The Reykjavik Edition

Named as the best hotel in Reykjavik, the alluring Edition lives up to its name. EDITION hotels are somewhat of a newcomer on the hotel chain scene. Although EDITION hotels have a distinct look, they always incorporate the feel of the home country into their luxury décor.

The Reykjavik Edition lobby is dark, luxurious and inviting with black furry rugs & throws and a huge lava rock centre piece. The Icelandic theme continues into the lobby bar with a massive fireplace and comfy sofas draped with more fur throws. The check in was smooth, quick and friendly. I spent 4 nights at the Edition and loved every second of my stay.

The hotel is situated by the harbour in downtown Reykjavik, the perfect location, central to restaurants and a short walking distance to the town centre.

 

The Room

I stayed in the Loft King Room which was spacious. Though minimalist, the interior echoed the same cosy Icelandic theme with a furry rug and soft throws on the bed and chairs. The mood was dark, warm, contemporary & cosy.

Cosy room decor

I especially loved the dramatic ceiling to floor window, which made the room feel even bigger than it was, looking out to the city. And the special touch of local chocolate left on my pillow at turndown service.

Everything in the room was thoughtful and top of the range. A handheld steamer, GHD hairdryer, Nespresso coffee machine and bathrobes lined with fur. Even the minibar was filled with thoughtful favourites.

The heated floors in the large bathroom were probably my favourite ever hotel feature, perfect for Iceland’s frosty weather. The bathroom had the signature EDITION white tiled look with contrasting black features. The toiletries were the Le Labo with a curated signature scent exclusively for the EDITION.

 

Another thoughtful touch was being able to opt-in to a northern lights wakeup call – a call to the room to wake you up if the northern lights appear.

 

The Food

The hotel has one main restaurant called Tides. There were also several other bars The Roof, Sunset, Tolt and Lobby Bar which serve cocktails and light bites. Sunset is also a nightclub on the weekend.

Tides

Tides doubles up as the breakfast restaurant and a prestigious lunch & dinner restaurant with a Michelin star chef.

The breakfast offered both a la carte and buffet. Buffet can be hit or miss for me because the food can lack quality, but this buffet matched the thoughtful and quality tone of EDITION.

It was delectable; Chia seed puddings with a selection of compotes, fresh Icelandic baked pasties & muffins, pancake & waffle stations, with warm compotes and a champagne bar for freshly juiced orange juice mimosas.

It was so good we ended up having breakfast three times despite planning to try breakfast in town.

The Roof

The roof was perfect for drinks after (or pre) dinner. Set on its own rooftop you can sit out on the terrace looking out to a stunning panoramic view, and even catch the northern lights if you’re lucky. The décor is sultry and moody with a DJ on weekends.

 

View from The Roof

 

The Spa

The ideal place to recharge after spending the day exploring. The spa was small but cosy and beautifully decorated just like the rest of the hotel. The spa boasts a steam room, sauna, and hammam with a number of treatments to select from.

Hammam Room

I thought the ‘Spa Bar’ was such a cute addition – a bar in the spa lounge that services health smoothies and teas in the day and cocktails pre/post treatments in the evening.

Spa Bar

Overall I had an amazing stay at The Reykjavik Edition. I’m a firm believer that a hotel stay can make or break a trip and this hotel was a gem and slice of luxury in my Iceland experience.

Follow:
Roberta
Roberta
Share:

St. Regis Mauritius Resort

Mauritius Island has a large selection of luxe resorts and I was truly spoilt for choice when deciding where to stay. My top choices included St. Regis,  Shangri-La, and the Lux Resorts. After lots of deliberation, I decided on the St.Regis.

The St. Regis is located in Le Morne, in the south-west of Mauritius and is a UNESCO Heritage Site. The St. Regis offers an idyllic setting for a stunning beachfront getaway – an ultimate luxury experience.

Let me set the scene, you arrive at the resort met with an infinity waterfall that leads to a blue Indian ocean with a refreshing welcome drink handed to you.

Your 24-hour Butler (yes you read correctly) drives you to your room on a buggy, gives an induction of your room and offers to unpack your suitcase.

The perfect setting for a trip of relaxation and recuperation.

The Room

We stayed in the Ocean Beach Junior Suite on the ground floor as it featured direct access to the beach – honestly, can you think of anything dreamier?

