REVIEW: The Laguna, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Bali

Arriving from London, the Laguna Bali resort was the ultimate tropical hideaway. A beautiful beach, hammocks, palm trees, private cabanas and seven swimming pools! Yep, seven. I didn’t even get around to using all of them but some of the [laguna access] rooms actually open right into the cool pools so you can wake up in the morning and jump straight in for a dip before your morning coffee. And speaking of coffee, the Laguna Bali has the unique offering of a personal butler for all rooms, on hand to help with any enquiry or bring complementary tea and coffee at any time, day or night.

Where we bunked

The bedroom we stayed in, a Deluxe Lagoon View King, was comfortable and spacious. It had two large windows letting in the brilliant morning sun, one of which had sliding doors which opened onto a balcony that overlooked the resort. The space and the view were exactly what we were looking for in a luxury hotel in Bali for the ultimate in relaxation. The bathroom, albeit spacious, was more traditional than in more modern hotels, with a separate shower cubicle and corner bath tub. The wardrobe and shelf to store your clothes and cases is actually inside the bathroom which I did find slightly unusual. Of course, the room included all the other essentials such as a flatscreen TV, iPod dock and desk as well as a small sofa and coffee table. I really liked that there were plug socket options for different countries so we didn’t need to use our travel adaptors. The real highlight was the bed which was utterly dreamlike with a huge mattress to sink into and silky soft linens. I could easily have got lost in there for days! The pillows were equally as heavenly and I would have happily bedded in for the night if there wasn’t so much to see and do around the hotel.

Food and Drink

There are two main restaurants, Banyubiru which has an extensive buffet and Arwana, which is à la carte and has romantic tables under fairylights on the beach. There is also a special table hidden in the sand and lit by candlelight, which is really cool but bookings are required. The Kulkul Bar has live music and a happy hour between 6pm and 7pm, and 10pm and 11pm to get tipsy on tasty cocktails as the sun goes down. It was here we joined forces with other guests who we met at the resort and had a brilliant night singing and dancing under the stars. After hours we even went for a quick moonlight dip in the ocean before retreating back to that luscious bed!

Of the seven glimmering pools, there is one main swimming pool, which is surrounded by sun loungers and hammocks and offers a full pool service. Towels and cold water are provided and you can order food from the pool menu. The food was actually fabulous. Far from the usual chips and nachos by the pool, we had delicate sushi and greek salad wraps. The menu has all the quality and standard of the hotel’s beachfront restaurant, Arwana, without having to change out of your swimsuit. I was really impressed.

A hot spot in Bali

If you overindulge, there are free fitness classes you can join each day and the gym allows you to work out under a waterfall. A definite incentive! If you prefer to relax in a more horizontal way, there is also a small spa. The resort is an ideal choice for a honeymoon in Bali or simply for couples looking for a tropical retreat in the sun. It pretty much has everything you need for a holiday – sun, cocktails, good food and luscious living spaces. The bar, which is open to members of the general public as well as guests, can get really lively at night and there are other busy nightspots within walking distance of the resort. For those who crave peace and quiet there are plenty of secluded places to hide away, my favourite was the private Cabanas which can be hired for as little as £10 a day. Alternatively you can just grab a sun lounger and a cocktail menu and enjoy the Bali sun next to the pool – there is plenty to go around!

Find out more about The Laguna Bali at thelagunabali.com

View more photos of the Laguna in our gallery.

Look out for The Laguna in our Around The World Travel Diary video on Indonesia here

Want to find out what else to do in Indonesia? How about Gili T?