We review the top 10 best five-star resorts in Bali, Indonesia. Whether traveling on a honeymoon or simply as a couple wanting to get away, whether you are looking for spiritual harmony in Ubud or prefer lazing on the sand at Seminyak and Nusa Dua’s beach resorts, Bali has it all.
Bali is known for its thick, tropical forests, volcanic hillsides, pretty beaches, coral reefs, and spiritual essence. Also known as the “Island of Gods”, there are many distinct areas; Seminyak is a chic, cosmopolitan beach resort area that appeals to luxury travelers. It also offers spectacular waves, breathtaking sunsets, and vibrant nightlife. Nusa Dua offers manicured lawns fronting world-class hotels. Ubud is the spiritual center of Bali, with views over the lurid green paddy fields.
January is the hottest and the wettest month in Bali, with temperatures averaging 28°C (82°F). July is the coolest month, averaging 26°C (78°F). You can, therefore, expect a warm, tropical climate all year round but with more rain in November, December, January, and February. The best time to travel to Bali is in April, May, June, and September, just before and after the high season (which falls in July and August).
We have compiled a list containing the best five-star resorts in Bali. Whichever you pick, Bali is a magical island, and you will have a wonderful stay.
1. Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort
The Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort has 415 beautifully-appointed rooms, suites and villas. The beach is a short walk from the swimming pool, and Denpasar International Airport is just a 15-minute drive away.
Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua mixes French elegance with Balinese culture in a lavish 5-star beachfront location. The resort also offers gorgeously landscaped pools and 8 hectares of tropical gardens bordered by an immaculate stretch of white sand on the edge of the Indian Ocean.
This luxury hotel has swim-up rooms and private plunge pools. You can see one of these gorgeous poolside rooms in the picture above.
The pool is ‘lazy river’ in style, meandering under bridges and around the main pool area. It is the perfect place to cool off unless you prefer to laze on the beautiful beach that borders the resort.
The exceptional SoSPA at Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort will help you unwind with soothing and anti-aging treatments. Their kid’s club is ideal for younger guests if you can drag them away from the pool.
The spacious rooms are beautifully furnished with amazing bathrooms offering a walk-in rain shower and a free-standing bathtub. Even the base “luxury” rooms are excellent here.
They are large with 48 m² of living space, a small sofa, and a balcony. The bathroom is open with an excellent bathtub. The welcome gift here is chocolates, bottled water, and fruit.
If you have kids or like a swim, upgrade to a pool access room; these are swim-up pool rooms. Your kids will want to leap straight out of bed and into the pool. If you book a Luxury Room with a Plunge Pool, you get your own private garden with a pool and sunbed.
If you upgrade to a Club Room, you get free food and drink and can use a separate and exclusive pool in the Club Lounge. Upgrading to these Club Millésime rooms, suites, and villas offer great value. Club lounge membership means that you can escape to a quiet and exclusive area to sit, relax, eat, and drink. Lounge access includes a sumptuous breakfast, all-day refreshments, evening canapés, an extensive selection of wines, butler services, and many other special benefits.
Book the Sofitel Bali via our luxury travel concierge to get some brilliant complimentary benefits as well as your usual Accor loyalty points and status benefits.
2. Four Seasons at Jimbaran Bay
The stunning all-villa Four Seasons Resort sits right on the beach at Jimbaran Bay and spreads across 14 hectares, reaching right down to the golden sands at the end of Jimbaran Bay. This resort is easy to get to in a taxi taking just 20 minutes from the airport.
Designed around the hillside, this Balinese resort has 147 gorgeous villas that seem to meld into the tropical gardens. The beach and infinity pool are reached via meandering pathways, taking you through colorful gardens wafting with hibiscus, jasmine, and frangipani, and across beautifully manicured lawns.
Rooms mix creams with Balinese touches, and glass doors lead out to private pools. Bathrooms have double sinks, indoor and outdoor showers, and stand-alone tubs.
