Looking to read a detailed Ritz-Carlton Bali Resort review before booking your next trip to Indonesia? You’ve come to the right place!
This sprawling property overlooking the Indian Ocean is grand-grand-grand and no detail has been overlooked. Book yourself into one of their, ahem, ritzy suites and forget everything you knew about luxury.
Read on to discover everything you need to know about the property. My Ritz-Carlton Nusa Dua resort review is a detailed guide to the hidden paradise—from over-the-top accommodations, to mouth-watering restaurants, to cultural explorations both in the nearby vicinity and slightly further afield.
If you’re on your honeymoon—or are just seeking an escape in a breathtaking setting—the Ritz-Carlton Bali is eager to play host.
Book a Memorable Honeymoon at the Ritz-Carlton Bali Resort
When the words “Ritz” followed by “Carlton” spill from someone’s lips, it’s hard to not conjure up a vision of grandeur. And at this enclave, that’s exactly what you get. If you’re a soon-to-be honeymooner—or are busy doing very important research for a trip that’s all romance—this hotel has everything you could possibly desire.
Upon arrival at the resort, guests check in at the open air lobby dotted with carved wooden seats and staff outfitted in handsome batik uniforms, as expansive ceilings ensure the view out to the Indian Ocean remains unmarred.
The sprawling property, built in 2014, is one of many spiffy hotels dotting this particular peninsula of Bali, perched on the southern tip. ”This is the Rodeo Drive of Bali,” laughs Maya van de Wetering de Rooy, Director of Sales and Marketing. About a 40 minute drive from the airport, across a toll road offering excellent views across the water, the Ritz-Carlton emerges after a stint on a winding road.
A swift elevator ride down to the bottom of the cliff is followed by a golf cart ride to your room. The term “lush” doesn’t do the manicured resort justice, as greenery sprouts from every angle. Monkeys, however, aren’t hidden within the surroundings, as the team aims to keep it a rascal-free zone. (If you haven’t met any monkeys before, perhaps you’ll be wooed by their cheeky charms; if you have, chances are you won’t be.)
With the number of spacious suites and villas tallying 313, one might think the resort sounds crowded, but it’s quite the opposite. The sweeping setting and brilliant landscaping ensure that, more often than not, guests feel like they’ve their own private hotel to explore. In addition, the property is home to five different restaurants and a spa.
When travelling from North America, booking a flight in from Singapore made for a snappy arrival.
The Ritz-Carlton Bali Resort Activities
Serene. Idyllic. Peaceful.
Whichever soothing adjective you land upon can be used to describe the Ritz-Carlton Bali perfectly. (You will come across children from time to time, but none of them disrupted my bliss!)
Depending on the length of your stay, you can use the hotel as your home base while you jump off to adventures around the island. However, you are able to immerse yourself in Balinese culture without setting foot outside the front gates.
For one, the lobby has a series of rotating performances. One day, I took in some traditional basket weaving; on another I enjoyed some musical numbers played on the rindik—the Balinese xylophone.
If you’re in the thrum of jetlag, waking up early for a Soul Purification Ritual won’t be difficult. Participating guests are outfitted in a sarong and sash before trotting down to the beach. Held just after sunrise, this traditional blessing is known as a Melukat and is centred around water.
Each ceremony is led by a pemkangki, a Balinese Hindu priest, and a Sutri, the priest’s assistant. As waves lap along the white sand beach, holy water is used to cleanse the body, mind, and soul of negative energy, and protect you from the forces of evil. Offerings were presented to the God of Sun, Surya, and God of Ocean, Baruna.
As the ritual drew to a close, I sipped on fresh coconut water to rid my body of toxins. A three-coloured string called Benang Tridatu was wrapped around my wrist, speaking to balance, harmony, and understanding. (You’re meant to wear it until it falls off—it still hasn’t!) It was a beautiful way to embrace the start of a new day.
“Another nice thing to do is get the tailor to come here and make clothing for you” notes Maya. She recommends heading to Kuta and visiting a textile shop—pick up some local batik fabric or whatever tickles your fancy—and then the tailor at the Ritz-Carlton will happily whip you up some garments.
On the hunt for a three-piece suit? Or perhaps desperate for something (almost) straight off the runway—your nouveau look of the season? Regardless, the tailors are highly skilled and will only take a couple of days to sew your made-to-order creations at a very reasonable price point.
