One of the things I love about Bali is that it truly has something for everyone, from Kuta’s a brash, backpacker’s paradise to the spiritual sanctuary of Ubud. For those who prefer their travel a little more luxe and cosmopolitan, Seminyak is an absolutely essential destination. Located on the West coast, Seminyak is a fashionable beach resort which almost feels like a separate island in its own right. Its popularity is growing owing to the plethora of high end boutiques, art studios, chic restaurants and of course 5* hotels. This is the place to truly indulge, relax and forget your worries, which is exactly what I needed after an action packed five days in Ubud – Seminyak felt like just the place to unwind and put my feet up.
We stayed at The Oberoi Bali, which is located right on Seminyak beach. Although The Oberoi is within walking distance of the key bars and restaurants in the area, the resort itself feels like a remote beachfront sanctuary. We had planned to watch sunset at one of the renowned beach clubs in Seminyak on our first night at the Oberoi but the view from the beach was so perfect we enjoyed a couple of cocktails at the Kayu Bar before stepping onto the beach to watch the sun melt into the ocean. This was without a doubt one of the best beach views I’ve experienced in Bali, if not in South East Asia.
The hotel itself is as beautiful as the beach location. Set amongst acres of perfectly manicured tropical gardens adorned with frangipani, the hotel grounds are a tranquil and calm oasis in the midst of a chic resort town. The resort is picture perfect and the delicate frangipani scent in the air just adds to the serene vibe. Ancient Balinese temples are dotted around the resort as well as a natural stone amphitheatre, which serves as a setting for regular Balinese dance performances. Just beyond the amphitheatre is the pool, which overlooks the beach and serves as the heart of the hotel. Despite leisurely breakfasts at the Frangipani Café, we always found space around the pool. The pool staff were also super attentive and made sure we were covered when it came to the essentials – towels, sunblock and cocktails.
We stayed in an ocean-view Linai room which was everything you would expect from an Oberoi hotel. As with the rest of the hotel grounds, rooms and villas heavily feature Balinese influences. Floor-to-ceiling double doors ensured that our room was bathed in natural light, complementing the dark teak furniture and dove grey marble tiles. The room is perfectly appointed, as you would expect from The Oberoi, with an opulent kingsize bed, TV, DVD player and iPod dock. For me, the piece de resistance was the incredible glass-walled bathroom, which features an beautiful sunken marble bathtub complete with bath salts, bubble bath and candles.
Seminyak is the glittering jewel in Bali’s crown and standards for boutiques, restaurants, bars and hotels is incredibly high. The Oberoi Bali exceeds the high expectations; the hotel, location and grounds and unparalleled and the super attentive staff make sure your stay is blissful and stress-free. My stay in Seminyak was definitely one of the highlights of an incredible 2 week trip to Bali, a testament to the hotel and it’s staff.
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