Sacred Luxury in Bali: Our Stay at Anantara Uluwatu and Ubud

Strategically perched over Uluwatu’s majestic limestone cliffs, and framed by world famous Padang Padang and Bingin surfing beaches, our anticipated arrival to the Anantara Uluwatu was nothing short of epic and grand. Opalescent labradorite floor tiles scintillated under the shimmering light of the glorious afternoon sun as a refreshingly cool Indian Ocean sea breeze sends olfactory whiffs of the aphrodisiacal perfume of tuberoses through the lengthy lobby.

As we made our eager entrance into the resort’s lofty reception area, we were duly greeted and welcomed by the warm hospitality of the front desk management team who adorned our ears with fragrant frangipani flowers and our wrists with temple blessed Tridatu string bracelets. Needless to say, the view from the hotel lobby overlooking out to the rest of the resort and towards the oceanic horizon was jaw-droppingly stupendous.

Opened back in 2012, the Anantara Uluwatu has undergone fairly recent refurbishments, and features a timeless cliffside terraced architectural design which accords panoramic scenic views from almost every vantage point around the expansive resort. The property comprises of 73 spacious designer suites/villas, and has the look and feel of contemporary tropical hanging gardens that are harmoniously blended with luxurious modern comforts, and coupled with clever touches of traditional Balinese elements and craftsmanship woven in, so as to create a serene sense of tranquility and maximum integration with the surrounding natural environment.

The private surfer beach

During Bali’s popular peak surfing seasons of May through to September, the resort attracts scores of international professional surfers that come to stay to compete with one another, while taking full advantage of Uluwatu’s powerful barreling waves.

The Anantara Uluwatu also happens to possess the only private access down to “Impossible Beach” whose namesake comes from the fact that without the hotel’s owned private stairway, it is not feasible to get down to the secluded beach below. The property even installed an ingenious specially designed elevator shaft to haul multiple surfboards up and down the steep vertical cliffs.

Nearby attractions

A mere stone’s throw away from the cozy and comfortable confines of the resort lies Uluwatu Temple, which is best known for their robust and boisterous traditional Kecak dance performances. And at just half a kilometre’s in distance from the resort is Pantai Labuan Sait, which is more commonly and affectionally known by foreigners as “Padang Padang” beach. Both were made world famous by the Hollywood adaptation of the international best selling novel “Eat Pray Love”.

When the sea recedes at low tide, it is possible to take an enchanting sunset stroll to the exact spot at Padang Padang where Jarvier Bardem’s persona professed his love to Julia Roberts’ protagonist. Thankfully, the resort provides complimentary daily two-way transfers over to Padang Padang beach in the event that resort guests are too tired or lazy to attempt the half an hour walk.

The culinary delights

The Anantara Uluwatu presents a diverse selection of local and international culinary options and choices through its three distinct dining venues. The best panoramic views at the resort can be gotten from the all-day dining 360 restaurant which is situated at the highest point of the hotel. The sight of the volcanic peaks of Mount Agung, Batur and Abang glistening in the sun made me momentarily forget all of my worldly cares and concerns. To add to the magic, a brilliant rainbow happened to appear over the skies in front of us as we savoured our appetizing avocado toast together with a cup of tasty freshly brewed Indonesian roasted kopi (coffee).

The cliffside Botol Biru Bar & Grill features a new “Sea Fire Salt” menu that serves up generous portions of delectable seafood and cutlets of grilled meat that are served on thick heavy slabs of pink Himalayan salt, and then additionally seasoned with a dazzling array of six gourmet salt selections with the likes of spicy red Devil’s Heat Salt, Bamboo Charcoal Roasted Salt, or the garlicky and herbaceous green Garden Salt.

The resort also boasts SONO, which happens to be the only authentic Japanese Teppanyaki restaurant in all of Uluwatu. Helmed by the mischievous and playful Chef Wahjun, diners are beguiled and entertained as the masterful chef sets the griddle top ablaze with his skilful flair, cheeky grin, and humorous antics during his highly lauded “Tokyo Flame” Teppanyaki dinner sessions.

