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BALI, “THE ISLAND OF THE GODS”. The very name conjures visions of soporific tropical tranquillity outdone only by a five-day kabuki performance staged on the beach. But, as growing numbers of travellers will attest to, Bali is acquiring more bite. I enjoyed a serendipitous moment as a security man opened the car door and a slobbering Alsatian stuck his massive head in, drooling all over my lap. The dog eyed me with a bored expression and then proceeded to sniff me in parts that have remained unmolested since my mother last changed my nappies a very long time ago. Mirrors on long poles were run around the rim of my car.
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I watched heavily muscled men in dark blue uniforms march, parade, perform synchronised push-ups, shout and pump their fists in the air, not unlike a Club Med get-together. Later at Uluwatu Temple, I enjoyed a dazzling sunset as surf crashed into the cliffs far below. Applauding the scene were apple-cheeked tourists and cheeky red-bottomed monkeys who snatched cameras, hair-bands, necklaces and hair beads – pretty much anything with a shine. Terrified children bawled, their braided hair in disarray, and stupefied German women pleaded for their jewellery. One bellicose primate smacked a lady’s imploring hands and bared his teeth as he chewed contemplatively on her gold earring. Another snatched a map from a bewildered Japanese visitor, then shredding it atop a tree.
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| Stately Amanusa/ photo: Verghese |
This is Bali, the Island of the Gods, Drooling Dogs, Manic-Depressive Monkeys and Testosterone-Crazed Security Guards. You couldn't ask for a more VIP welcome. It's all here, at every resort you visit. Barriers. Dogs. Mirrors. Uniforms. It’s a delightfully heady mix and that’s even before you get to the majestic landscapes, the brooding volcanoes, stunning Bali resorts, and eye-poppingly green rice fields. There’s more Bali fun stuff for families or solo adventurers in our detailed Bali Guide.
All around the island I negotiated mounted police, bad breath, more dogs, dog breath, and airport-style metal detectors where I was waved through, cameras, laptop and all, to the accompaniment of loud pings and laughs. It is easier to negotiate a barbed-wire trench than it is to check into an average Bali hotel these days. It’s called security. And it’s here to stay.
In our 2007 Best in Travel Poll Bali was voted the “Best Holiday Destination in Asia”, and by a long margin. Bali’s return to prominence signals traveller’s growing intolerance of tacky gewgaws and crocodile shows – no matter these crocodiles can dance the samba and send WiFi e-mail. Today’s well-informed travellers demand authenticity – which Bali has in spades – and they recognise that security is something we all have to live with. It is time to head back to the Island of the Gods. Wear clean underwear. On to those choice Bali resorts and luxury villas.
There are still reasonable discounts to be had at most establishments though the cut-rate deals of earlier years are fading fast. Five-star properties may retail in the low season for anywhere between US$80 and US$120 per night and all properties have regular specials. Of course, top-drawer establishments will draw the line higher and Bali villa properties will set you back US$250-US$600 or more, so balance your need for a bargain and decent bed to ensure you end up with the latter.
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| The Bale pool villa/ photo: hotel |
If you have the moxie - or a barnacle for a mother-in-law - try a local guesthouse, or losmen. Some are very good though not quite what the in-laws had in mind. With the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate at around US$1 = Rp8,900 (it fluctuates considerably on a daily basis) things couldn't possibly get more welcoming. Check our Bali Map and dive in.
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Nusa Dua hotels, resorts and golf
Nusa Dua in the far south is a safe and sanitised custom-built tourism enclave resembling the drive in to Singapore from Changi Airport. You may chew gum here and harmonica-playing Marlboro horses can roam free. This is mega-resort country and the glittering wall-to-wall red-tile roofs prove it. It could be Bali with a lobotomy but some excellent resorts have rescued it from the sort of monotony that has ravaged so many other Asian destinations.
The oldest resident and one with the most mature gardens and a good spread of beach is the stately Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa. The stand-alone, salmon-hued spa with its lap pool and greenery is a major draw and not just for hotel guests. An exclusive but friendly Palace Club caters for Club guests. The renovated resort is very child friendly with extensive greens, water features, and packs of geese and acrobatic squirrels that will all but take the breakfast right out of your hand. The pizzas are not bad at all and at the seaside Chess you can enjoy drinks, snacks – and even a game of actual chess on a giant stone chessboard. The Residence at Nusa Dua Beach Hotel is a discreet getaway for dignitaries with its own private driveway, pool and beachfront. Take in traditional dance shows, walks and the sound of pounding surf.
The Club Med is for people with French accents who like to use coloured beads for money. Well no more actually. The place sports the usual raft of adrenalin-charged activities. Sultry women with pneumatic bodies that look like someone's robustly applied a bicycle pump to them, waft about in day-glo bikinis, accompanied by bronzed men with arms like tree trunks. Petit Club Med handles tots aged 2-3 years, Mini Club Med deals with kids from 4-10 years and the Juniors’ Club Med entertains 11 to 12-year-olds. There’s also a circus school for kids complete with a flying trapeze but nothing too vertiginous of course. Explore the Club Med Spa with its Turkish bath, a six-hole putting course, and the wide swathe of beach with snorkelling possibilities. Right next door the Bali Desa Suites offers Balinese-style villas in a compound 100 metres from the beach.
