Retreat to one of Bali's best hotels

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  Alila Villas Uluwatu

Once in a while you come across a hotel which is perfection. Alila Villas Uluwatu sits high up along the southern coast of Bali on the Bukit peninsula. As you approach it along a rough bumpy road with nothing but scrubland in view, there is no hint of the glory to come. The first sight is even a series of unpromising geometric wooden cabanas.

It is only when you turn into the simple reception entrance of this luxury retreat in Bali that the full impact of its spectacular location reveals itself; the view across the marble floor, lily ponds, and infinity pool is of the ocean beyond and, more dramatically, below.

It is worth coming here for one feature alone – a long wooden cabana built into the limestone cliffs stretches out beyond the rocky foundations, on which you can stand (or sit on the low slung sofas), and watch the sea crash beneath you, whilst the wind blots out all other noise.

The first time I stayed at Alila Uluwatu, it was for less than 24 hours, a snatched night to review Bali’s latest five-star hotel opening but having been bumped off my flight from Singapore, I arrived tired and irritable.

However, I was still bewitched enough with the resort that when it came to talking about how to celebrate a big occasion this past winter, I did something that we hadn’t done as a family for years - booked a holiday en-masse for my family of six to Bali.

We took over three villas, three pools and one butler. But with the bank manager in mind, it was a relief to discover that Warung, the Balinese restaurant was cheap as well as delicious. Though we also spent one delicious evening at Cire, the gourmet restaurant.

Second time around at Uluwatu, I fell in love with my villa, with its lack of distinction between inside and out and floor-to-ceiling doors which slide away and literally disappear giving an uninterrupted run of garden, king-size bed, stone floor, large square daybed, beautiful cool blue pool and a large, cushioned cabana.

The hotel has 52 one-bedroom pool villas, plus a couple of two-bed and five three-bed villas which are soon to be completed. The design is contemporary Balinese although the architect is a youngish Singapore-based Brit. The dominant materials are wood, water, stone, rattan and black lava rocks. The bathrooms are magnificent, with indoor and outdoor showers and his and hers’ boxes of Alila-branded products for everything from shampoo to sunscreen and lip cream, and his and hers sun-hats thoughtfully placed in the wardrobe.

It’s not for beach lovers however, access to the sand is only when the tide is out and involves a very long climb down which my marathon-running husband did with ease, but I puffed and panted all the way back to my villa. Just as well there was such a choice of places to lie down on once I got there.

By Sue Ryan

Location: Bali