Trip Report : Alila Villas Uluwatu [Bali]
Apr 28, 2012, 1:55 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
oh wow, i would have waited to reply 
upcoming alila http://www.alilahotels.com/about-ali...g-developments
cool rendering of bintan http://afr.com/p/lifestyle/life_leis...hYmgxsG8fl92PP
thanks for linking bintan
kind of odd - beach looks close in pics, farther away in resort plan >
http://alilavillasbintan.com/miscell...BeachVilla.pdf
looks like other 2 dont have sites yet
theres also (on hold?) >
http://alilamusandam.com/overview.htm
great looking villas, although huge development
upcoming alila http://www.alilahotels.com/about-ali...g-developments
cool rendering of bintan http://afr.com/p/lifestyle/life_leis...hYmgxsG8fl92PP
thanks for linking bintan
kind of odd - beach looks close in pics, farther away in resort plan >
http://alilavillasbintan.com/miscell...BeachVilla.pdf
looks like other 2 dont have sites yet
theres also (on hold?) >
http://alilamusandam.com/overview.htm
great looking villas, although huge development
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Apr 28, 2012 at 6:10 pm
Apr 29, 2012, 4:39 am
#17
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Programs: Too many...and an Amanjunkie
Posts: 1,667
Fantastic report, thanks for sharing ^
Haven't made it to AV Uluwatu yet but stayed at AV Soori last year and loved it (sharing deer's sentiment). As it was designed by the same architect I may be sold to the PH Maldives then...cannot wait to see other AV's being developed.
Haven't made it to AV Uluwatu yet but stayed at AV Soori last year and loved it (sharing deer's sentiment). As it was designed by the same architect I may be sold to the PH Maldives then...cannot wait to see other AV's being developed.
Apr 30, 2012, 8:35 am
#18
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Jakarta
Programs: Krisflyer PPS, SPG, Hyatt GoldPassport, Shangri-la Golden Circle, British Airways ExecClub
Posts: 1,245
Thanks Kagehitokiri, BENLEE, NYBanker, Ericka for your comments, hope u all enjoyed the pictures!
Yeah, I tend to take too many pictures when I'm travellling
I actually came across your other FlyerTalk thread on Alila in Balia prior to my trip. Where did you eventually stayed in Bali?
Yeah, I tend to take too many pictures when I'm travellling
I actually came across your other FlyerTalk thread on Alila in Balia prior to my trip. Where did you eventually stayed in Bali?
May 8, 2012, 9:27 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SG
Posts: 133
oh wow, i would have waited to reply
theres also (on hold?) >
http://alilamusandam.com/overview.htm
great looking villas, although huge development
theres also (on hold?) >
http://alilamusandam.com/overview.htm
great looking villas, although huge development
Fantastic report, thanks for sharing ^
Haven't made it to AV Uluwatu yet but stayed at AV Soori last year and loved it (sharing deer's sentiment). As it was designed by the same architect I may be sold to the PH Maldives then...cannot wait to see other AV's being developed.
Haven't made it to AV Uluwatu yet but stayed at AV Soori last year and loved it (sharing deer's sentiment). As it was designed by the same architect I may be sold to the PH Maldives then...cannot wait to see other AV's being developed.
Ah, I see. Hope I didn't spoil it for you by posting too many pictures of Alila Uluwatu!
May 8, 2012, 9:37 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SG
Posts: 133
A little delayed with my updates here as I went on short 2-night cruise to Malaysia's Pulau Redang, which wasn't really that interesting. (maybe I'll do a mini-report next time) Finally got the time to complete the rest of the trip report here!
Head over to Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali : Food, food, food! if you wanna read with some proper formatting. Enjoy!
----------
We decided to go for some local Balinese cuisine for our first Lunch at The Warung. Dropped by the restaurant pretty late (seemed like we’re always avoiding the peak dining hours), and there was no one else but us. Chose to sit outdoors, and it was not long before a staff came over with menus. Check out the menu here.
Personally, the top two reasons why I would give any resort a good review (and potentially a second visit) are the level of service, and the little details. I can come up with numerous examples, here’s one for Alila :
Bali, as a tropical destination, is obviously pretty hot and humid at all times of the year. What does this means? Hot and sticky = Eww. We’re pretty familiar with the weather, coming from sunny Singapore. Alila is very thoughtful in this aspect – providing all diners with cold towels and refreshing sprays before every meal. Kudos to them.