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| Grand Hyatt pool/ photo: Verghese |
You can always tell a man by his socks, and a hotel by its public toilets. The public loos at the Grand Hyatt Bali are ageing but impeccable with enough room to swing a horse by the tail. There are splash pools and lap pools and wading pools and… just be prepared to walk a lot. A LOT. There are five pools in all. Never a dull moment for the kids who can enjoy supervised activities and action at Camp Nusa.
The Grand Hyatt has completed an extensive renovation, emerging with bright contemporary décor, and the 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. 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.
At the Grand Hyatt Bali, enjoy Italian by the beach, assorted fare and shopping at the Pasar Senggol Balinese Village, book one of three tennis courts, or sample an arsenal of water sports. This was the resort largely responsible for putting Bali on the Asian holiday map with its brand-name clout and welcoming service. (Grand Hyatt Bali is showcased in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
Next up in the Nusa Dua five-star fraternity is the smart Laguna Resort & Spa, Nusa Dua, part of the Starwood Luxury Collection (formerly the Sheraton), which has a charming spa and refurbished rooms including the Lagoon Access Rooms enabling you to tumble out of bed and into the pool assisted – in the event of too much champagne – by 24-hour butlers. The Laguna Spa has its own Spa Villa where a raft of treatments is on offer. This is a good Bali conference hotel choice as is its sister property next door, The Westin Resort, Nusa Dua (formerly Sheraton Nusa Indah).
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| Laguna Resort & Spa/ photo: hotel |
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, and the now de rigueur WestinWORKOUT. Kids will be kept busy at the Westin Kids Club while frazzled parent unwind at The Westin Spa. In this vicinity, the Inna Putri Bali (formerly Hotel Putri Bali Nusa Dua) offers something a tad more traditional and low key.
The Spanish-run Melia Bali Villas & Spa Resort (which includes a private compound housing ten plush villas with plunge pools) is green, laid-back and inviting. Set in 25 generous acres, the Melia Bali has launched the group’s new Yhi Spa brand and offers more than a fair bit of wellness indulgence with extensive treatment menus. There is a large lagoon-style pool, a jogging track and two floodlit tennis courts. The secluded and intimate Garden Villas are a world apart from the main resort with thatch roofs, each with150sq m of private gardens and its own swimming pool. Inside you’ll find a DVD player, and a pillow menu. The resort has a Kid’s Centre.
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. Its design is supposed to mimic a traditional Balinese water palace with ample lagoons and pools. The hotel wants to eventually offer walking tours with headphone audio narration of the Ramayana. This child-friendly Bali resort is hotel-cum-museum and girdles a beachfront lagoon with swimming pool. Kids can avail of Camp Ananda with its special games, camp counsellors and “art corner”. Another decent option in the Nusa fringe area near the golf course is the cosy, compact and green, Swiss-Grand Bali (formerly the Swiss-Belhotel Bali Aga). It is not on the beach.
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| Bali Golf and Country Club/ photo: hotel |
At the far end of the strip is the Bali Golf and Country Club with its 18-hole championship course. The daily rate for 18 holes is US$142. Playing nine holes (after 2pm) will set you back US$85. The club has a good spa facility and also manages one of Bali's best-kept secrets, The Villas at Bali Golf and Country Club. These lovely thatch-roof villas are in three and four-bedroom layouts. Villas 11 and 12 conveniently open onto the tee for Hole 9. Play a half-day and then pop home for a dip in a private pool. The three villa complexes are on the tiled road leading up the low hill to Amanusa. These digs are among the best Bali luxury villas around and their almost self-effacing style and quiet service is a strong selling point. Fresher additions include The Bunker (the new bar), an expanded golf operations area, free WiFi in the clubhouse and villas and a villa interior upgrade with soft new linen and TVs. (The Villas at Bali Golf and Country Club are showcased in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
The style at Amanusa, one of the Aman resorts Bali trinity, is equally elegant and understated. So much so you might assume you've walked into someone's home. There is no formal check-in or check-out. You arrive at a breezy open-sided lobby and are escorted to your villa. Smiling staff will address you by name. The fact that there are just 35 villas each with substantial separation, open areas, great views and soothing greenery everywhere, adds to the sense of intimacy. People with wallets deeper than the Grand Canyon holiday here yet the ambience is convivial and friendly. Amanusa – and the other Amans – shatter the image of the snobbish high life. Things are accessible, friendly, and there is heart. The beguiling genuineness of Bali is in ample evidence here. Dine at the Mediterranean restaurant and plunge into the stunning "sunken" pool. Or dine Thai at the belvedere with Cinemascope views of Mt Agung in the distance and monsoon lightning crackling along the purple horizon. See also sister-resort Amandari (Ubud) and Amankila (Candidasa). (Amanusa, Amandari and Amankila feature in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
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| St Regis Resort/ photo: hotel |
At this end of the Nusa Dua beach stretch is the St Regis Resort and Residences that plans to soft open by June 2008. With 2,820sq m of recreational space and 350m of beachfront there’s pretty much something for anyone no matter how pernickety, from swimming, gym and yoga to jet therapy pools, sauna and the much-vaunted Remede Spa. The hotel will feature 81 all-suite rooms and 14 suites with plunge pool and garden while the residences have 55 units. The way the resort is designed, hotel guests – farther inland – will need to wander past the villas to access the beach. This may not be an undue disturbance once the greenery is well in place.