The room had a modern yet warm feel. With a large king-sized bed, sofa and TV with plug-in high tech features.

The bathroom was marble with double vanity sink areas, and a separate spray jet bathtub and walk-in shower. The only negative comment I have is that the shower was a little outdated and the amenities were not of the standard that I would expect from Marriott.

 

The room also featured a modest walk-in wardrobe dressing area – which was perfect for me as I always unpack my suitcase when on holiday.

Direct access to the beach enhanced my stay, it was lovely to wake up to a sea view and be able to stroll to the beach directly from my room.

Pools & The Beach

The hotel has two pools which I’d normally think isn’t enough for a resort, however coupled with the large private beach, it was perfect.

The main pool was situated in front of the Manor House – it was very large and also very quiet (no doubt due to guests enjoying the beach). The pool was surrounded by large Balinese beds to recline on.

I loved that the poolside butlers were on hand to assist and it was not a struggle to get their attention which can usually happen in larger resorts.

The second pool was a lot smaller and nestled in the centre of the resort, closer to the beach. Like the main pool, there were attentive staff and fresh fruit infused water on tap.

The hotel was situated on the Le Morne Beach with a private stretch for hotel guests only. The beach was so beautiful and tranquil, and was where I spent most of my time.

The Watersports Centre offered a selection of beach activities including boating, swimming with dolphins, scuba diving, kayaking, snorkelling and volleyball.

Restaurants

The food at the St. Regis is up there with the best hotel food I’ve experienced and was better food than any all-inclusive resort that I’ve stayed at. They absolutely outdid themselves in the food department – it was top two and it was not two.

The resort had five restaurants to choose from and in my seven-day stay, I dined four.

Le Manoir Dining Room

Le Manoir was a buffet restaurant which served breakfast, lunch and dinner.

And what a buffet it was! Waffles, pancakes, eggs cooked to your choice, I could go on and on. I sometimes find buffets in chain hotels substandard, but the buffet food quality was top notch.

I didn’t lunch at Le Manoir but the two evenings I had dinner were great. The seafood night was heavenly for a seafood lover. There were multiple choices of catch of the day, prawns, mussels, oysters, scallops… the list goes on. There was an outdoor grill serving grilled tiger prawns and lobster.

The Boathouse Grill

The Boathouse quickly became my favourite place to dine for breakfast and lunch. It offered the best views of the sea, even on the one rainy afternoon it was so serene.

The grill was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast was served al a carte (for Platinum and above Marriott Members only). The A la carte menu was perfect served alongside vintage champagne.

I have to add that the quality of the buffet breakfast was incredible, so choosing between the two was difficult.

Lunch at the Boathouse was mixed cuisine from pasta & pizzas, to king prawns, lobster and steak. The desserts on offer were also delicious. I think overall the Boathouse Grill was my favourite restaurant and was consistent whether you dined there for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Floating Market

Floating Market is a premium dining dinner restaurant serving Thai cuisine. The décor was the best out of all the dinner restaurants at the resort – with marble floors and surrounded by water and koi carp.

I was reluctant to visit as I’m not a big fan of Thai cuisine but this restaurant delivered great food which was not only limited to Thai but also Malay, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Singaporean.

Simply India

Simply India was another fine-dining dinner restaurant which serves Indian cuisine. I visited this restaurant twice and the food was cooked to perfection on both occasions.

There was also a Japanese restaurant called Atsuko which I didn’t get to try and the 1904 bar which is a drinks bar but serves food out of hours.

 Spa

The Iridium spa and gym facilities were clean and contemporary which is expected of a five-star hotel. There were several treatments on offer which you could have in the spa or in-room.

Other than treatments there was a large Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna room.

Grounds

The hotel was made so thoughtfully that you genuinely would not have to leave the grounds unless you wanted to.

Every day at breakfast we were handed a card which showed the activities happening on the day.

The beach bar and the beach front were kitted out with comfortable lounge sofas and bean bags overlooking the sea.

There was so much to do including outdoor tennis court, bike riding and table tennis.

The grounds were huge and included a large beautiful library where you could choose from a large selection of books. There was also a games room with a pool table, table tennis and a PlayStation.