Ordered our food and the first item to come wasn’t something we had ordered. Alila took a refreshing spin on the idea of Congkak - a game of Malay origin. Check out the Wikipedia article if you’re interested. Using the Congkak board, they placed the complimentary starters in the individual slots. The waiter who brought it over gave us a little explanation as we listened and nodded.
At the two ends are two types of deep fried crackers, while the individual dips were in the middle – a total of twelve of them! Most of them were some variant of chili, which we love! The spiciest of them all is really good! There were also other stuff like pickled vegetables like cucumber and pineapple, onions and soy sauce.
Sambel Tapa
Tuna salad with young mangoes
Pesan Wong
Grilled mushroom in banana leaf
Bebek Bakar
Grilled duck with Balinese spice paste
Balinese Red Rice
Whole grain rice?
There are actually three types of rice to choose from – white, red, and yellow. The red rice actually tasted kind of like whole grain rice. The texture was a little bit raw and chewy.
Some drinks to quench our thirst :
Our verdict? Delicious! Special mention for the Balinese grilled duck which was very tender. We were pretty surprised to find duck on the menu here, as it isn’t that common in Singapore. We’re not big-eaters, and together with the complimentary starters, we were pretty stuffed by the end of lunch.
Our dinner at Cire for the day was actually a complimentary one, part of the package deal (air tickets, accommodation, etc) we purchased from our local agent. I have absolutely no idea why it is called “Dining by the Edge”. Cliff edge, perhaps? Sorry, the lighting at night was horrible. These pictures were the best that I managed to take =)
I’m not sure if it is Alila’s practice to serve complimentary items prior to dinner. We had the same experience when we stayed in Alila Cha-Am in 2009 and enjoyed many varieties of pastry! Tonight at Uluwatu, we were given some complimentary pastry with sour cream.
Ah. I had forgotten to take a photo of the menu. You’ll just have to take my description for it! The starter is some sort of Potato Cream, which had a foam-like texture.
No worries – the waitress offered to, and proceed to cut up the Roast Chicken into smaller pieces. It was plated together with mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, etc) and diced mushrooms.
Huge plate of Garden Salad for us.
The second main was some sort of smoked fish with mashed potato, and I can’t recall what exactly it is.
And to top it off, sweet sweet dessert.
Dinner was pretty alright, nothing surprising but definitely satisfying.
Check out the subsequent posts for more food @ Alila!
Head over to Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali : Food, food, food! if you wanna read with some proper formatting. Enjoy!
----------
We decided to go for some local Balinese cuisine for our first Lunch at The Warung. Dropped by the restaurant pretty late (seemed like we’re always avoiding the peak dining hours), and there was no one else but us. Chose to sit outdoors, and it was not long before a staff came over with menus. Check out the menu here.
Personally, the top two reasons why I would give any resort a good review (and potentially a second visit) are the level of service, and the little details. I can come up with numerous examples, here’s one for Alila :
Bali, as a tropical destination, is obviously pretty hot and humid at all times of the year. What does this means? Hot and sticky = Eww. We’re pretty familiar with the weather, coming from sunny Singapore. Alila is very thoughtful in this aspect – providing all diners with cold towels and refreshing sprays before every meal. Kudos to them.
Ordered our food and the first item to come wasn’t something we had ordered. Alila took a refreshing spin on the idea of Congkak - a game of Malay origin. Check out the Wikipedia article if you’re interested. Using the Congkak board, they placed the complimentary starters in the individual slots. The waiter who brought it over gave us a little explanation as we listened and nodded.
At the two ends are two types of deep fried crackers, while the individual dips were in the middle – a total of twelve of them! Most of them were some variant of chili, which we love! The spiciest of them all is really good! There were also other stuff like pickled vegetables like cucumber and pineapple, onions and soy sauce.
Sambel Tapa
Tuna salad with young mangoes
Pesan Wong
Grilled mushroom in banana leaf
Bebek Bakar
Grilled duck with Balinese spice paste
Balinese Red Rice
Whole grain rice?
