Best Luxury Hotels in Bali

Found in the southernmost part of Bali, the Aman Villas at Nusa Dua is set on a hillside overlooking the Indian Ocean. Each is designed with an inside-outside layout to fully immerse themselves in the natural surroundings. Menus revolve around local produce from the nearby Jimbaran Market, across a beach club restaurant, a Japanese restaurant, and a poolside bar Treatments at the spa make use of traditional Balinese healing techniques, plus there’s a fitness centre, a tennis court and water sports activities available. The villas are serviced by two butlers and a private chef, with guests enjoying access to a private Beach Club and the Bali National Golf Club.

The Italian designer brand has extended its hotel portfolio to include this stunning property on the south coast in Uluwatu. The resort comprises 59 exclusive villas and mansions – with bespoke butler service, private pools and all rooms containing well-stocked minibars and of course, Bulgari toiletries in the enormous bathrooms. Utilising local materials including volcanic stone, the interiors are suitably glamorous boasting exotic art, Balinese antiques and moody dark wood with flourishes of textile colour. Guests can enjoy a fine dining experience at the hotel’s sophisticated restaurant and enjoy light bites, cocktails and spectacular views from the bar which sits under a traditional Balinese alang-alang thatched roof. For guests who love the water there is an extensive outdoor pool or the idyllic sandy beach sits just below the resort. The spa is a haven of relaxation with treatments that integrate Asian and European approaches, whilst the fitness centre offers the latest digital innovations with partner Technogym. There is a children’s club and a variety of locally inspired experiences that can be enjoyed both at the resort or in the nearby area. The Bvlgari Resort Bali truly exists in an echelon of its own.

This was the first resort to arrive in the seaside town of Seminyak and while it’s close to the heart of the town’s action (a five-minute walk), it’s far enough away to provide complete serenity. The charming 15-acre grounds are littered with bright flowers, carved statues, temples, lily ponds, fountains and trees. There’s a real sense of romance and local authenticity here – you can enjoy afternoon tea accompanied by a live Balinese dance show in the hotel’s own amphitheatre. It has a spa, 74 traditional style villas with original teak features and two restaurants with amazing meat and seafood.

Indonesia’s own Jaya Ibrahim designed all 66 of the sleek suites, 13 pool villas and the stunning ocean view Beach House at The Legian; incorporating natural-fibre furnishings, polished wooden floors and artefacts from around the islands. Guests can dine in the main restaurant and at the pool bar, as well as nibbling on canapes at the thatched Champagne Bar which is nestled between the ocean and a lily-pad-covered pond. The lobby bar doubles as a library, with books in many languages, plus there’s a spa, a Grooming Lounge and a Wellness Concierge to look after you.

This beach and thalassotherapy spa retreat from the renowned St Regis group is full-on luxe, with less of an emphasis on local authenticity and more on the high-end bells and whistles f an international resort. Expect chandeliers, marble, statement art, 24-hour formal butler service, a cellar of imported wines, wagyu beef and caviar. There’s a champagne bar, two very fancy restaurants, a Children’s Learning Center and a regal penthouse complete with a grand piano. Take a swim in the central lagoon and you’ll discover a submerged sitting room and beach beds in the shape of human silhouettes by landscape designer Bill Bensley.

Nestled in the valley of the Ayung River, this tranquil spot is a 15-minute ride from Ubud. The resort feels much like a traditional Balinese village, albeit with attentive gracious service, regal decor and every mod con. Many of its buildings are hidden in the lush greenery and overlook rice paddies, creating a sense of privacy and escape. Healing therapies, yoga, a pool, library, four dining areas, and a choice of five villa classes and suites are all available. Romantic meals for two can be served in the paddies, or in various nooks on the estate, and for families, there’s an action-packed kids’ programme: mini explorers. Be sure to dine in Kubu while you’re there – tables are set in bamboo pods overlooking the river and the Mediterranean cuisine is divine.

High above Ubud’s Valley of the Kings, this area was once home to Balinese aristocracy. Its heritage is reflected in the luxury nature of this family-run resort. Guests can arrive by chopper and enjoy Belgian-inspired cuisine, old-world elegance, an upscale spa and access to lots of exciting local excursions. The hilltop infinity pool has a back-to-nature feel with palm-thatched roofs, a swim-up bar, a poolside garden and even its own waterfall. And you get your own in-suite private infinity pool and outdoor lounge, as well as the delights of nightly turndown gifts and kimono robes.

Tanah Gajah, a Resort by Hadiprana is a 5-star luxury resort in Bali located just outside the artists’ village of Ubud which was once the former estate of Hendra Hadiprana – one of Indonesia’s most respected art collectors. Tanah Gajah, is hidden among Bali’s culture-rich highlands and the resort comprises 24 villas and suites, four of which are the property’s new Premier One Bedroom Club Pool Villas. Each Balinese-style villa features a 14-meter long private plunge pool, an outdoor dining pavilion, an outdoor deep soaking tub and original Balinese artworks from the late owners’ private collection. With an exceptional range of curated experiences that showcase local culture at its best and superb Balinese inspired cuisine along with classic Western options too guests are well-looked after. The beautiful resort is spread out over six hectares and is available for buyouts for corporate groups, wellness retreats, incentives, and weddings. The property is large enough to offer guests plenty of space but also intimate enough that the entire resort can be booked by one group.

Meaning “inner sanctum of well-being”, this hotel’s name gives a clue as to what lies in store if you stay here. It’s on the same beach as the Anantara, but a quieter stretch and has two restaurants; Breeze, with indoor and outdoor seating on its lantern-lit deck, and the Brasserie for Balinese food. Afternoon tea is included in your room price, as are cultural activities, yoga classes and 24-hour butler service. Your villa will come with its own pool and a four-poster bed — larger villas in the Royal Courtyard area have additional outdoor daybeds with gazebos and gardens.

Modelled on a Javanese-Hindu water palace, this villa-only resort places a strong focus on wellness, with organic farm-to-table cuisine, personalised moon-based programmes and a traditional hammam. The hotel grounds incorporate historic Majapahit ruins, a pavilion kids’ club, fountains, a sunset pool lounge and a dining terrace. The outdoor area is enormous, with a sweeping pool area butting right up to the beach and lapping sea. Guests here are lavished with Arabian-Balinese hospitality, a personal butler service and luxury airport transfers. This is a place to reconnect with yourself, enjoy being pampered, immerse in a little history and take a bespoke wellness journey surrounded by breathtaking scenery.

Surrounded by lush gardens beside a white sandy beach, with seven lagoon-style pools, this resort feels like a true oasis. The hotel in Nusa Dua has received a recent makeover, bringing it even further up to date and upping the barefoot luxury stakes. Rooms all come with around-the-clock butler service and some have direct access to the lagoon. And guests can book alfresco massages on the plush poolside cabanas. Dine on Western and pan-Asian cuisine at Banyubiru, fresh seafood at the ocean-side Arwana, lighter meals at the poolside Kul Kul Bar, with signature cocktails mixed at the Cascade and Sapphire Lagoon bars.

Exclusive and secluded, this all-villa resort provides private accommodations, each with its own walled garden framed by banana plants, a pool and dedicated butler service. It caters to an adult-only clientele, with a spa, two restaurants, an alfresco waterside bar and beach access. Kayumanis Nusa Dua has a wealth of options for those wishing to pick up skills or try something new while on holiday; take a dance class, go scuba diving, join in with water aerobics and play tennis. Or just kick back, do nothing and allow the staff to wait on you as you sip cocktails in paradise.