Why stay?

Warm Balinese hospitality meets the opulence of the Manhattan–born St. Regis brand at this sophisticated beachside retreat. Bangkok-based star architect Bill Bensley was behind the original design; his whimsical touch is evident in the outdoor areas dotted with playful sculptures and anthromorphic sun loungers. Fringed by coconut palms, an expansive saltwater lagoon pool serves as the centerpiece of the eight-hectare property, which debuted back in 2008. The signature St. Regis Butler service ensures that guests are pampered around the clock, whether you need help unpacking, arranging transportation, or booking personalized wellness experiences. Another strong point? The food here is indulgent with a capital “I” — Boneka restaurant serves one of the best hotel breakfasts in all of Bali (go for the lobster omelet).

The area

Part of the upmarket Nusa Dua enclave, The St. Regis Bali sits along a peaceful stretch of picture-perfect coastline. Lapped by calm, shallow waters, Nusa Dua Beach is ideal for a barefoot stroll on the soft golden sand at sunrise (that’s if you can get out of the plush, canopied bed in your villa). Museum Pasifika Bali — whose permanent collection spans more than 600 artworks gathered from across Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Pacific islands — is a 10-minute drive from the property.

The St. Regis Bali’s saltwater lagoon pool and a gazebo of a Lagoon villa.

The feel

For the resort’s overall design, Bensley looked to the concept of Nyegara Gunung, a sacred Balinese journey from the mountains to the sea. Musicians playing rindik (traditional bamboo xylophones) set the scene at the high-ceilinged lobby, which steps down via a grand staircase to a procession of outdoor spaces, where limestone pathways wind past water features, tall trees, and elegant villas to the beach. Indonesian design elements proliferate around the premises; floral motifs inspired by Bali’s daily canang sari offerings adorn everything from the grand staircase to the wooden drawers inside the renovated villas.

Guest quarters

At 92 square meters, even the entry-level balcony suites in the main building are undeniably spacious. Traditional luxury is expressed here in the form heavyset furniture, thick rugs, and ornate chandeliers. In 2018, all 41 of St. Regis Bali’s lavish pool villas emerged from a refurb by Malaysian studio ZDR — the tasteful interiors celebrate local craftmanship through woodcarvings and patterned textiles, and feature Smart TVs and Bose sound systems. The one-bedroom Strand villas, which span an impressive 604 square meters, deliver unobstructed sea views from the privacy of a beachfront garden. Gardenia villas are ensconced in tropical greenery, while one- and two-bedroom Lagoon villas come with their own turquoise pool and direct access to the blue-tiled saltwater swimming lagoon. Outside each villa, thatched Balinese-style gazebos shelter a built-in daybed.

Food and drink

St. Regis Bali is home to six restaurants and bars. Perched right above the beach, Kayuputi specializes in exquisite Pan-Asian haute cuisine prepared with Western cooking techniques; à la carte menus might feature citrus-cured swordfish belly and organic lamb loin encrusted with the Balinese wewangen spice blend. The decadent weekend brunches at Kayuputi draw island-based expats and guests from other hotels. Canvas-roofed Boneka plates up an array of international dishes in a warm, convivial setting. Surrounded by a chef’s garden, the airy Dulang restaurant serves Balinese heritage cuisine accompanied by traditional dance performances and a rindik ensemble – the main course is a platter featuring specialties like bebek timbungan, or spiced duck baked in a bamboo tube. Gourmand Deli doesn’t just offer beautifully made desserts and artisanal sandwiches — the menu is far more diverse than its name would suggest. The St. Regis Bar tempts patrons with its champagne selection, locally inspired cocktails, and nightly live jazz, and there’s also the swim-up Vista Bar closer to Nusa Dua Beach.

A pork-based creation at St. Regis Bali’s Kayuputi restaurant.

Wellness factor

Set beside a series of koi ponds, the 12 treatment rooms at St. Regis Bali’s Iridium Spa include two enormous couples’ suites with an outdoor bathtub and cabana. The Finnish sauna and aromatherapy steam room are super, as is the freeform Aqua-Vitale Pool for a thalassotherapy session that will leave you feeling utterly refreshed. Guests can also indulge in traditional Balinese treatments with modern sensibilities, as well as Ayurvedic therapies and Thai massage. An extravagant 150-minute Champagne Ritual sees spa-goers drizzled in the sparkling wine and wrapped in a body mask of French bubbly mixed with white clay. Complimentary yoga classes are held inside a beachfront teak pavilion and on stand-up paddleboards in the lagoon pool.

Family matters

Parents with kids aged four to 12 are welcome to drop them off for a day at the Children’s Learning Center. The mostly indoor facility features an art room for crafts and painting; a music room where the little ones can learn to play Balinese gamelan; alongside a mini-library stocked with books, computers, and video games. Turndown amenities such as kid-size bathrobes and slippers are provided. Add-on experiences range from the Tiny Afternoon Tea, with a tent set up in the garden of your villa, to an outdoor film screening on the sea-facing terrace of the resort’s wedding chapel.

Sustainability cred

Working together with seasoned marine biologists, St. Regis Bali maintains its own Coral Reef Garden just offshore, where statues and iron-and-wire frames tied with transplanted coral fragments have grown into a thriving home for marine life in less than five years. As part of ongoing efforts to eliminate single-use plastics, sustainably sourced glass bottles are filled with PH-balanced drinking water for the rooms and restaurants at the on-site bottling plant. The resort also supports the local chapter of NGO Scholars of Sustenance, donating surplus food to feed 350 underprivileged people each month.

What else?

Every evening, as the sun dips below the horizon, The St. Regis Bar becomes the backdrop of an Insta-worthy champagne sabering ritual. The Bloody Mary is said to have been invented at the St. Regis New York, so try the Bali-inspired version with jicama, cucumber, and brown sugar. An exhilarating Balinese Fire Dance is also a nightly occurrence here; be sure to catch the show before heading to Dulang or Kayuputi for dinner.

Reviewed by Refa Koetin

stregisbali.com
+62 361 847 8111
Lot S6, Kawasan Pariwisata, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia

The St. Regis Bali Resort: Sophisticated Indulgence

Bali Hotels

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