There are actually three types of rice to choose from – white, red, and yellow. The red rice actually tasted kind of like whole grain rice. The texture was a little bit raw and chewy.
Some drinks to quench our thirst :
Our verdict? Delicious! Special mention for the Balinese grilled duck which was very tender. We were pretty surprised to find duck on the menu here, as it isn’t that common in Singapore. We’re not big-eaters, and together with the complimentary starters, we were pretty stuffed by the end of lunch.
Our dinner at Cire for the day was actually a complimentary one, part of the package deal (air tickets, accommodation, etc) we purchased from our local agent. I have absolutely no idea why it is called “Dining by the Edge”. Cliff edge, perhaps? Sorry, the lighting at night was horrible. These pictures were the best that I managed to take =)
I’m not sure if it is Alila’s practice to serve complimentary items prior to dinner. We had the same experience when we stayed in Alila Cha-Am in 2009 and enjoyed many varieties of pastry! Tonight at Uluwatu, we were given some complimentary pastry with sour cream.
Ah. I had forgotten to take a photo of the menu. You’ll just have to take my description for it! The starter is some sort of Potato Cream, which had a foam-like texture.
No worries – the waitress offered to, and proceed to cut up the Roast Chicken into smaller pieces. It was plated together with mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, etc) and diced mushrooms.
Huge plate of Garden Salad for us.
The second main was some sort of smoked fish with mashed potato, and I can’t recall what exactly it is.
And to top it off, sweet sweet dessert.
Dinner was pretty alright, nothing surprising but definitely satisfying.
Check out the subsequent posts for more food @ Alila!
Alila Villas Uluwatu – Suprisingly Different
Last edited by Nivek; Nov 16, 2012 at 8:06 pm
May 8, 2012, 9:45 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SG
Posts: 133
------------------------------
Day #3 : Food and .. Stuff
------------------------------
Rise and shine! A brand new day awaits us, and we’re particularly excited to check out Alila’s spa treatment today!
Before I go on with today’s activities, remember I mentioned about being able to indicate our preferences (music, pillows, level of attention by the butler, etc) prior to check in? To give you an idea, you can click on the Alila Villas Uluwatu – Personal Preference Menu link to take a look. Go ahead and input a fake name/email address – nothing is saved until the form is submitted. I love the fact that I could customize my stay before I even land on Bali.
Today’s breakfast menu (Saturday) is different from yesterday’s, and so we took the opportunity to try out different items!
OK, more sausages and bacon! I promise this is the last you’ll see of them.
Baked Omelette with Bacon, Leek, Onion and Cheese.
Grilled Sour Dough with Smoked Beef, Pickled Shallots and Mozzarella.
Waffle with Banana and Caramel.
Bubur Menguh.
Balinese rice porridge with vegetables.
Omelette with Chili and Cheese.
Smoothies!
Personally, I feel that the service (and the food of course) here at Alila is excellent. To be honest, there isn’t really much that I could fault. And yes, they remembered our preference to serve all our food together. After we’re done with breakfast, a lady (who seems to be the one in-charge) would drop by to make sure the food was okay, and whether we wanted to order any more food!
Every staff here at Alila greets us with a smile, and we’re not just referring to the ones who picked us up at the airport, at the spa, or the waiter or waitress at the restaurants. Down to the guys who deliver our room service and even the gardeners, it seemed like it is their mission to make us feel special.
Prior to making up our room, a call would be made to our villa to check with us what would be a suitable timing, so as not to disturb us. I appreciate the little things, such as bookmarks like the ones below that they would leave by our bedside after tidying up our rooms.
I’m not sure if you noticed – only at night would the tables be covered with table cloth. In the afternoon, we saw the restaurant staff patiently putting on all the table cloth. At first, we were perturbed as to why he was spraying water onto the table cloth, and giving it a gentle rub with his fingers. We realized that he was trying to wet, and then smooth the crease caused by folding! Such things probably wouldn’t matter to me at all (I mean, a crease is just a crease) but it just shows the level of details they pay attention to.
I could probably come up with more examples, but I shall leave it at that for now. We spent some more time roaming around the resort and took more photos. This is a view of the Cire and infinity pool from the Sunset cabana.
Better weather today, with none of the gray skies.
