-floor bathroom just behind similarly bathed in light. There is a bathtub and outdoor shower. The general layout of the entire complex is a tad compact with thatch roofs running in unbroken tiers down the hill, ending dramatically cliffside, where views from an alluring infinity pool and signature restaurants plunge into the blue yonder.

If you have the money and the moxie, splash out on the Bulgari Villa, a 1,300sq m area boasting its own 20m pool, a meditation pergola, a spa treatment room and even a private cinema. Or spoil yourself at the Spa, a traditional ensemble complete with hand-carved teakwood doors at the entrance. A funicular leads down to the crashing surf and tanning beach far below. Not really a swim-friendly stretch.

Not far is the clifftop Six Senses Uluwatu Bali (www.sixsenses.com/uluwatu-bali/) with elegant suites and villas and crashing surf ocean views.

At the northern end of Uluwatu, set in the manicured grounds of the Pecatu Indah Resort (where the popular New Kuta Golf Course and a few other properties are located) you'll find the serene and secluded 123 villa Jumeirah Bali (www.jumeirah.com/jumeirah-bali) that announced its fully opened presence in April 2022. The quiet, cream, columned and marbled reception gazebo with its burst of blushing smiles, slim timber tables and reflective pools is most unlike the steel-and-glass Jumeirah in most people's minds. It is breezy, destressing, uncluttered, and opens up welcoming ocean views as you wander in for another cliff-edge indulgence, suddenly forgetting the maddening traffic on the way in. Of course, most drivers will use back lane workarounds. Once in this oasis, there is little reason to leave. Expect a well equipped fitness centre and the Talise Spa with its Turkish hammams and chakra tweaks. Try a Balinese massage, a 'bodhi' awakening ritual or just a facial. New Agers listen up — the wellness menu is stocked with goodies, including tarot readings and 'reki'.

Those in need of an outdoor tune up can head to the main pool or sunset beach, the re-imagined Dreamland Beach, for a stroll. Swimmers need to be aware of rocky patches. There are several family-friendly activities available like cooking classes and spa treatments for little ones, all with attentive caring servers. Set up a kid's tent in-room if you wish. There is a kids' club too. But this hideaway really comes into its own as an exclusive Bali reort wedding escape. It is romantic and without the pretentiousness that has crept in elsewhere. Jumeirah Bali has buggy lanes too but wider than at other places and without steep hairpin descents. Pool villas, with a Javanese exterior and butlers in attendance, are spacious (210sq m up), many with ocean views. Think open plan with soaking tub in the centre of the bathroom beyond the plump bed; stone flooring with marble inlay and some discrete textured carpeting, widescreen TV, capsule coffee shots, hairdryer, iron, living room with work desk and kitchenette, and in-villa check-in. All plug points are the Indonesian (and European) two-pin deep socket variety. Invariably the Jumeirah vs Bulgari Bali debate crops up and it must be said this is a calmer, less vertiginous, and more understated option with unique appeal.

The Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort (opened 2013, www.anantara.com/en/uluwatu-bali) is a modern cliffside construct, almost hidden, with a squat, layered structure that rises above a tiered blue infinity pool. There is a spa and wedding chapel. This address is a shade dull despite the chill music. Post Covid there have been innumerable issues with service and maintenance.

Another fading option is the once trendy Blue Point Bay Villas (www.bluepointbayvillas.com), a Japanese-owned complex with private villas set on the cliff, each with a pool and undisrupted views. Good sunsets, ageimng rooms.

Umana Bali, LXR Hotels & Resorts (umana-bali-resort/) by Hilton, is on Bali’s southernmost peninsula, sprawling across a cliff-top above Melasti Beach. This makeover resort first opened end 2009 as the signature Banyan Tree Ungasen and was taken over by Hilton in 2023. Pool villa accommodations and the excellent Lohma Spa are accessed via a buggy road winding down in hairpins to a private stretch of sand. This road though is broader and less stomach churning than at some other hillside resorts. Thank the old Banyan Tree designers for this. Each villa boasts private gardens, outdoor jet pool and 10m infinity pool. A Three Bedroom Villa stretches to a camel-swinging 1,200sq m with sea views. There is literally acres of space for parties, weddings (with nice sunny chapel), and corporate functions. The views are breezy and unobstructed especially from the almost Mediterranean Ju Ma Na Bar where, with a cool sundowner in hand, you can see forever. And yes, the WiFi is free.

A smaller private villa option in the Uluwatu area is the well sited The Edge Bali (www.theedgebali.com), a secluded bolthole with sweeping ocean views across infinity pools. New villas were added in 2015 but the scale is still relatively small and personal. Expect quality fittings and butler service to personalise the experience. The feather in its cap is the vertiginous spa set high above the blue vistas with floor to ceiling views and water flowing underfoot.

The minimalist designer-chic 60-villa Alila Villas Uluwatu (www.alilahotels.com/uluwatu/) — now with the Hyatt family — is spread over 13.5 hectares and perched atop a dramatic cliff looking across pounding surf and open ocean vistas. The low-rise villas offer contemporary design with clean, straight lines in cream with plenty of sluice-gates in courtyard walls for the wind to whistle through. And refreshing it is. No better place to enjoy this than from the tree-house style belvederes that sit vertiginously atop the cliff with randomly placed horizontal wooden beams for walls, with vast disconcerting gaps to allow the eye to view the sunsets undisturbed. The 84 villas start at a generous 291sq m for a one-bed pool villa.

With all this stretch space there’s plenty of room for the flat-screen TV, safe, espresso machine, tea making facilities, private bar, twin vanities, outdoor dining terrace, private cabana, indoor and outdoor rain and jet showers, stand-alone bathtub, and Alila toiletries. Alila Uluwatu serves up contemporary style at wallet-humbling prices and for the wellness inclined there is the Spa Alila with some treatment villas offering amazing views.

The resort has gone to considerable lengths to be environmentally sustainable with a number of green features incorporated in its design. Stone lattice-work walls are accommodating of both sea breezes and light. Water is recycled and local nurseries grow the shrubs and trees that provide a refreshing green burst in what is otherwise a doggedly drier part of the island. A somewhat different and contemporary Bali escape. A perfect spot for a beautiful and intimate Bali resort wedding. Despite the perils of access with monstrous traffic on the Pecatu Road this is a top rated establishment on our Bali resorts review, one that will offer a self-contained world for honeymooners and romantics.

In this area is the Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa (opened March 2018, renaissance-bali-uluwatu), perched on a cliff with vast views (but no beach) and a huge sun-dappled swimming pool with loungers and bright cushions — a big draw for honeymooners and kids. It is am eye-catching curving terraced ship-bridge construct alas in the middle of nowhere though it serves up a fine sunset. It is aimed at a younger set with chill music. You need to buggy down to a 43sq m Deluxe Terrace Ocean King, which is our best average room pick here.

Expect a full-fledged spa with everything from body wraps to scrubs and facials. And with 12,000sq ft of event space (ballroom for 300 banquet-style) this address offers generous corporate meetings and conference possibilities. An exciting development making a name for itself in this South Bali area is the Karma Kandara (see also Jimbaran, karma-kandara/). Expect quality luxury villas with good finish, a spa, varied food and beverage choices, a beach club and infinity pools hanging above sheer drops.

The Four Seasons Resort Jimbaran (left, photo: Vijay Verghese) remains a stately presence; Apurva Kempinski view from the beautiful Indonesian wood-carved lobby (centre, photo: Vijay Verghese); and (right) Raffles pool villa (photo: hotel)

▲ top

Jimbaran villas and spa resorts

Halfway to Kuta, along a pleasant bay facing west, is Jimbaran. The area has acquired a fashionable collection of resorts, eateries and private villas.

Perched over a secluded promontory to the south, is the stately eco-friendly AYANA Bali Resort (www.ayana.com/). Originally the Ritz-Carlton, Ayana features its own branded spa, a 22,000sq m hydrotherapy thalasso escape that is a resort within a resort. Romantics may venture farther to the Spa on the Rocks, a villa set amidst crashing surf.

Below the main pool, the Ocean Beach Pool is a phantasmagorical elevated 80sq m seawater pool with molded underwater recliners. Grab some rays and fabulous views from 10m above sea level. The popular Rock Bar is close by. Or visit the Kubu Beach Club, a 1960s throwback with a cool vibe. It is open to all complex guests including RIMBA. A colourful trolleycar will take you there.Children can go wild in a huge custom made playground.

Look out too for the clifftop Ayana villa with gym, kitchen, spa and three bedrooms lavishly spread over 3000sq m, plus a small lawn for private functions or weddings. Or head to the Tresna Chapel. The resort is clearly a Bali resort weddings favourite. Venues are spectacular — like the grassy cliff-edge SKY with its spreadout amphitheatre and 'village' restaurant for performances.

Main Wing rooms are somewhat dated 'luxury' — not quite in step with the external brand excitement — with Indonesian accents, padded fabric headboards, cream marble floors, see-through bathing area with tub and rainshower, a wooden fan, flatscreen TV, one three-pin international plug socket on either side of the bed, USB ports and flat laptop safe.

Close by is sibling RIMBA (opened late 2013, rimba-by-ayana) on extensive acres that serve as a sylvan eco-friendly escape with an on-site greenhouse and organic fruit trees. The hip high-roof lobby is lined with strips of painted wood sourced from old fishing boats and this lends the place a charming rustic flair that carries into lifts and corridors. No mistake though, this is no bumpkin layabout. It is a fresh and contemporary space with meandering walks, five tiered pools and one panoramic stretch along the pulsing Roof Bar. The rooms and bathrooms are for younger people.

The Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay (fourseasons.com/jimbaranbay) flows down a hillside above the shimmering sea. This is a true Bali arrival experience, friendly, unfussy, modestly but tastefully marbled and thatched, and with a grand view of the arcing Jimbaran Beach on which its excellent Sundara Beach Club (site of the former PJ's) is located with its long blue strip pool and seafood and barbecues. It's a short stroll down the hillside past shimmering pools and spills of bougaenvillea to Jimbaran Beach.

The resort's stylish thatch-roof villas that were upgraded and re-emerged 2017 with brush-ups since, feature a separate Balinese dining pavilion, courtyard and plunge pool. Bathrooms not only have separate bathtubs and showers, there’s also access to a private outdoor garden shower.

The spa is a big draw. Spa suites feature outdoor soaking tubs, cleansing 'rain showers' and a generous array of treatments. There are additionally a few spacious Estate Homes (up to four bedrooms) with plush interiors and private pool. In-room facilities at Four Seasons include down pillows, iron and ironing board, Bose sound, and hypo-allergenic pillows.

Just up the road, Raffles Bali (www.raffles.com/bali/) arrived quietly July 2020, a small 32-villa luxury resort on 23 hectares of forested hillside running down to a small picturesque sandy cove that is more for tanning and photography than stretch-out swimming. Perched in a quiet spot just before the traffic snarls farther west, arrival at the black-wood reception is low-key with no in-your-face panorama until you walk past Rumari restaurant — a Krug ambassador where 80 percent of the ingredients are locally sourced — to the balcony beyond. There is an abundant serving of nature. The spot is breezy and relaxing and it is apparent that just a small portion (40 percent) of the land has been developed. As you buggy down to private private pool villas and main pool, the views open up and the resort takes on a different character. Agenerous 470sq m Ocean Pool Villa offers cool hardwood floors, Balinese touches in a contemporary setting with sloping matt-weave roof, patterned headwall and Dior-style slim black piping that accents corners and furniture.

A soaking tub sits by the window. Raffles Bali offers a spa, a sun-drenched pool, breezy views from villas, the obligatory Writers Bar (with afternoon tea rituals) and 'secret' cave dinner settings for the more intrepid. The resort is less than 30 minutes from the airport and Jimbaran below serves up a residential feel with eateries and local craft.

Karma Jimbaran (karma-jimbaran/) is an elegant all-villa affair with close (not direct) beach access from this fast-expanding group. Pick from one to six-bedroom pool villas. Expect alang alang elephant grass thatch roofs, private pools, a Living Pavilion with state-of-the-art kitchen, an eight-seater teak table, four poster net-draped beds, gleaming wooden or marble floors, and satellite TV with home theatre surround sound. The resort works for honeymooners as well as a Bali child-friendly hotel.

The renovating Le Meridien Bali Jimbaran (opened Dec 2012, le-meridien-bali-jimbaran) is set within protective concrete walls — a modern equivalent of a jungle kraal — without the usual arrival hoopla. From the lazily whirring ceiling "punkahs" at the lobby and the brightly coloured walls and cushions to and The Beatles "Abbey Road" collage, there's distraction by the metre for the young and hip. The resort will not appeal to all with a compact inward facing courtyard design around a large central free-form pool. This blue-and-white 118-room hangout has some nice hip DNA with great use of space. This can be a child-friendly hotel but there's no direct beach access and no views.

Ensconced on a generous slice of property smack in the middle of Jimbaran Beach, is the spacious 425-room InterContinental Bali Resort (bali.intercontinental.com). The classic Indonesian rooms got a contemporary upgrade 2022 with the ballroom offering more meeting spaces and a spruced-up club wing in the secluded north of the 14-hectare property. The InterCon offers six attractive outdoor pools, Jacuzzis, the fine Uluwatu Spa (whirlpool, sauna, steam), fitness and beauty centres, villa retreats, and breezy oceanfront massage bales. Try the Sunset Beach Bar & Grill for a sangria while watching the sky turn from orange to red.

With hand painted walls in-room and a general freshening up, the InterContinental Bali is an excellent family-friendly hotel with space and activities for kids at Planet Trekkers and the outdoor playground. Wood-floor rooms offer 49sq m of stretch room with a working desk, international three-pin square plug points, a balcony, and an extensive in-room massage menu. In 58sq m Premium Club Lounge Access Rooms expect a coffee-maker, work desk, iron, balcony and marble bathroom with soaking tub.

In the pool you may encounter waddling pink ducks and grinning sharks as you course through the stunning blue waters. The seafront gardens and an excellent stretch of sand make it a favoured venue for Bali beach resort weddings. There is much InterContinental Bali vs Grand Hyatt Bali debate — both are spacious stately old Anerican chuggers that are comfortable with kids, wellness, weddings and conferences.

Jimbaran has a residential feel while 'safe' Nusa Dua is a manicured nottled enclave separated from the action. The Grand Hyatt Bali's outstanding service and gardens (with wandering critters) give it a slight edge but The InterCon is no slouch on service and facilities and with updated rooms.

Farther up the road down a narrow turn-off leading to the beach is the easy-to-miss hideaway gem Jimbaran Puri — a Belmond Hotel (formerly by Orient-Express Hotels, belmond-jimbaran-puri/). This friendly boutique resort on the beach has a laid back vibe with a nice swimming pool and the beachside Jimbaran Puri Spa that does Ayurveda treatments including the 'shirodhara' head oil massage.

The 120sq m marble-floor Luxury Cottages, some with pools, serve up kingsize beds as well as sofa beds for younger guests, roomy bathrooms with terrazzo soaking tubs and rain showers. While the exteriors may resemble a child's primitive drawing, the interiors are lush with teakwood, soaring thatch roofs, mosquito-netted beds and widescreen LCD TVs. There is ample stretch space. Garden View Two Bedroom Pool Villas offer extra room for large families or friends. Butler service will things up a notch. Children can have a customised massage, learn cooking, do temple tours, enjoy non-motorised watersports, make sandcastles and enjoy a spot of egg painting.

Other offbeat options in the area include the dozy and traditional but roomy red-brick Keraton Jimbaran Resort (keratonjimbaranresort.com/) where you may encounter no staff from lobby to beach; and the more contemporary Kupu Kupu Jimbaran (kupujimbaran.com), sister property of the quirky Ubud escape, with 30 suites and a spa. A long narrow central pool is set on a broad timber boardwalk flanked on both sides by the suites on two levels. It is not on the beach but a short stroll will get you to the sands where the hotel has a 350sq m stretch with stylish sun beds and a seafood-inspired Mediterranean menu at the smart beach cafe.

JUMP TO New resorts | Nusa Dua | Benoa | Uluwatu | Jimbaran | Kuta | Seminyak | Canggu | Sanur | Candidasa | Ubud | Pemuteran & Tembok | Besakih, Sidemen, Penelokan

▲ top

Kuta and Legian beach resorts reviewed

Driving north past the airport to the sunset coast of Kuta and Legian has gone from a 15 minute journey to an ordeal that can run to over an hour depending on the traffic. There is a riot of accommodation in this area from budget and backpacker to the bold and beautiful. It is the tourist heartland with trinkets and T-shirts, beer bars, nightlife, and fast eats. It is clutter-and-clatter country. But you can find some modest peace in the Tuban area close to the airport and immediately south of Kuta. Tuban sees itself as more upmarket — a relative point of view. Our Bali Map offers a simple bird's-eye view to get your bearings.

In the somewhat gentrified neighbourhood of Tuban/South Kuta, is spacious and green The Patra Bali Resort & Villas (www.thepatrabali.com/), formerly a company retreat for the Pertamina group. It has some of most spacious two-storey bungalows anywhere on the island. The beach however is pebbly. The place is five minutes from the airport and a stone's throw from the Kuta throb. Patra Bali is a reasonable BIG-family option with plenty of negotiating room, 12 acres of garden and children’s facilities. The huge villas offer a “resort within a resort” feel. Not a bad choice for those watching the wallet, alfresco weddings, and ballroom conferences.

Just grazing South Kuta is the popular Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali (holidayinnresorts) with easy-on-the-eye cream-tone seaview rooms (with hairdryer, TV and safe), breezy balconies, free meals and stays (with parents) for kids under 12, and special two-bedroom suites for kids with twin beds. Hard Rock Hotel, (hotel.hardrock.com/bali). It is go-to party hotel with higher decibels but is NOT ON the beach. As with most hotels on the Kuta strip the sand, hair-braiders, hawkers and surf boards are across a busy road. You will be greeted by a guitar once played by Sting, the Rock Spa (with Rock Om for Yoga), and the Roxity club for kids. Teens are separately catered for at the Tabu club with a DJ booth and a cool nightlub vibe. Get a massage in a sheltered cabana poolside (this is a level up with breezy ocean views). Do a green tea wrap or go full hog with a traditional Bali rubdown.

The 203-room Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort (opened end 2012, sheraton-bali-kuta) and has upped the ante next to the Beachwalk Shopping Centre with a podium pool that looks over the sea. It offers fine Italian dining at Bene and brisk service. This is a hangout for everyone from families to conventioneers. There are 11 event venues in a total 1,100sq m of options for the meetings inclined with the largest space being 700sq m.

