Alila Villas Uluwatu

What a descent: steep steps, slippery from the rain and almost overgrown by vegetation, lead from the impressive 50-metre pool to the Cliff Edge Cabana Spa, a terrace suspended around 120 m above the sea with two comfortable loungers and a magical therapist. It's hell for those who are afraid of heights, but a heavenly pleasure for everyone else. Because if you have a massage here, you can see (and hear) both the waves of the Indian Ocean crashing against Bali's southern tip and the tourist helicopters rattling past - the small open-air branch of the Alila main spa is located so high up in the rock. The Sunset Cabana Bar, a wooden pavilion in which Bali's best tamarind mango margaritas are served, is at least as boldly built over the cliff edge.
Bali's best tamarind mango margaritas are served.

"Bold" - or rather "great" and "bold" - describes this exceptional resort quite well: "Great" is the location and spaciousness. "Bold" is the purist architecture with lots of glass, white stone and sunburnt wood. My light-flooded pool villa with its huge indoor daybed and open floor plan looks as stylish as the showroom of a Milanese luxury furniture label. Without the mighty heavy door to the garden, you would hardly notice the transition between inside and outside. The two hotel restaurants have a similarly airy design. While Cire serves a first-class breakfast in the morning and the usual culinary lifestyle ABC (avocado tartare, Buddha bowls, ceviche) until late in the evening, The Warung on the other side of the pool specializes entirely in local cuisine. Fridays are particularly atmospheric here, when chef Marinka invites guests to the "Indonesian Night Market" with street food stalls, folklore and fire bowls under the starry sky. Cool can be this charming ...

Test highlights
A walk to the hotel temple by the sea and a massage over the sea