AYANA Villas Bali – Hotel Review

An entire corner of Bali’s Jimbaran Bay belongs to the sprawling resort complex of AYANA Villas Bali (and its accompanying hotels AYANA Resort Bali and RIMBA by AYANA Bali). The result is a stunning property with private beaches, an abundance of pools and on-site restaurants. There is plenty of space to spread out — both within and beyond the gates of your expansive villa. Read on for the full review. 

Of all the things you’ll find at AYANA Villas Bali, the most impressive is space. Even the smallest villa here covers almost 300 square metres, complete with a plunge pool with little fountains and a private garden shaded by frangipani branches. The expanse is easily traversed, too. From your villa, a stellar seafood spread at an oceanside eatery, a Bintang at a sandy-floored beach bar or a slip down a water slide with the kids is just a buggy ride away (courtesy of a WhatsApp message to your butler). The most incredible part? It’s all within the boundaries of the resort.

Where is AYANA Villas Bali? 

About seven kilometres south from the soft curve of Jimbaran Bay, you’ll find the AYANA precinct. It’s about 30 minutes by car from Ngurah Rai International Airport (depending on traffic).

What’s near AYANA Villas Bali?

Trust us: you won’t be leaving. With 10 on-site eateries, 11 swimming pools and an 18-hole miniature golf course, there’s not much you can’t find on the grounds. If you insist, the smoke of Jimbaran Bay’s seafood scene is just 10 minutes away by car and the scenic Uluwatu Temple is only 35 minutes drive south.

Room types 

Is it a villa or an apartment? Even the bathroom — and its central, carved sandstone casing — feels palatial, with enough room to fit a family. Floor-to-ceiling windows with sliding doors lead to the landscaped gardens, pool and relaxing pavilion from the bathroom, bedroom and living room for an indoor-outdoor feel. You’ll want to get WhatsApp savvy here; your day and night butlers, who attend to your every need, are best reached this way. From bottled water replenishment to hot milk deliveries and buggy pick-ups, the incredibly accommodating and friendly staff are on hand for anything. 

Restaurants and bars 

An evening could (and probably should) include a meal at KISIK Lounge & Seafood Restaurant, a straw-roofed restaurant at the land’s edge, open to the Indian Ocean with a sand-dusted floor. The menu is deceptively simple, with an obvious focus on fresh seafood: lobster and mud crab charged by the gram, as well as squid and oyster, all served with incredible views. A drink (or two) at Rock Bar, a sleek spot balanced on a cliff with waves crashing at its sides, is a non-negotiable. Even from the early evenings, the vibe is fun and the views are incredible.

Travel for work

You’ve managed to book AYANA Villas for a work trip — what a coup. You’ll find a desk in the bedroom (conveniently next to the pod-coffee machine) and there’s ample space at the resort’s eateries to spread out and connect. 

Spa, pool and gym  

You could plunge into a new pool every day and still not make your way through the array on offer across the three adjoined AYANA and Rimba properties. The frontrunner is the Ocean Beach Pool, which seems to dive off a cliff edge into the sea. The River Pool, framed by shallow wading sections, is for lazing and the kids pool, open until 7pm, is the landing pad for two swift waterslides. 

If you thought the swimming pool line-up was extensive, wait until you encounter the wellness offerings. From a huge thalassotherapy pool to fluid-retention treatments, AYANA Villas’s spa menu is near-exhaustive. If you’re struggling to choose, a treatment at one of the spa villas near the resort’s cliff edge couples breathtaking views with deep restoration, placing guests in deep tubs shouldered by huge windows overlooking the glittering sea. 

What you need to know

The sheer size of the full AYANA Villas experience means, in the truest sense, there’s something for everyone. As families are ferried back up from an afternoon at spectacular Kubu Beach, couples are making their way down to Rock Bar for sundowners. Take the kids or treat just the two of you — either trip can be accommodated here (thanks to the on-site babysitting service).

SEE ALSO: 18 of the Best Luxury Villas in Bali to Bookmark