A 46sq m King Ocean View Balcony Room has see-through glass bathing area partition with the bathtub fashionably facing the bed, good, bright ring lights on the mirrors in the toilet, a rain shower, iron and board, hairdryer and trouser press. A safe is available but for a fee. The stone floor sets the stage for an unfussy room that is simple, functional and friendly. Only some rooms offer ocean views. Many are just partial view. Expect a three-pin interntaional plucg socket with data port and large tactile room switches.

The compact Bali Dynasty Resort (bdr.pphotels.com/) is a short walk to the beach. It offers four swimming pools, a waterpark, a kids' Fun Zone and a 56m water slide to rev up for a heroic splashdown. There is a kids' club. The all-water Waterbom Park (www.waterbom-bali.com), a great thrills-and-spills distraction for families, is literally across the road. The ancient mega-resort eight-hectare Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel (www.discoverykartikaplaza.com) has around 320 sea-facing or garden-view rooms, landscaped greens, several restaurants (one seaside), and several grassy play areas for kids.

A small and friendly spot, right in the middle of the action (not on the beach), is the mid-range Poppies Bali (www.poppiesbali.com/) that startd as a restaurant in 1973. Expect around 20 thatch-roof cottages set amidst scented frangipani and hibiscus. Each cottage comes with a private garden area featuring a sunken bathtub. The resort offers a swimming pool and Jacuzzi, a reading room, and a pool bar.

Heading up the coast bordering Legian, is another higher end offering, this time from Marriott, The Stones Hotel — Legian Bali, Autograph Collection (late 2012, stones-hotel-legian) is more than mouthful but it will appeal to the young and restless. It is set behind smart offices and the drive in is through a narrow giraffe neck leading away from the beachside bustle to a chic, contemporary enclave that miraculously opens up to reveal a minimalist space age lobby and a refreshing azure pool around which are the two wings of the medium-rise 308-room hotel, both draped in vertical gardens. This inner oasis is bright and welcoming. The pool has step-in sun loungers in the shallows where drinks can be served.

A 32sq m Deluxe Pool View serves up minimalist decor with light pastels and cream wooden parquet flooring in a compact setting with open views, a large bed, BOSE sound, flat-screen TV, and a balcony with a soaking tub. Yes, there's a curtain should you be feeling squeamish. There is just under 2,400sq m of meetings and event space with the largest conferencing area at 1,800sq m.

Up the road is the 378-key Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana (www.pullman-bali-legianbeach.com). Close by, the generous manicured 9.6 hectare campus of the Padma Resort Bali at Legian (padmaresortlegian.com) will be familiar to Bali old timers. It is a green family friendly escape with any number of activities including tennis, spa, kids' club, and substantial event space for weddings and conventions.

Then you're into Legian proper where the charming AlamKulKul Boutique Resort (alamkulkul.com), an environmentally friendly escape ranks well in our bali resorts review. It is compact but stylish and its breezy, informal Papa's Café looks across the road onto the beach. This is a good spot for a sundowner and Mediterranean morsels. AlamKulKul has standard rooms (some with balconies), private villas with marble floors, four-poster beds in 32sq m rooms with plunge pool, private garden and sun loungers; and a thoughtfully designed Two Room Pool Villa (with a queen-size bed and two twin-beds, ideal for families). There are two swimming pools.

The utterly Balinese Jamu Traditional Spa is tucked away in a quiet, leafy corner. Leafy corners abound as the owner refused to have any foliage destroyed. An architect who wanted to hack down a coconut tree was told quite bluntly, "You can go, the trees stay." Quite right. The tree in question now protrudes proudly through the café roof.

Serving up clean hotel rooms, Balinese villas and a spa, the Legian Beach Hotel (legianbeachbali.com) is spread over four hectares with a spa on site. Legian Beach with its immense susets is across a road.

Mimpi resort at Tulamben on the far west coast of Bali offers comfortable simple stays in the shadow of Mt Agung with a black pebble beach and spectacular offshore dives. Explore wrecks and marine life/ photo: hotel

▲ top

Seminyak retreats, hip hotels

A 15-minute drive north from Kuta brings you past Legian to Seminyak, home to crashing breakers, vast stretches of sand, a handful of top-drawer resorts and a good selection of trendy bars and cafes. Waves can get high and there is a strong undertow at times. It is not unknown for an occasional guest to swim out and fail to return and settle his bill, which is rather uncivilised.

The very tasteful The Royal Beach Seminyak Bali (once the Imperial Bali, then a Sofitel, www.theroyalbeachseminyakbali.com), graces 4.5 hectares of prime beachfront. The 130-odd rooms are bright and contemporary while some inviting villas offer up to 260sq m of living space with oversized bathtubs, plunge pools and four-poster beds. It was among the early finds before the hotel construction and traffic avalanche.

The Oberoi Beach Resort Bali (www.oberoihotels.com) was one of the first designer resorts on the island and it remains green, manicured, and pristine, much as Adelaide architect Peter Muller envisioned it at the 1978 launch when the resort evolved from the private holiday villa Kayu Aya format. Muller went on to work on the Amans — with a vision of building interest in culturally enriched Ubud — so it was a seminal moment in design history. As befits its pedigree, the road that passes by is named Jalan Oberoi. It is a winding lane with eateries, bars and stylish shoppin,g now hampered by traffic. The excellent Oberoi drivers have workarounds but be prepared to be tested.

The Oberoi Bali though is a true oasis. The luxury 55sq m lanais and 200sq m villas are well spaced out amidst the green to afford maximum privacy. The Luxury Villas follow floral names and themes and some (going up to 400sq m) feature private pools set within a very generous courtyard. The stone-patch wall lanais offer raised beds, perhaps a tad high for some but firm and comfortable, hairdryer, sunken bath, electronic safe, digital newspapers, coffee machine and, yes, some old-fashioned shoe shine. The sunken swimming pool — next to the intimate amphitheatre where cultural shows are performed for dinner guests — follows the style of a Balinese water garden and care is taken to maintain the local accents right throughout the resort. The result is authenticity and soothing green space. The Oberoi is an enduring standout walking distance to cool bars and eateries.

Up the road is the swank all-suite The Legian Seminyak Bali (legian-seminyak-bali), run by the Indonesia-based LHM Group (the hotel was created by GHM). This is a stylish and hip hangout, not just for the young and restless but the discerning and well-heeled. They all flock here, and with good reason. Set behind grey slate walls in a happening, yet quieter corner of Seminyak,the hotel rises three floors up in a simple yet elegant square-frame matchstick design that permits sea breezes — and rain — to mingle with guests and corridors. This is not as alarming as it sounds. Staare always on hand and will literally leap forward demanding to be of assistance.

The resort leads on to a pool-fronting restaurant that does breezy breakfasts and then the fun begins as it is this beachfront that forms the centrepiece of the Legian. Three pools running parallel to the pepper-sand coastline are set in tiers offering a vast expanse of blue with up to 30m for a stylish lap or a selfie pose. Gardens stretch out in either direction with timbered sun decks on either side lined with sun loungers and umbrellas. All this is set about 10ft above the main beach level. Enjoy watching the surf work itself up into a frenzy and follow lifeguard and swimming instructions. There can be a serious undertow here at certain times of year.

Set in the gardens to one side is the expanded spa (Wellness by Legian) with relaxing treatment rooms. Think sauna, steam, plunge pools and pick from facials, massage (there's an intriguing 'slimming' rubdown), and blessing rituals. Also enjoy a Technogym, yoga, juice bar, wellness garden, and more. The suites, from studio to one-bedroom, offer rich-toned wood, cool marble bathroom with soaking tub and rain shower, and balconies looking onto the sea. The herringbone wood parquet flooring is homey, and leads past the kitchenette to the long woody living room with checked stone-inlay tables, large divan, Espresso machine, flatscreen LED TVs. Later, sleep on a four poster bed with mosquito nets draped elegantly around you surrounded by BOSE sound. Larger 155sq m two-bedroom suites are available at the pampering 14 unit neighbouring The Club by The Legian Seminyak Bali. This is not on the beach but offers a more private experience and shares facilities with the main hotel.

Up the coast is the fun-filled beachfront Alila Seminyak (www.alilahotels.com/seminyak/) with its broad swathe of gardens and splendid sea-facing sun-drenched swimming pools. A 60sq m Deluxe Ocean Suite is our pick with a clean and sparse layout with woody tones and a superb balcony for sunsets. It is close to the stylish Desa Potato Head (seminyak.potatohead.co) that describes itself as a "cultural village rooted in craft, community and regeneration." It lives up to this claim, offering a woody retreat with designer rooms, a pounding and hugely popular beach club, varied dining, a rooftop bar and the Potato Head Shop.

Completing the biggies on this posh, if tumultuous, stretch of beach is the W Bali - Seminyak (since March 2011, w-bali-seminyak), with 232 rooms and villas, a sumptuous spa, and the trademark W bed to commence your romance. There is 1,000sq m of event space for the discerning few who prefer a hip conference (the largest grouping is for 330 persons). The W is gently curving grey-stone affair fronting the sea and beach with a lavish 1,790sq m three-tier swimming pool in between. The upper level is for tiny tots to splash down. The lobby is awash in mood lights and bright cushions. Sunset views are literally on tap from sea-view rooms as well as from a breezy alfresco beachfront bar.

This playful hotel lists its features out loud and proud, all in caps. There’s WHATEVER/WHENEVER service, a FIT workout centre, and the AWAY spa. Or try some yoga stretches. For over the top pampering, head to the WET pool, where the staff will bring you everything you need, be it sun care amenities, towels, games, snacks or cocktails. They’ll even help you clean your sunglasses.