The rough waves below the Sunset Cabana as they crash onto the cliff side.
The Sunset Cabana being prepared for a wedding on one of the evenings. Lovely setting, isn’t it?
Gotta be careful when swimming at the pool as there are no lifeguards!
The “floating cabana” on higher ground that I mentioned previously.
Day #3 : Food and .. Stuff
------------------------------
Rise and shine! A brand new day awaits us, and we’re particularly excited to check out Alila’s spa treatment today!
Before I go on with today’s activities, remember I mentioned about being able to indicate our preferences (music, pillows, level of attention by the butler, etc) prior to check in? To give you an idea, you can click on the Alila Villas Uluwatu – Personal Preference Menu link to take a look. Go ahead and input a fake name/email address – nothing is saved until the form is submitted. I love the fact that I could customize my stay before I even land on Bali.
Today’s breakfast menu (Saturday) is different from yesterday’s, and so we took the opportunity to try out different items!
OK, more sausages and bacon! I promise this is the last you’ll see of them.
Baked Omelette with Bacon, Leek, Onion and Cheese.
Grilled Sour Dough with Smoked Beef, Pickled Shallots and Mozzarella.
Waffle with Banana and Caramel.
Bubur Menguh.
Balinese rice porridge with vegetables.
Omelette with Chili and Cheese.
Smoothies!
Personally, I feel that the service (and the food of course) here at Alila is excellent. To be honest, there isn’t really much that I could fault. And yes, they remembered our preference to serve all our food together. After we’re done with breakfast, a lady (who seems to be the one in-charge) would drop by to make sure the food was okay, and whether we wanted to order any more food!
Every staff here at Alila greets us with a smile, and we’re not just referring to the ones who picked us up at the airport, at the spa, or the waiter or waitress at the restaurants. Down to the guys who deliver our room service and even the gardeners, it seemed like it is their mission to make us feel special.
Prior to making up our room, a call would be made to our villa to check with us what would be a suitable timing, so as not to disturb us. I appreciate the little things, such as bookmarks like the ones below that they would leave by our bedside after tidying up our rooms.
I’m not sure if you noticed – only at night would the tables be covered with table cloth. In the afternoon, we saw the restaurant staff patiently putting on all the table cloth. At first, we were perturbed as to why he was spraying water onto the table cloth, and giving it a gentle rub with his fingers. We realized that he was trying to wet, and then smooth the crease caused by folding! Such things probably wouldn’t matter to me at all (I mean, a crease is just a crease) but it just shows the level of details they pay attention to.
I could probably come up with more examples, but I shall leave it at that for now. We spent some more time roaming around the resort and took more photos. This is a view of the Cire and infinity pool from the Sunset cabana.
Better weather today, with none of the gray skies.
The rough waves below the Sunset Cabana as they crash onto the cliff side.
The Sunset Cabana being prepared for a wedding on one of the evenings. Lovely setting, isn’t it?
Gotta be careful when swimming at the pool as there are no lifeguards!
The “floating cabana” on higher ground that I mentioned previously.
Last edited by Nivek; May 8, 2012 at 9:46 am Reason: Edited Pic Link
May 8, 2012, 9:50 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SG
Posts: 133
------------------------------
Spa ..
------------------------------
The main lobby when guests could hang around, with more complimentary Alila products! Interestingly, there seem to be no need for any insect repellent during our stay.
So, what do we do when there is an abundance of Alila products in our villa? We bring them home!
Quite a number of guests were arriving on the weekends, perhaps to attend the wedding. We were told that there are people who would visit just to get their spa treatments done here. As advised by the staff at the spa, we have already booked our half-day treatment yesterday, just in case the slots were full.
Spent more time at the pool at our villa before we grabbed a quick lunch.
Nasi Goreng Ayam.
Fried rice with chicken.
Aglio Olio Spaghetti.
Complimentry crackers, dips and bottled water.
Made our way to the spa to start our Journey to You (Half Day – Afternoon) spa treatment. At the spa reception, one side of the wall is lined entirely with spa products.
A welcome drink was served to us as we confirmed the treatments that we are having today. The drink is an unique blend of lemongrass, lemon, ginger and honey which was pretty refreshing. The taste of ginger needs a little getting used to, though.
