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IN THE OLD days they called it being flayed alive. Today, in fashionable circles, skin exfoliation is said to be devilishly good for you. People scrape your body with everything from pumice stones and coconut husk to rice powder, turmeric and coffee beans.
At the end of all this, if you are not admitted to the nearest hospital, your ex-wife or ex-husband will be on the phone begging for reconciliation and, in general, persons of the opposite sex will be flocking to gape at your inner glow, if not inner child.
And there's no better place to savour the cathartic gush of a colonic irrigation, a traditional "jamu" treatment or just a straight-up aromatic massage, than in Bali, the Island of the Gods, where cleanliness is akin to godliness. Of course all this muddy Deep Sea adventure will cost but, heck, how often do you have the opportunity to shell out to get beaten to within an inch of your life? On then to a look at Bali spas and some of the best Bali spa resorts from Nusa Dua to Seminyak and Ubud. Seminyak spa resorts would like to be thought of as trendy while Ubud spa resorts claim to capture the "soul" of the place, if you can find them at all on Bali's higgledy-piggledy roads.
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| Nusa Dua Beach Hotel spa/ photo: hotel |
Spas, seaweed, seawater and jamu treatments are all over the island like a rash, so for the purposes of this Bali spa guide, we shall concentrate on the standouts. Big is not always better and some small establishments have some rather attractive spa set-ups. Take your pick. Bottom line, Bali is a truly magical place and no matter where you end up you will likely be enchanted by the service, treatments and ambience. While there are several reasonable independent spa operations around the island, you will likely spend time at an on-site spa so our focus is largely on Bali spa resorts. Check our Bali Map and dive in.
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Bali spa resorts in Nusa Dua, Benoa, Uluwatu
Watch out for super high-end Banyan Tree Spa at Banyan Tree Ungasen, Bali, causing a wallet-bending stir in the south. Which is as good a place as any to start – specifically in the manicured, tourism enclave of Nusa Dua where everything looks like the drive into town from Singapore's Changi Airport. The Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, one of the first occupants along this strip runs the custom-built Nusa Dua Spa. Set aside from the main resort in a deep salmon-pink villa, this nice spa features a lap pool, treatment rooms and spa treatments including the Balinese "boreh" (involving acupressure without oil and a body mask), traditional coconut scrubs or Javanese "lulur" and Balinese facial treatments. Javanese Lulur, a turmeric and sandalwood exfoliation, can be had on its own as well, along with aromatic and, yes, jetlag, massages.
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| Grand Hyatt kriya spa/ photo: hotel |
Next door, The Westin Resort Nusa Dua (formerly the convention hotel Sheraton Nusa Indah) has its Westin Spa. Try the Magic Ritual signature aromatherpay massage or the Warming Elixir utilising Balinese boreh.
The sprawling Laguna, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Nusa Dua (formerly the Sheraton Laguna Resort & Spa, part of the Starwood Luxury Collection) with its vast swimmable lagoons and greenery
has the Laguna Spa with Balinese and Javanese specialities from massage to scrubs and beauty treatments. If you have the money and the moxie, book the romantic Spa Villa.
The swish Grand Hyatt offers extensive treatments at its dramatic new kriya spa echoing the cadences of a Balinese water palace. This is a spacious, breezy complex with water features that come alight in the evening. It is among the more contemporary Bali spas around.
Each spa villa has its own courtyard, plunge pool, soaking tub, and twin massage facilities. The colours are light, pastel, and soothing. The pale, cool stone runs in clean straight lines defining water pools and channels, offering a pleasant counterpoint to the heat of the overhead sun. Sample a Traditional Healing Massage, a Yoga Massage, a Balinese rubdown or an exotic Warm Stone Massage. There’s wellness treatments by the bushel here but you’ll be well advised to book in advance. (Grand Hyatt Bali is showcased in our exclusive by-invitation Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
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| Spa Village Club Med/ photo: hotel |
At the attractive Club Med Spa at Club Med, in its own private setting, expect everything from Balinese rub-downs and reflexology to a 50-minute hot stones massage, Jacuzzi, steam bath, and the top-end Pure Indulgence package with a floral foot bath, lavender wash and floral aromatherapy bath - accompanied by cookies and herbal tea. French-run Club Med tends to be an all-in experience with accommodation, meals and activities.