WiFi is free throughout the resort. Top-line "EWOW" three-bedroom villas require a rather bumpy buggy ride across to a secluded compound with pool, sundeck and more orange cushions than you can shake a stick at. Elsewhere expect tropical olive greens and blues. A 64sq m Wonderful Garden Escape offers a king bed, a small fridge, marble bathroom with twin vanities, a soaking tub and shower, iron and ironing board and inroom safe. Rooms are functional and bright rather than overly stylish and will suit many families.

An interesting wellness experience in the area is from the Prana Spa Seminyak Bali (pranaspaseminyakbali.com) — a startling orange fantasy, Indian Bollywood meets Love Boat confection — with its exotic archways, crenelated ramparts, cotton drapes and hallucinogenic hues. This is a popular spot with visitors as well as locals and is a mini industry with expectant Koreans, Japanese and Australians streaming into the scented reception awaiting the ministrations of a trained therapist. The treatment rooms have bright green and burgundy walls with subdued lighting, velvet drapes, Indian ornaments, Mughal paintings, mirror work, and everything you'd expect of an Arabian Nights fable. Go from a 60-minute head oil-drip Shirodhara to a 120-minute Ayurvedic Simple Bliss. All this in association with Impiana Private Villas Seminyak (www.impianaseminyak.com)

In the vicinity keep an eye out for names like The Seminyak Beach Resort and Spa (www.theseminyak.com/) with its oceanfront infinity pool, lily ponds and water features; the very pleasing The Samaya Seminyak Bali (thesamayabali.com/seminyak) with its remodelled private courtyard villa (and an Ubud property too); sister property The Kayana Seminyak; the contemporary hard-to-reach cul-de-sac Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach (since early 2017, seminyak.hotelindigo.com) with spa, good beach dining and eye-catching bric-a-brac ranging from old wooden chests and black-and-white framed photographs to homey swing divans; boutique villa retreat The Amala (www.theamala.com), sister property to the Bale at Nusa Dua; and, on busy Petitenget Street, the brisk good value Jambuluwuk Oceano Seminyak Hotel (www.jambuluwuk.com/seminyak) with children's club, two pools, a well kitted out fitness centre, and a rooftop hotel pool.

Other options include the very modern Villa Sin Sin (www.villasinsin.com) with its low-slung “A” roof design that resembles a stealth bomber in a tropical setting with Balinese touches; and well equipped Villa Seminyak Estate and Spa (www.villaseminyak.com) with its conical thatch-roof villas and cobalt blue swimming pools with The Bali Bakery just across the road.

A tad more eccentric is IZE, (ize-seminyak) — pronounced "ice", from Lifestyle Retreats, Bale and The Amala — which launched in April 2013 to shake up things with a hip ambience appealing to the younger set, with surfer parties, a great street-fronting kitchen-style chipped-wood-floor cafe, a cool 20m rooftop pool, and the steady touch of the irrepressible livewire Jose Luis Calle from Lifestyle Retreats who's ponytail says it all.

IZE has a wild, exuberant streak but tons of style. Smart rooms are in pale wood veneer with glass-wall peekaboo bathrooms that will appeal to romantics. Or opt for a 40sq m Deluxe Pool Room with TV, hairdryer, safe, and tea and coffee making facilities. IZE is not on the beach but that does not stop the parties.

▲ top

Canggu and Kerobokan

Moving on up the west coast of Bali into Kerobokan and fast-developing Canggu, you'll need to keep in mind the huge traffic jams while accessing this area. Snaking up north is not a problem but getting to the airport to the south can take time. The Pan Pacific Nirwana Bali Resort closed 31 July 2017 and the proposed Trump International Hotel & Tower to replace it evoked howls of protest in an area where local tradition do not permit buildings higher than a coconut tree. That all got shelved. Unfortunately, the attractive golf course designed by Greg Norman overlooking surf-pounded Tanah Lot temple, has fallen into ruin with long disuse.

A late 2025 arrival to this buzzing cafe-and-boutiques area is the Regent Bali Canguu (www.watg.com) —a large muscular hotel resort on the salt-and-pepper Echo Beach. The neighbouring Holiday Inn Resort Bali Canggu (opened 2024, www.ihg.com) is a spread out child friendly resort where kids eat free. Rooms and suites are fairly stylish at this resort compared to other Holiday Inns. Expect a large sea-facing pool, a well equipped kids' club and bunk-bed setups for families.

Close to the Canggu beach but not on it, is the La Reserve 1785 Bali (lareservebali.com) that opened August 2022, a French designed all-villa escape with a an old world feel, roomy interiors, four-poster beds, woody floors, thatch roofs and ample natural light. Its Secret Spa is set in the Jardins des Moines. You can't get more French than that!

A buggy shuttles guests a few hundred yards to the rustic and canopied La Brisa Beach Club facing thundering breakers. Or you might walk to the beach.

The modern cubist Alila Villas Soori changed ownership and name midstride to Soori Bali (www.sooribali.com), and it remains a contemporarybeach escape for wellness and weddings or just seclusion amidst speckled black sand. Accommodation runs from Pool Villas to a Four Bedroom Residence up to the self-contained Ten-Bedroom Soori Estate.

An excellent Bali spa escape, the Hotel Tugu Bali (tuguhotels.com) is a minute’s walk from the pepper beach. The owner is a dedicated antique collector and incredible pieces of all sizes litter the resort. It's a mad assortment of nostalgic memorabilia not unlike your grandmother's attic that will either charm or completely throw you. We like it enormously. Tugu includes a replica of the bungalow of German artist Walter Spies who did much to promote Indonesia. The villa has the original door, camera and family pictures and is an assault on the senses with its tinted glass windows, bright cobalt blues and ceramic tile floors. Expect a blue mosaic plunge pool too and traditional furniture. It is all truly a step back in time save for the complimentary WiFi and flatscreen TV.

The Puri Le Mayeur villa “floats” above a lotus pond and has its own plunge pool. The upstairs teakwood Rejang Suite is accessed via a creaking wooden corkscrew staircase. Find an elegant four-poster bed, spacious verandah, safe, and a beaten metal bathtub.

This is a top Bali spa resort on this review and while access is not the easiest, the stay is calming and immersive. The Waroeng Djamoe Spa is an experience in meditative escape. Yoga and small weddings are also much de rigueur at this breezy manicured resort.

JUMP TO New resorts | Nusa Dua | Benoa | Uluwatu | Jimbaran | Kuta | Seminyak | Canggu | Sanur | Candidasa | Ubud | Pemuteran & Tembok | Besakih, Sidemen, Penelokan

Upscale Andaz with its clean ordered lines and lululemon clientele is surprisingly laid back and child-friendly with an inviting stretch of Sanur sand visited by cyclists and joggers/ photos: Vijay Verghese

▲ top

Sanur family-friendly stays on the sunrise coast

In traditional and less touristy Sanur, the sunrise beach in the southeast where many prominent local families maintain their residences, you have some fine choices. Check our Bali Map to get oriented. A highly popular family-friendly option, is the 363-room Hyatt Regency Bali (hyatt-regency-bali) dates back to 1973 and doubles as the unofficial botanical garden with acres of eye-popping verdure set in vast water features, now in contemporary straight lines after the redesign. Old timers will recognise the pool 'cave' with its distinctive stone work. A new addition is the lap pool running along the beach.

The hotel closed 15 November, 2013 for a major refit and returned 20 December 2018. The old rooms were woody and traditional, featuring lots of batik and Indonesian woven ikat, teak flooring, and balconies. The new rooms, still very compact — starting at 27sq m in a Garden View room — have been designed by the Japanese SPIN and are light and airy with a smooth ripple-wood wall behind the bed for touchie-feelie travellers.

Also expect the de rigueur flatscreen televisions, rooms with showers and bathtubs (some with just showers), twin vanities, dark brass faucets, a separate toilet cubicle by the entrance so that two people can get on with their morning ablutions without bumping into each other with wearying honeymoon intensity, irons, cool stone floors and ingenious use of sliding doors for cupboards and the bathroom. Now you see your mother-in-law, now you don't. Rooms feature narrow but cheerful balconies which, depending on the floor and room type, may be classed by frequent travellers as premium or a knee-bruising economy. For a business class stretch book a Suite (with an extra toilet and living room) or go whole hog with the 81sq m Executive Suite that is a standout with a sunny verandah for morning exercise.

Fronting the best stretch of Sanur beach (a 500m slice) and its brightly coloured catamarans, the hotel serves up a spacious dedicated spa with rock pools and breezy walks. This remains a Bali child-friendly hotel pick.

The swish Andaz Bali (launched April 2021, andaz-bali) has a refreshingly understated feel. Expect clean lines, minimalism and textures that say UPSCALE without being overly brash. Strung out along the beach with its navy blue sun umbrellas, this woody, green thatch-and-vine-draped ensemble adjoins sister property Hyatt Regency Bali via zig-zag paths. It all screames sustainability and low carbon footprint. In fact, families can enjoy the on-site Sea Turtle Village Conservation area for an upclose peek.

Despite the luxe vibe this is a surprisingly child-friendly resort with kids scampering everywhere and hovering about their towel-draped dads, all peering intently at their laptops and phones. There is a generous sized children's pool and a long lap pool by the sea. The grounds are full of skinny tall fit people strolling about in khaki Lululemons or bright Vilebrequin swim trunks. Marble-floored rooms from 50sq m up serve see-through bathing areas in slaty greystone. A King Bed Ocean View offer a 65-inch TV screen for a home studio experience along with the usual extras like iron, safe, electric kettle and circular bathtub. Villas roll out 396sq m of rumpus room for the entire family. Many opt for aTwo-Bedroom Beach Villa with a twin-bed setup in each room.