The treatments are done at the designated spa villas at Alila.
The treatments we chose are a little different from the ones on the menu though – you are free to customize your spa journey. I was getting some minor sun-burn, and was recommended not to do a Warm Stone Massage – I chose the Therapeutic Massage “using fluent strokes of different depths and intensity” instead.
A little area to hang our clothes, and keep our valuables.
The vanity area, stocked with plenty of products like cleanser and toner.
Spa ..
------------------------------
The main lobby when guests could hang around, with more complimentary Alila products! Interestingly, there seem to be no need for any insect repellent during our stay.
So, what do we do when there is an abundance of Alila products in our villa? We bring them home!
Quite a number of guests were arriving on the weekends, perhaps to attend the wedding. We were told that there are people who would visit just to get their spa treatments done here. As advised by the staff at the spa, we have already booked our half-day treatment yesterday, just in case the slots were full.
Spent more time at the pool at our villa before we grabbed a quick lunch.
Nasi Goreng Ayam.
Fried rice with chicken.
Aglio Olio Spaghetti.
Complimentry crackers, dips and bottled water.
Made our way to the spa to start our Journey to You (Half Day – Afternoon) spa treatment. At the spa reception, one side of the wall is lined entirely with spa products.
A welcome drink was served to us as we confirmed the treatments that we are having today. The drink is an unique blend of lemongrass, lemon, ginger and honey which was pretty refreshing. The taste of ginger needs a little getting used to, though.
The treatments are done at the designated spa villas at Alila.
The treatments we chose are a little different from the ones on the menu though – you are free to customize your spa journey. I was getting some minor sun-burn, and was recommended not to do a Warm Stone Massage – I chose the Therapeutic Massage “using fluent strokes of different depths and intensity” instead.
A little area to hang our clothes, and keep our valuables.
The vanity area, stocked with plenty of products like cleanser and toner.
May 8, 2012, 9:55 am
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SG
Posts: 133
------------------------------
Day #3 : Spa .. (continued)
------------------------------
After changing, we got seated at the sofa. Before the massage, they always start with a relaxing feet wash, which was a lovely touch.
What goes into the feet wash? Flower petals, lime, lemongrass and sea salt.
Well, it isn’t called the Half-Day Journey for nothing. Not gonna go into details on how the massage is done, apart from saying that it was simply amazing. Besides a Therapeutic Massage, I would also be getting a Head/Hair Stimulation Massage, followed by a Scrub/Wrap.
Absolute bliss.
The only other time it felt as good was when I was at Alila Cha-Am in 2009, but this is definitely better. After being bombarded by the variety of treatments, we got to take a shower ..
.. before heading into the Steam Room.
My wife and I couldn’t really stand the heat with the sun-burn going on, so we left the Steam Room early. The masseuse was surprised to see us when she brought in two glasses of electrolyte (i.e. isotonic) drinks, meant for hydrating us after the Steam Room treatment.
Briefly showered again before getting dressed and heading out. Prior to starting our massage, we were asked whether we wanted some fruits after our treatments, because it is going to take three hours or so. Little did we expect to see a huge platter of honeydew and watermelon waiting for us when we emerged from the changing area, complete with another glass of chilled lemongrass drink. Surely, this was overkill.
Oh yeah, more products on display in case we wanted to try/buy some.
After we freshened up, we left for dinner at The Warung, which was included in the programme. According to the spa menu, our dinner was supposed to be “romantic but healthy and delicious dinner”. Well, I could see what the “delicious” part was referring to, but “healthy”? *laughs*
As usual, the complimentary starters was given.
Lawar Ayam.
Green Bean Salad with Chicken.
Sate Ayam.
Chicken Breast Sate. (alternatively known as Satay in Singapore)
Babi Kecap.
Pork in Sweet Soy Sauce.
Bebek Goreng Bali.
Balinese Fried Duck. We love this! Absolutely delicious!
Yellow rice.
Tasted somewhat like Briyani Rice we get here in Singapore.
Another view of our sumptuous dinner!
Finished off with a single scoop of coconut ice-cream. A pretty smart way of serving ice-cream, with the little dish resting on a glass filled with ice to keep it from melting.
