Alila Villas Uluwatu: a perfect place to stay in Bali.
Bali is one of those distant places we have wanted to visit for a long time. After a few attempts of nearly making it, the day finally arrived, and we landed at Ngurah Rai International Airport, also known as Denpasar Airport.
Arriving at Alila Villas Uluwatu
Upon arrival, and after going through customs, we were met with a genuine smile from the Alila Villas Uluwatu staff, almost feeling like we were actually picked up by a distant family member whom we had never met.
Around half an hour later, after driving through Bali's busy streets, we arrived at secluded Alila Villas Uluwatu, on the southernmost part of the island, in the Bukit Peninsula. As we entered this one-of-a-kind hotel, we instantly knew we had arrived at the most perfect place we could have chosen to stay in Bali. From reception, the gorgeous sea views, the landscaped gardens, and the blue sky reflection on the inner-lake waters give arriving guests a sense of belonging to this place, a feeling that breathing is suddenly easier than before.
We were driven in an electric vehicle from reception to our uphill villa. Wow - what a villa it was! Awaiting us, there were 3.000 square meters (something like 32.292 square feet) of pure luxury with a jaw-dropping view over the sea and the luxuriant vegetation below. When we say luxury, we mean it. To start with, a private infinite pool of 21 meters, ideal for swimming - at this point we're still deciding if we prefer to swim during the day with fantastic panoramic sea views or at night, under an incredibly beautiful starry sky - ah, those problematic choices!
Our experience at Alila Villas Uluwatu
Our place in Bali, as we call it, was a three-bedroom pool villa, which can host up to 6 guests. This is Alila Villas Uluwatu's response for families or groups of friends wishing to enjoy their stay in Bali on a more private note. Each villa comes with a private butler; in our case, it was Wi, a Balinese who takes the art of hospitality to a new level. Guests can choose from three different service approaches: private, discreet, and indulgent - in our case, we just had to go with indulgent; after all, our stay at Alila Villas Uluwatu was all about indulgence. Wi, to whom we became quite close, had it all covered: delicious fruits were always in sight, rooms were impeccably taken care of, and he always had a big smile. Familiar with the feeling that no matter what you ask, you'll never hear a "no" for an answer? That was exactly our experience at Alila Villas Uluwatu.
Staying in Bali means one should feel its essence as much as possible. It was nice to see that Alila Villas Uluwatu is committed to co-existing perfectly with the surrounding area. This commitment is felt through the local-sourced materials used to built the hotel, its Balinese majority professional staff, the respect for local traditions (we know temples were built on-sight to comply with religious beliefs) and even Balinese monkeys are invited to wonder around the hotel premises - rest assured you won't be bothered.
Alila Villas Uluwatu Restaurants
There are two available restaurants at Alila Villas Uluwatu: CIRE and The Warung. CIRE, which specializes in East Asian cuisine with a few french nuances, is also where breakfast is served - and what a breakfast it is. The breakfast menu changes every morning to make sure your day always starts. Differently, a sort of new beginning to your unforgettable Bali stay.
The Warung, next to the Sunset Cabana, is the perfect opportunity to discover Bali's local flavors and some Indonesian dishes. All meals here are primarily prepared with the finest local ingredients, which means organic, tasteful, and healthy.
The Spa
One of the highlights of our stay at Alila Villas Uluwatu was the visit to the spa. After a deliciously refreshing ginger tea, we were greeted by two spa professionals (perhaps we should call them angels) who took us to a private room. After massaging our feet with rosewater, we were given the very best of body massages and left the spa floating.
Bali is a place to visit
Every time we arrived at Alila Villas Uluwatu after spending the day exploring Bali, we felt like leaving Bali for a moment and entering heaven. With this, we're not saying Bali isn't a wonderful place to visit - it is. Natural beauty, cultural diversity, and genuinely gentle people, all come together on this unique Indonesian island. A place we found to be quite charming was Ubud, Bali's cultural and religious center, featuring attractive markets and exceptional little restaurants (Locavore is unmissable). Our lunch at Alila Ubud, in a beautiful setting with striking views over the greenish surroundings, will also last in our minds forever.
The sublime view from Alila Villas Uluwatu
Lastly, and certainly not least, we left to the end of this article something that is very dear to us: Alila Villas Uluwatu's most perfect view! At The Most Perfect View, we know a thing or two about vistas, and we can assure you that this view will take your breath away. We particularly enjoyed the view from the Sunset Cabana, a wooden structure suspended above the cliff. Look left, and you'll see the hotel and its spectacular 50-meter infinity pool, look to the front, see the Indian Ocean disappearing in the horizon, look to the right, and feel blessed by a sunset view like no other.
Alila Villas Uluwatu is managed by Marco Groten, a dutch passionate about Bali. We thank Marco and each single Alila Villas Uluwatu team member for our flawless stay in Bali.