One of my favourite things was the onsite private cinema which was big but personal with several film viewings a day. Guests were given complimentary warm popcorn, beverages and other light snacks. The cinema can also be reserved for private event viewings which is a lovely touch if you’re celebrating an event during your stay.

The St. Regis went above and beyond to make our stay perfect; the grounds, room and the food were all top-notch and I would stay there again in a second.

As always, please feel welcome to comment with any questions or suggestions.

Love Roberta

x

Follow:
Roberta
Roberta
Share:

BoHo Hotel

BoHo Hotel is a stylish and contemporary boutique hotel situated near Prague Old Town which I stumbled across during my holiday search. After reading reviews online I was sold.

I’m used to staying in well-known hotel chains, however, the more I travel I’ve realised that sometimes the lesser-known hotel is actually newer, cleaner and has tailored service. BoHo Hotel exceeded my expectation.

 

MY STAY

We were given a free glass of prosecco on arrival and sat in the comfy chairs whilst we were checked in. The process was swift and easy and the hotel was able to accommodate our early arrival.

After check-in, we were taken on a mini-tour of the hotel and we were informed that the restaurant serves crisps and a glass of free wine between 5 pm – 6 pm daily and the hotel offers a complimentary City Tour.

THE ROOM

We stayed in the Junior Suite; which was very spacious with a living space and sofa. The room was comfortable and warm but had a modern feel with the latest technology including USB chargers.

The bathroom was my favourite and I couldn’t stop raving about it. It was new and clean with brown transparent glass and equipped with a double basin and double vanity mirrors – handy if multiple people need to get ready.

There was also a separate toilet and a walk-in shower as well as a bathtub. As you may know from my past posts I love good amenities, and BoHo’s amenities were so good; Natura Bisse and Roja.

THE FOOD

The hotel restaurant was bright with large glass windows and an outside courtyard.

I’m not usually a fan of hotel food, but the food served at BoHo was delicious. The menu was a small selection which was perfectly tailored.

We tried the burger and chips, the truffle mushroom risotto with parmesan, and the chicken noodle broth – everything cooked to perfection.

THE SPA

The wellness area included a treatment room, hydrotherapy jacuzzi pool, sauna, steam room and a gym. The area was clean and warm and I had an enjoyable and relaxing experience.

The hotel offered guests a 20% discount on spa treatments; I had the Swedish massage which was the perfect end to my stay.

 

BoHo really went above and beyond and left us a special gift (of champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries) in the room. The customer service was top notch and all staff went out of their way to ensure we had a good stay. I highly recommend this hotel and I will definitely stay again in the future.

Comment below with any questions,

Love,

Roberta x

Follow:
Roberta
Roberta
Share:

Redang Island and The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort

After deciding to visit Malaysia, I searched for the best Malaysian island to visit. Langkawi was the popular and obvious choice, however, after research, I stumbled across lesser-known islands; Redang and Tioman. I finally settled on Redang.

Redang Island is one of the largest islands off the east coast of Malaysia, famous for its crystal clear blue water and white sand beaches. Redang is an unspoiled tropical paradise, and it lived up to all expectations.

The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort is the islands number one resort and was the clear choice of where to stay. The Taaras offered a slice of paradise on the island of Redang.

Getting to Redang Island

Getting to Redang from Kuala Lumpur required a short hour flight from KL to Kuala Terengganu. I booked my flight with AirAsia which cost £70 for a return ticket (with 30kg luggage). Then a boat ride from Terengganu airport to Redang Island.

The Taaras have a private airport lounge for all guests in the arrival hall of the airport. The lounge offers complimentary wi-fi, TV, snacks and drinks whilst waiting for the boat ride. The hotel charged £35 per person each way for the boat transfer to the hotel which should be complimentary in my opinion. There is also the option of the public boat if you prefer, however, we took the hotel boat for ease of access.

Picture from The Taaras website

THE ROOM

I stayed in the Cliff Hill Deluxe room which is situated on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The room was light and spacious at 42 square metres, with the bathroom overlooking the bedroom through a clear window. The room was new and modern which is the standard I expect from a 5* hotel.

THE BEACH

The Taaras boasts a private beach for hotel guests. The beach was genuinely one of the best beaches I’ve ever seen in all my years of travelling. The sand was powdery white and so soft it felt almost grainless.