The Balé, with stylish private pavilions (they don't call them villas) each with a small pool and garden is located just around the bend from the Bali Golf and Country Club. It has recently extended its accommodations and mix. The approach is minimalist with streams linking rectangular pools filled with smooth, rounded volcanic rocks to set off the pale beige sandstone. This Lifestyle Retreats property also features an intimate, small and secluded spa. Try yoga, Tai Chi, deep water toning, or the 120-minute “Tropical Romantic Ritual”. The food at the gourmet Faces poolside is light and excellent. Or, for something lighter still, check out Bliss at the spa. The Balé has been compared with Aman and there are certainly some similarities, not least the outdoor shower and the light stone (reminiscent of Amankila). Upon check-in you'll get to choose from eight spa soaps. Don't grab them all. Toiletries include an emery board, razor and sewing kit. In-room there's a VCD player, a flat-screen TV, MP3, high-speed WiFi and plug adaptor. 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.
Heading on from here are two more resorts, including the secluded Nikko Bali Resort & Spa perched on a cliff with four pools and even camel safaris on the beach. En route to the Nikko, on a hilltop, is the Sekar Nusa Resort. The Sekar Nusa has cottages and two pools. It's quite pleasant but lacks access to (or facilities on) the beach. Spa treatments are available. This is a good set-away-from-the-crowd budget option though you will certainly find a few flag-waving groups passing through.
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| Bulgari cliffside pool/ photo: Verghese |
For a contemporary Bali luxury villa option check out the Kayumanis Villas (also in Ubud and Jimbaran). The villas are plush and smartly set out but do not accommodate children below 16 years.
Set just away from Nusa Dua at Taman Mumbul and within easy reach of the airport is the new Swiss-Belhotel Bay View, a combination of residences, suites and villas. This is a business and leisure all-suites resort with the whole works – kitchen, pantry, living room, Internet, and satellite TV. Expect a business centre, three swimming pools, a children’s club, and the rooftop Kawas Spa with herbal baths and signature treatments. Shuttles run to Kuta and the beach club.
Uluwatu luxury resorts, spas
In secluded Uluwatu, 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, the latest designer boutique resort 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 and a Bulgaria resort is about the GDP of Bangladesh. Now you know. Bulgari, and its attendant leggy models, glitterati, beautiful people, hangers-on and impoverished journalists, is a welcome pick-me-upper for Bali. Its 59 swish villas with Bang & Olufsen flat-screen TVs, DVD players, 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. Splash out at the arm-and-a-leg Bulgari Villa or spoil yourself silly at the Spa, a traditional ensemble complete with hand-carved teakwood doors at the entrance. (Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, Bali are showcased in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
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| Top-of-the-line Bulgari Villa/ photo: hotel |
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. Over a year on since the opening, maturing greenery has lent further privacy and character to the villa plunge pools.
Enjoy the splendid BVLGARI amenities, the funicular leading down to the crashing surf and tanning beach far below, the spa and, yes, even a few Bali edition watches. The beach is picturesque but not inviting of a swim on account of the coral and rock. Bring along a book and a sharp 20 megapixel camera. And pose. Welcome to the latest Bali luxury villa offering and BVLGARI Hotels & Resorts where the fun begins at US$1,200 per night.
Another option in this area is the Blue Point Bay Villas & Spa, a Japanese-owned complex with private villas set on the cliff, each with a pool and undisrupted views. There two main swimming pools and a dedicated spa. At the far, isolated tip of the south is the hotel-style Bali Cliff Resort, which, as its name suggests, is perched on a cliff. It has a nice pool looking out over the endless expanse of sea. There is a beach tucked away far below. A sloping see-through "elevator" transports guests down but is sometimes out of commission.
In the works are the Banyan Tree Ungasen, Bali, with its Banyan Tree Spa, pool villa accommodation and buggy road winding down in hairpins to a private beach, and the next-gen Alila Villas Uluwatu, spread over 13.5 hectares, atop a dramatic cliff, featuring one-bedroom hotel villas as well as larger three-bedroom private villas. The Alila Villas are expected to come on line around October 2008 with a price tag of around US$1,000 per night, unless you’re planning to buy a villa, in which case you’ll have to shell out considerably more.
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| Conrad Bali Resort & Spa/ photo: Verghese |
Benoa hotels and resorts
One of the nicest spots on the Benoa stretch is the attractive child-friendly Novotel Benoa Bali with almost 200 rooms, a few beach cabanas, three pools and a shuttle bus to Nusa. In season, the resort offers daily recreational programmes poolside. There are enough activities here to keep an army of tots fully occupied for a week. The other contenders are the Melia Benoa which sells all-inclusive packages and has a spa, the more basic Aston Bali Resort & Spa, and the Grand Mirage Resort with its Thalasso Bali hydrotherapy spa where seaweed, seawater and assorted water jets, sprinklers and foaming baths await. This was the first Thalasso on the island.