Interestingly, we never saw the sunset at Sunset Cabana. However, we did see an amazing moon-rise! The bright dot you see below is the moon, and not the sun. I left the camera shutter on for 15 seconds =)
Just when you thought our day was over, we returned to the spa villa for the last treatment – Reflexology Massage. Did another feet wash – wow, I’m getting used to this! The massage wasn’t just meant for the feet, but also covers the ankles and calves, which was fantastic yet again. After being pampered for half a day, we reluctantly returned to our villa for undoubtedly, a good night’s rest.
Day #3 : Spa .. (continued)
------------------------------
After changing, we got seated at the sofa. Before the massage, they always start with a relaxing feet wash, which was a lovely touch.
What goes into the feet wash? Flower petals, lime, lemongrass and sea salt.
Well, it isn’t called the Half-Day Journey for nothing. Not gonna go into details on how the massage is done, apart from saying that it was simply amazing. Besides a Therapeutic Massage, I would also be getting a Head/Hair Stimulation Massage, followed by a Scrub/Wrap.
Absolute bliss.
The only other time it felt as good was when I was at Alila Cha-Am in 2009, but this is definitely better. After being bombarded by the variety of treatments, we got to take a shower ..
.. before heading into the Steam Room.
My wife and I couldn’t really stand the heat with the sun-burn going on, so we left the Steam Room early. The masseuse was surprised to see us when she brought in two glasses of electrolyte (i.e. isotonic) drinks, meant for hydrating us after the Steam Room treatment.
Briefly showered again before getting dressed and heading out. Prior to starting our massage, we were asked whether we wanted some fruits after our treatments, because it is going to take three hours or so. Little did we expect to see a huge platter of honeydew and watermelon waiting for us when we emerged from the changing area, complete with another glass of chilled lemongrass drink. Surely, this was overkill.
Oh yeah, more products on display in case we wanted to try/buy some.
After we freshened up, we left for dinner at The Warung, which was included in the programme. According to the spa menu, our dinner was supposed to be “romantic but healthy and delicious dinner”. Well, I could see what the “delicious” part was referring to, but “healthy”? *laughs*
As usual, the complimentary starters was given.
Lawar Ayam.
Green Bean Salad with Chicken.
Sate Ayam.
Chicken Breast Sate. (alternatively known as Satay in Singapore)
Babi Kecap.
Pork in Sweet Soy Sauce.
Bebek Goreng Bali.
Balinese Fried Duck. We love this! Absolutely delicious!
Yellow rice.
Tasted somewhat like Briyani Rice we get here in Singapore.
Another view of our sumptuous dinner!
Finished off with a single scoop of coconut ice-cream. A pretty smart way of serving ice-cream, with the little dish resting on a glass filled with ice to keep it from melting.
Interestingly, we never saw the sunset at Sunset Cabana. However, we did see an amazing moon-rise! The bright dot you see below is the moon, and not the sun. I left the camera shutter on for 15 seconds =)
Just when you thought our day was over, we returned to the spa villa for the last treatment – Reflexology Massage. Did another feet wash – wow, I’m getting used to this! The massage wasn’t just meant for the feet, but also covers the ankles and calves, which was fantastic yet again. After being pampered for half a day, we reluctantly returned to our villa for undoubtedly, a good night’s rest.
Alila Villas Uluwatu – Suprisingly Different
Last edited by Nivek; Nov 16, 2012 at 8:07 pm
May 8, 2012, 10:03 am
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SG
Posts: 133
The last part of the trip report! Hope you have enjoyed it 
Let me know if you'll like me to post future trip reports
Once again, you can read the same trip report here with "nicer" formatting.
--------------------------------------
More Massage! And Checkout ..
--------------------------------------
We woke up to the realization that we’re going to be leaving this little slice of paradise.
Nothing like a good breakfast to make us feel good!
This morning, we ordered a couple of different things, like potato wedges with sour cream, scrambled eggs, sunny-side-up eggs with toast, iced frappuccino and latte.
Another nice touch at Alila – they would provide little stools, not for sitting on, but for placing our bags and little gadgets etc so they wouldn’t take up space on the table. Have I mentioned I love these little details?
A couple of shots of the tranquil area in front of the Cire restaurant. If you were to hang out at the sun-loungers here during the day, the folks from Alila would come along with a picnic basket filled with stuff like towels, sun-screen, sun-tanning oil and bottled water. Perfect service.
