Bali today is an island abundant with new accommodation openings. A building site is as common as a steamy afternoon downpour. But with so much in the way of modern developments, Alila Villas Uluwatu promises a traditional villa stay on the island of the gods.

Lowdown

Opened in 2009, the all-villa resort sits atop a dramatic cliff on the Bukit Peninsula, a 50-minute drive from I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport and a 25-minute drive from the picturesque Uluwatu Beach. Though age isn’t necessarily on its side in Bali’s rapidly developing hospitality landscape, Alila Villas proves that sleek architecture, elegant cultural references, and thoughtful culinary experiences will hold you in high favour long after the ‘brand new’ buzz has subsided. 

Location

A guard of grey long-tailed macaques lines the bridge at the resort’s entrance, welcoming us as we wind our way down from the narrow country roads of southern Uluwatu. If the thick rainforest and Balinese cattle resting along the roadside weren’t evidence enough of having left the bustle of Kuta behind, the resort’s unofficial welcoming committee most certainly is. We’re remote here, neighboured only by a spattering of local farms and residences and bookended by rainforest and the endless Indian Ocean. 

The room

As the oversized Ulin ironwood door swings closed on the garden pathway behind, this roomy one-bedroom villa becomes a completely secluded sanctuary. Grown frangipanis and lush, tropical hedging screen the courtyard from neighbouring villas, allowing for seamless indoor-outdoor living when the bi-fold doors are drawn.

From the king-sized bed at the front end of the villa, there’s an uninterrupted line of sight over the living room, day bed, and private lap pool, through to the iconic ironwood Alila cabana at the end of the courtyard. We spend hours here reading, snoozing, and dining on sate campur (mixed meat skewers in peanut sauce) delivered straight to the door and plated for us in style.

The blurring of indoor-outdoor bounds isn’t isolated to the living spaces, with a large outdoor shower at one end of the palatial bathroom and a glass door that leads onto the poolside at the other end. They’re all opened or used at our own risk, with mosquitos and macaques ready to take advantage if we do. Insect-repelling coils do their best against the critters, but there’s little we can do to keep the monkeys from our space. It’s a novelty to sit back and watch them pass from villa to villa, swinging through the frangipanis.

Day spa

It feels redundant to seek out further relaxation at an already tranquil property, but Spa Alila’s extensive treatment menu is hard to ignore. A spa pedicure costs 600,000 IDR ($60) and is completed while I’m laid out in full recline. Full body massages range from therapeutic to rejuvenating and start from 1,750,000 IDR ($175).

While the treatments themselves are sumptuous, the treatment rooms feel less so, air-conditioned to arctic and finished sparsely with white tiles, simple massage tables, and bright natural light. It’s surprising, given the welcoming open-air reception and lush, reed-lined boardwalk through the spa.

Recreation

After the night’s service has wrapped, the Sunset Cabana Bar’s furnishings are pushed aside, and the cantilevered cabana transforms into an open-air yoga studio. Sun salutations performed in thick subtropical humidity, to the sound of the waves crashing on the reef 100m below, is exactly the kind of yoga you venture to Bali for. Weight and cardio sessions are still very much on the cards, too, with the small but well-appointed gym open 24 hours. Post-morning workout, a leg-burning 600-step descent gets us to the beach at the bottom of the cliff, but a dip in the 50m cliff’s edge pool is infinitely easier.

Food and drink

Breakfast is served at CIRE, the resort’s western menu restaurant, known for its romantic ocean views. The a la carte menu—from which you can order health shots and smoothies, nasi goreng and chorizo scrambled eggs—changes daily, but the complimentary basket of pastries and a plate of tropical fruits for the table are constants. After 12:00, it’s all about local barramundi and tuna, black truffle butter taglione and saffron risotto. 

The wine list here is extensive and, interestingly, lists three bottles from Balinese winery Hatten. Its Aga Red is light-bodied and fruit-forward, a fun addition to the table if you’re open-minded.  

On the opposite side of the pool, Indonesian flavours take centre stage at The Warung. Just like its street food-slinging namesakes, the restaurant has an easy, breezy, and casual atmosphere to it, but the meals have a level of refinement you won’t find at the community eateries.

Tender Indonesian spiced pork ribs—utilising herbs and spices grown in the resort’s own gardens—fall off the bone, and the blanched vegetables in the pecel madiun are covered in lemongrass and peanut sauce so rich and moreish that they’re a menu standout. Though the food is very much inspired by the local warungs, the prices are not, with very few dishes coming in under the 200,000 IDR ($20) mark.

What’s hot

Sitting at CIRE and watching a fiery sunset over the Indian Ocean fulfils the ‘romantic dinner’ brief. It truly feels like you’re sitting at the end of the world. 

What’s not

You’ll balk at the price of a bottle of Bintang: 100,000 IDR ($10) off the menu, plus a 21% tax and service charge.

The verdict: 8/10

A luxurious and secluded stay that encourages you to stay put to enjoy the facilities.

One-bedroom pool villas start from $623 per night.

The writer was a guest of Alila Villas Uluwatu.