Breakfast is served alfresco and offers a smorgasbord of delights, including many items you didn’t even know you wanted. The Pool Terrace Cafe keeps you going with snacks and healthy burgers, and you can also grab a snack or a cocktail at the beach club.
The open-air Taman Wantilan restaurant offers theatre-style dining presented by a brigade of specialty chefs at nine culinary exhibitions or show kitchens, perfect for romance.
Of course, there is no Four Seasons rewards program, but if you are a regular guest of the Four Seasons or even want to try this iconic brand for the first time, you can take advantage of loyalty style benefits at Four Seasons hotels for no extra cost by booking your next stay via our luxury travel concierge.
3. Four Seasons Resort Bali At Sayan, Ubud
This is the second Four Seasons hotel on the island of Bali and has a much more spiritual vibe than the beach-fronted Four Seasons at Jimbaran Bay. Perhaps this is the more romantic of the two hotels as fewer families and more couples are attracted to this hotel due to the lack of a beach.
The Four Seasons Sayan is a tranquil retreat tucked away amongst the lush jungle greenery on the Ayung River banks that flows through a river valley in the heart of Ubud.
Voted #1 hotel in the world by Travel + Leisure in 2018, Four Seasons Resort Sayan encapsulates Bali at its philosophical and soulful best. The hotel is only a ten-minute drive from the stylish boutiques, artist ateliers, and atmospheric eateries of boho-chic Ubud, making Four Seasons Sayan an inspiring base to explore Bali’s cultural heart or to retreat into nature’s meditative embrace.
Guests arrive via a dramatic bridge at tree level, beneath which the Ayung River valley spreads its tropical arms. From the gravity-defying rooftop lotus pond that seems to float, suspended above the canopy.
The property cascades down the hill to the two-tiered swimming pool, cantilevered over the river, through an enchanting forest that cocoons just 60 suites and villas with stunning rice paddy and jungle views.
Rooms are built from local timber and thatched Alang-Alang roofs and vary from Suite for two tucked in the jungle to the Two Bedroom River View Villas or the Royal Villa, with incredible views of the tumbling Ayung River and lush green surrounds.
The traditional and tranquil spa is perfect for a relaxing massage after a day exploring Ubud. Particularly special are the signature treatments designed to balance the body’s chakras.
4. Amankila
Amankila is set to the picturesque backdrop of Mount Agung and is one of the most romantic resorts on the island of Bali. This beach resort comprises 34 little villas dotted up the hillside and joined to each other by pretty paths.
Each villa is a beach house hut with a thatched roof and a terrace furnished with coconut-shell tables, rattan chairs, and daybeds for relaxing in the sun and under the stars.
Amankila is located on the silvery gold sands of Jimbaran Bay, the same beach as our favorite Four Seasons hotel above. There is a huge lap pool by the Beach Club and Amankila’s signature three-tier infinity pools, which drop down from the reception to the shore and are lined with loungers and more thatched buildings.
Views are romantic and look straight out across the Lombok Strait. The airport can be reached in 20 minutes, making Amankila easy to get to.
5. Mandapa A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Ubud
Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is the best and most romantic Marriott Bonvoy hotel on the island. Sitting beside the Ayung River in the Ubud jungle is a secluded paradise where lush, rolling hills merge with verdant working rice paddies.
The strike of a traditional Balinese gong marks your arrival, followed by a refreshing local drink infused with indigenous herbs. Your butler will help plan your stay and will escort you to your villa or suite, one of only 60 available at this boutique property. Luxury accommodations here feature a private outdoor space with views of the river or surrounding scenery.
The lime green rice paddies surrounding Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, are more than simply beautiful scenery. The white grains are the foundation for nearly every meal in Bali, accompanied by fragrant spices, colorful vegetables, tender meats, and local fish. Visitors can experience Indonesian cuisine alongside international dishes at our four restaurants, and you can also arrange a romantic dinner overlooking the river or rice terrace.
Away from daily distractions, guests can practice yoga in the peaceful pavilion, enjoy a good book in the library, ride a bicycle through nearby villages, swim in the heated pool, or enjoy a massage at the hands of one of their experienced spa therapists.
6. St Regis Bali
The St. Regis Bali Resort is one of the best miles and points hotel in Bali, but it comes at a price, both in cash or rewards points.
St Regis Bali lies in the heart of the beautiful “Garden of Bali” on a stretch of pristine beach. Its 123 superb suites and villas offer understated elegance and panoramic ocean views over 22 acres of lush gardens and the 39,480 ft² crystal blue lagoon.
All suites, villas, and private beachside residences have private signature St. Regis Butler Service and complimentary Wi-Fi. On-site are award-winning dining venues, bars, the distinctive Remède Spa, a fitness center, and a Children’s Learning Center.
This is the only resort in Bali with 10 beachfront villas with pools and direct access to their private beach. Surely a reason to list this as one of the most romantic hotels in Bali.
7. Alila Villas Uluwatu
Alila Villas Uluwatu is a superb resort at the southern tip of Bali. We were completely blown away when we reviewed Alila Villas Uluwatu a few years ago.
The lobby is the first place you see when you arrive, offering a sneak preview of the beautiful pool and the ocean. Enjoy a welcome drink as you check-in and a spray of their refreshing mist.
You will be transported to your pool villa in the hotel buggy. There are only 65 villas in the resort, comprising 56 one-bedroom villas, three two-bedroom villas, and six cliffside 3 bedroom villas.
All the villas’ layouts are well thought out, with proper resting, lounging, working areas, and a separate bath area. Plenty of technology exists, from an entertainment system to a large library of music and movies. There are also various shower options, including an indoor rain and jet shower, an indoor bathtub, and an outdoor shower.
The bathrooms are overloaded with high-quality amenities, from separate For Him and For Her shower supplies to a bathtub box containing sun tanning oil, after-sun cooling gel, insect repellent, signature sunscreen purifying mask, and a bottle of aromatic bubble bath liquid. There is also a pillow mist spray, which acts as a sleeping aid by the bedside.
All villas are beautifully designed, featuring contemporary designs with various Balinese elements like wood, water, stone, and rattan. The open-plan design also allows natural light and the sea breeze to come into the room. All villas have their own private pool, which occupies the back half of the unit, along with an outdoor cabana and table.
As you would expect, breakfast here is excellent, an a la carte buffet, where guests can order anything from a daily rotating menu of Western and Indonesian food. The dinner options are even more comprehensive, and all tastes are catered for.
There is a long 50-meter infinity pool on the grounds between the restaurants, with many chairs and cabanas to lounge or tan. One of the two picturesque overhanging cliff-side platforms is in front of The Warung and serves as an extended lounge space for guests to chill and sip cool drinks while admiring the turquoise Indian Ocean. A pathway is next to the platform, which leads almost 700 steps down the cliff to a stretch of pristine private beach.
At the edge of the hotel is another overhanging platform used specifically for weddings and functions. A dramatic platform offering gorgeous views of the Ocean, Alila Uluwatu is an extremely popular and superb choice for weddings.
8. The Ritz-Carlton Bali
Offering 313 spacious and sumptuously appointed suites and villas in an elegant tropical ambiance, The Ritz-Carlton Bali is a luxurious resort with a stunning clifftop and beachside setting.
Tranquil views over the azure waters of the Indian Ocean provide the perfect setting. Along the foreshore are The Ritz-Carlton Club, six stylish dining venues, an indulgent and exotic marine-inspired Spa, a glamorous beachfront chapel, and recreational activities at Ritz Kids.
Experience The Ritz-Carlton Club’s exquisite service with your exclusive Ritz-Carlton Club Concierge. This is the best club lounge in Bali and has its own private pool and a manned cocktail bar.
Ritz-Carlton hotels don’t offer free club lounge access to Marriott Bonvoy elite members. You only get lounge access if you book a club room. This particularly excellent club lounge is located in its own villa, halfway between the bottom of the lobby and the beach.
This lounge also offers red and white wine, beer all day, special cocktails, spirits, and after-dinner liquors. The food on offer is massively generous. It will fill you up and make paying for this lounge’s access worthwhile.
9. InterContinental Bali
The InterContinental Bali Resort is nestled in 34 tropical acres of lush tropical gardens overlooking Jimbaran Bay on Bali’s southern tip. It is just 10 minutes from Denpasar International Airport (DPS) and is big with 417 guest rooms, including a Club InterContinental wing and an open-air lobby.
Designed with the ambiance of a tranquil Balinese village, this five-star luxury property is built on the shores of the beautiful Jimbaran Bay. It is perfectly positioned for guests to experience stunning sunsets.
There is plenty of room for sunbathing around the six pools, including one with fountains that you can swim around in and underneath the jets. There’s more room on the beach with comfy loungers everywhere. It’s worth noting that the beach is quite rocky, so jelly shoes would be useful here.
The rooms are beautiful, with lots of dark wood, and Club rooms are slightly larger (624 ft² instead of 527 ft²). The bathrooms are marble with double vanity and huge, and the rooms have large terraces.
Platinum IHG loyalty members can then pay to upgrade access to the InterContinental Club Lounge. The 24/7 Club InterContinental lounge is very good here. The classic colonial-style design meets Oriental refinement with a crystal chandelier centerpiece and a grand piano.
There’s indoor seating in air-conditioned comfort, leading to an outdoor terrace overlooking a lagoon where you can enjoy complimentary food and drink and a selection of daily local and international newspapers and lifestyle publications.
One of the pools is exclusively for Club InterContinental guests (i.e., lounge guests). Kids are also allowed but must remain calm in this pool. Club InterContinental guests can also use the Jacuzzi, steam room, and sauna at Spa Uluwatu, and you can continue using the club until you leave the resort (even if you have checked out).
10. Conrad Bali
If you are a Hilton Honors Diamond member or have brand loyalty to Hilton, you must try the Conrad Bali. It has some of the best hotel rooms in Bali for a major brand.
This hotel is simply stunning, from the grand, dark wood lobby with windows that swing open to the vista beyond to the lagoon pools and the huge variety of rooms, some with their own private pool.
The Pool Villas are the ones to pick, and they have private plunge pools and gardens. These villas are hidden away between the reflections lounge and the executive lounge.
Guests staying in these villas will have access to the executive lounge at the Conrad Bali. These Pool Villas, although not large, are perfectly formed with their own private garden, plunge pool, sun terrace, and outdoor tub. You have all the usuals within the room, including a double sink and a large shower area that doubles as a private steam room.
The hotel itself is located on the quieter side of the island of Bali, in the Nusa Dua resort area and away from the madness of trendy Seminyak. A taxi from the airport to the Conrad Bali hotel takes about 20 minutes.
Compared to the Marriott Bonvoy St Regis hotel in Bali, the Pool Villas in Conrad Bali do not quite match up, but this is considered in the price. The Conrad Bali is hard to beat for cost per enjoyment and is definitely one of the best resorts in Nusa Dua. When you stay in a Conrad Pool Villa, you will wake up to the sound of birdsong and waves lapping on the shore. Romance Paradise? It certainly comes close.
Copyright Luxury Travel Diary 2014 - 2024. Duplication outside of luxurytraveldiary.com is forbidden.
Note: Benefits & upgrades subject to availability. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing. Terms & conditions apply. Enquire for more information. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing but may be amended at discretion of the vendor. Posts may be sponsored by the proprietor or brand being appraised. All opinions remain our own & are in no way influenced.
