The first stop in Seminyak and its surrounds was The Samaya Seminyak. Seminyak is very fashionable and funky, with lots of designer boutiques, bars, clubs, and restaurants.
The Samaya Seminyak is a 30 minute drive from the airport and has two parts, the Beachfront main resort and the more exclusive Royal Courtyard, which is down the road and on the opposite side, about 5 minutes away in a golf buggy. The resort has a great location on the beach, with steps leading down to the land – there are no facilities on the sand itself as this is sacred Balinese land. The beach has a perfect view of the sunset. The beachside is currently due for renovation, which when completed means that the beachside villas will be fully modernized and could well exceed the Royal Courtyard in quality.
The Royal Courtyard is self-contained with a restaurant and its own pool. The pool villas are very spacious with tan-coloured wood and stone floors and large bathrooms. The garden is huge, with a large swimming pool with waterfall feature, large ‘bale’ and slightly narrow sundeck. The villas also have butler service and a complimentary minibar. While the beachside is being renovated, these are the place to stay – you won’t even realise there is construction going on.
The Kayana is nearby and is The Samaya’s little sister – it has the same owner but a different style. These cosy pool villas are 15 minutes’ walk from the beach, with either large pools or heated plunge pool. The bedrooms actually extend right out to the pool’s edge. The villas are very contemporary with a minimalistic style. The resort has a large main pool overlooked by the restaurant. The Kayana is very chic, contemporary, and private, but a bit far from the beach if that’s what you’re after.
Next stop was The Elysian, which is just down the road from The Samaya. There is a five minute walk to the beach in front of Ku De Ta restaurant. This is a very boutique style hotel, which is quirky, colourful, and funky – very Turquoise! The pool villas are private in walled gardens with good sized pools. The villas are made up of a living area with a kitchenette, bedroom, and very modern bathroom with a sunken bathtub. They’re decorated with modern art and either green, blue, or red-themed. The main pool has four-poster sun beds with white curtains. Overall, the Elysian is cool and quirky, with good-sized villas and private pools and good value.
For the beachfront, The Legian Bali is also very nearby. This is a block-style hotel with very smart, elegant suite rooms. The lead-in room is a studio but looks like a suite. The suites have large balconies and contemporary stylish bathrooms, and the hotel has a very nice pool overlooking the sea and a beachfront restaurant.
I also stopped at the W Retreat Seminyak, which is due for completion in May 2011. This resort looks very exciting though; it will have beachfront rooms in a 3-storey block and pool villas behind, a five minutes’ walk from the beach. The resort will feature bars, restaurants, and even a night club – it’s very funky and trendy and a bit quirky in true W style. The 1 and 2 bed pool villas looks really WOW – beautifully appointed and with good-sized pool and garden area, very private. It’s all going to be very high end and luxurious when it’s completed.
For more information on any of these properties, click on the links to our site or give us a ring at 01494 678 400! Come back next week for more on properties in Ubud.