Sharing the space at SONO, Executive Chef Giri teaches the Spice Spoons culinary classes where hotel guests can learn to cook and prepare three local Balinese dishes which rotates in variety, depending on the seasonal availability of market produce. Energetic and charismatic Chef Giri, who has been with the resort since its inception, recommends that guests try the aromatic Ayam Betutu spiced marinated slow-cooked chicken wrapped in bananas leaves, as well as his personal favourite, the Oxtail Sop Bentut with a medley of vegetables.

After filling up our bellies, we took a leisurely stroll around the terraced swimming pools and manicured horticulture grounds of the property, while marvelling at the many abstract stone statues, old traditional artefacts, and Bali themed oil paintings scattered all over the resort.

The service

Their General Manager Ms Magdalena Martorell, who hails from Spain, is always sartorially impeccable each time that we see her and she would frequently stop to take a moment off her busy schedule to engage us in friendly banter as she shares her visions and inspirations for future additions and improvements to the existing amenities. She enthused, “What is really special about this resort is when the tides are low and receded, it is really nice to go down and enjoy a stroll along the tide pools. You can at times even have the entire Impossible Beach all to yourself. It is a very romantic and premium spot especially during sunsets. Guests can watch surfers enjoying the waves and capture all these precious moments with their cameras.”

The service that we received from the staff members throughout our stay was warm, impeccable and friendly. Everyone greeted us with cordial smiles and affability.

Ms Dian Martini who is the Director of Sales and Marketing for the resort, gamely pointed out to us that the resort uses wooden coasters made from compressed upcycled bamboo chopsticks. Other environmentally sustainable measures adopted by the hotel include helping to reduce waste by melting used soap bars in order to repurpose them by donating to the local communities. Additionally, the resort also gives away uneaten food over to the local farmers who then use it to feed their cattle and livestock. These efforts and endeavours ensure that the Anantara Uluwatu continues to contribute back to the community, while doing their part to offset and minimise their carbon footprint.

One of the top highlights of our stay has got to be the unforgettable spa experience which came highly recommended by the entire management team. We gleefully made our way and sauntered over to the lush and peaceful Anantara Spa which is the most tranquil part of the entire resort.

At first glance, it is evident that the Anantara Spa prides itself to be a quiet sanctuary oasis that is designed as a revitalisation space dedicated to holistic well-being. After the usual check-in formalities were completed and the treatment forms were filled up, we were flabbergasted by the array of customisation available at the spa for even the most minute details such as our personalised choice of music playlist.

My travel companion and I tried the one-hour “Anantara Signature” massage and we both agreed that it was hands down, the best spa massage treatment that we have had in recent memory. I relished the experience so much that I gladly would have gone on for another two more hours, if I could.

The resort’s custom built glass-fronted “Dewa Dewi” wedding chapel is situated on the cliff’s edge, and is a coveted destination for matrimonial ceremonies, aerial yoga classes and special intimate events. Offering a breathtakingly stunning setting of the Indian Ocean, as well as Bali’s volcanoes, the paved walkway leading to the wedding chapel is framed by pretty plumeria trees, koi ponds, and walls of cascading water. In order to keep guests occupied and entertained during their stay, the resort also supplies and caters various rotating Indonesian themed cultural activities such as Batik painting, Jamu infusion tea brewing, Boreh natural scrub making, Balinese dance classes and much more. Morning yoga sessions and other cultural activities are held inside the air conditioned comfort and sublime beauty of the stunning chapel.

On our final evening at the Anantara Uluwatu, it happened to coincidentally fall on Kajang Kliwon day. As such, high priestess and energy healer Ibu Jero Gambuh (who resembles a Balinese version of Malaysian actress Michele Yeoh) facilitated and led us through a water purification ceremony ritual that started off with a series of Tibetan singing bowls sound healing.

As we laid down and closed our eyes underneath the Dewa Dewi chapel, Ibu Jero’s voice instructed us to connect to both of our parents and our childhoods. We were lulled into a transcendental lucid state while being guided to keep our heart chakras wide open so as to allow the sound vibrations of the sacred bowls to assist us in forgiving the past so as to let go of old traumas.