After a light breakfast, we headed to the spa again! This time, it was a little less extravagant – a complimentary 90 minutes treatment when we signed up for our 3-night stay.
Feet Wash. Balinese Massage. Warm Herbal Bath.
Lovely experience yet again. How I wish I could do this every single day!
More swimming. More sun-tanning.
Check-out timing was actually supposed to be 12pm. A day before, we had enquired at reception whether we are able to get a complimentary late check-out as our flight is at night. Unfortunately, a late-checkout at 6pm is going to cost us a bomb (they charge half the price of a night’s stay). Luckily, they sort of relented and let us check out at 2pm, which was better than nothing!
After checking out, we left our luggage at the reception area and headed for lunch at The Cire. Once again, they brought us their home-made bread which tasted great with passion fruit and olive oil dips.
King Prawn.
Braised, with Wasabi Vinaigrette.
Hamachi.
Roasted, with Lemon Emulsion.
Passion Fruit Souffle with White Chocolate Ice-cream.
We decided not to do anything in the afternoon, and spent our time idling at Alila until it was time to head for the airport.
Having settled the bill (which was entirely accurate, no mistakes, no phantom mini-bar items), the staff from Alila could have left us alone and not cared about us at all. It was nice when we were approached twice by them – once to offer us wet towels to freshen up, and another time to give us bottled water even though we could have gotten them ourselves from the library or the gym.
The return transfer to the airport went without a hitch – the car was already waiting for us when we headed to the lobby at 6-plus in the evening. Double checked our luggage, took one last look, said our goodbyes and hopped into our car.
Prior to setting foot on Bali, it was a nightmare trying to decide on which resort to stay in. Despite everything I have written and gushed about, Alila Villas Uluwatu is definitely not perfect.
For instance, the view at our pool villa can be better. The relatively new property did have a couple of broken tiles (five, in fact) at the bottom of our pool. Things are definitely pricey around here – a order of Fried Rice with Chicken costs SGD$17 before taxes, when the same thing costs around SGD$5 in Singapore.
Are these critical flaws? Absolutely not. The things that mattered most to me were of 5-stars standard. Alila Villas Uluwatu has definitely met our expectations, and I would be tempted to check out Alila Villas Soori if the opportunity comes along.
Till then, there are Aman Resorts that I’ve yet to try..
Let me know if you'll like me to post future trip reports
Once again, you can read the same trip report here with "nicer" formatting.
--------------------------------------
More Massage! And Checkout ..
--------------------------------------
We woke up to the realization that we’re going to be leaving this little slice of paradise.
Nothing like a good breakfast to make us feel good!
This morning, we ordered a couple of different things, like potato wedges with sour cream, scrambled eggs, sunny-side-up eggs with toast, iced frappuccino and latte.
Another nice touch at Alila – they would provide little stools, not for sitting on, but for placing our bags and little gadgets etc so they wouldn’t take up space on the table. Have I mentioned I love these little details?
A couple of shots of the tranquil area in front of the Cire restaurant. If you were to hang out at the sun-loungers here during the day, the folks from Alila would come along with a picnic basket filled with stuff like towels, sun-screen, sun-tanning oil and bottled water. Perfect service.
After a light breakfast, we headed to the spa again! This time, it was a little less extravagant – a complimentary 90 minutes treatment when we signed up for our 3-night stay.
Feet Wash. Balinese Massage. Warm Herbal Bath.
Lovely experience yet again. How I wish I could do this every single day!
More swimming. More sun-tanning.
Check-out timing was actually supposed to be 12pm. A day before, we had enquired at reception whether we are able to get a complimentary late check-out as our flight is at night. Unfortunately, a late-checkout at 6pm is going to cost us a bomb (they charge half the price of a night’s stay). Luckily, they sort of relented and let us check out at 2pm, which was better than nothing!
After checking out, we left our luggage at the reception area and headed for lunch at The Cire. Once again, they brought us their home-made bread which tasted great with passion fruit and olive oil dips.
King Prawn.
Braised, with Wasabi Vinaigrette.
Hamachi.
Roasted, with Lemon Emulsion.