The Spanish-run Melia Bali Villas & Spa Resort is unfussy and welcoming with a separate villa section. Set in 25 generous acres, the Melia Bali has just launched its new worldwide Yhi Spa brand and offers extensive wellness indulgence with the all-pervasive aromas of ginger and frangipani. The Balinese spa is set in gardens where you can also pursue yoga. There are 10 treatment rooms with outdoor baths and showers for couples and two suites. Check out the Body Elixir treatment or the Javanese Lulur. The one-hour Yhi Signature Massage incorporates Thai massage with long flowing Swedish-style stroking as well as acupressure.
The renamed Ayodya Resort Bali (formerly the breakaway Bali Hilton International) and its exclusive Ayodya Palace wing, is crammed with all manner of striking statuary depicting scenes from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Apart from its 300m beachfront and luxurious Ayodya Palace villa and suites complex, the resort has a spa facility with treatment suites and rooms. Firm, tone up, detox or just enjoy a fitness workout.
Bordering the Ayodya is the Bali Golf & Country Club which manages the swank self-contained The Villas at Bali Golf and Country Club with imported on-demand spa and massage treatments. (The Villas at Bali Golf and Country Club are showcased in our exclusive by-invitation Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
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| Spa bale, Laguna Resort & Spa/ photo: hotel |
Perched on a low promontory, The Balé is a beige limestone villa hideaway. This Lifestyle Retreats property features an intimate and secluded spa. Try the 120-minute “Tropical Romantic Ritual”. The spa offers holistic treatments (and a spa restaurant) with yoga, meditation and a range of other "body, mind and spirit" options. Among the offerings are a Healing Hot Stones Massage (wherein heated volcanic stones are placed over the body) and assorted coconut and seaweed body scrubs, maska and marine bubble baths. Men can ask for a strong coffee – not to sip, but to apply. The Coffee Ritual involves espresso massage oil, a cappuccino body scrub and a latte body lotion. Yes, you can have some coffee later too. Opt for Pilates, or even "craniosacral" therapy if you can figure out what that is. The Grand Bali, Nusa Dua (formerly the Swiss-Grand) is set away from the beach but is a smart set-up, less pinching on the pocket and with a spa that focuses on balancing and relaxing all comers using locally sourced essential oils.
Continuing up the rise, following the coast, is the Sekar Nusa Villas & Resort. Like the Balé, this charming little place is on a hill, away from the beach. The unassuming spa offers traditional remedies while a five minute drive on, set in pristine isolation is the Nikko Bali Resort & Spa. This nice renovated hotel-style resort features a fun beach area set beneath vertiginous cliffs. There is a Mandara Spa here and a few oceanfront spa villas. Pick from a Mandara Spa massage or a Balinese massage with floral baths, much steam and herbal teas.
East and north of Nusa Dua, heading into the Benoa peninsula, there are two properties with excellent spa facilities - the new Conrad Bali and the Grand Mirage Bali – with the latter boasting the first Thalasso Bali spa, utilising seawater, on the island. Try out the "aquamedic spa" pool and hydrotherapy jets. Invigorated?
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| Conrad Bali Jiwa Spa/ photo: hotel |
The Conrad Bali is intriguingly zen, with minimalist lines, sweeping ocean views and fine swimming pools. Its Jiwa Spa does a range of treatments with the added luxury of a 25m spa pool.
The kids can test some fun treatments especially designed for the younger set. Try the Rekindle (package for two) at the Spa Villa with scrubs, baths and lunch. Conrad's signature Ocean Flow Massage runs rippling acupressure over the body with a pinch of aromatherapy while the Inner Radiance realigns the body's natural energy channels.
A speciality is the 1,000 Petal Flower Bath (yes, there's space for water too) which can be enjoyed in your own bath with some fragrant essential oils on the side. And if you're still peckish and light calories are not for you, head down to Eight Degrees South and order pizza by the metre. Now that's a meal.
Look out for the new contemporary and very swish The Royal Santrian in Benoa. This is an attractive villa complex with clean lines and design flourishes that are not overwhelmingly traditional. A good mix of comfort and culture here and a spa that serves up everything from sea salt body washes and flower petal baths to body scrubs including a honey coffee scrub. Hmm... The "Santrian Body Care Scrub" includes much of this at US$69 for one person over an hour-and-a-half. An "Aromatic Hot Stone Body Massage" runs over two hours at US$75.