Are you in Bali for the scrumptious cuisine? If you’re a bit of a foodie and want to devote a morning to a cooking lesson, the Ritz-Carlton Bali offers a market-to-table cooking experience. What could be more romantic—especially if you both take your newfound skills back to your home kitchen.
The half-day experience is led by the resort’s executive chef and takes place in the Culinary Cave, as they’ve dubbed it. There, you and your romantic counterpart will be guided as you whip up a feast. “We do homestyle cooking,” notes Chef Made Karyasa, stressing that he wants guests to be able to recreate his dishes back on the home front.
Did I mention that Chef was a finalist in Top Chef Indonesia? No need to state the obvious, but you’re in some rather talented hands.
You’ll start with a mortar and pestle, grinding the all-important spices—such as cumin, turmeric, and candlenut—and you’ll end with a celebratory lunch.
“It can be hard to get the ingredients abroad” notes Vania Sulyitas, Marketing Communications Manager, “so we’ve tried to create dishes with ingredients you will likely be able to buy.” If you’ve the time, this is a no-brainer as Balinese cuisine is a beautiful symphony of flavours that, in Toronto at least, is hard to find at a restaurant.
Keen on a wellness retreat? Activities such as sunrise yoga will (also) start your day off right, while those keen to hack it as a surfer can order up some lessons. (I tried surfing many moons ago, and shan’t be making any further attempts—but to each their own!)
Additionally, there is a gym (again, do as you fancy) and an excellent on-site spa which will send you into a post-treatment dreamlike state. Book a revitalizing service and never look back!
And, if you do have some children hanging about, you could easily pop them off to Ritz Kids and ensure you get some time to yourself.
The Ritz-Carlton Bali Review Highlights
People love-love-love this hotel.
Seriously—the hotel nabbed the top spot Destinasian’s Best Hotels in Indonesia’s 2023 reader’s choice award, along being voted the second best spot in Indonesia by Condé Nast Traveler readers. Always trust the readers!
There’s no doubt that the Ritz-Carlton in Nusa Dua is hot-to-trot destination that travellers are not only loving, but returning to.
Before you book your stay, take note of these highlights that make the Ritz-Carlton Bali Indonesia’s top luxury property.
- The hotel will happily arrange to have you whisked from the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) airport straight to the property.
- Balinese hospitality is next level, and exuding kindness and warmth is part of the culture. It’s hard to not feel transformed by everyone’s tranquil demeanour.
- For honeymooners, having your own private suite with a pool and a view out to the ocean? Nothing beats it!
- If you have kids in tow, the Ritz Kids program will keep them entertained while you luxuriate.
- There are plenty of on-site activities to keep you busy, and staff will help recommend and organize cultural excursions.
- The famed Uluwatu Temple is a 45-minute drive from the property (get in queue early to ensure you nab some coveted fire dance tickets).
- A trip to the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue—visible from the air as you near Bali—can also be arranged. It’s the fourth largest statue in the world and is surrounded by a cultural park.
- The spa! How great is it to don a batik robe, call a golf cart to your door, and experience a massage from a highly skilled massage therapist within minutes?
- There are a couple of on-site boutiques should you need a new bikini or some beautiful Balinese handicrafts.
The Ritz-Carlton Bali Accommodation
The most important question you have to ask yourself when reading a Ritz-Carlton Bali Resort review is, “what type of accommodation would I like to book for my holiday?”
When I said this property is sprawling, I meant it. There’s a reason why everyone drives around in golf carts. Perched on a verdant cliffside before expanding into the ocean-adjacent land, this hotel feels like a hamlet onto its own. With 313 suites and villas to house guests in, there’s no denying this place is pretty ritzy.
I was lucky enough to spend time in a plush One-Bedroom Sky Villa. Not gonna lie—I absolutely squealed as I flung open the door to my home-away-from-home. Opening up into a living-dining room bookended by floor-to-ceiling windows, this pad is perfect for those on a Bali honeymoon.
The bed deserves a chapter of its own. A King Koil—as gigantic as it sounds—comes fit with plush sheets and topped with four down-filled pillowcases. The duvet—also down—made me feel as though I’d sunken into a ginormous cloud. What with the black out blinds (plus other privacy blinds) I woke from each sleep as if a butterfly emerging from a cocoon.
You’re thinking “this is a stretch”—but I assure you it’s not hyperbole. In all my years, hands down this was the best bed I ever slept in!
