The continuation and unfortunately the end of our Asian journey, combining wedding and honeymoon, with what is supposed to be the highlight of our stay, the St. Regis Bali.
Bertrand had already painted an excellent experience for you. a few months ago, but I decided to write a new report, because in these pre-COVID times, the service has taken another step upwardsThis included a superb upgrade to Villa Strand, 3 categories above the villa we had booked.
Here is a reminder of the itinerary followed:
| # | Type | Review |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lounge | Lufthansa Senator Lounge, Paris Charles-de-Gaulle |
| 2 | Flight | Lufthansa Business, Paris-Frankfurt, Airbus A320 |
| 3 | Lounge | Lufthansa First Class Terminal, Frankfurt Am-Main |
| 4 | Flight | Lufthansa First, Frankfurt-Bangkok, Airbus A380-800 |
| 5 | Lounge | Thai Royal Silk Lounge, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Domestic Departures |
| 6 | Flight | Thai Royal First, Bangkok-Phuket, Boeing 747-400 |
| 7 | Hotel | Marriott Phuket Nai Yang – Beachfront Villa |
| 8 | Lounge | Thai Royal Silk Lounge, Phuket (International) |
| 9 | Flight | Singapore Airlines Business, Phuket-Singapore, Boeing 777-200 |
| 10 | Lounge | Singapore Airlines SilverKris Business Lounge, Singapore, Terminal 2 |
| 11 | Flight | Singapore Airlines Business, Singapore-Denpasar Bali, Boeing 787-10 |
| 12 | Hotel | The Westin Ubud, Bali – Villa |
| 13 | Hotel | The St. Regis Bali – Strand Villa |
| 14 | Lounge | The T/G Lounge, Denpasar Bali |
| 15 | Flight | Singapore Airlines Business, Denpasar Bali-Singapore, Boeing 787-10 |
| 16 | Flight | Lufthansa Business, Singapore-Munich, Airbus A350-900 |
| 17 | Lounge | Lufthansa Senator Lounge, Munich |
| 18 | Flight | Lufthansa Business, Munich-Paris, Airbus A320 |
Booking
I booked this hotel a few months before our arrival, when we were planning our wedding and honeymoon.
We hesitated for a long time between this hotel and the nearby Ritz-Carlton Bali. My wife loves the Ritz-Carlton brand, and it has a special meaning for us because I proposed the year before at the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo, after a fantastic stay at the Ritz-Carlton Kyoto.
But on the advice of a friend working at W Seminyiak, and confirmed by Bertrand during his stay here, all with benefits and much better Marriott Bonvoy recognition at St. Regis than at Ritz-Carlton convinced me.
The price too, almost 15 million rupees for a villa as we wanted it (Sky Villa) was indecent, even for a honeymoon.
So we booked a room at the St. Regis Bali a Gardenia Villa (entry-level villa) for 120,000 Bonvoy Points per night. Yes, at St. Regis suites and villas can be booked directly in pointswith a supplement compared with the standard room.
But two days before our arrival, when we were in Ubud, we were pleasantly surprised: we were upgraded to a Strand Villa, the hotel’s highest category (excluding the three-bedroom residence, but we really didn’t need that…). Scored!
Arrival
We arrive at the hotel with the car reserved by the Westin Ubud, where we had been staying until then, at around 5pm. Still very little traffic on the island, so it took less than an hour to get to Nusa Dua, this piece of Bali with heightened security following the terrorist attacks on tourists in the early 2000s.
The welcome is perfect, and we are immediately taken care of by the reception manager and take leave of our driver.
Our luggage is also taken care of without us having to worry about it, and we are installed in one of the outdoor areas where you can check-in seated. Afterwards, welcome refreshments are served.
Arrival formalities are dealt with quickly. Our upgrade to the Strand Villa is obviously confirmed, and we choose breakfast as a welcome Ambassador benefit (excellent value for money). Afterwards, we are escorted to our villa in a buggy by our butler, who will take us on a tour of the resort and introduce us to the various activities and restaurants available.
The route to the villas by buggy or on foot is very pleasant, and the green spaces are perfectly maintained by an army of gardeners who work all day on their upkeep.
Room
Our villa was Strand Villa 721. The numbering of rooms and villas allows you to identify their category simply by entering the first digit.
Like all Strand Villas, it is located on the seafront.
The front door leads directly into the villa’s spacious main room. A first space forms the entrance to the villa
The entrance leads to the lounge, which doubles as a dining room. The decor is perfectly local, and the materials are of the highest quality.
A welcome service and a plethora of gifts were laid on for us.
A library is located on one of the walls, behind the shower room and the room reserved for service personnel, if you’re traveling with them.
The minibar is well-stocked (and not free).
On the other side, a small desk is available, but the sockets aren’t laid out in a very practical way for plugging in your gear.
The sleeping area is separated from the living room by a large double door. It comprises a large bedroom with king-size bed, a second study and a very large bathroom with dressing room.