A range of excellent eateries serving everything from Asian and Indonesian to Western grills and Mediterranean seafood lay out their eye candy and aromas around the Village Square and its central greens while the freshest catch of the day is served at the beach. The dress code is casual. This 149-key resort for the discerning is a low decibel escape but it does offer a small 236sq m space for intimate events or CEO chinwags. It can handle a small Bali wedding there's space for a modest beach spillover. Andaz Bali scores well on our review vs say the Raffles, Ritz, or Apurva Kempinski with their unique hilltop seaviews and unique design strengths. The flat manicured setting at Andaz is easy on guests of all ages and perfect for kids. It cuts out buggy waits and is right in the midst of the local action though not overrun by it. It is contemporary but Bali is quintessentially present.

The attractive Griya Santrian (griya-santrian) and Puri Santrian (puri-santrian) are two stalwarts in this neighbourhood for a taste of Indonesian hospitality. Puri Santrian is spacious with a good stretch of beach, mature foliage and three swimming pools. Griya Santrian is one of the oldest hotels on this strip and offers breezy rooms with balconies or terraces. Both have spas. The former Radisson was taken over by the four-star Prime Plaza Hotel Sanur (spph.pphotels.com) that lacks direct beach access and is plonked next to a busy highway. Room rates reflect its locational challenges.

A December 2014 arrival here was the Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali that overtook the earlier Regent development. This was then replaced by the InterContinental Bali Sanur Resort (balisanur.intercontinental.com/). A large construct, it is right at the end of the Sanur strip next to Hyatt, perched at the very edge of a sharply tapering beach, with ocean views but not the smoothest stretch of sand underfoot. The breezy high-ceiling lobby looks onto a central courtyard with lotus ponds. The resort is arrayed around this central space. This creates a design niggle as the vast central courtyard is tedious to get around with no real shortcuts to the pool or beach. This is not a space that brings people together. It disperses them. At the seafront, a large infinity pool on a raised podium offers breezy evening sips. There is a children's pool too.

This 120-room address includes suites and villas (going up to the two-bedroom Presidential Villa). A Junior Suite starts at 90sq m with a Spa Suite Ocean View weighing in at 157sq m.

Expect textured interiors in dark, woody tones, with latticework, carved cabinets, artefacts, and contemporary furniture punctuated with bright cushions. A timber floor in the bedroom gives way to grey-stone underfoot in the balcony. Find reassuringly large switches to manage lights and more. Still, there is a fair bit of maintenance to be done. Rear-facing corridors to the high-floor rooms are partially exposed to the elements. This saves electricity and offers a tropical feel but some may not appreciate the "view" of tatty buildings.

Not far up the road it's easy to spot the contemporary concrete lines and vine-draped walls of the Maya Sanur (Feb 2015, mayaresorts.com/sanur) that would blissfully blend into Seminyak but appears a bit out of place in this sleepy traditional village. Yet, as you wander in you will appreciate how much thought has gone into this long narrow plot running from road to beach.

The three grey-stone floors, are lined on one side by a long slim arrow-straight plunge pool for the happy occupants of ground floor units, and on the other by an exposed open corridor for room entry. Poolside balconies in a birdcage setting have pull-up flaps in the rear to offer partial privacy. No views but plenty of light. The neat modern rooms serve up 52sq m to 58sq m of living space in pastel-grey surrounds with a see-through bathing area (twin vanities, bathtub and rainshower), a large flat-screen TV, ink-scratch wall art, and lime green cushions. Sea-facing pool view suites are the place to be. The main beachfront pool is compact while a 200-person ballroom caters for workaholics.

My small quiet boutique pick in Sanur is the whimsical family-managed dolls-house fantasym the Tandjung Sari (www.tandjungsarihotel.com) whose 27 split-level bungalows (from 45sq m to 135sq m) and tiny 50ft re-modelled pool by the beach offer something very different from the pack. Families can try the larger Twin Bedroom or South Garden bungalows, which offer a bit more stretch space. All units are set in manicured compounds with a fair bit of privacy. Some villas offer four-poster gauze nets, blue-tile floors, twin vanities, and outdoor covered bathtubs and showers. This is a narrow and long compound where a meandering pathway takes you from lobby, past bungalows, to the pool and beach. Unlike at neighbouring mega-resorts, there's not much walking to be done. This would have suited The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger when he stayed here as an acned youth. It may have come as a surprise to them that this all natural resort favours a no-TV and no-music approach though an idiot box can be brought in on request. Music too.

Don't expect service to come on rollerblades here. Things happen sedately and always with a smile. There is the Jamu Traditional Spa for aromatic rubdowns and, thoughtfully, a library with books in various languages including English and Dutch. Villa rates are more reasonable than most. Tandjung Sari celebrated 50 years of operation in 2013 and, as its founder Wija Wawo-Runto said, "My hotel is my living room, my guests are my friends." That thinking remains unchanged. It is a special slice of Bali.

The former Grand Inna Bali Beach has been rescued and transformed from total dump to designer hotel and spa retresat as The Meru Sanur (themerusanur.com). The original Grand Bali Beach property had been rebuilt after a devastating fire in January 1993 and it relaunched with a photographic exhibition in the lobby — of the fire! A most exquisite PR blooper.

Then came the Inna group. Meru has done a lot to overcome the earlier reputational damage with a reconstituted hotel and a nice contemporary vibe. It is certainly worth a look. Next door is the brightly remodelled Bali Beach Hotel (balibeachsanur.com) with plenty of conference and convention space.

A smart retreat on this quiet coast is The Pavilions Bali (the-pavilions-bali) with sumptuous pool villas ranging up to very spacious two-bedroom pool villas with kitchenette, private gardens, Balinese decor, butlers and a spa. The resort is close to but not on the beach.

▲ top

Candidasa and Manggis, Southeast Bali

The third Aman Bali property, Amankila (www.aman.com/resorts/amankila), is set high on a headland in Candidasa, an hour-and-a-half to the east, now connected by a fast motorway that traverses black sand beaches and fishing villages. All stays here come with roundtrip airport transfers so rest easy. Its 30 or so suites are connected by extensive walkways and a buggy transports you to a Beach Club. Or just take the steps down to the stunning lap pool on the salt-and-pepper coast where yoga classes may be happening. The signature triple tier swimming pools are the first thing you'll see when you arrive.

The views are breathtaking and romance is sensually ever-present, especially if you book into one of the pool villas. The villas here are narrower than those at Amandari but more than adequate with woody interiors and A-frame thatched roofs. The bedroom leads into an open plan bathroom with twin vanities, two closets and pretty much two of everything. Large plump white beds await in-villa with indoor soaking tubs, and rain shower. Expect to walk a lot at Amankila unless, sensibly, you’re sleeping in and enjoying your pool villa surrounds. Floors are in cool polished marble while the resort is in cream limestone that catches the sun and sets the ensemble alight in orange. Try cycling in neighbouring rice fields or through Manggis Village (named after the ubiquitous Mangosteen). Several cultural immersion or adventure-based activities including temple blessings are available.

The Alila Manggis (www.alilahotels.com/manggis/), is a laid-back sanctuary with no airs but plenty of style. Set amidst a coconut grove in gardens facing a salt-and-pepper beach, the resort is arrayed around a large square central swimming pool. Rooms have tiled floors, divans and louvred wood accents. Arrayed around the pool, first floor rooms have balconies. For tired limbs there are spa therapies and massage from a one hour Balinese Massage to Ayurvedic treatments, a pregnancy massage and even a children's massage.

JUMP TO New resorts | Nusa Dua | Benoa | Uluwatu | Jimbaran | Kuta | Seminyak | Canggu | Sanur | Candidasa | Ubud | Pemuteran & Tembok | Besakih, Sidemen, Penelokan

Sustainable Bali rainforest holidays get no better than at the luxe Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, north of Ubud where villas have no walls and let nature waltz in. This 'naked experience' involves leg work/ photo: Vijay Verghese

▲ top

Ubud resorts review, Sayan, Payangan

Ubud is a fast-growing community, not just of frenzied artists and creative fiends, but of shoppers, travellers and local residents coming up to escape the sultry plains weather. Unfortunately, the traffic on Ubud's narrow, winding roads has multiplied as a result, and it is very difficult to whiz through from west to east. Many then drive up the the north-south valley on either side, avoiding a tangled traverse of central Ubud.

A 45-minute drive north from Ubud past Payangan Village through lush jungle and up verdant valleys, Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape (14 June 2022, escape.banyantree.com), offers a unique sense of arrival with a view of seven volcanic peaks that guard Lake Beratan or Bratan. This 16-villa hideaway will give you a Gorillas in the Mist tingle down the spine (there are no keys but villa access is digitally secured). To begin with, the arrival is NOT the arrival. It is simply a stylish bamboo machan where you savour the view before crunching downhill on pebbled walkways to the actual dark-timber open-sided reception set above a blue tongue of pool lined by red umbrellas genuflecting before those volcanic sentinels. In that moment you know you have arrived, at the very HEART of Bali. It is rustic, inspiring, a tad sweaty if the wind dies down. Everything is constructed from Ulin wood brought in from Kalimantan.