In stately contrast is the impeccable and sprawling Conrad Bali Resort & Spa. The large and breezy lobby offers immediate ocean views and leads on down to the pools, massage bales and the beach. The resort present clean, well-planned, imperial lines, almost a Rome-comes-to-the-beach sort of look, with open spaces as well as snuggeries for couples. The rooms are bright with an abundance of blues including blue-ripple carpets, woven headboards and, replacing the customary yellow rubber duck, a green rubber turtle to grace the bath. The golden "bangkirai" wood from Borneo adds to the sense of lightness, and glass, full-length walls, enable you to look out from the washroom to keep an eye on the TV or the kids, or the hubby.
The safe is large enough to handle a laptop. A nice touch is the wireless Internet available throughout the resort and there is high-speed access in the rooms as well. There's a spa, and a state-of-the-art Games Zone is equipped with everything from computer games and SONY Playstations to Monopoly. Pizza by the metre? The Conrad can do that too. The latest feather in its cap for those in search of a romantic Bali wedding is "Infinity", its dedicated weddings venue. This all-white, tented, 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 Ocean Garden reserve.
For something smaller, simpler, cheaper, look at the Rumah Bali bed and breakfast where a one-room “Balé with kitchen” will set you back around US$70++ and a Village Room is just US$60++. Enjoy a pool, breakfast on your porch, kitchenette, TV, VCD player, fridge and safety box. Rooms are spacious, wood-floored, with four-poster beds complete with mosquito drapes.
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| Imposing Ritz-Carlton/ photo: Verghese |
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, is the stately Ritz-Carlton, Bali Resort & Spa. The Ritz features its own 22,000sq metre hydrotherapy Thalasso & Spa, 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' pool. Don't ask me what that means. The water flows and swirls in varying temperatures while jets and hidden currents massage and relax. The latest feather in the cap of the Ritz (a Bvlgari resort sibling) is its dramatic Ocean Beach Pool. This is a phantasmagorical elevated 80sq m seawater pool with moulded “ergonomic” underwater recliners. Grab some rays – and fabulous views of the surrounds – from 10m above sea level.
Look out too for the new top-of-the-line villa with gym, kitchen, spa and three lavish bedrooms overlooking the ocean plus a small lawn for private functions or weddings. If you’re in need of a Bali luxury villa, the awfully private accommodations at the far periphery of the resort may be just the ticket. Spa out, organise a Bali resort wedding, enjoy that second honeymoon, host a meeting, or simply romp with the kids. Here, you can manage it all. Little touches include the small bottles of cold mineral water the valet will thoughtfully place in your car before you drive away.
The Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay (yes, that's the entire name) cascades down a hillside above the shimmering sea. Its stylish 147 thatch-roof villas feature a separate Balinese dining pavilion, courtyard and plunge pool. There are additionally nine spacious Estate Homes (up to four bedrooms) with plush interiors and private pool. In-room facilities include DVD and CD player, down pillows, iron and ironing board, and hypo-allergenic pillows. The main infinity pool at the resort looks over the bay and is well positioned for both sun and breeze. The spa is a big draw. Spa suites feature outdoor soaking tubs, cleansing "rainshowers" and a generous array of treatments.
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| Karma Jimbaran / photo: hotel |
Karma Jimbaran is a gracious all-villa affair with an array of one-two-four-bedroom villas to pick from. Expect thatch roofs, private pools, a “Living Pavilion” with state-of-the-art kitchen, an eight-seater teak table, satellite TV and DVD and CD player with surround sound. As at their Koh Samui property, the restaurant is trendy and different. After hours pop by the Chakra Spa and Wellness Centre for some serious chakra realignment, massage or beauty treatment.
Ensconced on a generous slice of property smack in the middle of Jimbaran Beach, is the spacious and renovated InterContinental Bali Resort. There are suites, split-level Loft Rooms and a swish Club InterContinental wing. The InterCon offers three attractive outdoor pools, three outdoor Jacuzzis, a spa and six breezy oceanfront massage tents. Rooms are ample with a working desk, Asian-style three-pin square plug points, a small safe that won't handle a laptop but can manage a small video camera, a balcony with two chairs and an extensive in-room massage menu. If you poke about the mini-bar you'll also find two monogrammed InterCon Bali golf balls. Neat. A massage-by-the-sea in a gauze-curtained bale is one of the hotel’s must-do attractions especially when the weather gets really pleasant July-September. Stretch out, get pummelled and sleep.
The private balcony is nice spot in which to unwind and it also has a nifty drying rack so you don't slop wet clothes all over the bed and sofas. Down in the lobby order a "Prada's Sangria". No “Cartier Omelettes” available as yet but relax, prada in Balinese, means "golden". The spacious grounds and welcoming staff offer a child-friendly resort feel with facilities to match. The new rooms are brighter and kids will enjoy the added facilities including horseback beach rides, trampoline, soccer and drawing (does anyone still do that?). The InterContinental Bali Resort now also sports what it terms a new "children's resort" called Club J. The club incorporates an air-conditioned clubhouse housing a raft of activities like mini basketball, table hockey, "turtle workstations" for art and more. An "Internet Cave" offers four work stations for older kids. Children are split into two age groups, 4-7 years and 8-12 years with corresponding activities and distractions.
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| InterCon Bali pool/ photo: Verghese |
Farther up the road 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 new Spa at Jimbaran Puri. There are around 40 thatched cottages in traditional Balinese style, each with a private garden. The cottages feature a 32-inch flat screen TV, safe and DVD player. The setting and decor is detailed and stylish. Close by are the small-scale and traditional Puri Kosala Cottages.