The second half of the sacred ritual consisted of Ibu Jero blessing and purifying us by pouring and splashing holy water containing various floral blooms and rice grains onto our crown and third eye chakras.

The entire water purification segment was conducted right in front of an intricate stone carved statue of the Hindi Goddess Sarawasti who is the patron deity of knowledge, music and the arts. The ceremony was concluded with the ritualistic adornment of pure white cotton string bracelets onto our wrists, making it a fitting wrap up for our rejuvenating stay over at the Anantara Uluwatu.

Heading to Ubud

Since we signed up for the “Twin Jewels of Bali” vacation package, we were promptly picked up and whizzed away in style by the Anantara Ubud resort driver after our check-out from the Anantara Uluwatu to head over to our second Anantara resort stay up north in the forested hills of the Payangan district.

The Anantara Ubud debuted in October 2024 and is the newest kid on the block amongst the branded luxury resorts in that region of Bali. The journey to Ubud from the cliffs of Uluwatu took slightly over two hours in good traffic conditions.

The trip gave us glimpses into authentic rural Bali countryside scenes – from tireless farmers working the verdant rice padi fields to coy Balinese women carrying baskets of fruit and flowers on top of their heads while being fully decked up in resplendent traditional Baju Adat costumes comprising of a brightly coloured lace kebaya blouse tucked into a batik-printed sarong skirt, and which is then securely fastened with a contrasting silk sash. Needless to say, we were kept very well entertained throughout the fairly lengthy car ride by the ever changing outside scenery, but also by the ample supply of beverages, energy balls, snacks, high quality reading materials and WIFI that were readily available inside the vehicle.

Nestled amidst the lush highlands and local villages of Puhu, the Anantara Ubud offers a tranquil retreat hideaway that harmoniously blends luxury with the island’s rich arts and cultural heritage.

From the moment you arrive, the resort envelops you in a cocoon of serene and peaceful energies. As we entered the capacious lobby, our gaze and attention were immediately transfixed upon the mesmerising art and music installation centrepiece named the “Gamelatron: Tirta Swara”. This unique masterpiece was created by American artist and composer Aaron Taylor Kuffner who drew his inspiration from his years of deep study of the Karawitan – the rich traditional Gamelan orchestral music of Indonesia. Featuring 17 bronze gongs of various shapes and sizes, and set underneath a pyramid shape stacked roof that allows natural dappered skylight to stream in, the Gamelatron plays spellbindingly hypnotic and relaxing musical tunes on a repeated loop. I later found out that the name of the tune is titled “The Sound of Water from a Spring”, and hence the Balinese label for the track is called “Tirta Swara”.

The resort’s striking architecture and four inclinator furniculars integrate seamlessly with the natural lush tropical vegetation and astounding volcanic landscapes. In spite of having a total of 50 meticulously designed suites and 35 cozy villas, the resort is an absolute introvert’s dream as the layout configurations of the hotel is designed to accord a cornucopia of much appreciated privacy, isolation, and seclusion, no matter where you are in the resort.

Our ultra spacious and super cozy 160sqm two bedroom forest view pool villa felt homely with warm lighting, contemporary luxurious interiors, dark teak wood furnishings, and complete with Balinese artworks of Legong dancers.

A 10 metre-long private cold plunge pool spans the entire length of our villa and offers dramatic panoramic views of the surrounding landscapes. On the coffee table laid a large bowl of exotic tropical fruits, several pretty Indonesian cakes covered in tall glass domes, as well as a pair of intricately perforated wooden fans with a friendly handwritten welcome note to remind us to “Enjoy the art of stillness”.

We certainly enjoyed the best sleep during this trip over at Anantara Ubud, thanks in no small part to their pillow menu. Our picks of the cervical neck pillow and contour massage pillow made all the difference to ensuring a restful slumber for us.

On a clear morning, you can see Bali’s most sacred peak Mount Agung as well as Mount Abang rising from the colossal treetops. One can also make out a faint hint of Gamelan music playing in the nearby villages.

The dining experience

The resort’s two main restaurants both offer different dining and culinary experiences. Kirana (Sanskrit word that translates to “beautiful ray of sunlight”) is an all-day dining concept restaurant that serves authentic Indonesian cuisine and Western favourites.