Walking down to your villa or balé, you may pass a yoga pavilion (made from bamboo) that doubles as a wedding venue. Below this is the breezy Spa. More gravel crunching and awe turns to worry about where your luggage might be. It is arriving via an 'inclinator' that takes its time descending and ascending the four levels of this mountain resort.

Great pains have been taken to make things natural at this 'naked escape' and it all becomes clear as you arrive at your vast villa with timber underfoot, gauzy nets billowing around the large bed, and unobstructed views of the plunge pool and the surrounding vegetation — there are no cumbersome walls. A lazy fan whirs above the bed but other than that you are at the mercy of the hill breezes that do a decent job, especially June-August when things are drier and cooler. Expect slim rattan veranda blinds, a black-stone soaking tub, rain shower, and twin vanities with old-fashioned brass knobs. The plump bed, divan, and tub, all observe the valley and volcano views. Electric sockets are the deep two-pin variety.

This is a spot for well-heeled honeymooners and romantic locavores — 70 percent of the food is plant based and 80 percent is locally sourced. Understandably the resort has a minimum 18 years age threshold for guests. I need to continue on my hotel rounds so it's an impatient wait for the inclinator. Lord be praised! It works, and we creak up the slope in an open-sided wooden box that might be humorously construed as a peripatetic outdoor dunny, or 'thunder box'.

In the same vicinity, the Ubud Hanging Gardens (formerly by Orient-Express Hotels) became Hanging Gardens of Bali (hanginggardensofbali.com). As the name suggests, the Balinese villas, are perched — pretty securely — above the Ayung River gorge, the de rigueur location for any upscale Ubud hangout. The resort is a 30-minute drive north of Ubud, part of it through verdant rolling hillside climbing up and plunging down impossibly narrow lanes. The white-knuckle ride is well worth it and much of the road is better quality black-top now. The 40-odd villas with thatched alang-alang roofs are set on wooden pillars with four-poster beds inside, outdoor showers and plunge pools. The Spa close by the river offers birdsong (which is free) and fancy herbal spa treatments.

A funicular connects the reception area up top with the lower villas, restaurant and stunning tiered pools that jut out vertiginously above the valley, enabling fine views, innumerable pose options for Instagrammers, and rich tans. This is a much photographed gem and when you see it you'll understand why. Park on the timber deck for a cocktail or nibble. Another funicular glides down to the spa. Sensibly, steps run down the resort so foot power is always an option too. Enjoy walks through the pristine jungle, or learn cooking.

Working slowly south, the one that originally set the indulgence bar is the COMO Shambhala Estate (como-shambhala-estate) with its handful of spacious "residences" (each with a variety of suites). These are all spacious, pretty and utterly private, slung around the hump of a garden hummock at the centre of the resort and surrounded by jungle. All feature breathtaking pools and a butler.

Just south of here after Payangan is the Alila Ubud (www.alilahotels.com/ubud) that started out as a Chedi with its stunning tongue of pool jutting out like a high-dive board over the Ayung gorge. The Alila is serene and professional with a laid-back feel. Arrayed across the long stilted structure, there are a small number of rooms set on two-storeys, looking out over the valley. Expect 30sq m to 90sq m of space with balconies, stone floors, and spoiling toiletries. There are a few villas with thatch roofs and a deck overlooking the Ayung River, and pool villas too. Think butlers, in-room wellness treatments and the soothing valley-edge Rainforest Spa.

For a real Ubud hideaway gem, pop into the green and gracious Puri Wulandari (hotelpuriwulandari.com), a Bali boutique resort and spa. It is well recessed from the road and set in lush paddy with ducks, looking down over the Ayung River. The 35 or so thatch-roof villas are elegant and private and the terraced gardens are a treat offering space for a tsateful Balinese wedding. The villas feature their own brilliant blue valley-edge plunge pools with stunning views, and outdoor shower areas.

A One Bedroom Villa offers 200sq m of stretch space in a private compound with that alluring plunge pool, blue lounge chairs, a belvedere, and a thatch-roof villa with four-poster bed, TV, dressing room with twin vanities, a sunken tub and outdoor covered shower. By 2025 complimentary WiFi had arrived in all villas (and no longer confined to just public areas). The mood is languorously traditional, unhurried, and classy. The Lila Ulangun Spa has a wealth of treatments and massages ranging from aromatherapy to Javanese lulur and Balinese boreh. Also finda Jacuzzi and sauna. Unfussy, slow paced Puri Wulandari with its service from the heart scores high in our Bali resorts review.

A luxurious development by the Pita Maha group is 75-villa The Royal Pita Maha (royalpitamaha-bali.com/), not far from the Ubud Pita Maha Resort and along the same valley as the Amandari. This is a smart pool villa development offering space and stunning views. For starters, when you walk into Royal Pita Maha's panoramic lobby, you'll be assailed by a breathtaking view encompassing a huge swathe of the valley.

Far below, the sacred river gurgles along. Each thatch-roof pool villa compound is totally private within mossy-stone walls, with open valley views. The Deluxe Pool Villa bedroom is at the centre of the layout with a large gauze-draped bed, often strewn with rose petals for honeymooners. Step down to access the living room with a work desk, divan, and flat-screen LCD television, or the spacious bathroom with its apple-shaped terrazzo tub and soothing organic toiletries. There's no problem with fast hot water unlike at several other resorts. Enjoy free WiFi and plenty of light on account of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Opt for a 400sq m Ayung Healing Villa (lower down the slope) with a natural water pool and organic breakfasts, or a 340sq m Royal Pool Villa, also set closer to the river below in green surrounds.

Take two elevators (yes they have a couple here) and walk down winding steps past the Sacred Pool, stone statues, and a spring water pool, to get to the lip of the Ayung River against which is perched a breezy open-sided pavilion that serves organic breakfasts. Savour steaming Eggs Benedict perhaps served on sweet potato with crab cakes and pour down litres of fresh juice, all the while gazing upon a wondrous, smoky river scene only modestly ruffled later in the morning by the delighted squeals of white-water rafters as their inflatables bump the boulders. Wedding guests can enjoy the simple and traditional Royal Kadasa chapel or opt for a dramatic Waterfall Wedding. The dramatic Royal Open Stage with lawn and backing stone carvings is also available for banquets and events.

The place is brimming with stone carvings, several of playful monkeys and frogs, and there is a large main swimming pool high up the hill below the belvedere restaurant (from where the best views are on tap). The dedicated Royal Spa & Wellness enclave is a must with massage suites and all manner of wellness, Balinese and international. Art flourishes have been provided by a member of the Ubud Royal Family, the main sponsor of this charming getaway.

Making a smart comeback is Kupu Kupu Barong Villas & Tree Spa (kupubarongubud.com) a Hobbit-style villa reserve on the Ayung gorge. The upgraded Kupu Kupu Barong is smart, better polished, and with a charming spa and the three hectares of lush green. It features 34 suites in traditional Balinese design. This is one of Bali's oldest boutique hotels (it opened in 1986 as a restaurant) d. The small main pool is now a stylish clean-lined infinity affair overlooking the gorge with a flutter of pink or red sun umbrellas. This is an excellent spot to pose for a photograph.

Amanresorts’ original gem that brought unobtrusive designer chic to Ubud, Amandari (www.aman.com/amandari), is perched on the lip of the Ayung River Gorge, with an emerald pool that disappears over the edge. Knit into the community, Amandari is used freely by Hindu priests as a thoroughfare to the sacred river during the daily blessings and ceremonies.

Armed with strong legs and a bottle of mineral water guests can trudge down almost right to the river’s edge. Amandari is authentic, quiet and spoiling. The cliff-edge sliver of reflective emerald that is the pool forms a stunning centrepiece with 30 villas radiating out on either side.

A spacious ground-floor bedroom villa offers natural soap, an outdoor tub, interior rainshower and twin vanities. Expect three-pin plug sockets, a work desk and complimentary WiFi. Other units serve up a large airy living room on the ground floor with a small bedroom up a corkscrew wooden staircase. At one end of the resort is Amandari’s spa with open-air bales, sauna and steam room.

Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve (Sep 2015, mandapa-a-ritz-carlton-reserve) farther down the Sayan Road, is an exclusive 60-key hideaway neighbouring Amandari, offering high quality finish, thoughtful contemporary retro chic design and, best of all, a refreshingly uncomplicated arrival experience down a narrow village lane. It is a top drawer hideaway that sparkles with a polished rustic lustre. Perched on the lip of the Ayung River gorge facing a broad horseshoe bend, Mandapa interiors are hushed, in handsome, textured dark wood, offset with copper fixtures and mood chandeliers. Set higher up the hillside, stone-floor Suites have long balconies that run generously the entire length of the 150sq m unit. The light switches are delightfully old fashioned, large, tactile, and idiot-proof, and plug points are aplenty in international three-pin — and recessed round two-pin — formats, including in convenient pullout bedside drawers (with two USB sockets).

While uncompromisingly upscale, it is a homey feel, the dark textured wood adding that element of soothing comfort and elegance with a single glowing mother-of-pearl chandelier as the focal ceiling light in both the bedroom and the living room. Two lazily hanging 'oil lamps' provide a vintage touch as do the frosted glass panes in the walk-in closet and bathrooms screaming for you to whip out an Agatha Christie whodunnit. Expect two swivelling flat-screen TVs that afford views from practically anywhere, an espresso machine, competent hairdryer, comfy divans, a naughty peekaboo white bathtub and a leap-up Japanese-style electric potty.