A stylish option in Uluwatu, a 15-minute drive from Nusa, is the Blue Point Bay Villas & Spa, a Japanese-owned complex with private villas set on the cliff, each with a pool and stunning views to boot. There two main swimming pools and a dedicated spa.
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| Swish Bulgari Spa/ photo: hotel |
The chic Bulgari Resort Bali offers leggy models, glitterati, beautiful people, hangers-on and a stunning spa – a traditional ensemble complete with hand-carved teakwood doors at the entrance. It will cost an arm and a leg of course, but then, trained therapists are on hand to massage your limbs back to top working order.
The Spa at the Bulgari Resort in Bali offers an upscale yoga pavilion, relaxation lounge, six treatment rooms and two Royal Pavilions where couples can savour plunge pools, a private garden and stimulating rain showers. This ranks among the best Bali spas.
Walk up to the hand-carved teakwood Joglo house and begin your transformation. Try the "Double Bulgari Lulur" with four therapists to attend to one couple. Or opt for the "Hot Stone" therapy. (Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, Bali are showcased in our exclusive by-invitation Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
Not far from here, the Banyan Tree Ungasen, Bali, sprawls across the cliff-top in the Uluwatu area. Opened 1 December, 2009, the resort offers a lavish Banyan Tree Spa and pool villa accommodation with panoramic sea views. Close by a newer Alila on the scene is the minimalist designer-chic 84-villa Alila Villas Uluwatu. Spread over 13.5 hectares, perched on scenic cliff looking across the sea, this is an eco-friendly wellness escape. For those in search of a pampering and potions there is the Spa Alila with comfortable treatment villas. This welcoming and very contemporary resort offers an environmentally sutainable design with more than a fair share of whimsy.
Jimbaran area spa resorts
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| Ayana Resort & Spa hydro jets/ photo: hotel |
The quiet western coast of Jimbaran, south of the bay sweeping up to the airport, hosts three top-drawer properties – InterContinental Bali Resort, Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, and the Ayana Resort & Spa - all armed with enough essential oils and exotic spa menus to keep your midlife crisis at bay for years. The Ayana Resort & Spa (formerly The Ritz-Carlton Bali Resort & Spa) features its own 22,000sq metre hydrotherapy Thalasso & Spa which is almost a resort within a resort. If this place were any bigger, it would mint its own currency and hand out passports. Amidst the gardens and water-features, are the spa villas, a spa suite and a 650sq metre "aquatonic" sea water pool. The water flows and swirls in varying temperatures while jets and hidden currents massage and relax. The intrepid may sally forth to try the signature Diamond Miracle treatment with a nonstop two-and-a-half hours of sheer indulgence. Think crustal peeling, rose bath and a facial with sea quartz and diamond dust. Better still, grab that dust and run. Wrap up with strawberries and chilled champagne. Another of the top Bali spas for your diary. Note it down.
The Rock Bar, accessed via an inclinator that traverses the cliff-face, is Ayana's open-top bar, perched on a rocky outcrop at the base of the resort’s towering cliffs. Enjoy uninterrupted, 360-degree views. Two more platforms, one accessed via a natural cave that leads to a “secret” garden, sit astride the bar.
The beachfront InterContinental Bali Resort has gone through ongoing facelifts. It is a sprawling child-friendly place with crisp business flourishes and smart 52sq m Club InterContinental rooms. For pampering head for the Spa Uluwatu or the more secluded Villa Retreats where traditional Balinese remedies await in your own private sanctuary. All spa products are locally produced from natural ingredients. Check out the InterContinental Signature Massage, a Deep Tissue Massage, Dry Body Brushing to stimulate blood flow or, at the Villa Retreat, a Golden Lulur exfoliation followed by a frangipani bath.
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| Four Seasons Jimbaran/ photo: hotel |
The Villas also offer the romantic Sea of Love which, at four hours and a hefty price tag, throws in a good mix of reflexology, sandalwood lulur, head and scalp massage and and fruit and coconut bath. For the lazy or bone-weary, there's an extensive inroom massage menu including Traditional Balinese and Foot Reflexology. Believe me, it's worth it, and more.
The Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay is quite a mouthful but jaws do tend to drop once introduced to this villa property cascading down a hillside overlooking the bay. Lots of walking needed here and buggy rides are the answer. The 1,000sq m Spa offers nine treatment rooms as well as the pampering Royal Spa Suite. Expect sea-salt crystals, seaweed and a host of exotic ingredients. Try the two-hour Ocean Ritual involving a Balinese santi oil massage, sea salt scrub, wrap and bath followed by generous application of "ocean lotion" moisturiser. Alternatively, enjoy a rain shower, a papaya hibiscus body scrub or an aloe and lavender body wrap.
Karma Jimbaran is a gracious all-villa affair with an array of one-two-four-bedroom villas to pick from and its Chakra Spa and Wellness Centre for some serious chakra realignment, massage or beauty treatment. Farther up the road beyond the InterCon is the Orient-Express Hotels-run Jimbaran Puri Bali, a boutique resort on the beach that has been completely refurbished with a nice swimming pool and the Spa at Jimbaran Puri. Or pop by the inviting Jamahal Private Resort & Spa where a one-bedroom pool villa will cover most needs. The Jamahal Spa employs Balinese treatments interspersed with hot stones, sunburn treatment, mandi lulur and Javanese massage. Jamahal has just 11 villas. For some information on booking Bali private villas see our Fast Facts at the end of this story.
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| Holiday Inn Baruna/ photo: hotel |
Bali spa resorts in Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Kerobokan
Heading up to the shops and beer sunsets (and roadwork diggings) of Kuta, the Hard Rock Hotel continues to gyrate with a hip and young crowd, great packages, and the Hard Rock Spa. There are treatment rooms and poolside cabanas as well as an array of massage chairs. Sit back and relax. An Ultra Glow will set you back just around US$50 as will the Rejuvenate treatment.
The pick of Kuta though is the quiet and laid-back Alam KulKul Bali that runs an authentic Jamu Traditional Spa. All the ingredients are produced inhouse using natural sources and traditional formulae. The Jamu spa is set in the heart of the resort in a quiet and shaded area next to the pool. The emphasis is on intimate rather than grand. Try Javanese Lulur or a Vanilla Mocha Body Scrub. Facials and traditional massages are available. The Sofitel Seminyak Bali offers its dreamy Le Spa which dishes up local Indonesian treatments.
The Holiday Inn has been reincarnated in the gentrified neighbourhood as the Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali with breezy balconies, a beachside bar, in-troom video games, and the Tea Tree Spa. This is a highly rated hotel that scores well with guests. It is a good friendly spa hotel pick in the Kuta and Tuban area close to shopping, nightlife, and the sunset beach strip.
Moving out of the Kuta scrum and heading north is the charming Seminyak area, home to some fine resorts and a very vibrant nightlife. The exquisite, old-world and very authentic The Oberoi Bali offers outdoor treatments at its The Oberoi Spa where everything from Ayurvedic, Balinese, Thai and Swedish remedies are available. Try a mud wrap or the now-obligatory Javanese Mandi Lulur. This spa is a delightful experience. (The Oberoi Bali is showcased in our exclusive by-invitation Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
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| Club at Legian/ photo: Verghese |
Just up the road, The Legian, is more contemporary with a crisp elegance and two double and two single spa suites. The Spa at The Legian is set in verdant lawns amidst lotus ponds, overlooking the sea. It includes a fully-equipped gymnasium, steam room and pedicure lounge. The hotel offers a booklet with its "spa basics". On the delicate matter of clothing, it says, "Choose what is most comfortable for you. Our therapists will always use draping techniques to respect your privacy."
Good. If you're Swedish or Japanese, just ignore this and, well..., strut your stuff. The "Legian Indulgence" which runs two-and-a-half-hours includes an aromatherapy foot polish, massage, reflexology, lulur and steam bath. (The Legian and The Club at Legian feature in our exclusive by-invitation Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
Not far from here the Resort Seminyak Resort & Spa offers comfortable landscaped grounds and a Balinese Herbal Spa specialising in herbal treatments, massage and reflexology.
The Samaya Seminyak Bali offers nice private courtyard villas and a main pool set in green lawns fronting the ocean. Along the sea front new massage balés offer much holistic spa indulgence. This Seminyak boutique resort has a tranquil air about it. And it now comes with its very own dedicated Spa at The Samaya. Explore the Balinese Eternal Bliss package for couples (though He may make a wild dash hanging on to his wallet), an Indian Head Massage, or Aroma Hot Stone Therapy. Sister property The Kayana Seminyak, Bali, opened in late 2007 with its Ayur Spa. Indulge yourself with, well, what better than the 180-minute Kayana Indulgence involving a floral foot bath, a scrub, citrus body wash, herbal tea and a Kayana massage.
