A curated choice of upscale lodging by location on the Island of the Gods, after 4 stays in 8 years:

After identifying must-do Bali places in my first post of my mini-series about this island, I now focus on which hotels to go for a luxury stay in this very spots. While the selection of lodging for staying in style on the Island of the Gods is generally good, there are areas where such accommodations are scarce. After four visits to this island in eight years, I had my share of staying at some of the best Bali luxury hotels. Although I was quite fond of most of them, there are certain things to consider, which I would like to share with you.

Before plunging in medias res, first an overview of my Bali mini-series.

What is my Bali mini-series about?

My current mini-series about Bali comprises four blogposts. The first one was about findings gained after four stays in eight years. And this was especially in the context of luxury travel. I looked into Bali as a travel destination, the best time to visit this island, how to proceed when wishing to do walks here. And I put together an itinerary where to go on the Island of the Gods for sights yet also for staying in style at the same time.

The focus of my second Bali post was about easy walks to do on this island. And I based them on the Bali itinerary I have just mentioned. Just to make clear, it is not about hardcore hikes but about leisurely walks, very often in the island’s many rice fields.

The actual post about which hotels to choose for a luxury stay follows the same itinerary that I wrote about.

And as a (massive) foodie, I tried out the best what Bali has to offer in the field of high-end gastronomy. In particular Ubud does not have to hide in this respect. My fourth and last blogpost will be about five great (casual) fine dining restaurants in the island’s cultural center.

Before coming to luxury hotels by location, there is one more thing I want to write about in this context, and this is prices.

Prices for luxury hotels in Bali

Since going to Bali in 2014 for the first time, there has been a price difference between internationally and and locally owned luxury hotels. Without surprise, the former demand higher rates than the latter. And this for similarly equipped accommodations. While we relied on Indonesian hotels on our first trip in 2014, we did a mix in 2016. The same was true in 2019 and 2022.

To my experience, the service at Indonesian owned properties is almost always convincing. However, this is not necessarily the case as to other aspects. I think in this context of food quality or cleanliness standards. But otherwise, they are usually on par with the ones of international hotel groups. And of course you are not safe from negative surprises when staying at western branded lodging too.

What changed in recent years is that rates at Indonesian and international luxury hotels are drifting apart more and more. If you want a pool villa in Ubud at the latter, you have to fork out nowadays around 1,400 to 1,600 SFR/US$ per night. And that was the price on our recent stay in November, in the shoulder season, with lots of vacancies. At that time, my husband and I had to look for a new place to stay. This was owed to circumstances, but this is another story.

The key message here is that international hotel groups stick to their (over-high) pricing at their Ubud properties. And this, no matter what happens. And their price level has increased considerably over the years. In 2016, we had a large suite at the Mandapa, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve Ubud, for 533 SFR/US$ in the high season. In November 2022, the same would have costed us 1,282 SFR/US$!

Bali upscale hotels by location

While luxury lodging in Bali’s south is plentiful – the tourist hotspot here, geared to sun, sea and sand – , this is not necessarily so in other areas. There is one more place where you find plenty of hotels to stay in style, and this is in Ubud in central Bali. Apart from those two areas, the offer of accommodations suitable for the discerning traveler is not broad.

When having a look at the “underdeveloped” parts of the Islands of the Gods in terms of high-end lodging, the situation presents itself as follows. There is no high-end lodging to speak of in Bali’s west. When it comes to the island’s north, the offer is scarce, and the same is true for the east.

Now to the individual hotels, following the Bali itinerary I mentioned. For information regarding the area where these properties are located, have a look at my first post.

Bali’s south: best luxury hotels

My husband and I can look back on three stays in Bali’s most popular – and crowded – region. And we always went here for a few quiet days on the coast after exploring other parts of the island.

Seminyak

This sleek beach town was our choice when first visiting Bali in 2014. We had opted for The Samaya Seminyak, which boasts a terrific beachfront location.

This hotel, owned by an Indonesian hotel group, offers pool villas only (52 units),

from which the Royal Pavilions are the signatures ones.

If I had to rate this accommodation in terms of luxuriousness, I would give it 7 out of 10.

For more info, have a look at my (short) post about it. As we have not returned, I cannot make any final judgement. From what I read on the internet, reviews are still favorable: Google 4.7 out of 5 and Booking.com 9 out of 10.