Private Beach at The Taaras

The water was crystal clear yet at the same time deeply turquoise and pleasantly warm. We spent about 90% of our time at Redang Island on this beach – it was so hard to leave that view!

THE VILLA

The Taaras Villa is a private clifftop villa which sits at the highest point of the cliff and overlooks the resort with sweeping views out to the South China Sea.

The villa boasts five bedrooms, five bathrooms, walk-in wardrobes and dressing areas, a private gym, elevator, kitchen and an infinity swimming pool overlooking the ocean.

The villa is complete with a chef, butler and security service.

The price of the Villa ranges from around £2500 – £4000 a night depending on the time of booking. Whilst this is expensive, it’s a good option for birthdays or weddings as it accommodates at least 10 adults.

We spent the afternoon at the Villa and I can tell you that pictures online don’t even do it justice.

THE FOOD

There are four restaurants at the resort, and I tried them all. The food was very good at the Taaras but the menu has quite a small selection. It worked well for me as I stayed at the resort for only 5 days, however, I could see the menu being repetitive if I stayed any longer.

The Bayu Bar

This is the hotel’s beach bar which served lunch and dinner. We frequented this restaurant daily as we couldn’t get enough of the ocean view.

The Bayu bar served a daily ‘Catch of the Day’ which was cooked to perfection.

Breach Brasserie

The Brasserie is a dinner restaurant specialising in seafood and western grill. The food and drinks were top notch.

The Asean

The buffet breakfast was served at the Asean, overlooking the pool and the beach. The breakfast had a wide selection of choices and didn’t disappoint.

THE ACTIVITIES

Redang Island encompassed relaxation. Activities on Redang included, trekking, snorkelling and diving, and turtle watching and the Taaras offered all of the above.

Swimming with Turtles

We fed and swam with wild turtles for 1 hour which cost 70MYR (around £14 per person). I love turtles so this was my favourite experience. At one point we were circled by around 10+ turtles. We fed the turtles squid and fish – a breathtaking experience.

Kayaking 

Kayaking also cost 70MYR hourly per kayak. We shared a clear kayak and went rowing around the island and found more turtles and brightly coloured fish.

SEATRU Turtle Lab

As Redang Island is so enriched with turtles there is a turtle lab at the resort. The lab is managed by the marine biologist and guests are guided through the sea turtle life cycle from nesting to hatching and more.

During the hatching seasons, guests can experience hatchlings being released into the sea. Unfortunately, the lab was closed for renovation during my trip!

Other activities on offer:

  • Island Hopping 
  • Boat Charter
  • Water Zorb Ball
  • Snorkeling/ Diving / Surfboarding / Bodyboarding

 

THE SPA & GYM

The spa offers a range of treatments. I went for the Swedish aromatherapy massage and could make my own choice of massage oils. The spa was clean and relaxing and we were offered ginger tea before and after the treatment for ultimate relaxation.

The gym is situated on the cliff offering a beautiful ocean view. The view from the gym had me awake at 6 am for my gym workout to see the sunrise. Any encouragement to go to the gym is a win-win for me.

Both Redang Island and the Taaras lived up to expectations. Redang Island has truly earned its name as the Malaysian Maldives – and is up there with one of the best beach holidays that I’ve been on.

Have you been to Redang Island? or any other Island in Malaysia – if so drop a comment below. And as always ask me a question.

Love, 

Roberta x

Follow:
Roberta
Roberta
Share:

New York Palace

New York Palace promises grand luxury and that is exactly what you get.

I toyed between staying at New York Palace and Corinthia. I had seen pictures of both of these hotels. Whilst Corinthia had a slight edge with their spa, the grand lobby in New York Palace won by a mile.

The hotel was very central which was important to us. Everything was either a short walk away or easy to access by transport.

My Stay

Upon seeing the hotel I knew instantly that I’d made the right choice. The building itself was a landmark and towered over the other buildings in the street, it screamed luxury.

Walking into the hotel made me even more confident in my decision. There were doormen in top hats and shiny shoes to welcome us in. The foyer smelt of roses and was lavished in gold with frescoed ceilings.

