The AYANA Resort and Spa Bali, is a 294-room hotel spread across 90-hectares fronting over a kilometre of Jimbaran Bay coastline.

The resort offers guests stylish accommodations, a private white-sand beach, delicious dining options, a Thermes Marins spa and is home to Bali’s world famous Rock Bar.

It is an impressive vacation hub that also houses Villas at AYANA, an uber luxurious 78-villa resort; and the adjacent 403-room sister hotel, RIMBA.

Free shuttle buses conveniently connect all three-resort properties and facilities at 10-minute intervals.

Guests staying at AYANA, RIMBA and Villas may use the 12 swimming pools, 19 restaurants, and award-winning spas on a cash-free basis, with charges billable to their room.

Location

AYANA Resort and Spa is located on a cliff-top perched above Jimbaran Bay — an area famed for its fish markets and BBQ seafood restaurants on the beach.

For first-time Bali visitors, Jimbaran Bay on Bali’s southwest coast is ideally located to explore other popular destinations on the Island being equidistant to Seminyak to its north and Uluwatu to its south.

Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport is located 12 kilometres from AYANA Resort and Spa, a half-hour drive by car.

Rooms

The 294 rooms at AYANA blend relaxed luxury with traditional Balinese decor such as batik beds, and span five room categories that range from a 48sqm Resort Room to a 98sqm Ocean Suite.

The room reviewed was a well-appointed 98sqm Terrace Suite features a king-sized canopy bed draped in artisan Balinese in the master bedroom.

The Terrace Suite had two full marble bathrooms, including a separate shower, deep soaking bathtub, dual vanity sinks, and a dressing room adjacent to the master bedroom.

The bathroom was well stocked with guest amenities including bathrobes, slippers, AYANA branded toiletries and a decent hairdryer that could tame the frizz effects of tropical humidity.

The spacious suite had ample living space with botanical gardens view from the two private balconies, a writing desk, tea and coffee making facilities, complimentary bottled water and free Wi-Fi.

Dining

Dining is an area where the AYANA Resort Bali really excels.

The resort features 19 restaurants and bars with a diverse range of world cuisines from traditional Balinese to Mexican.

What makes AYANA standout is the food quality, and faultless service delivered by friendly hosts at every restaurant.

AYANA deserves to be thoroughly commended for its ability to execute at such a high standard consistently across so many eateries — this is no easy feat, and guests will appreciate having many good options on site.

AYANA guests can start each day at PADI restaurant, where a buffet breakfast is served each morning, with many international food stations offering Asian and Western specialities.

Also, an option is beginning the day oceanside for an a-la-carte breakfast at Rock Bar to experience this famous venue in its crowd-free daylight glory, while enjoying a cooked-to-order omelette, paired with an espresso and Juice sipped from a fresh cut coconut.

Later in the day, guests can sate their Yum Cha cravings at Ah Yat Abalone Seafood Restaurant — a well-known Cantonese chain with 25 restaurants around Asia — that has quickly become one of the most popular Chinese restaurants on the island since establishing an outpost in Bali.

Here guests can get their all-you-can-eat dim sum fix with steamed Beijing prawn dumplings, pork ribs with black bean sauce, baked BBQ pork puffs and a round or two of custard egg tarts.

Another great lunchtime restaurant is the lily-pond surrounded sanctuary, Damar Terrace that serves Indonesian salads, noodles and rice dishes.

Menu options include Sumatra style rendang beef with coconut and chilli, steamed snapper with Indonesian spice, and the must order puri bhaji — deep fried Indian bread, with curried potato and mint raita.

While it is easy to get carried away with the savoury options, saving room for dessert is highly recommended at Damar Terrace, which houses the Japanese matcha tea specialist, Tsujiri, on site.

Aside from serving high-quality Kyoto green tea, Tsujiri creates generously proportioned matcha-tea based desserts including ice cream, shaved ice and parfaits.

Understandably AYANA guests are spoilt for choice with 19 restaurants, but no stay would be complete without having experienced the Balinese cultural performance at Kampoeng.

The outdoor restaurant — replete with its own amphitheatre — is bordered by a lush rice paddy that emulates an authentic Balinese village.

Located within the RIMBA resort, guests can enjoy a theatrical Kecak dance performance at sunset followed by a lavish dinner buffet with live cooking stations. The menu showcases Bali’s rich and exotic cuisine with specialities such as banana wrapped roasted duck and a carvery station serving up Kampoeng’s signature suckling pig.

Drinking

The AYANA Resort is home to the world famous Rock Bar, an 880-guest venue set 14 metres above the Indian Ocean.

Visitors to Rock Bar come from all around the island, happily joining the long queue to visit this iconic bar to enjoy the unparalleled views across Jimbaran Bay’s coast at sunset.

Luckily all guests of AYANA enjoy priority Rock Bar access and are ushered to the front of the line to descend the cliff side inclinator to enter the venue.

Once arrived, guests can enjoy superb cocktails, Mediterranean cuisine and entertainment surrounded by crashing ocean waves, where international DJs spin tunes well past midnight.

Hotel Features

AYANA guests will enjoy Bali’s most extensive on-site resort facilities across its three upmarket properties.

This expansive range includes pools with ocean views, the 22,000 square metre rooftop Thermes Marins spa with 45 treatment rooms and the world’s largest Aquatonic seawater therapy pool with 12 hydro-massage stations that deliver the therapeutic benefits of French thalassotherapy.

Fitness fans will be happy with AYANA’s 18-hole golf putting course, two full-sized, flood-lit tennis courts with instructors available for lessons, and two well-equipped, air-conditioned gym with 24-hour access.

Guests have access to the private white-sand Kubu Beach with an attached club that serves light refreshments as guests pass the day on a shaded chaise lounge.

Verdict

The AYANA Resort and Spa Bali is an excellent option for any traveller visiting Bali, particularly those looking for a resort where everything required for a relaxing vacation is on site.

AYANA stands out because it can maintain its extensive facilities at a 5-star standard, a fantastic feat for a three-property resort with 19 dining options, 12 swimming pools set on 90-hectares.

This resort is very well suited to families due to the many dining options that are relaxed and child-friendly as well as the many activities on site that will help keep kids entertained including a kids club when parents want a respite during the day.

It also is an excellent option for those travelling in a group, whether as friends or on business, due to the plethora of dining options and activities that caters for broad tastes.

Details
AYANA Resort and Spa, BALI
Jl. Karang Mas Sejahtera
Jimbaran, Bali 80364, Indonesia
www.ayana.com