The Ritz-Carlton Bali is a luxurious resort with beautiful grounds, spacious accommodations, and friendly staff. For those seeking a hidden paradise overlooking the Indian Ocean, look no further.
The travelers found themselves in need of some rest and relaxation and the Ritz-Calrton Bali immediately came to mind. There is no shortage of luxury Marriott Bonvoy accommodations in Bali including the Laguna and the St. Regis.
During the travelers’ visit, they experienced the Balinese Day of Silence – Nyepi. The day before, the hotel held a Ngrupuk parade with Ogoh-ogoh, or the symbolization of evil spirits, which is used the day before Nyepi as a way to expel negative forces before the start of the near year. These two festivities dictated a portion the travelers’ visit as the resort had adjusted times and activities.
In this post:
Location, Arrival, & Check-In
The Ritz-Carlton Bali is located in the southern part of the island known as Nusa Dua. Today, this area is home to all the major 5-start resorts but is isolated from the popular tourists spots of Ubud, Kuta, and Seminyak. The price of getting around the island is not prohibitive, but the traffic and timing can be. Travelers staying at this property should generally be okay with not going elsewhere unless they want to be stuck in Bali traffic for hours on either end of their trip.
From the busy Ngurah Rai International Airport, the hotel is a 30-45 minute ride when utilizing the island’s only toll bridge. Using the hotel’s transportation service, the travelers were greeted by a friendly driver, cold towels, and cookies for the drive to the resort.
After a relatively quick drive, the travelers pulled up to the resort. The awe-inspiring and majestic entrance left these travelers speechless. The monumental entrance includes views of the resort and the Indian Ocean some 50 meters (164 feet) below. Check-in procedures take advantage of this view as the travelers were escorted to a couch to await the formalities. Fresh cold towels and a glass of signature tea were provided as the attended completed check-in and provided details of the resort and the traveler’s Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite benefits.
The grounds are sprawling and to get to certain areas, you will need to get a buggy ride. Thankfully, the property offers 24/7 service. Set on 12.7 hectares of expansive and beautifully manicured beach-front and cliff-top land, this resort is home to 313 suites and villa, six restaurants and lounges, and a 70 meter high glass elevator providing guests access from the lobby to the lush landscape below.
After the iconic and picturesque elevator ride, a member of the guest services team escorted to the travelers to their upgraded room. Along the way, monkeys can be seen in the greenery. The teams at the Ritz-Carlton aim to keep it a cheeky-monkey-free zone but warn guests not to leave their belongings alone, just in case.
Hotel Room
Despite their nightly upgrade award (NUA) not being accepted, it appears that the travelers’ status as Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite members was useful as the they were upgrade a day before arrival to a Ritz-Carlton Suite – a two step upgrade from the base room originally booked (it should be noted that all rooms are technically suites with the base room being a Sawangan Junior Suite, still very spacious).
To it a room would be an understatement due in part to the large kitchennette with a table where four can comfortable eat, a master bathroom and half bath, a walk-in closet, a master bedroom with an extra large king sized bed, a large living room, and a spacious. Located on the top floor of building five, this room was one of the closest to the sea.
Upon walking in, guests see the walk-in wardrobe across from the door, which is an alternate route to the bathroom and the bedroom, too. It comes with plenty of hangers, a large luggage storage area, bath slippers, and bathrobes. Pass the entrance foyer is a large desk and then the half bath with a sink and Japanese bidet toilet. This is particular useful for hosting people, or as an additional bathroom for a family. The room can easily sleep 4-6 people comfortably. The living takes up the space in front of the main bedroom. There is a spacious dining table to sit four people as well as a mini bar and large TV across. A large sofa set and coffee table complete the living area.
The suite comes with a huge terrace/balcony area that stretches both the living area and the bathroom. It’s huge and spacious. Being on the top floor, the view included the resort and the surrounding greenery. There was a spacious daybed and dining table for 2 on the balcony to enjoy the view. Unfortunately, this room does not have an ocean view. The travelers learned later that only a handful of the luxury villas have an ocean view from the rooms, with the cheapest option being the Cliff Villa.
