Alila Seminyak is a modern oasis refuge on the busy, chic, and trendy Seminyak beach stretch where swimming pools, coconut palms, and the beautiful congregate to wine and dine. Singapore-based architecture firm URBNarc designed the luscious seaside resort to encompass clean lines, expansive open-air corridors framed by tropical plants, and with a curated palate of texturised materials such as timber, stone, and terrazzo which allows the salty air to flow through. Right here, the serene unfolding of light, sound, ether, water, and sand combine together to give an elevated and luxurious beach holiday experience.

Strolling into their restaurant Seasalt is like arriving at a stylish seaside villa residence. The massive restaurant unfurls wide out to the ocean in front of it with an airy dining area and an open style kitchen where chefs grill fresh seafood and cook up a culinary storm right in front of your eyes.

Seasalt at Alila Seminyak is not merely an all-day dining hotel restaurant with a sea view, but the hotel’s heart and social pulse. The culinary thesis here is simple yet bold. Their extensive menu sounds like a sonnet to the sea: crudo, scallop, pomfret, octopus, prawns, oysters, crab, etc.

What distinguishes Seasalt from the throngs of other Seminyak’s beachfront dining destinations is a subtle yet tangible commitment to oceanic sustainability, responsibility, and provenance. Seasalt is a rare gem of a beachfront restaurant that manages to be both glamourous and yet also environmentally conscientious. The restaurant has positioned itself as a steward of local supply chains that prioritise responsibly-sourced seafood and organic food ingredients which gives many dishes an ethical depth that matches their soulful flavour profiles.

True to its name, the restaurant provides diners with a bevy of speciality infused gourmet salt options to choose from, such as Nori Seaweed, Wasabi, and Black Garlic.

We were told by the waiters that a small but thriving community of salt farmers from East Bali farm the traditional organic Kusamba sea salt by utilising both sun and sea breeze evaporation techniques. The Kusamba salt is then used to season the flavourful seafood dishes at Seasalt. Additionally, the Kusamba forms part of a unique dining ritual whereby house-made Nori seaweed butter is being ceremoniously revealed in an elaborate fashion where the servers crack open a large rock mount cluster of black lava salt encasing the seaweed butter using a wooden pick hammer. The best part of it all? This bonus Instagrammable table service is completely complimentary!

Sunday brunches at Seasalt are a decadent all-you-can-eat and drink international buffet affair. An extensive array of Verve Clicquot champagnes and various types of appetising looking dishes beckons at you to have a taste.

Diners can also order from a specially curated à la carte menu where you can pick and choose to your delight. The signature Octopus Laksa with Pineapple gave just the right amount of fiery lemak kick that I was craving for. We also relished the Ginger Cooler mocktail spritzer so much, that we took down the precise combination of ingredients: ginger, lemongrass, kafir lime, lemon and topped with a dash of Sprite.

Because we were so impressed by Seasalt’s Sunday Brunch, we decided to come back again the next evening to try out their dinner menu. What was most memorable for me is actually one of the establishment’s most popular dishes – the delicious Coconut Prawn Soup that tasted like a hearty Balinese version of Tom Kha Goong. Another standout was the refreshing Crab Salad with heirloom tomatoes, mango, wasabi mayo and watercress. The crab salad was light enough to enable our tastes buds to decipher the tender juiciness of the fresh crab meat. As I sit on my desk back home in Singapore typing this article, I am salivating and wishing that I can teleport myself back to Seasalt right this moment to have another bite at those two dishes once more.

The exceptionally warm and hospitable service staff at Seasalt also deserves a distinction. The attentiveness of the service crew from the friendly servers who intentionally time the arrival of your mains to the precise moment when the sun sets, to the knowledgable sommelier who suggests perfect wine pairings to match with their Catch of the Day is truly impeccable and world class. Seasalt is simply a masterclass in how to do beachfront dining right. I simply cannot recommend it more, and I know that I will be back here again for future trips.

Alila Seminyak understands and embodies the ethos of their guests who have come to this part of the Island of the Gods looking for pampering relaxation as much as to be entertained. In a neighbourhood famous for its buzzing nightlife and trendsetters, here is a living space that insists on a slower and more relaxing rhythm but without losing its cool vibe.

It greatly helps that Seminyak beach at night is a softer, quieter pulse than its hectic daytime energy. As the sky blushes pink, orange, and indigo, the Alila becomes alive and lit with fire torches set ablaze inside black volcanic lava stone crucibles as the hotel’s various infinity pools mirror the heavens above. A saxophonist enthralls the appreciative partygoers with his sexy jazzy tunes and groovy moves. In-house hotel guests and the public alike gather at the bar to toast the setting sun before heading off for romantic handheld sunset strolls to take in the sea breeze and twilight hues before retiring to their suites for the night.