Passion Fruit Souffle with White Chocolate Ice-cream.
We decided not to do anything in the afternoon, and spent our time idling at Alila until it was time to head for the airport.
Having settled the bill (which was entirely accurate, no mistakes, no phantom mini-bar items), the staff from Alila could have left us alone and not cared about us at all. It was nice when we were approached twice by them – once to offer us wet towels to freshen up, and another time to give us bottled water even though we could have gotten them ourselves from the library or the gym.
The return transfer to the airport went without a hitch – the car was already waiting for us when we headed to the lobby at 6-plus in the evening. Double checked our luggage, took one last look, said our goodbyes and hopped into our car.
Prior to setting foot on Bali, it was a nightmare trying to decide on which resort to stay in. Despite everything I have written and gushed about, Alila Villas Uluwatu is definitely not perfect.
For instance, the view at our pool villa can be better. The relatively new property did have a couple of broken tiles (five, in fact) at the bottom of our pool. Things are definitely pricey around here – a order of Fried Rice with Chicken costs SGD$17 before taxes, when the same thing costs around SGD$5 in Singapore.
Are these critical flaws? Absolutely not. The things that mattered most to me were of 5-stars standard. Alila Villas Uluwatu has definitely met our expectations, and I would be tempted to check out Alila Villas Soori if the opportunity comes along.
Till then, there are Aman Resorts that I’ve yet to try..
Alila Villas Uluwatu – Suprisingly Different
Last edited by Nivek; Nov 16, 2012 at 8:07 pm
May 8, 2012, 10:56 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
again, amazing number of pictures - very enjoyable and informative ^
food pics are helpful for foodies, probably even moreso for nonfoodies like me
of course, look forward to your aman reports 
interesting, including from perspective of all guests >
re late checkout >
alila villas are visa hotels, with 3pm checkout if available
american express platinum has 4pm checkout guaranteed, noon checkin if available
can negotiate in advance with management, or have virtuoso/etc travel agent do so
also, it seems unlikely a hotel would assume youre NOT going to spend any money in the 4 hours you are there after checking out, especially when youre leaving for airport around dinner time, and you mentioned this hotel does a lot of nonguest business
food pics are helpful for foodies, probably even moreso for nonfoodies like me
interesting, including from perspective of all guests >
alila villas are visa hotels, with 3pm checkout if available
american express platinum has 4pm checkout guaranteed, noon checkin if available
can negotiate in advance with management, or have virtuoso/etc travel agent do so
also, it seems unlikely a hotel would assume youre NOT going to spend any money in the 4 hours you are there after checking out, especially when youre leaving for airport around dinner time, and you mentioned this hotel does a lot of nonguest business
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; May 9, 2012 at 12:11 pm
Jun 11, 2012, 7:01 am
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SG
Posts: 133
Jun 11, 2012, 7:50 am
#28
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Jakarta
Programs: Krisflyer PPS, SPG, Hyatt GoldPassport, Shangri-la Golden Circle, British Airways ExecClub
Posts: 1,245
Once again, great trip report! You have done a fabulous job. ESP like the food pics ^. Your trip report convinced me to try out the Alila Uluwatu ( already booked )
Btw, any tips on which villas will offer the best views?
Btw, any tips on which villas will offer the best views?
Jun 13, 2012, 7:35 am
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SG
Posts: 133
Whenever I post any reviews, I hope they help people to decide, as pictures from official websites / brochures can be deceiving at times. At least when people see my pictures, they know what they're getting for sure
On the best views, I found these online :
DestinAsian :
Villas on the highest row begin with the number 4, and in general they have the best views. Of all the one-bedroom villas, units 408 and 409 have the best views. If those are already booked, try units 404 through to 407. On the third row, units 310, 311, 312, and 313 have the best views. On the second row, try for 220.
Mr and Mrs Smith :
Villa 409 commands the highest point of the resort, so it’s the pick for couples in pursuit of total privacy with a 180-degree ocean vista. Sleek modern design, care of Singaporean architects WOHA, embraces the outdoors, harnessing natural stone, wood, rattan and water.
I tried requesting for the villas on the top row, but didn't manage to get any. Ended up staying at 311 which wasn't too bad. Having said that, these are not cliff-edge villas so the views will never be that great