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| Samaya massage/ photo: hotel |
Keep an eye out for the intimate The Amala Seminyak, a 12-villa construct, contemporary, cubist, private. Expect clean lines whites and pastels and blue plunge pools. The spa is the soul of the place and it dishes out all manner of holistic treatments. Sample yoga, massage, rubs, Water Pilates and Craniosacral Therapy. Or opt for more traditional Balinese Massage (60 minutes), or the Indian Abhyanga rubdown that takes 90 minutes. A more complex Rebalancing Ayurvedic Ritual will require a full two hours. This is a sister property of The Bale at Nusa Dua.
Still in Seminyak is The Villas Bali Hotel & Spa. Villas feature private swimming pools, with a private entrance and garden, as well as high-speed Internet access, CD player and satellite TV. The Prana Spa - a fantasy Indian Bollywood meets Love Boat - with its exotic archways and extravagant orange and green hues, serves up a huge variety of treatments, like the two-hour US$73 "Spirit of Bali" combining aromatic exfoliation using sandalwood, turmeric and groundnuts, with a yogurt splash followed by a frangipani and rose petal bath.
Or try the four-hour Ayurvedic Rejuvenation. Things are fun, if a bit high camp. Guests might also venture forth to the more contemporary Chill, for a reflexology session or two. One thing you will never miss out on at this place, is colour, riotous colour. Soothing? Shocking? Take your pic.
Anantara Resort Seminyak, on Bali’s hippest strip has two infinity-edge swimming pools, holistic kneading at the Anantara Spa and beachside SOS Beach bar serves up snacks during the day and sunset DJ beats at night. The mixes don’t stop there – ask your resident drinks “mixologist” for a taste to suit the mood.
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| The Villas Bali Hotel & Spa/ photo: hotel |
Farther up the coast is the inviting Novus Bali Villa (formerly Canggu Puri Merta) where assorted treatments are on tap. Still heading north is the refreshingly different Hotel Tugu Bali with its antiques and artefacts and even a Walter Spies Suite, a replica of the home of the German artist who did much to popularise Indonesia. This is a traditional chic place with towering timber pillars and beams in its lobby and billowing gauze curtains. The spa treatment pavilions are all moulded from different inspirations. This is perhaps the secret of Tugu's charm. Lots of wood, antiques, incense, water features, bright colours, and a nice laid back atmosphere.
The Waroeng Djamoe Spa at Tugu Bali, is a Jamu exponent drawing upon local herbs and flora like the frangipani, magnolia, rose, jasmine and ylang-ylang. Treatments may be enjoyed in your inroom massage bed, in a treatment room, or in an outdoor balé. To really go all the way, and I mean ALL THE WAY, buckle in for an eight-hour Gemulai Penari Bali involving scalp massage, floral bath, a Balinese dancer massage, body scrub, a light gourmet lunch, hydro treatments, Jacuzzi and plunge pool. Some of the spa rooms offer choreographed Balinese massages where the hands and pressure application follows the flow and ebb of the gamelan orchestra. This has ranked in polls as one of the best Bali spas around.
Keep on up the coast and you'll arrive at the Le Meridien Nirwana Golf & Spa Resort Bali (this becomes Pan Pacific Nirwana Bali Resort on 1 April, 2010). Situated just across from the famous Tanah Lot temple that is accessible only at low tide, the resort is set in 100 expansive acres of rice fields and greens of the award-winning Greg Norman golf course. The Penguin Club will keep your kids entertained while you slip away for a romantic rubdown. The Nirwana Spa fuses the best of East and West combining Balinese Hindu concepts with Western remedies. Fight muscle fatigue, battle cellulite, and get rid of body toxins.
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| Anantara Seminyak spa/ photo: hotel |
There's something for everyone. The new 48-villa retreat from Alila (December 2009) is sited near the temple of Tanah Lot and. The Alila Villas Soori is a breezy, contemporary complex set in a flowing Balinese rice-terrace landscape, with its Alila Spa. This is a group serious about wellness and environmentally-friendly design.