Also consider the pleasant and quiet Villa Balquisse. There are two villas. Villa Balquisse I has two (double) bedrooms and a two-storey bungalow with private pool. This would be comfortable for a couple with children in tow. Villa Balquisse II has three (double) bedrooms and two more connecting bedrooms. In-residence chefs serve up Asian and Western set and a la carte menus.
Or pop by the inviting Jamahal Private Resort & Spa where a one-bedroom pool villa will cover most needs with mini-bar, safety box, CD/DVD player, rain shower, and the obligatory WiFi. The Jamahal Spa employs Balinese treatments interspersed with hot stones and Javanese massage. This is a rather special and intimate Bali luxury villa getaway with just 11 villas. For some information on booking Bali private villas see our Fast Facts at the end of this story.
Kuta Beach resorts and Legian hotels
Up the sunset coast in Kuta, a 15-minute drive from Jimbaran, there is a riot of accommodation. This is clutter-and-clatter country if you're into that kind of thing but you can get away in the Tuban area (which sees itself as rather more upmarket) or at the north end of the main Kuta Beach Road. Choices here include the trendy and popular Hard Rock Hotel, which has numerous innovative promotions and packages, spa treatments, handy Internet, and a guitar model once played by Sting. Here you can let your hair down, get a good massage in a sheltered cabana poolside, and let your kids go wild. At the Hard Rock Spa, try a “Stereo Massage” with two therapists working in tandem, a “Hard Rock Massage” utilising a range of healing oils, or an “Indian Head Massage” using ayurvedic techniques. The focal Centrestage doubles as lobby bar, rock venue and guitar museum.
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| Kupu Kupu Barong Beach/ photo: hotel |
The mega-resort-style eight-hectare Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel has 318 sea-facing rooms, tropical gardens, several restaurants and even an inhouse shopping plaza. The stylish and compact Bali Dynasty Resort offers kids a 56m water slide to rev up for a heroic splashdown in the hotel pool, and an Irish bar for the parents. The all-water Waterbom Park, an ideal distraction for families, is right across the road.
Not to be outdone, the very tasteful former Hotel Imperial Bali is now the Sofitel Seminyak Bali gracing 4.5 hectares of prime beachfront. Rooms are bright and contemporary while Ocean Villas offer up to 260sq m of living space with oversized bathtubs and private plunge pool. The Sofitel Seminyak specialises in meetings for small executive groups with themed activities and special outdoor events. Its dreamy Le Spa serves up local Indonesian treatments.
Other options in the area include the Hotel Padma Bali and the 228-room Patra Bali Resort & Villas. The Patra Bali Resort & Villas, formerly a company retreat for the Pertamina group (then briefly Patra Jasa), has some of most spacious two-storey bungalows anywhere on the island. The beach however is a tad pebbly and it is close to the airport. Still, it 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 and in need of space within shouting distance of Kuta’s shopping and nightlife. Another small and friendly spot, right in the middle of the action, is the mid-range Poppies Bali with 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. The place has been a favourite of those in “the know” for years and has survived price wars and the arrival of brasher competition.
The old Holiday Inn is now the Balihai Resort & Spa. It is set in three hectares of tropical landscaped garden and, while a few minutes' walk from the beach, remains a good family-holiday pick with customised kids suites and 12 Family Suites.
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| Oberoi pool at dusk/ photo: hotel |
About a kilometre north from the Hard Rock Hotel on Kuta Beach Road, is the charming Alam Kul Kul Boutique Resort, an environmentally friendly Bali boutique resort. 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. Alam Kul Kul has standard rooms, thoughtfully designed Family Rooms (with a king-size bed and two twin-beds) and private villas with four-poster canopied beds and outdoor baths. It also features one of the original Balinese "Jamu" spas. The 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. This is a no-hassle friendly resort across the road from the sunset beach.
A newer offering – or fresh wine in an old, if well refurbished bottle – is the Kupu Kupu Barong Beach Resort. The group runs the well established Kupu Kupu Barong up in Ubud. The beach resort (formerly Sandi Phala) is a Bali boutique hotel with a nice pool and mature greenery.
Seminyak luxury resorts
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 Oberoi Bali was one of the first designer resorts and it is still green, manicured and attractive. The luxury lanais and villas are well spaced out to afford maximum privacy. The Oberoi's Luxury Villas follow floral names and themes and some feature private pools set within a very generous courtyard. The lanais offer raised beds, perhaps a tad too high for some, a tape player, hair-drier, sunken bath and a BIG old-fashioned Elsafe to lock your laptop and more. There are tea and coffee-making facilities.
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| The Legian's seafront pool/ photo: Verghese |
This is designer Bali at its affordable best. The sunken swimming pool follows the style of a Balinese water garden and care is taken to maintain a local style right throughout the resort. The result is authenticity, space, and green acres – soothing in the extreme. Everywhere you’ll find cosy seating and tables to enjoy the sea views shaded by the signature saffron umbrellas. This is a resort to lie back in and savour an unhurried pace.