As you can see, the villa’s interior space is very pleasant. I didn’t take any photos of the second bathroom or the area for the service staff. But the main attraction of this villa lies in its outdoor space, which for this Strand Villa also gives access to a private beach.
And finally, a comprehensive video tour of this Strand Villa:
Hotel facilities
Like all resorts, the hotel has a wide range of facilities to keep guests busy during their stay. There’s no holiday-club-style entertainment here, just a luxurious, private atmosphere.
Sunset dance
In keeping with Balinese tradition, the hotel offers its own version of the sunset dance. This dance is also an opportunity to light up the hotel with a thousand lights until the beginning of the night, when the electricity takes over!
Unfortunately, the beginning of the COVID crisis means few of us will be able to enjoy the show. But the cast will do all they can to set the mood. We’ll enjoy the show with my wife over a drink.
Iridium Spa
As in all St. Regis that have spas, the one at St. Regis Bali is branded Iridium, and offers signature treatments developed for the chain.
The spa is located behind the hotel’s main building, adjacent to the fitness room. It is easily accessible by buggy.
Our treatment will be highly effective. Please note, however, that prices are less low than in Ubud (the same price as in an international 5-star hotel – the Asian effect is much less noticeable in honeymooners‘ hotels), but the hotel does offer an outdoor bathing area, accessible before or after a treatment.
Swimming pools
The hotel has 3 swimming pools open to all. All villas and some ground-floor suites in the main building have their own private pool. The use of collective pools is therefore low.
The first pool is the largest I’ve ever seen: an artificial saltwater lagoon that links most of the villas together (except for the Gardenia and Strand villas). Extremely pleasant, especially with water at 35°C.
The main pool is located near the beach. It is supplied with fresh water, and a pool bar is located right next door.
Beach
The highlight of this hotel is its extremely well-maintained sandy beach. You got a glimpse of it a little earlier in the presentation of the villa, here are a few more photos.
Food options
The hotel has 3 restaurants, 2 bars and a snack bar, which we’ll try to make use of during our stay. But as the COVID crisis began, many of these restaurants were not all open at the same time, and Dulang, the traditional Balinese restaurant, remained closed throughout our stay, a real disappointment. Nevertheless, the cuisine will be of the highest quality and we took advantage of the other restaurants open in the resort.
Boneka – Breakfast service
During our stay, breakfast was served each morning at the Boneka restaurant, adjacent to the hotel reception. The laziest will use a buggy, but we prefer to walk there every morning.
If on the first morning we are asked for our villa number, on other mornings we will be greeted directly by name and asked to choose our table.
As in most of the chain’s hotels, the buffet is accompanied by an à la carte menu. Both are included on an unlimited basis for Platinum members and above, and we’ll be making 5 feasts, one for each morning of the stay.
The staff are simply adorable, coming to make conversation with us every day. A very pleasant moment before starting the day… Lazing around!
Vista Bar – Breakfast service
The pool bar is called Vista Bar here at St. Moritz. Regis Bali. A few stools have been set up in the main pool.
We shared a snack in the middle of the afternoon facing the sea. As you can see, it’s not a big crowd.
Here, the service is simpler but always done with precision. The calamari was perfect.
Gourmand Deli (feat. Bonkeka) – Dinner service
We dined several times at the Gourmand Deli, which offered part of Boneka’s dinner menu. Some Indonesian inspired dishes, excellent.
Kayuputi – Dinner service
We dined twice at the hotel’s beachside gourmet restaurant, Kayuputi. Bertrand had already tested this restaurant in his report, but we tried it twice during our stay.
For our first dinner, we opted for the gastronomic tasting menu.
Sautéed vegetables, watercress juice
To be perfectly honest, we were a little disappointed by this tasting menu. The cooking could be improved, and we’re used to better for this price.
On our second visit, we preferred to order à la carte and it was much better
Tip: order à la carte, forget the tasting menu. And sit outside.
King Cole Bar
As in all the chain’s hotels, you’ll find a piano bar, which we enjoyed a couple of times.
The latter is located near reception. The welcome is perfect, and the atmosphere excellent inside and out.
Every night, the band plays the songs requested by the customers, and a jazzy mix. Perfect for a romantic evening.
Departure
When we returned to our villa on the last evening, we had a note from the General Manager, and a nice box of chocolates waiting for us before we left.
It was with sadness that we left the resort late the next afternoon. Please note that if you book a car through the hotel, the service will accompany you to your departure gate the next day. It was perfect!
Bottom line
Discovering the world is probably the most beautiful thing we’ve ever been given. In every respect, I can only confirm Bertrand’s experience of St. Regis Bali: the staff are exceptional, and the villas are superb and very pleasant. We’re devastated to leave, and nostalgic to see the photos again. Will we be returning to Bali? No, we’ll return to the St. Regis Bali.