Ubud Spa Resorts, Sayan, Payangan
Up in the cool hill country of Ubud where Bali's true soul resides, the Maya Ubud Resort & Spa is a must-see spot. Stretched out along paddy fields above a river valley, the Maya Ubud is stylish and chic. The Spa at Maya, is some distance away from the main resort. To get there you can walk or hop on a buggy that drops you off at an unobtrusive elevator that takes you down to the river level where this enticing spa is located, halfway down the hillside at the Toya Mampeh spring with attractive standalone villa residences for ultimate indulgence. The Spa at Maya straddles a scenic bend in the river and some treatment rooms with their beaten metal bathtubs are right above the gurgling waters. The steep, wooded valley walls add to a sense of other-worldly enchantment. There is a separate swimming pool here with a spa menu for light meals.
Just a ten minute drive north from here is the Kamandalu Resort and Spa. Set amidst terraced rice paddy fields above the Petanu River gorge, the resort is compact and classy. You won't need to walk for miles. It was built to resemble a traditional Balinese village. The Spa at Kamandalu is at the lip of the valley with open views and pool area. The treatment rooms feature Jacuzzis and saunas. Try a herbal wrap, a spot of hydrotherapy, a Javanese Lulur or get on the scent with a relaxing aromatherapy rubdown. Or continue with a Botanical Essence Facial or an Island Mocha Remedy. Have your partner lick it off later. There is a Beauty Salon too. Right next door is the compact and exclusive enclave of the Viceroy Bali with its manicured lawns, just 11 discrete pool villas in varying configurations and The Lembah Spa.
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| Kamandalu treatment room/ photo: hotel |
At the top end of the rubdown charts is the secluded and alluring COMO Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri. COMO has revitalised this elegant establishment and there is a buzz about the place. The five spacious "residences" as they are called (housing 21 suites), are spacious, pretty and utterly private. All feature breathtaking pools and a butler. Two Retreat Villas come with private therapy rooms and private pools.
The COMO Shambhala Estate boasts an attractive spa, Kedara (formerly The Source), set further down the hill near a natural spring and waterfall. Toya Mampeh, the spring, is known in local lore for its healing properties. This mineral-infused water also feeds the chlorine-free Vitality Pool. Pick a custom-made treatment, stretch out over Yoga exercises, head up a climbing wall, or limber up in the Pilates Studio. The COMO is actually in Payangan, about a half hour's drive north of Ubud.
At the heart of Ubud are the Pita Maha (Tjampuhan Resorts & Spa), the Hotel Tjampuhan & Spa, and the Ibah, now called the Warwick Ibah Luxury Villas & Spa. This delightful resort is built on a human scale and is wonderfully intimate and green. It has its spa on the banks of the Tjampuhan River. Try Shiatsu, Thai, Balinese or Swedish treatments. Opt for ginger or ylang-ylang essential oils as you breath in the scent of flowering frangipani. Finish off with a rose petal bath or go whole hog with a cocoa rice powder wash or green tea. The Pita Maha and Hotel Tjampuhan have good spa facilities and the latter also boasts a spring-fed pool, a grotto setting (with some pretty extensive and outlandish carvings) and sauna and steam rooms. The Tjampuhan Spa is a Hollywood Lord of the Rings setting with an Asian flavour. At Hotel Tjampuhan you'll also find the original Walter Spies villa. A third and quite sumptuous Pita Maha sibling is the Royal Pita Maha in Ubud's Kedewatan area with its exclusive Royal Villas and extensive spa menus.
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| Maya Ubud spa/ photo: hotel |
Here you'll find a very atmospheric Kirana Spa (in association with Shiseido, www.kiranaspa.com ) surrounded by lush vegetation that plunges down to the river gorge. Expect spring-fed water and a range of treatments as you plkunge into your Royal Wellness and Healing routine. (The Royal Pita Maha is showcased in our exclusive by-invitation Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
The Chedi Club, Ubud run by the GHM group, offers 20 self-contained units in five hectares of garden looking onto rice fields. This is an extension of The Club at Legian concept, a private home away from home format, spoiling, rustic, and mellow.