First impressions were everything and I was truly impressed. Not only was the architecture beautiful, but they had also added little touches like flowers and Diptyque candles. On Sunday there was a live pianist playing the grand piano, I felt like I was being serenaded and if I was, it worked!

The building itself was massive, several floors with multiples lifts and grand staircases.

Hotel Lift (one of many)

The Room

I did my due diligence when researching the hotel and I knew in advance that the rooms were quite average. This saved a lot of disappointment.

We stayed in the Superior Twin Room. Though the room was average it wasn’t bad at all. It was clean, modern and very spacious, all it lacked was décor.

What you have to bear in mind is that with some hotels, you pay for the atmosphere rather than the room itself. What the room lacked, the lobby and café certainly made up for.

The bathroom was also nice and spacious with a grey marble finish and delivered on the two main things I look for in a bathroom – cleanliness and a good shower! Both are very important to me.

 

The toiletries were Aqua Di Parma which was another plus. I love toiletries which double up as good handbag additions.

The Food

The hotel restaurant is the famous New York Café which is known as ‘the most beautiful cade in the world’. Like the hotel, the décor of the Café was absolutely spectacular.

The food was not to my personal taste as the menu was dated; perhaps to keep up with the antiquated vibes. But I did really enjoy the Hungarian wine and the hot chocolate.

There was a live string band that played every half hour. The staff would ask if we had any requests and the band would play it.

It was perfect having the café as part of the hotel as it was nice to come downstairs from your room to such beautiful visuals.

Being guests of the hotel meant we were given preferential seating. Prior to visiting, I saw reviews advising people to ensure booking before visiting the café. Although it was busy we didn’t have to wait for seating on our weekend trip. But I would advise booking in advance if you’re not a hotel guest.

The Spa

The spa/pool was very dark and modern which was a contrast to the old-fashioned vibes that the hotel gave.

We went to the spa area once and opted not to spend much time there or get any spa treatments because we wanted to experience the Hungarian thermal baths.

The pool was definitely not one of my favourite hotel pools but I didn’t mind as lounging by the pool wasn’t on my agenda for my weekend in Budapest.

Overall the grand lobby and the central location were the hotels main selling points.

Sometimes it is not only the hotel which makes your stay complete it’s the people around you who make it special. The staff were lovely and helpful. I’m so happy I went with the New York Palace, it truly was sensational.

With Love,

Roberta x

 

Follow:
Roberta
Roberta
Share:

Marina Bay Sands

Marina Bay Sands

The Hotel

Marina Bays Sands Hotel is Singapore’s most iconic hotel and dons the world’s largest infinity pool.

One thing you’ll come to learn about me is that I’m not always fussy when it comes to hotel stays. As long as the hotel is in the 4* or 5* range, I’m happy to try new places.

However in some countries there are certain hotels that I must stay at and for me, Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is one of those hotels.

The architecture of the hotel is breathtaking, even from afar the infrastructure stands tall. When seeing pictures of Singapore you’re sure to see this magnificent building crop up.

View of the hotel from the Gardens by the Bay

The Room

We stayed in the Deluxe King City View Room located on the 24th floor. I would highly recommend a city/sky view room. Although the room comes at an extra cost you can see the whole of the Singapore skyline in all its glory – definitely worth the money!

The room was very spacious with two king sized beds and a large bathroom. The view was absolutely insane. I could see the whole of the Marina from the window, it was mesmerising.

Decor inside the room was more like a 4* hotel than a 5* – it was basic and outdated. If this was any other 5* establishment I would definitely be unimpressed. I guess with MBS you pay for the experience and you have to decide whether it’s worth it or not.

Bathroom

I must say the hotel went above and beyond. The staff were extremely friendly! For instance when the Bell boy first took us up to the room, he gave us facts about the hotel and Singapore and left his name and extension if we needed to contact him.

We were surprised with new animal shaped towels every day and bottles of own brand Marina Bay Sands water. It’s the little things like this that make your experience so much more enjoyable.

The Pool

The largest infinity pool in the world and the best pool I’ve experienced visually. This pool is found on the 57th top floor of the hotel and spans across the whole rooftop.

The pool is packed and booming as soon as it opens at 7am full of swimmers and guests trying to get a photograph. It can be quite overwhelming and not relaxing.