Beds are large and supple and each room features one-of-a-kind handpainted Balinese-scene. A One-Bedroom Villa (with pool and garden) starts at 430sq m while the enormous three-bedroom pool escape Mandapa Villa offers 2,000sq m of stretch space. The vertiginous drop from the arrival point to your hillside Suite or lower level Villa is negotiated by buggy as are the distances from your bed to the excellent restaurants and spa. This may irk those who'd prefer steps but it is a minor niggle. Male butlers are on hand for shoppers in need of help with holiday heft. Service is intuitive and graciously attentive. Pick this escape for a Bali wedding in an immersive setting and save time for spa and wellness treatments.

(Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is showcased in our exclusive by-invitation Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page.)

The spa is a main feature at the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan (www.fourseasons.com/sayan) and rightly so. The Sayan resort is architecturally different, to say the least. Upon arrival, you are greeted by a serene, circular lotus pond high above the valley. To get to the open-sided, airy lobby you actually descend through this idyllic giant bird bath. It features both suites as well as some 40-odd private villas, with the customary modcons and hypo-allergenic pillows. The main swimming pool licks the very edges of the Ayung River below. All dining facilities at the resort look over the valley at sumptuous forest and paddy field views. Spend time here on mind-boggling distractions like anti-gravity yoga, chakra balancing, a night spa ritual by the river, or a 'sacred nap' suspended in a silken hammock (though many may prefer their own bed).

Moon House at the whimsical Bambu Indah in the hill country of Sayan. The bamboo and copper construct is welcoming of light and air. And yes, in additiona to valley breezes, the canopied bed is air-conditioned/ photo: hotel

Just south of Four Seasons Sayan and accessed through a Devilishly hard to spot path is the bamboo-and-copper Hobbit House fantasy, Bambu Indah (www.bambuindah.com) a labour of love, sustainability, and community uplift by John and Cynthia Hardy whose jewellery stores are known to many Bali old timers. It is described as an ongoing experiment and it is wondrous indeed — for those with strong legs, as there's much ascending and descending on stone steps over suspended bamboo bridges to magical riverside snuggeries. Walk past the breezy bamboo reception and the sun-drenched pools overlooking a broad swathe of Ayung Valley rice paddy — much of this replanted and revived — to the bar, from where the steps dog-leg down into the beckoning wet green darkness below.

Should you choose, there is a small three-person lift that lowers you down and hoists you up. This is a fun, if claustrophobic, shoulder-rubbing borewell trip to the centre of the Earth. Look up to see the receding light at the top of the narrow clay shaft. Underground catacomb toilets may not be for everyone but there are normal toilets too. Down by the cascading river an exhilarating new world opens up with timbered terraces and cushioned seating, stone slab walkways through dark rock pools, and tucked away 'houses' displaying some truly whimsical creations, all in harmony with the surroundings. This is Bali at its best and it will tug at all heartstrings — romantics, lovers, burned-out bankers, and parents who want their kids to enjoy and learn about nature.

The Copper House offers 65sq m of space welcoming of breeze and light, with a viewing terrace and a large copper soaking tub. Nature may waltz right in as fireflies dance at night but the bamboo canopy bed is air-conditioned... The 108sq m two-storey Jamu House is more conventional and good for families. Expect a queen bed and two doubles "a 100 steps from reception" — a reminder of your location. There is host of choices. If your legs are up to it try the picturesque 37sq m wooden Jawalama House — A Javanese bridal home — (180 steps from reception). For less of a workout pick a village-side house close to the reception at the arrival level. Bambu Indah is unpretentious luxury with heart. There are rough edges as nature intended. And there is a genuine giving back to the land and the community here, not just abstract suited talk of carbon credits.

In the Ubud neighbourhood along the Ayung River are the smart modular Samaya Ubud Bali (www.thesamayabali.com/ubud) and Kayumanis Ubud (www.kayumanisubud.com), which also runs tasteful luxury villas in Nusa Dua and Jimbaran. Kayumanis nestles in cinnamon groves looking over rainforest above the Ayung River. Do note this spa resort does not take in children below 10.

The Westin Ubud Resort & Spa (Late 2017, westin-resort-and-spa-ubud) is a bit farther south of Four Seasons Sayan and marks the Westin’s second foray on the island after the Nusa Dua conference titan. This 110-room highlands hideaway too offers modest MICE Muscle (three meeting venues including 1,615sq ft of function area) for corporate meetings and destination weddings business. But again, like other hotel constructs it lacks a compelling sales story.

Closer to Ubud is the COMO Uma Ubud (como-uma-ubud), almost a small self-contained village with Balinese style villas featuring chic modern bathrooms, some with plunge pools and good WiFi access. There's plenty of green space, tranquil nooks and corners for a reflective moment, water features, rockeries and shaded walkways. Spa out in a treatment room, steam off your city stress, or settle in to some soothing yoga.

The verdant, villa-style Pita Maha Resort and Spa (pitamaha-bali.com) with great views of the valley looking over a wondrously blue swimming pool, is a pleasant pit stop as you emerge from the Central Ubud scrum. This is a mini Royal Pita Maha experience with similar features on a smaller scale but the same comfort, design, and warm service. The villas nestle along a steep and heavily wooded slope leading down to the river. Statuettes welcome you at every curve of the stone pathways along with beaming smiles from staff.

Next door, sister-property the very Indonesian Hotel Tjampuhan & Spa (tjampuhan-bali.com) boasts the "actual" home of Walter Spies, the celebrated German artist. Rooms are woody with local accents and the grounds are rich in statuary and artefacts. This is an excellent value Ubud spa resort close to the town centre palace, art, museum, restaurants and markets, but just a little west of the real traffic snarls. The Ibah, renamed the Warwick Ibah Luxury Villas & Spa (www.warwickhotels.com), is a treat for sore eyes with its dense green, stone walkways, and dreamy pool with romantic snuggeries carved into the rock. Set on the Campuhan River valley rim, the villas are tasteful with four-poster canopied beds. Warwick has a health spa.

For something a little different explore ARMA Museum & Resort (www.armabali.com/). Under the aegis of the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) this is a stylish set of 16 rooms in eight villas and a pool. Money earned here goes into maintaining the museum so it is money well spent indeed. Expect a swimming pool, a fine art gallery, all manner of art and cultural workshops, and small meeting facilities.

From central Ubud a series of hairpins lead up to Penestanan where the road mysteriously peters out. This is the preserve of villagers, cyclists, beatific chickens, and a few travellers in the know. Here you'll find a tiny gem, the beckoning Villa Nirvana (www.balivillanirvana.com) that has been quietly making a name for itself. Find a handful of tastefully designed one and two-bedroom private villas (with up to 12 rooms between them accommodating 24) set on individual green terraces, each with a private pool and all modcons including large flatscreen TVs.

Opened in 2011, this affordable luxury hideaway is the brainchild of Singapore-based journalist Vikram Khanna. With steady upgrades and thoughtful expansion that has included yoga, service touches, the playfully termed Kama Sutra Spa with wellness treatments, and imaginative food (The Banana Leaf restaurant serves good Chinese, Indian, Indonesian and Western food), the resort has risen steadily in popularity. Top line here is the Nirvana Residence, a luxury two, three, or four-bedroom villa escape with a private lap pool that catches plenty of sun.

Five more boutique options from the Monkey Forest Ubud to Keramas Beach on the east coast highway are provided by Komaneka (komaneka.com). These resorts are small scale, friendly, and laid back with artistic touches. Another smaller local-flavour option is Villa Semana (villasemana.com) with a secluded spa and 10 lovely villas set in gardens overlooking the Ayung River gorge.

A 20-minute drive north of central Ubud is 2018 arrival, Capella Ubud (capella-ubud), another off-the-beaten-path rustic 22-tent affair tucked into the rainforest and paddy. Unlike at Buahan, these tents have air-conditioning. There are no views of brooding volcanoes and calderas as you descend into the valley, but the place offers a unique sense of immersion with snuggeries at every turn, birdsong, and spots for cool drinks, meditative forays, or a dip, say, at the quixotically termed 'CISTERN' (or swimming pool). Somehow, the tents— each in a unique design — and pristine nature, coexist with whimsical steampunk architecture and design. Expect vintage teak, creaking wood underfoot, four-poster beds, small boulder-rimmed dipping pools (not all blue-tiled rectangles), Indonesian artefacts, rich textures, and tautly stretched canopies (some ageing and already blending into nature themselves).

Try a Keliki Valley one-bedroom tent with heated alfresco infinity pool, or explore the darkly tempting black-wood two-room 217sq m Lodge with its antique Chinese feel, ripple wood flooring, chequered beds, whimsical art, 19sq m heated pool, beaten copper soaking tub, a vintage rotary-dial phone that actually works and, in deference to modern times, an Illy coffee making unit. Capella is not for everyone but those who fall in love with its quirky excesses will settle for nothing less. There are several dining options and an Auriga Wellness spa with invigorating massage, Balinese potions and any number of scrubs and rubs. Across the valley, the hotel-style The Apurva Kempinski Ubud (apurva-kempinski-ubud-bali) is due later in 2027.

A little north of Capella along another valley is the stilted hotel style Anantara Ubud Bali Resort (www.anantara.com/en/ubud-bali) with 100 rooms including 36 villas, family pool, lap pool, pleasant breezy restaurants (where I stopped for some excellent nasi goreng), a Spa, a 150-person meeting room, valley views and oddly, blazing reen astro-turf on flat roofs on lower sections of the building (a throwaway nod at sustainability?). Despite being a hotel it manages to blend in somewhat but lacks definition and engagement. When I visited, the liquid soap in all the toilets had run out. I was the sole guest at the balconied Kirana Indonesian restaurant. Top notch service.