Three one-bedroom spa villas with plunge pool, massage suite and sauna, cater for for aromatic rubdowns to the accompaniment of jungle calls and birdsong (which is a lot better than listening to your boss hollering over the telephone). The resort is becalmed in a sea of shockingly green rice paddy, enough to make your eyes pop out and your heart sing. Mark it down. (The Chedi Club Ubud features in our exclusive by-invitation Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
Another Ubud option is the atmospheric and tucked-away Villa Semana featuring 10 traditional Balinese villas overlooking the Ayung River gorge and rice fields. It is small, reclusive, and pretty. The Villa Semana Spa is in a private open-air bale on the river with lotus pond baths and varied treatments.
The Uma Ubud is almost a small self-contained village with Balinese style villas featuring chic modern bathrooms, some with plunge pools and Broadband access for those refusing to part with their laptops. 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.
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| Royal Pita Maha stretches/ photo: hotel |
At the very lip of the Ayung River is the architecturally striking Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan. You literally walk into a giant lotus pond to access the resort and then wend your way down through accommodation levels to the river, the pool, and the villas. There is a health club and spa with traditional Indonesian herbal treatments, massage, sauna and whirlpool. In addition to the main spa, there are three Spa Villas redolent of teak underfoot and the rustle of Sulawesi silk. The Tropical Rain treatment is a three-hour ritual with warm red ginger body polish, a daub of ginger almond essences, a blended oils massage followed by the application of mountain flower lotion and an ylang-ylang petal bath. Explore the "Rice and Spice Body Scrub" and the "Clay Body Mask".
Up the road is the extremely elegant Amandari which offers spa treatments. The
dedicated Aman Spa is a bit further away – at the Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand. Amanusa and Amankila (also Amanresorts) have some spa treatments available. (Amanusa, Amandari and Amankila feature in our exclusive by-invitation Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
The Alila Ubud, has its Spa Alila with extensive spa packages, some going up to four hours. Well if that's what wellness takes, just do it. Among the offerings are a Balinese massage, Indian head massage, warm stone massage, reflexology, seaweed wraps and all manner of potions and rubdowns. At the end of all this if you have any skin left at all you'll be lucky but boy will those girls (or men, and alternative genders, lest we be politically incorrect) be chasing you.
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| Four Seasons Sayan/ photo: hotel |
A newer contender is the Ubud Hanging Gardens by Orient-Express Hotels. 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 38 villas with thatched alang-alang roofs are set on wooden pillars with four-poster beds inside, outdoor showers and plunge pools. The Ayung Spa close by the river offers birdsong (which is free) and fancy herbal spa treatments like the signature "Ayung Beautifying Ritual" that combines a blend of rice powder and coconut to exfoliate the skin. This is followed up with a perfumed floral bath.
A panoramic spot with open, refreshing views. In the vicinity is the quiet Komaneka Suites with its simply named Spa. The spa at Komaneka has all the usual herbal wraps and scrubs along with some rather different aromatic massages – the Ubud Spice, with ginger, cloves and nutmeg, among them. Or try the Bali Sunny. This utilises a blend of mint, citronella, patchouli and citrus. A package like Komaneka Royal includes two-and-a-half hours of aromatherapy
massage, Lulur Mangir and a herbal bath.
A real gem is the Puri Wulandari which describes itself as a boutique resort and spa. That is pretty accurate. The resort is in a superb garden setting with fabulous across-the-river views and lovely villas, some with valley-edge plunge pools. Spa facilities are excellent. It is a pity the resort tends to limp along when it has some of the best product around.
The Lila Ulanguan Spa at Puri Wulandari is a very pleasant affair. This is a dedicated area for rest and relaxation. Try their Balinese massage or the half-hour Sea Salt Scrub. There is also Swedish massage, reflexology, the Indonesia honey facial, and Javanese Lulur. The spa utilises remedies passed down through generations of Balinese healers and there nice open views of rice fields.
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| Kupu Kupu Barong tub treat/ photo: hotel |
Making a smart comeback is Kupu Kupu Barong Resort & Tree Spa a Hobbit-style villa reserve on the Ayung gorge. The Mango Tree Spa has been created out of silk and wood and is sited atop a mango tree, overlooking the valley. It's a firm perch despite the description. Villas offer vertiginous views of the river - and some rather steeps steps to get to breakfast. Fortunately, a butler can be arranged to do all the running about. This is one of Bali's oldest boutique hotels (it opened in 1986 as a restaurant) and is worth a look in. If you're concerned about treehouses, surprisingly, the contrivance works, complete with water features, Jacuzzi and more. If you insist on keeping your feet on the ground, opt for Le Spa.