(Oh, and my travel companion sharing it with me—I didn’t even notice her presence at the far end of the mattress. It could have fit four people very comfortably.)
Plus, upon waking you’re treated to a view out to the ocean, accentuated by the effect of the private infinity pool.
Other than the bed that I’ll never stop singing the praises of, the Sky Villa has an expansive living room with a dining room table and seating area. There’s a small kitchenette to house whatever snacks/beverages you may find yourself clutching. (Really, it’s not necessary given the quality of food at the property.)
The living room space opens up to the terrace fit with two lounge chairs, the aforementioned infinity pool, and a little seating nook.
Back inside, the Sky Villa is also fit with a bathroom-slash-closet space home to two sinks (which everyone always loves), a glassed-off shower and tub area, and two WCs—one separated from the main bathroom area, which is great for privacy.
Plus, you’re set up with the number of a personal concierge who can help you with dinner reservations, advise on local attractions (like the nearby Uluwatu Temple), or help secure a driver for your ride to the airport.
The Ritz-Carlton Bali Spa
Another huge draw at the Ritz-Carlton Bali? The on-site spa. No trip to Bali is complete without at least one full-body massage; the techniques are out of this world and put your average massage experience in North America to shame.
With 14 treatment rooms—including four spa villas—the spa is known for Balinese-inspired treatments that promote the healing powers of seaweed thanks to its ocean adjacent position.
My excellent massage at the Ritz started with a stint in the hydro-vital pool. This hydrotherapy pool is divided up into a five-part series, each one fit with jets targeting different parts of the body.
The goal here? Other than to enjoy a meditative moment? Why, a nice little trifecta of circulating blood, the ridding of toxins, and to stimulating the lymphatic system. While the pool felt almost chilly to start, by the end the proof was in the pudding and the rejuvenating benefits were on full display.
The pampering continued with the massage itself, which took place in a spa villa. The Ritz offers up body scrubs, wraps, facials, and more; I enjoyed a Sea Serenity massage which began with a darling foot bath in a wee basin sprinkled with rose petals.
My massage therapist was a force of nature, using ancient Balinese methods—including the use of her forearms—to work out any and every knot in a manner that was powerful but never ever painful. Pure bliss!
The Ritz-Carlton Bali Restaurants
Given that there are six restaurants at the resort, it’s pretty easy to never set foot outsides its walls. Why bother—the atmosphere at each is superb and the food is delicious.
Bejana
If you only dine at one restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Bali, please let it be Bejana.
A bejana is a trad Indonesian cooking pot, and this eatery definitely lives up to its name. Only open in the evenings, this clifftop setting is Chef Made’s baby. The Top Chef Indonesia finalist (again—wow!) has sharpened his knives in all of Bali’s best resort kitchens and even skipped over to Australia for a stint. His cooking is sinfully good, the kind where you can’t decide which dish is the best since no dish has been left behind.
My recommendation? Do it up with the Archipelago Rijsttafel—just the ticket for honeymooners. Translating into “rice table” from Dutch, it’s a parade of flavours that showcases the best bites from across the Indonesian archipelago. This is Chef Made’s own spin on a rijstaffel and these meals, while a mainstay during Dutch colonial rule, have fallen out of favour since Indonesian independence.
Divvied up into apps, a soup, mains, and dessert, each bite will transport you to a different region of Indonesia. Standout dishes include the following:
- Bergedel Jagung Kampung: Indonesian sweet corn fritter with red sambal and sweet soy chili
- Lodeh Jantung Pisang Klungah: coconut soup with banana flower, young coconut shell, and bean sprouts
- Kerang Tumis Sambal Hijau Minang: spicy south Sumatran sauteed clams with kaffir lime paste and sweet basil
- Rendang Daging Sapi: Sumatran slow-braised beef in spiced coconut milk
- Dadar Gulung: pandanus crepe with palm sugar dip
There is also an à la carte menu, if you’re not in a sampling mood. Come Saturday, there’s a buffet-style dinner, if you wish to test out even more dishes (and potentially double or triple down on your faves).
Regardless, you’ll need to make a reso—ask your concierge!—as spots fill up quickly. Really, don’t miss out on a romantic dinner here.
Senses
Your go-to for morning fare, Senses is a breakfast restaurant that does it all. Ok, almost all. The very extensive international breakfast buffet checks off Indonesian, Chinese, Indian, and Japanese fare—with Western dishes also in the mix. Guests can sit outside on the terrace, or inside in the slightly more bustling dining room.