Just up the road is the swank and stylish all-suite The Legian Bali, run by the fast-expanding GHM hotel group. Suites feature rich-toned wood, cool marble and balconies looking onto the sea. There are spa suites as well. If it's aroma you want, puff a Havana at the bar. They have a fair selection on offer. An upmarket addition to this property is the exclusive The Club at The Legian, featuring ten one-bedroom villas in private compounds with 10-metre swimming pools. These are not your run-of-the-mill plunge pools built for toddlers with big wallets who enjoy splashing about in three inches of water. They are swimming pools. The discrete little Club enclave is set apart from the main resort. Walk, or use the buggy. The Legian is popular with hip travellers and Japanese (who know a gem when they find one). Sit back at the beachfront restaurant and watch the sun set over a mirror-smooth infinity pool. Next morning sample the hotel’s enticing breakfast menu. Get your eggs done just right. Tight security is the norm. (The Legian and The Club at Legian feature in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
Also in the vicinity are the small and neat Resor Seminyak which, on one occasion, offered me a 50 percent discount before even enquiring why I was there, and the very pleasing The Samaya Seminyak with nice private courtyard villas and a main pool set in green lawns fronting the ocean. Samaya has developed into a very cosy resort with a nice laid-back feel and attentive service. The new Breeze beachfront bar is a cool hangout for sundowners and more. Sit at the bar or settle into a sofa, alfresco. Along the sea front new massage balés offer much holistic spa indulgence. Resort villas feature Wireless Internet access and butler service. The Samaya is a nice no-fuss hideaway Seminyak boutique resort with a tranquil air about it. This is the Club Med antithesis if ever there was one. And it now comes with its very own dedicated Spa at The Samaya. Explore the US$190 Balinese Eternal Bliss package for couples (though He may make a wild dash hanging on to his wallet), an Indian Head Massage at US$40 for an hour, or Aroma Hot Stone Therapy.
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| New-look Samaya Seminyak / photo: hotel |
Sister property The Kayana Seminyak, Bali, opened in late 2007, as part of the group’s “Royal Collection”. This Bali luxury villa resort serves up 24 residences each with a spoiling private pool. The design is Balinese with interiors suggesting a happy mix of the traditional and modern. At the 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. This romantic Seminyak escape doesn’t come cheap. A pool villa will set you back US$300.
The 59-suite Anantara Resort Seminyak opened late April 2008 on Bali’s hippest strip. The resort is uncompromisingly modern with a stark outline. The large 80sq m suites offer plasma TVs, Broadband access, and contemporary décor. The five-storey resort offers ocean views in a contemporary setting. Check out the chill-out rooftop bar with its exotic cocktails and panoramic sunsets, savour Thai cuisine at the lobby restaurant, splash out in two infinity-edge swimming pools, or get your limbs stretched and kneaded at the Anantara Spa.
The Villa Sin Sin run by the Kafe Warisan group, is a small complex, modern in design. Its low-slung “A” roof resembles a stealth bomber in a tropical setting with Balinese touches. Villa Sin Sin has its own chef, provides spa services, and babysitting is available at all times. It is 10 minutes from the beach by car but is certainly a comfortable and chic choice for a family. Expect to fork out upwards of around US$500.
A newer kid on the block is the Contiki Resort Bali that positions itself as a playground for the young and hip set. You need to be between 18 and 35 to stay here. This may limit the market but the management feels it boosts the adrenalin. Sorry Anna Nicole Smith. No oldies in tow, please. The resort covers 2.7 hectares and offers an array of attractions like volleyball, water polo, yoga and aerobics. Aimed squarely at the younger set the Contiki Resort Bali even offers a room-matching service so you can bunk in with other people, making new friends and saving some cash in the bargain. After hours there's a sports bar and a nightclub to dance the night away.
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| Anantara Resort Seminyak/ photo: hotel |
In the vicinity is the mod but messy Bali Mystique with a decent and well-kitted apartment complex and a Hobbit-style gnome-villa hotel section. Can be fun, depending on your mood and the prices are often a bargain. The dark and brooding Villa Ananda Resort is for the intrepid. Lots and lots and lots of traditional motifs, dark stone, bright rooms, brick walls, a bit of garden in the back.
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 green and orange hues, serves up a huge variety of treatments. Villas have decent pools, a small safe, and round French-style plugs. Breakfast is normally included in their rates, but the chef can cook for you at your villa if you are so inclined. The Bali Deli is just across the road should your nose be twitching for a hot croissant.
Seminyak villas
Some of the best private Bali villas are in this area and some worthwhile Seminyak villa options include Uma Sapna (from two to six-bedroom villas), Downtown Villas, Lakshmana Villas (private residential-style villas with personal chef and butlers in attendance round-the-clock), The Elysian (Bali luxury boutique villas with trendy poolside café, bar, and Mediterranean fusion food), and the new Sentosa Private Villas & Spa. The Maya Sayang offers private pool villas in a somewhat narrow and long compound that lacks a top-class restaurant but is still welcoming and friendly. There are 11 villas with TV and Internet access with rates running from US$210 in the low season for a one-bedroom to US$600++ in the high season for a three-bedroom villa. For some information on booking Bali private villas see our Fast Facts at the end of this story.