Just a mere stone’s throw from the Alila Seminyak, sister property KLEO gives visitors the duel benefits of being at the heart of things while offering a home away from home that feels intimate and curated. As the first JdV (Joie de Vivre) by Hyatt in Southeast Asia, KLEO exudes an ambience that straddles social vibrancy and Instagram worthy interior designs.

The boutique hotel offers 60 comfy rooms styled in a mid-century modern aesthetic, layered with eclectic hues, bold accents, and retro artworks that reflect Seminyak’s creative energy. Amidst that backdrop, KLEO offers a comforting and cozy respite that whispers, “Come stay here and hang out for a bit.”.

KLEO’s architectural layout is intentionally social. The bright interiors are alive with tropical plants, geometric shapes, bold pops of pastel hues, and tactile detailings that you can interact with. This is a space and place where solo travellers make friends spontaneously over breakfast, and couples drift from poolside cocktail to dinner without ever needing to leave the property.

During the day, sunlight filters through palm fronds onto breezy open-air terrazzo corridors with placid water features. At dusk, the Rooftop Social bar transforms into a communal twilight lounge to admire mesmerising sunsets. The entire pool deck feels like a secret rooftop garden that is framed by sunny yellow and white stripped umbrellas. Expect an eclectic music playlist that drifts from tropical funk to mellow house, cocktails made with local ingredients, and views that stretch across Seminyak’s rooftops to the Indian Ocean.

Every great hotel has a central soul and at KLEO, it wears an apron and speaks Italian. Zia Tina, the property’s highly popular and cheery dining restaurant is helmed by celebrated Italian chef Maurizio Bombini who is the exuberant culinary maestro behind Bali’s acclaimed MAURI.

The menu at Zia Tina is like a passport to Puglia, which is Chef Bombini’s homeland. Packed with an abundance of warmth, laughter, and generousity, the name of the vivid and zesty restaurant translates to “Aunt Tina,” and thus the restaurant’s concept follows its namesake and feels like a welcoming Italian aunt’s home where the kitchen is always open, and love is measured in spoonfuls of pasta sauce. Right here, you can even indulge in various fun and interactive games in order to win prizes such as a free cup of cappuccino or discount meal vouchers.

Zia Tina is a social catalyst and a lively gathering space that brings travellers and locals together over warm plates and shared stories. It is the type of cheerful and happy sunshiny restaurant where everyone treats you like family. The servers greet you by name and the staff remember your favourite dishes and precisely how you like it done. The chef and restaurant managers frequently makes their rounds, checking in with every diner and trading stories about life and sharing about what exactly goes into their dishes.

All of the ingredients used by Zia Tina such as basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, olive, tomatoes and fish all reflect the rich bounty of both the sun and sea. The produce comes from local farms and fisheries, while the seafood is sourced responsibly from the Indonesian archipelago. It is Mediterranean goodness meets tropical volcanic abundance. This approach fits seamlessly into JdV by Hyatt’s “Joie de Vivre” philosophy, which champions community, creativity, and sustainability above all else.

As the food at Zia Tina was easily one of the top two restaurants (the other being Seasalt) and yet most affordably priced that we tried on this trip, we ate there at least twice per day during our stay at KLEO. Everything that we ordered was delectable and on point, from the Burrata and Pomodori salad with sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil and basil pesto to the al-dente handmade Pappardelle al Ragu with beef. One can taste the heat of the sun, the salt of the sea, and the richness of the soil, all mixed in with a sprinkle of Italian nostalgia.

We also savoured the best and tastiest oven-baked and lightly fried pizzas in Bali over here at Zia Tina. I asked Enrico Schiavon, who is the handsome half-Italian and half-Balinese restaurant manager, on why the pizza tastes so good at Zia Tina and he replied with a smile, “Passion. The kitchen staff cook with pride and love.”

It is truly refreshing to see a hotel that chooses to be genuinely sustainable in its day-to-day operations, rather than simply performatively “green” by default and necessity. Thoughtful water systems, energy-efficient lighting, and a preference for locally-sourced produce keep KLEO’s carbon footprint as minimally light as its aura and aesthetics.

Hotel manager Syaz said, “What makes KLEO Seminyak so unique is how it feels both exciting and calming at the same time for our guests. From experiencing freshly made pasta and pizzas at Zia Tina, or finding a moment of quiet relaxation reading magazines at the Atrium lobby. While enjoying upbeat music with Kleo’s vinyl player or soaking up the sun and splashing away at our Rooftop Social pool, KLEO Seminyak has something for everybody. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to keep coming back again and again.”