Start off your day with cold pressed juice and coffee before veering towards tables laden in fresh fruit and pastries. And yes, there’s an entire gluten-free zone. If you fancy a hot brekkie, there’s the egg station for a fresh omelette, a fry-up, or whatever you heart desires.
My heart belonged to Tipat Cantok and Pical Pecel, both popular Indonesian dishes spotlighting vegetables topped with tasty peanut sauce and eaten with rice cakes.
Before you make your way towards the exit, don’t forget to reach for the Indonesian dessert table dotted with the likes of Nagasari Pisang (banana pastry), Bika Ambon (Malay sponge sweet), and Onde Onde Kacang Merah (sesame rice balls with red bean). We love.
Before you make your way towards the exit, don’t forget to reach for the Indonesian dessert table dotted with the likes of Nagasari Pisang (banana pastry), Bika Ambon (Malay sponge sweet), and Onde Onde Kacang Merah (sesame rice balls with red bean). We love.
The Beach Grill
Open for lunch and dinner, the Beach Grill is—yes—a beachfront resto all about barbecue. Since you’re here for the romance, your best bet is to do the sharing menu for two. Start with shroomy bruschetta and wild mushroom soup before moving onto pan seared fish and herb baked beef, served with grilled veg and mashed potatoes.
If you’ve a big carnivore, sift through the meat-heavy menu, displaying options like Aussie rack of lamb, grilled chicken, or striploin Angus or Wagyu steaks. Pescatarians can opt for local fish like snapper, sea bream, or king prawns, while squid ink risotto with baby octopus or lobster thermidor will suit those looking for special-affair fare.
Depending on your mood—or the weather—you can dine outside or inside, and chances are you’ll be serenaded by a musician’s live tunes.
Breezes
Found down on the beachfront, this dining concept is open for both lunch and dinner. Keep the vibe relaxed by lounging on one of the curved couches and noshing on some easy bites while you gaze at the Indian Ocean.
A tapas lounge through and through—in spirit, not in Spanish fare—this is where you head for a lowkey meal. The vaguely Mediterranean menu keeps the focus trained on seafood and lighter dishes. Think: prawn-and-roasted veg salad or octopus and eggplant bruschetta drizzled in balsamic.
Larger plates are available and include grilled and braised ruby snapper with Balinese veg topped with toasted coconut. Alternately, opt for the paella—perhaps the honeymooners choice, given that it’s for two folks or more.
Drinkswise, sip on cocktails or enjoy wine from a condensed list focused on rosé, whites, and sparkling.
The Ritz-Carlton Lounge & Bar
If you’re looking for a spot to grab a romantic afternoon tea or some sundown sips, the Ritz-Carlton Lounge & Bar is just the ticket. Found above Senses restaurant, this open-air lounge gives off low key vibes and faces the water via the manicured gardens.
Fans of savoury-and-sweet bites at a proper English afternoon tea will be served teas by TWG—known for their luxurious blends that the true tea aficionado will appreciate. (Seriously, one could spend hours smelling all their enchanting blends.)
Also known as the place to head for a pre-dinner cocktail—or nightcap—guests can choose from a selection of international wines and house-crafted libations featuring classic spirits given an Indonesian twist Love a G&T? This one arrives with Midori melon liqueur. Looking to try a twist on a Manhattan? This take is jazzed with Arak Bali—a local spirit made of fermented palm trees.
If you’re just here for a bite, crowd-pleasing lounge options like Greek Salad, Club Sandwiches, burgers—made with Aussie prime beef—all dot the menu. And chances are, you’ll hear someone tinkle the keys of the grand piano that sits pretty in the space.
Floating Breakfast in Suite
What’s romantic, you ask? Why a massive breakfast served to you in your very own private pool, that’s what.
Arrive hungry and tuck into everything under the sun in the comfort of your own abode. Enjoy this while taking a refreshing dip in the pool, or lounging on a chaise, or squirrelled off in the outdoor breakfast nook—the choice is yours!
Fresh OJ and watermelon juice will kick you off right before you dive into goodies reaching from yogurt parfaits to fresh pastries and danishes, from smoked salmon eggs benny over to French toast. With a watermelon fruit pizza in the mix for good measure. Dessert is bound to be a nap.
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