Canggu resorts and spas
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| Hotel Tugu Bali/ photo: hotel |
Moving on to the Kerobokan and Canggu area there are a few interesting choices led by the very comfortable Le Meridien Nirwana Golf & Spa Resort next to the Tanah Lot temple. Set above the cultural pageantry of the brooding temple that catches the rays of the setting sun, the resort is nestled in rice paddy fields and offers its signature 18-hole golf course to big-swing enthusiasts. Designed by Greg Norman, the Nirwana Bali Golf Club course has won numerous accolades over the years. This is an idyllic Bali golf resort that doubles seamlessly as a Bali conference and small meetings venue. Later detox at the spa. (Le Meridien Nirwana Golf & Spa Resort feature in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
Also look at the seven elegant villas of the Novus Bali Villa (formerly Canggu Puri Merta) where spa treatments await, the compact sea-facing Grand Bali Sani Suites with 574 rooms and a few cottages, and the reticent but still beautiful Pita Maha (which appears to be in a state of extended shutdown).
The Hotel Tugu Bali is a minute’s walk from the salt-and-pepper beach and its huge breakers. 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. I like it enormously. There’s a single access road through the paddy fields and should the temple throw a festive bash you may need to divert, adventurously. 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. The red Puri Le Mayeur villa “floats” above a lotus pond and has its own plunge pool. Every villa is authentic and astoundingly different. Herein lies the charm of this place. Rummage through all the bric-a-brac. Or try a spoiling spa treatment in one of the custom-built spa villas. There's also a Villa Tugu Bali, with six bedrooms, set on a breezy hillock near the hotel on an 8,000sq-metre plot with gymnasium, pool, tennis court and parking for ten cars.
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Sanur hotels and spa resorts
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| Tandjung Sari doll's house/ photo: Verghese |
In traditional and fairly un-touristy Sanur (the sunrise beach in the southeast), the options include the Bali Hyatt (which doubles as the official botanical garden and also has a terrific dedicated spa), the attractive Griya Santrian and Puri Santrian, and the unfortunate Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel (formerly the Radisson which lacks a beach but is plonked down next to a major highway intersection). If you need a Bali conference hotel at a good rate this may be it.
The Raddin has become the Mercure Resort Sanur run by Accor with 189 rooms housed in Balinese thatch-roof cottages. There is direct access to the beach and meandering stone-tiled walkways leading through the five-hectare gardens. Children’s activities are available. My pick in Sanur is the whimsical dolls-house Tandjung Sari whose 26 split-level bungalows and tiny remodelled pool by the beach offer something very different from the pack. But don't expect service to come on rollerblades here. This resort is dinky in proportions but mature in years. Park at the beachside restaurant and watch the sun come up on Sanur and, later, try your hand at kite flying. There is the Jamu Traditional Spa for aromatic rubdowns and, thoughtfully, a library. Villa rates are more reasonable than most and range from US$170 up with cheaper Internet deals on the hotel’s website.
The renamed Inna Grand Bali Beach has a highrise hotel wing as well as some nice villas but service is appalling. The property was rebuilt several years ago after a devastating fire. At relaunch, they held a photographic exhibition in the lobby. Not of the splendid Balinese countryside, but of the place going up in smoke. For some information on booking Bali private villas see our Fast Facts at the end of this story.
Candidasa and Manggis
The third Aman property, 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). Its villas are connected by extensive walkways and a buggy transports you down to a Beach Club and stunning lap pool on the salt-and-pepper coast. The signature triple stepped swimming pools are the first thing you'll see when you arrive.
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| Alila Manggis/ photo: hotel |
The views are breathtaking and romance is sensually ever-present, especially if you book into one of the pool villas. The villas are narrower than those at Amandari and Amanusa but more than adequate. The bedroom leads into an open plan bathroom with twin vanities, two washbasins, two closets and pretty much two of everything you can think of. No more domestic spats. Yes, rich folk argle-bargle too over the washbasin in the morning. Expect to walk a lot at Amankila unless, sensibly, you’re sleeping in and enjoying your surrounds. Buggies are quietly at hand whenever needed. (Amanusa, Amandari and Amankila feature in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
The Alila Manggis Bali, 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. For tired limbs there’s the Spa Alila where you might try out a Balinese Massage for an hour at US$52 or a two-hour Seaweed Farm Body Wrap at US$95 involving, among other things, exfoliation with sweet almond and sugar oil. There are 52 rooms and two corner suites housed in a two-storey thatch-roof building. (Alila Manggis is showcased in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
Also in the vicinity is the saucily named Bali Shangrila Beach Club (no relative of the Hongkong-based Shangri-La group), with swimming pool, kids’ pool, private beach, video games and iron with ironing board.
Ubud resorts and villas, Sayan, Payangan
As with ice-cream, you must save the best licks for last, and so it is with Ubud, the central hill country wherein resides the true soul and heart of Bali. This 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 not always easy to whiz through. Head up here for culture and Bali shopping at its best passing en route villages specialising in silver, gold, art, stone work, furnishings and batik.