The Kori Ubud spa does a one hour "chi" massage at US$25, while the "Spirit of Kori Ubud" is a US$49 two-hour thalasso, foot wash, lavender body wash, turmeric body scrub routine. The full works. This is an attractive unpretentious resort. The Ubud Village Resort & Spa nestles in lush foliage near the Monkey Forest and does simple treatments in rustic surrounds.
A small and neat and unfussy spot on the Ubud main street is the Aniniraka Resort & Spa, a trendy sort of place, compact and friendly. Aniniraka is surrounded by lush paddy fields and a small upstairs restaurant. For Bali private villas see our Fast Facts at the end of this story.
Wellness resorts in the Sanur area and Manggis
The civilised east coast of Sanur that catches the sunrise is host to several nice properties. Exotic seaweed lashings, massage and scraping goes on at the dedicated and attractive the spa at bali hyatt in Sanur. The Bali Hyatt offers a typical Balinese courtyard setting with villas as well open-air treatment areas. Pick a shiatsu massage, a jet lag remedy, or the "weneng" transcendental massage with frankincense, cool jasmine and a hint of roses.
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| Kori Ubud massage/ photo: hotel |
The Sunkan Sarira - Tension Relief Treatment is at US$75 for 90 minutes. If you're just in from Hong Kong, you will need this. The charming twin resorts Puri Santrian and Griya Santrian offer the Santrian Spa where ample sea salt foot baths, lulur scrubs and traditional massage await.
Farther east, the Alila Manggis Bali, is a laid-back sanctuary with no airs but plenty of rustic 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. For tired limbs there’s the Spa Alila where you might try out a Balinese Massage for an hour or a two-hour Seaweed Farm Body Wrap at involving, among other things, exfoliation with sweet almond and sugar oil.
Pemuteran, the North, East Coast, Tembok
Heading up to the far north of Bali and its forgotten shores of Pemuteran and Lovina, there is a clutch of properties to choose from. The lovely Damai Villas, perched on a hillside, offers eight bungalows and a simple but super restaurant as well as a spa pavilion looking onto paddy fields. The Matahari Beach Resort & Spa is on a black sandy stretch near Pemuteran and heading west along the coast, the 129-room low-rise Sunari Villa & Spa Resort (formerly Sol Lovina) offers spa treatments.
Puri Ganesha Villas is the place that put reclusive Pemuteran on the map. This charming property offers four two-storey thatched roof Balinese-style villas on a generous 400sq m of beachfront. It is a bit of a stretch from the airport (three-and-a-half hours) but then, the best things in life don't come easy. A great place for a long, slow detox.
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| Tugu's Kamar Samedhi room/ photo: hotel |
While there is no huge spa facility, there are plenty of massage treatments available and, upon request, an extensive five-day detox treatment can be rolled out with gallons of fruit juice, organic foods and, of course, the oil for weary muscles. Puri Ganesha is a useful spot to use as a staging point for forays into Bali's uncrowded north, taking in black sand beaches, rolling hills and a spot of rainforest too. Near Seririt and perched above the Sea of Java, is the Zen Resort Bali, a small boutique hotel featuring Balinese architecture. There are 15 ocean-view villas. Guests can indulge in individually created spa packages, or meditate and practise yoga on 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.
On the Jalan Singaraja-Amlapura road winding along the island's ruggedly beautiful east coast at Tembok, is the The Spa Village Resort Tembok – Malaysian YTL's first foray into Bali. This dedicated spa resort offers a cosy seaside setting with just 27 rooms, two suites and two villas.
Expect elegant Balinese design in a contemporary setting, generous space, marble bathrooms with sunken baths, and balconies or terraces with panoramic views. The villas have private plunge pools. The highlight is of course The spa where assorted treatments await minus the shrill rings of cellphones and pagers (which are discouraged, along with smoking). Try the 100-minute "Penganten Melukat" pre-wedding ritual or the 100-minute Campur-Campur Malay-Thai combination. This is a distant location with a pebble beach but it offers an away-from-it-all feel with little distraction and spa treatments galore.
That's the A to Z of Bali spas. Well, get cracking.
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