Nusa Dua

We went to this enclave of luxury resorts on our 2019 stay. Instead of opting for staying at one of the big names of western hospitality, we chose a Balinese owned property, The Royal Santrian.

You find here pool villas (20 units) only, and the category to go for is the Royal Villa with ocean views.

Rooms are luxuriously appointed in a contemporary style with Balinese touches.

The location on a quieter part along the boardwalk is great. I liked the relaxed ambiance at this boutique accommodation. This together with the good hospitality made it a pleasant stay here in this quite artificial world of Nusa Dua. As to its luxury feel, I give the hotel 7 out of 10. My research on the internet resulted in the realization that it still seems to be a good place for a few days on the beach (Google 4.7 out of 5 and Booking.com 9.3. out of 10).

Sanur

In contrast to Nusa Dua, you are here in a real coastal town. And it is yet Bali’s oldest beach destination. The reason my husband and I stranded in Sanur in 2016, was the recently opened Maya Sanur Resort & Spa (2015), a property owned by a Balinese family.

The Maya is rather large (103 rooms). In terms of accommodations, we had booked one of the eight Ocean View Pool Suites.

The room was great offering lots of space and a small pool with splendid sea views.

I liked the hotel’s construction, which is modern yet with lots of Balinese elements. As to location, it is perfect in the town’s center just by the beach.

On the negative side, I was not so in favor of the vibe in the pool area and at its breakfast restaurant (Mayasari). When lounging by the pool or having breakfast, I felt like staying at a midscale rather than an upscale lodging. And breakfast was mediocre at best (self service only). Staff generally was friendly, but not more.

As to the hotel’s luxuriousness, I attribute 6 out of 10 points to it. Residing in a good room is not enough. All the rest has to be right too to get a feel of real luxury. I am not sure if I would recommend the Maya to a demanding clientele. The reviews are mixed: Google 4.7 out of 5 and Booking.com 8.8 out of 10 (for me the minimum has to be 9 out 10). Maybe check out the new Hotel Andaz Bali (opened 2021) for your Sanur stay.

Central Bali: best luxury hotels

When speaking about staying in central Bali, it is primarily about hotels in Ubud, the island’s cultural and spiritual hub. And here you encounter a great number of luxury hotels. There are not numerous options to stay in style in and near Ubud’s town center – you find here some nice yet very boutique lodging in the rice fields. Most accommodations that suit the demanding traveler, are a bit away from the town’s core. Some that call themselves Ubud based properties are quite a distance from here.

My advice is to opt for a hotel that is relatively close to the town center. And this for three reasons. First, while 9 or 10 kilometers (5.6 mi or 6.2 mi) does not sound like being far away, this is not true for Ubud. Traffic here can be hell, and you might end up getting stuck in roadways quite a long time. Second, in case you plan to have dinner in Ubud’s core – you should as a foodie, my next post goes into this – , it is much more convenient. Third, staying close by allows you to walk into town (see my recent post).

Ubud

On our three Ubud stays, we lodged at two different hotels. Actually, it should have been three. My husband and I had booked a boutique hotel in the rice fields (no access by car) when being last here.

Unfortunately, this did not work out for us, so had we to find another solution on short term. We ended up in returning to the one we stayed in 2014. They offered a big discount (it was in shoulder season), in opposite to all the others we checked out in our desperate efforts to find a new place to stay.

The Samaya Ubud

The Samaya Ubud, managed by an Indonesian hotel group, was our choice of accommodation on our first visit to Ubud in 2014, and our “stopgap” in November 2022. While I was pretty fond of it on our first stay (see my short review), it is still a good choice. However, it is in need of some maintenance. My husband and I had the impression that the hotel has not yet fully woken up from its “Corona slumber”. Some villas are freshly painted, others not. Some furnishings were up to date, others needed replacing.

Yet, the property still enjoys this spectacular hillside location at the foot of the Ayung river. The deep valley views over rice terraces are really hard to beat.

And the 19 pool villas offer the comfort you would expect from an upscale hotel.

Also the service orientation here is strong. Yet, some efforts are bound to happen to become a top notch property again (maintenance as mentioned, more thorough cleaning and better breakfast pastries).

As to reviews, it still gets good ones: Google 4.7 out of 5 and Booking.com 9.3 out of 10. I give it in terms of luxury 7 out of 10 for our 2014 stay and 6 out 10 for our recent one.

Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is possibly one of the best and most luxurious hotels in Ubud, the 2015 opened third property of the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand. To this day, there are five worldwide. What is special about them? They are based on four mantras: Striking, Intimate, Magical and Enlightening. And that is also what you can say about the experience of staying here, what we did in 2016 (see my post about it).

The hotel enjoys – as The Samaya Ubud – a dramatic hillside location on the Ayung river. The buildings cascade down the hill, topped by kind of a mighty fortress. From this “crown” you have an unobstructed view of the whole compound (60 villas and suites). I was so impressed by this amazing piece of architecture! And all the rest is formidable too (ambiance, service, food).

The negative point here is the pricing, which seems a bit over the top. Since our 2016 stay, the rate for the Mandapa Suite (the biggest suite onsite) has doubled from 533 SFR/US$ (20% off from regular rate) in high season to 1,282 SFR/US$ in shoulder season.

Having said that, other Ubud properties of international hotel groups are in the same high price segment (Four Seasons, Amandari).

The reviews for Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, are fabulous: Google 4.7 out of 5 and Booking.com 9.7 out of 10. I attribute 9 out of 10 points for its perceived luxury feel.

Bali’s north: best luxury hotels

As hinted, luxury hotels in Bali’s lesser visited north are not plentiful. The best places to go here for staying in style are in Lovina or in Munduk. Whereas I visited the former back in 2014, I have never been to the latter.

Lovina

My husband and I chose The Damai for our stay in the quiet coastal town of Lovina in 2014. The hotel is located in the hills above this seaside resort and was built by a Danish advertising executive. It boasts 15 villas, which are different in size and amenities, some have pools. My husband and I liked our Pool Villa and the breakfast here, other aspects were not that convincing (see my post).

I am not sure about the current status of The Damai. I read on TripAdvisor that this hotel has not opened since the pandemic. Some travelers also complained that the reimbursement of payments already payed had turned out to be difficult. I cannot judge whether this is true or not. I noticed on their website under “booking” that this hotel is under renovation until early 2023.

As to reviews, it is not (any more) on Booking.com, it is rated 4.5 out of 5 on Google. As to its luxury feel, I give it 6 out of 10.

Munduk

In Munduk, inland from Lovina, you find an accommodation that might suit the discerning traveler, Munduk Molding Plantation Nature Resort & Spa. You find here not only lodging (11 rooms, some have pools) but also a coffee plantation. Maybe this hotel is worth checking out for your North Bali stay.

Reviews are good: Google 4.8 out of 5 and Booking.com 9.5 out of 10.

Bali’s east: best luxury hotel(s)

This is also a part of the island that is not distinctively touristy. And there is only one hotel here that caters for the discerning traveler, the Amankila in Manggis. But this accommodation of the famed Aman brand is a real find! We stayed here twice, in 2019 and 2022. And we immensely enjoyed it on both occasions!

While it is not a new property, it aged well. And they do a lot as to maintenance here. You find here 31 rooms, from which 12 have their private pools. Yet I do not think that the latter is a must as there are two formidable pools are onsite. Especially the main pool is a true feast for the eyes.

Rooms have all the same layout, which I consider as brillant (oversized and extremely practical).

While some have sea views, others have not. I personally would go for the former – what we did on our our recent visit. It is such a nice thing to linger on the generous outdoor area

and taking in this gorgeous vista!

For details have a look at my post about Amankila. I cannot think of many negative points here. Everything from ambiance, service to food options is great. As to the latter, they have just opened an additional restaurant, an Italian one. Also their complimentary afternoon tea offerings have been expanded. As a last remark, while Hotel Amankila is not an inexpensive choice, it is astoundingly affordable for an Aman property. Staying here does not cost the earth as it is usually the case with other Aman hotels. Reviews for this accommodation are good: Google 4.6 out of 5 and Booking.com 9.3 out of 10. In terms of luxurious feel, I attribute 9 points out of 10 to it.

Overall/What was before and what is next?

My first post in my mini-series about Bali was about how to get the most out of your trip as discerning traveler (general info and where to head for sights plus staying in style). And this very post went into the details, some of the best Bali  luxury hotels to go in the different parts of this island.

In between, there was another one describing some of the best (easy) walks to do on the island, divided by location.

There is one more blogpost in the pipeline, and it is for the foodies among you. It is a guide to the best (casual) fine dining in Ubud in central Bali.

Last date of stay: November 2022

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