Spicy Spoons culinary cooking classes are also held over at Kirana. The Kirana staff gesture and point us towards trying out their crispy suckling pig dish “Babi Kirana” and the spicy Pepes Ikan Sambal Manggaas as these two dishes are the top chef’s recommendations on their menu.

As delightfully scrumptious as those signature dishes tasted, our personal favourites came from the wellness portion of the menu as we gravitated towards healthier lighter food choices.

From the wellness menu, we tested the Marinated Baked Mahi Mahi with green papaya salad, as well as the Spiced Baked Free Range Chicken Supreme with jicama, mixed nuts, and green mango. Both dishes exceeded our expectations and were flavourful in spite of being labelled as healthy options.

For a truly unique dining experience, visitors can even opt for the decadent “Designer Dining” program, which allows guests the opportunity to enjoy and relish personalised meals in picturesque settings such as next to a cascading waterfall or amidst rice paddy fields.

Personable and easy going Scottish Executive Chef James Willis shines at his best over at Amerta, which is the resort’s exquisite Mediterranean-Indonesian fusion fine-dining establishment that features an open style glass window kitchen that is complete with a wood fired grill inspired by the hillside jungles of Payangan.

Diners can view the chefs hard at work as they prepare and whip up dish after dish, collaborating together in unison in order to satiate the gastromical demands of the hungry customers.

Redolent whiffs of aromatic spices and appetising sambal permeated the air and whetted our appetites. Chef James loves to make use of a fragrant Balinese fermented coconut and rice wine called “arak” in his cooking. He doused freshly cut lobster slices with generous squirts of arak before torching them with a culinary blowtorch, right in front of us for maximum dramatic effect. The Lobster Riverstone Flambe dish was accompanied with zucchini puree, chopped cash nuts, lobster jus and distinguishable hints of arak.

Other noteworthy dishes in our chef’s table tasting menu included the Red Snapper Yuzu Ceviche, as well as Grilled Token Wagyu Sirloin that is complete with aka miso, star anise beef jus, and Andalusian pepper Béarnaise sauce.

We thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated every single component of all the dishes that Chef James made for us. We expressed our appreciation by gamely wolfing everything down and leaving nothing left on our plates. If you are craving for an aperitif like a freshly concocted Negroni to accompany your dinner, the al-fresco bar Sulang (short form for “Cheers” in Balinese) is just located below Amerta.

Made Warnata AKA “The Bali Whisperer” is the holistic wellness curator, in-house fitness trainer and soul of the Ananatara Uluwatu. He is a true Renaissance man and the most fascinating local that I have ever met in all of my numerous trips to Bali.

Muscular, fit and zesty Bapak Warnata is akin to a walking encyclopaedia brimming with precious knowledge about all things Bali. I could sit with him to pick his brains for hours on end.

Made’s grandfather and father are both respected and esteemed village priests, and so the heavy responsibility falls unto him to eventually take over the mantle from them. Pak Made Warnata recounts his unique background and diverse experience, “I graduated with a Master’s degree in science from the Denver University in Colorado, and thus my DNA and true passions are in the areas of wellness and fitness. I also possess a black belt in Tai-jitsu. Because of my fluency in both the English and Balinese languages, I was fortunate to be able to play a role as a supporter and translator with the Balinese production team for the movie “Eat Pray Love”. Total wellness is completely holistic; it comprises mind, body, heart and spirit. I teach and assist our guests to achieve this state of balance during their stay via our wellness focused food menu, healing spa treatments, outdoor excursions and cultural immersions.”

The Anantara Ubud is big on all things wellness and rejuvenation. Crafted by Pak Warnata, the Anantara Spa’s highly recommended signature 90-minutes Taksu (meaning “charming aura” in Balinese) massage therapy is the perfect trio combination of Japanese Shiatsu, Hawaiian Lomi-Lomi and Balinese massage and bodywork techniques in order to help ease muscle tension, improve blood circulation, and soothe the senses. After testing out the Taksu massage session for ourselves, we can personally vouch that the entire experience from start to finish does indeed feel as heavenly as it sounds.