I genuinely can’t think of a pool that can rival MBS infinity pool aesthetically. However I wouldn’t rate it as a favourite purely because it’s too busy, from when it opens to closing time, but it’s a must visit pool.

I’m not sure if the view is better by day or night but it’s stunning either way.

The 57th floor also boasts a Jacuzzi which overlooks the grand harbour. The Jacuzzi itself was spacious, warm, and the currents were strong. Just like the pool, the Jacuzzi was always crowded and reminded me of a cesspool with people just sitting in there for hours. Again, stunning view but not my favourite due to the busyness.

Jacuzzi on 57th Floor MBS

FYI you really can’t access the pool unless you have an active room key card. They are very strict on this and there is security at all times.

The Food

Yay, my favourite part. If you read my Singapore blog post you’d see that I didn’t get the chance to eat outside of the hotel much. My meals were mainly in the hotel or in the shopping mall.

We ordered room service several times and managed to sample breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food was sublime, no complaints. It was on the pricey side but well worth it. The breakfast had every option imaginable – take a look at my birthday breakfast.

MBS has over 80 restaurants. The hotel is connected to its own shopping mall which has a wide variety of eateries.

I chose to dine at ‘Cut by Wolfgang Puck’ for my birthday. All I can say is; compliments to the chef. The food was so good that we went back on our layover from Bali back to London. The starters, steak and bread were all amazing. And on that note I’m gonna stop there because I’m reminiscing too much.

Cut by Wolfgang Puck, Singapore 

‘Ce La Vie’ is a rooftop bar on the 57th floor of the hotel. Whether you stay in the hotel or not you should visit whilst in Singapore. The drinks were delicious and pretty (I really appreciate a well-dressed cocktail).

Being on the 57th floor the view at ‘Ce La Vie” was fab – the Singapore skyline. And my favourite of all was the music, old school and new school afrobeats, hip hop and R&B, the vibe was perfect.

Cocktails at Ce La Vie

The Grounds

MBS is a huge hotel, and it can feel like there are thousands of people around. This is one of the reasons why the personal touch in the bedrooms are in important.

The hotel is very central to Singapore and is walking distance from many of the main attractions. There is direct access to the Marina Bay Sands shopping centre and Singapore’s MRT train.

As a guest of the hotel you get discount in some stores. Such as 10% off in Sephora which came in handy for my beauty shopping. All you need to do is show your room key card.

The shopping mall is a visual representation of the chicness of Singapore. Filled with designer boutiques such as Chanel, Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton and more.

Would I stay at MBS again? Absolutely! The hotel is chic and a one of a kind experience and I had a great time.

Please feel free to comment with any feedback or questions.

With love,

Roberta x

Follow:
Roberta
Roberta
Share:

Ayana Resort & Spa Bali

Ayana Resort & Spa Bali

Many years ago I saw a picture of the Ayana Resort which gave me my first urge to visit Bali. The resort looked idyllic and picturesque I just knew that I had to stay there.

The Villa

We decided to stay at the Villas and get the full experience of this resort. Our Villa was the One Bedroom Ocean View Pool Villa. It was practically a small house at 289 sqm. We had buggy service and a butler on call 24/7 we were given a “handy” mobile to contact him whenever we needed to be picked up on the resort in our buggy.

We had a garden terrace and private plunge pool with sunbeds and a Balinese bed, with access to the garden through the bedroom, or living room.

A spacious living room with sofa, premium bluetooth speaker system and 55-inch TV.

Picture from Ayana Website

In the bedroom, a walk in wardrobe and two poster beds and another 55-inch TV.

An enormous marble bathroom with double vanity sinks, a large bathtub with a flower petal bath. Indoor and outdoor showers and separate toilet.

It was amazing to wake up in the morning and hop straight into the sunbed for a quick 30 minutes of morning sun.

As amazing as the resort was it was soooo difficult to even leave villa. It had everything you needed and more.

Floating Breakfast

When I think of Bali I think of floating breakfasts. Being able to relax in the pool and eat snacks at the same time… a match made in heaven.

The Ayana Resort offers floating breakfast (for a price) exclusively to guests in the villa because of the private plunge pool. The breakfast has a lot of popularity and is another selling point of the hotel.

