ET in residential Sanur on a prime stretch of its fabled sunrise beach, the all new 363-room Hyatt Regency Bali reprised its role 20 December 2018 as a verdant botanical garden with generous lashings of pools and gardens and kids' facilities to bag the mantle again as one of the top child-friendly hotels on the island. But this time its armoury includes a vast spa retreat where you can step into Bali mode in an instant, savouring water features, breezy walks along grey-pebble paths and stylish private wellness areas.

The new rooms, still compact - starting at 27sq m in a Garden View room - have been designed by the Japanese SPIN and are light and airy with a smooth ripple-wood wall behind the bed for touchie-feelie travellers who will not be able to resist running their fingers across it. The sliding doors lend a quaint touch and save room for free-wheeling elbows, and kids, while small balconies serve up sun dappled views, birdsong and a reflective spot for morning tea or a good book. For a real stretch book a Suite (with an extra toilet and living room) or go whole hog with the 81sq m Executive Suite with a sunny verandah for morning yoga.

Fronting the best stretch of Sanur beach (a 500m slice) and its brightly coloured catamarans, the hotel serves up the beach-fronting Pizzaria, the Piano Lounge for snacks and tipples, and the Omang Omang restaurant for Asian and Western menus. Hyatt Regency plans to set a high bar both as a Bali small corporate meetings and events venue and offers a splendid location for romantic beachfront weddings in a laid-back locality known for its unfussy and accommodating vibe. All this is accomplished under thatched roofs where the sea breezes are ever present to remind you of where you are. The hotel, with its zen refit, desplays entirely Balinese flair. Guests may also wish to pop by the hotel's rather different and nautically themed staff canteen to see why people are comparing it with Google.

Returning Hyatt fans will recognise the pool 'cave' with its distinctive stone work. A new addition is the lap pool running along the beach. The water features now run in clean contemporary lines in keeping with the times. Best of all, the resort fronts a walking trail that doubles as a jogging or cycling track along the beachfront linking up with cosy spots for casual chats and views. Dip into real Bali.