Review: Bvlgari Resort Bali

Why book?

The hotel’s new general manager, Anthony Smekens, has added a new level of polish to this cliffside jewel. Expect helicopter transfers, flexible check in and check out times, revamped pool villas, caviar-loaded tasting menus, endless activities and peerless personal service.

Set the scene

Bulgari Bali is located on the Bukit Peninsula, the drop of land that hangs off the south of the island. This part of Bali is known for its dramatic white cliffs overlooking a vast expanse of Indian Ocean which comes into full view as you step into the hotel’s supersized entrance pavilion. Having been greeted with cold towels and chilled ginger tea, guests are whisked away by butlers in smart udeng headscarves on buggy rides along volcanic cobblestone paths lined with bushy blooms of jasmine and bougainvillea past a shimmering infinity pool to some of the priciest villas in Asia. Unlike some of Bulgari’s other hotels, which lean heavily into a could-be-anywhere gallery-like aesthetic, Bali has a more sympathetic design blending local materials such as blackened Javanese mahogany, alang-alang thatch and jade-green sukabami stone with hand-woven gem-tone fabrics, Indonesian antiques and coffee table tomes of Bulgari jewels.

The backstory

Opened in 2006, Bulgari Bali was the second property in the high-end jewelry brand’s hotel collection, which now stands at nine properties including among others the Bulgari Shanghai and Bulgari Rome. The hotel opened at a time when there was little else on this part of the island securing a prime plot set atop 150-metre-high bluffs that plummet towards a private beach, reached by inclinator. A few fancy neighbors have arrived in recent years, including Six Senses Uluwatu and LXR Umana Bali, but the Bulgari remains sublimely cut off from the outside world thanks to its expansive grounds, which include a helicopter pad for those without the patience to endure Bali’s ever-worsening traffic.

The rooms

All of the 59 villas share the same glorious sea views, best enjoyed from private infinity pools that are set between redolent tropical greenery for maximum privacy. Ranging from spacious one-bedrooms with outdoor living rooms to gargantuan five-bedroom mansions with multiple swimming pools, feature waterfalls, private gyms and mini spa suites, all are sultry cocoons with oversized beds, vaulted ceilings, large dressing rooms and showpiece bathrooms with raised tubs. Much appreciated touches include complimentary laundry on arrival, stylish straw beach bags, a choice of robes, and nightly deliveries of Bulgari’s very expensive homemade chocolates.

Food and drink

Breakfast is exactly what you want at a resort hotel: super fresh, suitably decadent and available 24-hours a day, either served in your villa (at no extra charge) or at all-day restaurant Sangkar, which has gasp-inducing views of the sun rising above a blush-pink Indian Ocean. At night, guests dress up for dinner at Il Ristorante by Luca Fantin, where tasting menus merge the best of Indonesian and Italian ingredients – homemade tagliolini with Kintamani vanilla butter and caviar, wild snapper with potato spaghetti, crème brûlée with Bedegul raspberries grown on the banks of a volcanic lake.

There’s also the seemingly gravity-defying La Spiaggia, a breezy multi-level café perched above two-miles of wild white sands, volcanic rock formations and crashing Indian Ocean serving a lunchtime menu of tempura-battered soft-shell crab with papaya salad, lobster stuffed with garlicky prawns, and grilled vegetable focaccia – all best enjoyed with a pitcher of Aperol spritz sangria.

The spa

An intricately carved antique Javanese joglo house serves as the entrance to The Spa, where you’ll find a yoga sala, a fitness center and a second swimming pool with a pulse-slowing relaxation area staring out to sea. The menu isn’t huge but includes some wonderful local treatments—Balinese Boher herbal massage, traditional hair cream baths, de-stressing foot reflexology—as well as Biologique Recherche facials. The therapists are some of the best you’ll encounter anywhere.

The neighborhood/area

Perfectly positioned on the eastern side of the Bukit Peninsula. From here, it’s a 15-minute drive to one of Bali’s most extraordinary attractions, the Kecak Fire Dance, which takes place every night at sunset at the westerly Uluwatu Temple. Other nearby things to do include surfing at the legendary Padang Padang beach, hanging out at fashionable beach clubs, touring local villages and receiving blessings from a Balinese priest under a giant statue of Ganesh.

The service

Many of the staff have been with the hotel since it opened and their experience shines through in a myriad of ways, from remembering your favourite drink to running a flower petal bath for you to enjoy before bed.

For families

The hotel mainly appeals to honeymooners and couples but the mansions with their private gardens and numerous bedrooms are ideal for families. There’s no kids club but activities such as kite-making and Balinese dance are available on request. Babysitting is also available.

Eco effort

The hotel has little in the way of energy and water management (on an island that struggles with water shortages) it does support a number of local initiatives, including mangrove planting, beach clean-ups, and maintaining several bee colonies. It was disappointing to find Bulgari branded amenities still presented in plastic bottles.

Anything left to mention?

Don’t leave without a visit to the Bulgari boutique. The watches and jewelry are beguiling, with some pieces exclusive to the resort. There’s also a beautifully curated range of rare Asian antiques and art pieces.