jenniferfroe

We are planning our trip to Bali for this summer. We want ultra luxury and privacy, cost for the room doesn't really matter as long as its amazing. At this point we have chosen the Viceroy, are there any better or anything negative about this place?
Also, we are deciding what month to go for this summe r2012. We usually travel in July but I was told July and August are really crowded in Ubud. We want to stay away from crowds. So would June be a better month but still warm enough for laying out/great sun, little rain? Any tips/advice would be great!!

Kathie

You are worried about whether it will be warm enough in June in Bali? It is hot year round. Take a look at this:
http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/w...Bali-Indonesia

I've never heard of the Viceroy, but there are many, many good luxury options in the Ubud area.

marmot

For luxury and privacy my first choices would be Como Shambhala (same general area as the Viceroy) and Amankila (eastcoast). There are also many beautiful villas in Seminyak if you want to be near the beach. I'm also very fond of The Legian in Seminyak for ocean views in a lively and sophisticated envirnoment.

I visited the Viceroy when it first opened. I wasn't especially impressed with the facilities, but that was some time ago. It's on the same river valley as the Four Seasons, Como Shambhala, Amandari, Alila and several others.

Como Shambhala has stunning architecture in a profoundly beautiful setting. The focus is on health and wellness, but you can take advantage in as many activities as you choose. It's a little hard to get in and out of, but that may be just what you're looking for.

Amankila is on a hillside overlooking the eastcoast. The villas are spacious and the pools are spectacular.

Bali gets fewer tourists in June than in July/August, but I doubt that you'd notice the difference in Ubud. Weather, which IS hot all year round, is much the same. Rain shouldn't be a problem.

kuluk

In relative terms, Bali is hot year round, but June July and August are the peak "cool" months and usually less rain. It's my favorite time of the year and the time I encourage friends to visit.

I have been to the Viceroy a few times for special events and was completely underwhelmed. It doesn't have a good reputation here in Ubud, frankly. It does have a good view, as do many other better hotels in my opinion. The location is down a stretch of Teggallalang which is called the "Handicraft Highway" because of the long string of craft and wholesale trinket shops, so the hotel is fairly isolated in that there are not any nice villages or restaurants in that general area.

I would second the Como Shambala, or Komaneka Bisma, Maya or even the Four Seasons above the VR.

rhkkmk

i have always enjoyed bali in mid-june and you are ahead of the summer crowds..

jenniferfroe

thank each of you for your detailed information! i plan to go look up all the places you recommended right away! really appreciate it!
our final 3 days we want to spend on a beach front...what is the best place w/ no tourist area? we were thinking Banyan Tree Ungasan??

marmot

It's difficult to recommend a luxury beach resort because the better beaches in Bali are also the more developed. The new resorts all have pluses and minuses.

As I said, my favorite is still the Legian in Seminyak. The beach itself is a wide, sandy, big-wave, sunset beach but it's also well used. The Legian grounds are spacious and serene, though, so you can get away or interact as you choose, and in Seminyak you also have access to lots of very good restaurants and shopping. At resorts in more remote areas you pretty much have to choose between the resort's restaurant or a long drive.

I haven't been to the Banyan Tree yet. It's definitely quiet and isolated, which may be just what you're looking for, but it's also definitely a DRIVE to civilization. The Ungasan/Ulu Watu area (also called The Bukit) is hot and arid and not particularly inviting for walks or bike rides.

The resort is not actually ON the beach but built on a cliff overlooking the beach. The website shows a pretty crescent of white sand, but doesn't provide information on access or swimability.

Same goes for the Alila Ulu Watu. Beautiful villas, cliffside location.

The Alila Soori is also a beautifully designed villa property on a mostly deserted beach, but the beach is black sand and kind of rough.

For the combination of isolation and acceptable (but not great) beach I'd suggest the Amankila, on the east coast.

Another option would be the St. Regis which is in Nusa Dua, but claims to have its own beach. (I haven't been there yet either.)

kuluk

I have only been to the St. Regis for their wonderful Sunday brunch, but our group agreed that the hotel (at least from the lobby) looked overbuilt and ostentatious. Plus I think Nusa Dua is just too too sterile

If you are interested in Canggu, the Tugu is an amazing hotel with a nice beach.

