ERCHED atop vertiginous cliffs that rise dramatically from azure seas into big, laundered blue skies, the Bulgari Resort Bali, is an essay in quiet indulgence. Located in secluded Uluwatu near the village of Pecatu, south Bali, this mod escape is one of the best Bali luxury resorts on the menu. It exudes class, though not in a loud attention-grabbing way. And while it is clearly a place for leggy pouting models, posing glitterati, and the beautiful people, it has enough understatement and sober allure for just about any discerning traveller with a good book in hand.

The resort features black, hand-cut volcanic stone and the landscaping is the brainchild of celebrated Balinese artist Made Wijaya. All 59 villas - from 300sq m to 500sq m in size - come with Bang & Olufsen flat-screen TVs, DVD players, brooding antiques, sweeping ocean vistas and BVLGARI amenities. Enjoy high-speed Internet if you must stay in touch with the outside world, or pamper yourself in the spacious bathroom with its king-size tub.

Each self-contained villa has its own sundeck running alongside a timber-floor bedroom under a traditional sloping alang-alang thatch roof. Indoors, Balinese gives way to textured Italian, almost Zen in its restraint. The simplicity is both appealing and soothing. The starched white-linen bed with its intricate songkat runner looks out over the ocean through floor-to-ceiling glass panels.

The top-of-the-line Bulgari Villa is a private compound offering 1,300sq m of living space including a generous dining room, home theatre, lap pool, meditation pavilion and two bedrooms. The Spa - with eight treatment rooms including two Spa Suites - is a traditional ensemble complete with striking hand-carved teakwood doors at the entrance. It is in fact a re-assembled "Joglo" house from Java. The wellness menu will perk up the most tired muscles with a combination of traditional Balinese remedies, steam, or a fitness regimen. Later, chill out at the lovely infinity pool before dining on creative Italian or Indonesian.