My friend and I enjoyed the floating breakfast, which was more of a brunch. Veuve Clicquot champagne and a variety of eggs Benedict, Florentine and eggs Royale.

Pools

Ayana Resort boasts of 12 pools! And they are all amazing in their own right. I didn’t get a chance to visit all 12 pools as the resort was so big and I had my favourite pools to chill by.

The staff would bring round free snacks to your sun loungers, my favourites were the frozen strawberry daiquiri shots, mini sliders, chicken satay and fruit kebabs. I love free things and I love snacks! It was so cute and thoughtful of the resort; always going the extra mile.

The pools that deserve a mention in my opinion are:

River Pool

This is the iconic Ayana pool, and the pool that most people, including myself, associate with the resort. It is made up of 3 pools, 1 is an overhanging infinity pool, a Jacuzzi. This pool really did live up to the expectations. The architecture is so well thought out, and the whole pool area looks like a slice of paradise.

The pool was generally quiet. There would be people taking pictures at different times and then it would become quiet again.

Ocean Beach Pool

Though a popular pool in the resort, it was very secluded and mostly quiet. This was by far my favourite pool. The view was insane and the Bali Beds around the pool were spacious and had sheer curtains for privacy.

I want to meet the designer of this pool and give them a personal handshake.

 

I’m not sure that I’ll be able to top watching the sunset from this pool. An uninterrupted view of an unadulterated pink sunset – it really couldn’t get any better.

Ariel view from Ayana website

Ayana Main Pool/Lower pool

The main pool is another beautiful infinity pool. I liked this pool as it had constant live music in the form of traditional Balinese Gamelan (gongs) and drums. The music was relaxing and therapeutic whilst in the pool or taking a dip in the Jacuzzi.

Restaurants

The resort has 19 restaurants and bars so it’s safe to say that you are spoilt for choice with dining options. Again, we weren’t able to dine at all 19 restaurants – and I’m not sure this would have been possible in 5 days. My faves are below:

Dava

Steak and Seafood restaurant. We had dinner here on the first night and they went the extra mile to celebrate my birthday. The staff came out singing with dessert and also gave me a birthday card signed by all.

The food was exceptional I literally have no complaints. I’m a big foodie, and I will let it be known if I didn’t enjoy my food.

Rock Bar

Rock bar is one of the most famous bars in Bali, known for It’s sunset view. The food speciality is Mediterranean and tapas.

As Villa guests we had access to the VIP Round Deck. Yet again the views were unparalleled with Rock Bar being 18 metres up on a cliff edge.

The food was nice but not spectacular, what it lacked was made up for in views. The drinks were fun and delicious.

The sunset view was magical, especially from the VIP round deck as it had a platform to take pictures with no obstructions.

I had no complaints about any of the food at the resort. It was all made to perfection whether room service or in a restaurant or bar. We sampled the al a carte breakfast and the buffet breakfast – both brilliant with great choice. The poolside bars served restaurant quality food which was perfect for poolside hunger.

Ice Cream at the Main Pool

Room service in the Villa

Breakfast Buffet

‘ICE & All Things Nice’ Dessert Shop

‘ICE & All Things Nice’ Dessert Shop

Spa

As a villa guest we received a complimentary massage in the spa. The spa itself was lovely and relaxing. The spa has full facilities, and an aqua-tonic massaging hydrotherapy pool.

Hydrotherapy Pool

Ayana Resort & Spa, Spa Room

Resort Grounds

The resort grounds were huge and consisted of 3 resorts in one; The Villas, Ayana and Jimbaran. You need to be transported by buggy/shuttle in order to get around the resort.

Every corner of the resort is beautiful, with mini rivers and pools filled with Koi Carp and Balinese beds in every corner.

Whilst walking around the resort I would stop just to take pictures every few seconds.

Activities

There are loads of activities on offer: Shopping, private cabanas, golf course, gym, spa, numerous bars, private beach (Kubu Beach) and tennis.

I’m sure you can tell that my experience at Ayana was a great one and well worth the money. The resort left me wanting nothing more, and every hotel I’ve visited since has not lived up to it yet. Really happy with my decision to stay in the villas and I would do it again!

Thank you for reading,

Please feel free to comment with feedback or any questions.

Roberta x

Follow:
Roberta
Roberta
Share: