Bali is home to some of the world’s most luxurious beachfront resorts, and two of the best luxury hotels in Bali are The Ritz-Carlton Bali and The St. Regis Bali Resort. Both offer stunning ocean views, impeccable service, and high-end amenities. Below, Luxury Travel Diary compares these two luxury properties based on location, style and character, service and facilities, rooms, restaurants, and overall experience to help you decide which best suits your dream Bali escape.
The Ritz-Carlton Bali is located in Nusa Dua, on the southern cliffs of Bali, offering breathtaking elevated views of the Indian Ocean. The resort is slightly removed from the main Nusa Dua hotel strip, offering a more secluded and tranquil atmosphere that is ideal for families and honeymooners but not for those who like to party. Its cliffside positioning means that while the views are spectacular, beach access requires taking an elevator down to the sand.
The St. Regis Bali Resort is also located in the Nusa Dua area. The hotels are just a 12-minute drive from each other up the same beach. You could even theoretically walk between the two resorts in an hour, so the location is not a deal-breaker. Both resorts are secluded, peaceful, and a long way from the nearest party, but they are both great for luxury travelers who want to relax.
Rooms are closer to the sands at the St. Regis Bali, so guests can step directly onto the sand. The beach here is like the one at the Ritz-Carlton and is one of Bali’s best, with soft white sand and calm waters perfect for swimming.
The St. Regis is closer to the Bali Collection shopping and dining complex, making it more convenient for guests exploring beyond the resort. St. Regis Bali’s direct beach is also a major advantage. Although the Ritz-Carlton’s clifftop setting offers more dramatic views, it requires an elevator to reach the beach.
Style and Character
The Ritz-Carlton Bali combines modern luxury with traditional Balinese influences. The resort’s elevated entrance and open-air design provide wonderful views down the coastline. The décor features earthy tones, stonework, and wood accents, giving it a contemporary tropical feel with hints of mint green, rust orange and purple adding color.
The St. Regis Bali Resort feels classically elegant with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and handcrafted wooden carvings throughout the resort. It has a regal feel.
St. Regis Bali exudes refined, classic luxury, whereas Ritz-Carlton is more modern and airy. If you prefer understated contemporary elegance, go with Ritz-Carlton; St. Regis is the better choice if you love old-world grandeur.
Service and Facilities
The Ritz-Carlton Bali delivers exceptional service, a large spa, a kids’ club, and a beautiful infinity pool on the edge of the ocean. While the service is top-tier, it is less personalized than the butler service offered by St. Regis.
Review: The Ritz-Carlton Bali
The Ritz-Carlton is one of the best luxury hotels in Bali and is situated in the heart of Nusa Dua, which is ideally placed to enjoy the nearby Jimbaran Bay, Pecatu, and Uluwatu area, as well as cultural sites, including Jatiluwih and Ubud. This island paradise location is peaceful, ideal for honeymooners, and far from the party areas of Seminyak and Ubud. It offers a breathtaking beachfront and cliffside setting, an oasis of tranquility where guests can immerse themselves in the beauty of the Indian Ocean.
The St. Regis Bali Resort is famous for its 24/7 butler service, available to all guests, including those in entry-level suites. The resort also features one of the largest and most stunning lagoon pools in Bali and complimentary chauffeur-driven airport transfers.
St. Regis Bali butler service is excellent and personal, although there is little to choose between the pools as both pools and beachfronts are great.
Rooms
The Ritz-Carlton Bali offers spacious suites and villas with modern Balinese design and expansive terraces. Even the smallest room at The Ritz-Carlton Bali, the Junior Suite, is 100 sqm, so even if you book the standard “room,” you will be spoiled for space. Most rooms feature large soaking tubs and outdoor showers, while cliffside villas boast private infinity pools with ocean views. However, the rooms don’t have direct beach access, and the garden rooms lack views.
The resort’s collection of villas elevates the experience further, featuring private pools, lush gardens, and sweeping ocean views. Pavilion villas are a great choice. Coming in at 120 sqm, they have their own private pool, a cream and mint green seating area in front of the bed, and your own semi-private pool surrounded by greenery just outside your sliding glass door. This pool is of a decent size, but it is shared with the villa next door. Book the Garden Villa for your own private pool.
The St. Regis Bali Resort is known for its luxurious suites and villas, which are exceptionally large and come with butler service. The St. Regis Pool Suites and Villas feature direct beach access, oversized infinity pools, and lush private gardens, making them some of the best accommodations in Bali.
St. Regis Bali rooms with direct beach access are superb. Ritz-Carlton’s suites are beautiful but less distinctive and further from the beach.
Restaurants
The Ritz-Carlton Bali has loads of restaurants, with its highlight being Bejana, a fine-dining Indonesian restaurant serving elevated Balinese cuisine. The Beach Grill offers fresh seafood with stunning ocean views, and the Japanese-focused Raku provides a refined sushi experience.
The breakfast at this Ritz-Carlton is particularly noteworthy. Senses Restaurant offers an extensive international breakfast buffet featuring a wide array of cuisines, including Indonesian, Japanese, and Western specialties. This breakfast, which is one of the complimentary benefits of booking via our concierge, should not be missed.
The buffet is extensive, featuring multiple live cooking stations and attentive staff ready to assist at every counter. The selection includes cold cuts, cheeses, fresh whole and sliced fruits, chopped salads, and vegetables, alongside a variety of hot dishes like sausages, bacon, and eggs. A dedicated noodle station lets a chef prepare made-to-order local noodle dishes, while additional Asian food counters offer a diverse range of flavors, with large woks filled with regional specialties. The egg station ensures eggs are cooked precisely to your liking, whether as an omelet, fried, or scrambled. For those with a sweet tooth, the pastry section is stocked with freshly baked croissants, muffins, donuts, and an array of cakes and pastries, making for a truly indulgent breakfast experience.
The St. Regis Bali Resort is home to Kayuputi, one of Bali’s most acclaimed fine-dining restaurants, specializing in Asian-inspired haute cuisine. The Boneka restaurant offers one of the best breakfast buffets on the island, and Dulang serves authentic Balinese food in a regal setting. The resort is also famous for its afternoon tea and Champagne Sunday brunches. Breakfast here is also free if you book your St. Regis hotel stay via our concierge.
Conclusion: Which One Should You Choose?
The Ritz-Carlton Bali is best if you like a modern, contemporary feel over classic elegance and want staggering clifftop views. This hotel has a more spacious, open-air design with fabulous grounds.
The St. Regis Bali has a fussier design and a larger beachfront. The grounds are flatter, which means fewer rooms and communal areas with views, but many of the rooms are much closer to the beach or even the beachfront, so if you like to step straight out onto the sand (more or less), then this is your best choice.
If you’re looking for a secluded, peaceful retreat away from the main Nusa Dua area, both these hotels are wonderful and exclusive. If you are blessed to stay at the Ritz-Carlton or the St. Regis, it’s will hard not to fall in love with either’s beauty.
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