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| Amandari pool villa/ photo: Verghese |
Amanresorts’ gem, Amandari, is perched on the lip of the Ayung River Gorge, in Ubud, with an emerald pool that disappears over the edge. 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. It is a stiff climb back up. Amandari is authentic, quiet and spoiling. You know you are in Ubud, Bali. The cliff-edge sliver of reflective emerald that is the pool forms a stunning centrepiece with the children’s dance school and 30 villas radiating out on either side. More spoiling is the spacious Amandari Villa. At one end of the resort is Amandari’s spa with two open-air bales, sauna and steam room. (Amanusa, Amandari and Amankila feature in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
The spa is a main feature at the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan. The Sayan resort is architecturally different, to say the least. Upon arrival, you are greeted by a serene, if perplexing, circular lotus pond high above the valley. On my first visit I thought I had missed the turn. To get to the open-sided, airy lobby you actually descend through this idyllic lotus pond. The Four Seasons Sayan features both 18 suites as well as 42 private villas – with the customary CD player and hypo-allergenic pillows – and its swimming pool licks the very edges of the Ayung River below. Access to the premium Royal Villa is again down, through a private lotus pond that doubles as a meditation and yoga area. All dining facilities at the resort look over the valley at sumptuous forest and paddy field views.
Right off the scale when it comes to indulgence is the secluded COMO Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri. COMO's arrival in December 2005 revitalised this elegant establishment bringing a fresh buzz to the place. The five spacious "residences" as they are called (housing 21 suites), are 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. Two new Retreat Villas come with private therapy rooms and private pools. The COMO Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri 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.
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| COMO Shambhala Residence/ photo: hotel |
The more recent Uma Ubud (also a COMO resort) 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.
Another more recent entrant 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". Enjoy walks through the rice paddy or forest, or learn cooking. A panoramic spot with open, refreshing views.
Making a smart comeback is Kupu Kupu Barong Boutique Resort & Tree Spa a Hobbit-style villa reserve on the Ayung gorge that had closed a long while for major renovations. The new-look Kupu Kupu Barong is smart, better polished, and with a charming spa and the three hectares of lush green. Twenty-seven private villas offer vertiginous views of the river from wooden balconies – and some rather steep steps to get to breakfast. Fortunately, a butler can be arranged to do all your running about. This is one of Bali's oldest boutique hotels (it opened in 1986 as a restaurant) and is worth a look-see. The main pool is now a stylish clean-lined infinity affair overlooking the gorge. The signature La View restaurant (with an alfresco terrace) serves up Asian with French accents. But for something completely different, step into the Mango Tree Spa, set in the branches of a mango tree. Surprisingly, this contrivance works, complete with water features, Jacuzzi and more. If you insist on keeping your feet on the ground, opt for Le Spa. Rates here run from US$330 to US$430. See also their Kupu Kupu Barong Beach Resort in Tuban (Kuta).
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| The Viceroy Bali/ photo: hotel |
The delightful Ibah now renamed the Warwick Ibah Luxury Villas & Spa is a treat and a sight for sore eyes with its dense green, stone walkways, and dreamy pool with romantic snuggeries carved into the rock. The villas are tasteful with four-poster canopied beds. It has a health spa and the overly active can hop on a complimentary mountain bike and head off for a pedal-powered exploration of Ubud. Located along the Campuhan River valley rim, the resort setting is verdant and atmospheric. At the two-bedroom Villa Frangipani duck through an antique doorway and ascend stairs past a waterfall to enter the living pavilion. You get the picture… While a standard suite may start at around US$225, a pool villa will go from US$435 up.
The smart but relaxed Kamandalu Resort & Spa has had 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. Staff are 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 Kamandalu Spa. Refurbished rooms are smart and chic. Choose from pool villas, garden villas, or larger family pavilions that will accommodate two couples with a few tykes in tow. Located on the road heading up to Penelokan, the Kamandalu is well positioned for drives up to Lake Batur, Besakih Temple, and the north.
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, the top-of-the-line two-bedroom Viceroy Villa, and The Lembah Spa. Rooms have Broadband access and satellite TV. The ambience is traditional Balinese and though the resort is small there is a well-defined sense of space. The views across the valley are exhilarating.
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| Indulge poolside at Alila Ubud/ photo: hotel |
For a real Ubud gem, pop into the green and gracious Puri Wulandari, a Bali boutique resort and spa. It is set some distance away from the road in lush paddy looking down over the Ayung River. The 36 thatch-roof villas are elegant and private and the gardens are a treat. The villas feature their own valley-edge plunge pools with stunning views. There is a nice spa too. Where most resorts prefer stone, the Puri Wulandari has chosen grass. Keep an eye on this one.
Just north of here in Payangan is the Alila Ubud. The centrepiece is a 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 ambience. There are 54 rooms set in separate two-storey arrangements on stilts, looking out over the valley. The ensemble is intended to mimic a Balinese village. Thatch roofs mix with terrazzo floors and gravelled walks in a comfortable rustic chic that permits quiet indulgence without the self-conscious inhibition of many high-end getaways. You’ll find, terraces, back gardens, private balconies, breezy views, jungle critters and chirruping things, as well as iPODs. The all-new linen has a high thread count with a posh feel that should not limit your romantic overtures. Spa Alila is a dedicated offering with a wide range of treatments and a tempting array of take-back products. The Alila Ubud is a nice away-from-it-all escape. (Alila Ubud is showcased in our exclusive Top Asian Hotels Collection, featuring the best Asian hotels, resorts and spas in a printable A4 page with stunning visuals.)
Other Ubud offerings include the verdant, villa-style Pita Maha Resort and Spa (where I regularly enjoy a very flavourful meal with great views of the valley and the hotel’s wondrously blue swimming pool), the neighbouring sister-property Hotel Tjampuhan Spa, and the ageing but pleasant Komaneka Resort in the Monkey Fo |