Designer hideaway Capella Ubud is tucked into a valley with quirky tented lodgings, each one distinct in character. Find copper bathtubs and antique rotary-dial phones — that work/ photos: Vijay Verghese

On the western edge of Ubud on the north-south road that heads to Penelokan is the smart Kamandalu Ubud (www.kamandaluresort.com). It has a chequered history and was once managed by Banyan Tree. It is set amidst verdant rice-fields above the Petanu River. While some parts of the complex are compact, others are spread out with generous views.

Newer villas offer two-level privacy with open valley views and a cliff-edge pool with sundeck and all the tropical props you may need. Find four-poster beds with bright cushions, flower petals and, imaginatively, towels-turned-swans. A Garden Villa offer 129sq m of space. Staff is attentive and courteous. The ambience at Kamandalu is laid-back and relaxed and the pool overlooks lawns running down the hill to cottages and the lip of the river. Later check out the Chaya Spa for wraps and aromatherapy or wander to the edge of Petanu Valley and the Forest Spa for a lavish Balinese massage.

There is yoga too. Choose from pool villas, garden villas, or larger family pavilions that will accommodate two couples with a few tykes in tow. Located in paddy fields east of Ubud centre, Kamandalu is well positioned for drives north to Penelokan and beyond.

Right next door is the compact and exclusive Viceroy Bali (www.viceroybali.com) with its manicured lawns, 40 luxury pool villas in varying configurations, the top-of-the-line two-bedroom Viceroy Villa, fine dining and the Akoya Spa. Freshly minted in July 2011 were ten new villas replete with private pavilions, living room with sofa, 47-inch TV, iPod dock and more. Soon to come are tennis and yoga centres to round off the resort experience. The ambience is traditional Balinese and though the resort is small there is a well-defined sense of space.

Maya Ubud Resort and Spa (mayaresorts.com/ubud) is worth a look for its stylish concept featuring, among other things, beaten metal in surprising places, including the bathtubs and sinks. Set aside from the hubbub, the Maya stretches along the spine of a low green spur leading into a bend of the river up the eastern edge of Ubud. Deep down the gorge, on the river, is its delightful spa. Funky compact villas look over the valley. These feature small pools, garden, TV, as well as coffee and tea-making facilities. There are hotel rooms in the main lowrise building too.

Floating on rice fields, the Tanah Gajah, a resort by Hadiprana, (Jan 2020, once The Chedi Club, www.tanahgajahubud.com) offers 24 artistic self-contained units (some with pools) in five hectares of garden looking onto verdant paddy. This is a private home away from home format, spoiling, rustic, mellow and very Indonesian.

Formerly the home of celebrated architect Hendra Hadiprana, Tanah Gajah Ubud is now run by the Hadiprana family and continues to offer locally inspired upscale whimsy with an away-from-it-all feel. The resort is homey, unhurried and welcoming, and seemingly floats above shockingly green rice field acres with walks and ponds and any number of statues especially of the characterful Hindu elephant-headed God Ganesha.

Decor is Javanese in style and uncluttered. Expect carved wooden beds, ceramic tiles underfoot, beaten bamboo headboards, a flatscreen TV, and a Bose home theatre. There is a 35m pool if you need to stretch those muscles with some fast laps, a fitness centre, tennis court, open-air amphitheatre, an art gallery, excellent dining, and a spa with a meditation room. In season, balloon over Ubud from here.

Some ways south of the Tanah Gajah and north of Sukawati (the art village) is the Sthala, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Ubud Bali (October 2016, www.sthalaubudbali.com) with 143 rooms starting at 36sq m and Suites from 70sq m. It is a straighforward hotel and somewhat incongruent to its pretty riverside surrounds with outdoor pool, gym and spa.

JUMP TO New resorts | Nusa Dua | Benoa | Uluwatu | Jimbaran | Kuta | Seminyak | Canggu | Sanur | Candidasa | Ubud | Pemuteran & Tembok | Besakih, Sidemen, Penelokan

▲ top

North Bali, Pemuteran, East Coast, Tulamben, Tembok

If heading towards Manggis and the east with family, explore the Mara River Safari Lodge (www.marariversafarilodge.com) that is easily accessed via the east coast highway. This is a theme resort with thatch-roof accommodation, jungle sounds, camel or elephant rides, and a night safari. It’s not too rustic. The 38 simple lodge rooms in the Kenyan style offer aircon, free WiFi, TV, babysitting services, swimming pool, and a spa. Expect ceramic floors, simple but clean toilets, comgy beds with gauze drapes, a hairdryer, safe, coffee maker, mini-bar, and a balcony or verandah with views across a moat. Spot zebra, white tigers, komodo dragons, oryx, hippos and more. Safari tours at the Taman Safari Bali (www.balisafarimarinepark.com) take in animal shows, lion cub petting, personal encounters with orangutans. The park is clean, well managed and staffed by bright young kids.

Far up in Bali's less travelled north are pepper beaches (not really black) and, in the northwest, high ranges clad in virgin rainforest. Against this dramatic backdrop in Pemuteran you'll find the rustically elegant Puri Ganesha Villas (www.puriganesha.com) with its vegan and seafood menus and its four two-storey Balinese-style villas with a broad stretch of beach. Pick one, two or three-bedroom space and plonk down in a lounge chair on a breezy wraparound verandah. All the villas face east to catch the first rays of the morning. A decent lap pool set in a refreshing bed of green grass looks out at the sea. For those tiring of Bali's hair-pulling traffic and areas overrun by tourists, this far north idyll is a nice choice. Because of the distances you might make this your base for a few days to explore the less travelled north.

Puri Ganesa is a far-from-the-madding-crow spot for yoga, not a five-star villa preen. As the owner Diana von Cranach mischievously declares, "Don’t expect to find power showers, fluffy white towels, straws or canned drinks...expect to enjoy fabulous organic food, and litres of complimentary volcanic mineral water". Sounds good. The minimum stay is two nights.

You might look at the smart Damai (thedamai.com) high on a spur looking over the coastline (some excellent food is to be enjoyed here and a spa) where the pampering and bed linen get more upscale. The expansive Matahari Beach Resort & Spa sadly closed in 2022, but heading west along the coast, the 130-room low-rise New Sunari Lovina Beach Resort (formerly Sol Lovina, kutuskutus-sunari.com) is a relaxed wallet-friendly option with nice pool, black beach and open views.

Also in north Bali, near Seririt and perched above the Sea of Java, is the Zen Resort Bali (zenresortbali.com), a small boutique hotel featuring Balinese architecture. Guests can indulge in individually created spa packages, or meditate and practise yoga in the special yoga pavilion. There's also a forest walk to a sacred temple and a tranquil beach. The resort is a three-hour drive from Denpasar, and two hours from Ubud.

For adventure and nature options there's Waka Hotels & Resorts that organises land cruiser and sailing excursion. It also manages the excellent eco-resort NusaBay Menjangan (nusabay-menjangan) at West Bali National Park in the far northwest; and the west coast thatch-roof villas of Waka Gangga (wakahotelsandresorts.com/wakagangga) amidst rice paddy fields on a black sand beach.

The Mimpi group has one of its dive resorts up here in the slow-paced northwest of Bali. The Mimpi Menjangan Resort (mimpi.com/menjangan) exploits the natural hot springs and offers a nice cottage setting. The dramatic-view pebble beach Mimpi Tulamben Resort (mimpi.com/tulamben), near Kubu, on the east coast, offers easy access to the wreck of the USS Liberty with a stunning backdrop — the brooding Mt Agung volcano. And on the Jalan Singaraja-Amlapura road winding along the island's ruggedly beautiful east coast at Tembok, Malaysian YTL's first Bali foray, The Spa Village Resort Tembok, shut down late 2024.

▲ top

Besakih, Sidemen, Penelokan

In the highlands south of Besakih and with terrific views of paddy fields is the traditional and very small poolside Subak Tabola Villa Sideman (subaktabolavillasidemen) that occasionally disappears from the radar. The simple, if comfortable, villa is clean with stone floor, soaking tub, queen-size bed, and breezy verandah. There's much emphasis on wellness and inner healing. Given the verdant surrounds and magnificent views that's not surprising. You might even try a spot of river rafting or hiking.

In Penelokan/Kintamani perched above Lake Batur and its sulphurous volcano cones bubbling around Mt Agung, the Lakeview Hotel & Restaurant (lakeviewbatur.com) continues to provide an exhilarating vantage point for a simple but friendly lunch buffet (don't expect much for the Rp135,000 or US$8 outlay). You’ll also need to buy an inexpensive ticket to enter the general Penelokan area. Lakeview Hotel offers decent unfussy upgraded lodgings ranging from Balinese traditional to the modern New Deluxe room with timbered flooring, slatted partition, lake-view balcony, large bed and clean minimalist space. There are family rooms and a dormitory-style section too. If overnighting, try a sunrise trek.

That's Bali north, south, east and west. Take your pick. As I negotiated security checkpoints, slobbering dogs, instant festivals and devotees thronging tiny roads, I slowed down behind a van bobbing elegantly along the rutted road with a large sign. “Quality before service” it said. Well…

Send us your Feedback / Letter to the Editor

▲ top