I also think the Legion is a beautiful hotel with a great white stretch of beach, in a nice area.

Carmen_Man

Hi, sorry to be hijacking this conversation but we are travelling to Bali in Sep. just wondering if anyone has stayed at the Ubud Hanging Garden or Four Seasons at Sayan? How do they compared to the Viceroy or Como? Thanks!

StanKase

We stayed at The Chedi Club 10 minutes from Ubud proper. It is one of the wonderful resorts we have stgayed at in Indonesia and that includes the Four Seasons-Sayan (that we liked) and the Hanging Garden that is elegant in it's way but requires a lot of walking to get around the property.
The Chedi has 4-5 Garden Suites ans 7-8 pool villas and then a few bedroom villas. It is magnificantly furnishec and the butler service is a 7-8 out of 10. In the suite you arive to carafes of scotch, vodka and bourban all complimentry plus a mini bar stocked with beers and soda all included in the rate in addition to one of the better American or Indonesian style breakfasts we have had based on 5 hotel stays in the country. My wife said the spa was excellent and at surprisingly reasonable prices unlike the Como where our friends though the hotel was lovely the spa treartments were nice but not WOW and over-priced.
The only prfoblem with the Chedi Club is with 20 suites.villas on 20 acreas surrounded by rice fields it is not easy to get a reservation. We just re-booked for mid-Dec.
We are not beach people though we love diving abnd snorkeling. One hotel that we stayed at I might avoid is the Hyatt in sanur. It is huge and though it has ocean/beach your room could be 75 yards or more from the entrance.

jenniferfroe

What do you guys think of Ayana?

marmot

Ayana is a big multi-faceted resort that caters to a wide range of clientele. They have luxury villas and mid-range motel-like rooms, which makes the focus uneven. It was built several years ago as a Ritz-Carlton and expanded over the years.

The location is on a cliff overlooking the sea. they have a large property with several pools, several restaurants and nice spa facilities. There's a small sandy beach that you get to by buggy or a long stairway. It is in Jimbaran but at the end of a long road and set apart from the commercial area.

The idea is that it's self contained and you never have to leave.

Personally, I'm not that fond of Jimbaran, though like every thing else in Bali, it's getting more sophisticated. Between the Ayana and Four Seasons Jimbaran, I'd give the 4S the edge for luxury.

kuluk

Carmen: If you give an idea of what your important desires are it will be easier to give feedback. They are all different in several ways...location being just part of it(each is a good 20 minute drive away from each other) As you can see from my earlier post I do not like the Viceroy, but I do like the Como Shambala and Hanging Gardens. The Four Seasons to me is not that special anymore..

There are lesser known but still wonderful hotels that I would recommend if you don't need to be at the very very top of the food chain.

StanKase

If you go to TripAdvisor.com and look up travelers satisfaction with The Chedi Club you might reconsider it. Though it may not not be a "spa's spa" it has a large spa center for a boutiwue resort that accommodates 50 guests.

Carmen_Man

Kuluk: Thanks! What we are looking for is a really nice boutique villa. One that has a pretty good spa, I don't mind it being away from it all as we are planning to spend about 3/4 days in Seminyak then 2/3 in Ubud. Whilst I am attracted to all these pool villa, tempting as to book for them I have to be mindful that I have a two year old travelling with us so in retrospect may be a bit dangerous up in the mountain? The Chedi has been recommended to us by the travel agent but from what I read and saw with the pictures, it doesn't appeal to much? Unless its better than its supposed to be?

kuluk

In Ubud there are a few hotels that I really like that have nice pool villas and tremendous "lap of luxury" but affordable spas. (the kind where you get the private room next to the river) the Maya and Komaneka Bisma being ones I have personal experience with. Ubud is in the hillier area than beach flatlands but most are not too slippery/vertical. I would stay away from Hanging Gardens or Pita Maha, or Royal Pita Maha for those reasons. Balinese love steps...unfortunately, and I am phobic about them.

Lots of times travel agents recommend hotels that they have brochures for, but have not actually seen or stayed in. Chedi here in Ubud is considered just ok.