The bedroom is a good size. The highlight is the super king size bed in the middle with one of the best mattresses these travelers have ever experienced. While the rest of the suite is starting to show the 10-year age of the resort, the bedding was absolutely perfect – it’s plush and soft but with great back support. There are plenty of pillows from big to medium and smaller, decorative ones too. These travelers slept very well during their stay. Night stands are found on either side of the bed with power outlets and controls from the lights to the entire suite. Blinds and sheers are electronically controlled, too.
Behind sliding double doors is a large bathroom. Running the length of the suite, the bathroom includes a toilet on on end and a large wooden floor shower and massive tub on the other. Like the half bath, the toilet is a Japanese automated toilet which is awesome. The water pressure and temperature control of the rain shower and handheld one are good too. In the middle of the bathroom, against the wall of the suite, are his and her sinks and all sorts of amenities.
For the last night, the travelers were upgraded to a 1 Bedroom Garden Villa. A review on this amazing 360sqm villa coming soon.
Food
The property is home to several dining facilities. The first the travelers tried was the Beach Grill. Open for lunch and dinner, as the name suggests, this beachside location is great for dining by the water. Included with dinner was delicious freshly baked semolina bread and chili butter. As a steak and seafood restaurant, the restaurant still offered an extensive menu including some of the best mashed potatoes the travelers have ever eaten. The same cannot be said for the food offered at the other beachfront restaurant, Missoni, which brands itself as Mediterranean but is more Italian than anything else.
For drinks, guests cannot miss The Ritz-Carlton Lounge. A beautiful room that remains raised above the rest of the resort and gives a spatial view of the surrounding area, this bar is good for drinks. They serve a small menu but as one of the only venues open late into the evening, it can get busy.
If one only has time for one meal at the Ritz-Carlton Bali, let is be at Bejana. This Indonesia restaurant nested on the cliffside is truly spectacular. The authentic Indonesian food is the highlight with gorgeous ocean views as a bonus for diners. The travelers tried the set menu which came with an assortment of dishes to try. While the price is higher than you would get outside of the resort, the local crackers and various homemade sambal pastes make up for it.
Breakfast is served from 7-11am at Senses, just below the bar. The restaurant has both an indoor and outdoor area that comes with view of the pool. Given it is the only venue for breakfast, the space can be very crowded later in the morning. Breakfast is the standard South Asian buffet with some ala carte menu items. The huge selection included multiple live stations, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Indonesia food in addition to a selection of local fruits and fresh baked breads. A secret “off the menu” item are the delicious smoothies that can be ordered and are a great way to top off breakfast.
Amenities
The swimming pool, which is located near the beach, is open from 7am to 7pm. It is a large, infinity pool which gives the feeling of being on the beach while soaking in the pool – it’s the best of both worlds. Surrounding the pool and on the beach are daybeds and cabanas. They are well maintained and serviced with attendants regularly going around to clear towels and provide drinks. There are also areas to get various levels of sunscreen to avoid burning in the harsh Bali sun.
Behind the pool is a well-kept lawn and water lily forest. Definitely the most beautiful thing in the entire resort. Flanking this gorgeous forest are pavilion villas.
Among the highlight of the amenities offered at the hotel is the spa. For those not wanting to pay the comparatively expensive prices for a treatment, there is a free area with sauna, steam bath, cold tub, and whirlpool for both men and women. There is also a small relaxation area. Behind the spa is a somewhat secret pool – the Balinese pool – where access is free but off limits to children. During the travelers’ stay, there were no other guests in the pool which proved to be relaxing except for the occasional visit from monkeys trying to steal phones and room keys. Downstairs there is a second spa area, the hydro-vital pool which includes five relaxation stations. While free, an appointment must be made in advance to utilize it as space is limited to 5 people.
Conclusion
Perhaps the true star of this stay are the incredible staff. Always smiling and so willing to help, they truly made this stay top notch. While the prices are higher than one would expect for Indonesia, the amenities offered at the resort, the spacious rooms, sprawling and well-kept grounds, and amazing staff make this a resort you cannot miss.
Rating:
A Room with a (re)view 