Beyond the spa, the resort also offers unique spiritual experiences that include private water purification ceremonies at nearby Mengening temple and one-on-one healing sessions with experienced local healers. The safari outfit decked naturalist that works at the spa says that the “Alas Taro Exploration” is their most popular outdoor adventure activity as it covers various natural landscapes while riding inside a leisurely mini Jeep ride.

These specially curated experiences allow guests to engage and mingle with the local community while cultivating a deeper understanding and appreciation of Balinese customs and norms. Even children and teenagers are not left out as they can spend entire afternoons enjoying board games, ping-pong, PlayStation 5 games, and much more over at the gratifying Kid’s Club that has distinctive cartoon murals of tropical flora and fauna.

Anantara Ubud is dedicated to sustainable practices, ensuring that luxury and environmental responsibility go hand-in-hand. The resort implements several eco-friendly initiatives such as sourcing local ingredients as much as possible, reducing waste, and supporting community-based projects that are all aimed at preserving the fragile natural beauty and cultural integrity of the region.

Incidentally, the newly minted and highly experienced General Manager Mr Santiago Sagaz happens to be a vegan yogi who also prioritises his own health and well-being. Santiago shared with us some of his visionary strategies to transform and elevate the guest experience of the resort that will be gradually implemented in phases. One of his proposals is to fill the common areas of the resort, as well as the rooftops of the villas with a lot more organic greenery.

Anantara Ubud has partnered up with the Begawan Foundation, which is a leading conservation organisation dedicated to saving the critically endangered Bali Starlings.

Distinguished by its striking white plumage, black wing tips, and vibrant blue skin around its eyes, the Bali Starling is one of the rarest birds in the world and is endemic to the island of Bali. Through the Anantara’s ‘Dollars for Deeds’ programme, guests are invited to play a vital role in protecting this rare bird species while enjoying their stay over at the resort.

As part of this initiative, guests at the Anantara Ubud are encouraged to contribute USD$1 per night of stay, which is then matched dollar-for-dollar by the resort. The proceeds will go to directly supporting all of Begawan’s conservation efforts which includes breeding, habitat restoration, and educational programmes, which are all aimed at increasing the Bali Starling’s population in its natural environment.

One of the most unique experiences that we had to complete our stay at the Anantara Ubud was to hand make our very own traditional floral canang sari and gebogan offerings on top of a painted dulang wooden plate over at the Padmasana Sirit house temple located at the front entrance to the resort.

As these prayer offerings are ubiquitous to the daily lives of the Balinese and can be seen scattered everywhere, I always wondered what these offerings were called and what they symbolise.

Made explained to us in detail that these offering represent both the strength of the sun and the beauty of the moon, and act as fitting tributes to both the male Gods and female Goddesses of the Hindu pantheon. We left the colourful canna sari on the temple altar, while the staff placed the gorgeous gebogan stand in the living room of our villa so as to bless the space with positive energies. I had almost forgotten that Assistant Marketing Manager Mr Alvin Jusuf whom we met during our stay at the Anantara Uluwatu, and who used to work for the Anantara Ubud during its early opening phase had told us to watch out for fireflies while at the Ubud resort. True to form, a sparkling twinkle of fireflies can be seen dancing in the dark of the night right above our elegant gebogan which we transferred from the living room to our outdoor pool deck.

Saving the very best for last, Made and helpful Social Media Manager Rizqa escorted us to the temple home and abode of high priest Ida Guru which is conveniently located just a mere stone’s throw away from the resort. We were being treated to a full on authentic Agna Yajna, which is a type of Vedic agni hotra fire blessing ceremony practiced by the Balinese Hindus on special occasions. We were told by Pak made that such a holy ritual can only be led by priests of the highest orders.

The puja flames burned furiously as the congregation of elders that surrounded the consecrated circle threw offerings of rice into the fire, as they sung sacred hymns and mantras to Lord Shiva. After the hour long fire ceremony was completed, Made shared with us about his previous failed attempts to try to deny his destiny as the future priest of his own village. In that very moment a sudden flash of lightning streaked across the night sky, which was followed closely by the loud clap of booming thunder. It is so, and so it is. The Gods have spoken.

Images: Luke Elijah