Where to stay in Bali: The island’s best resorts offer luxury infused with local culture

04.03.2024 - 23:55 / euronews.com / Ruth Wright

Bali’s popularity with Europeans dates back to the 1970s when hippies chose the island for its spiritual culture and low cost of living.

Fast forward to 2021, and another type of traveller seeking out cheap rent and food descended on the island – digital nomads. When the borders of the island fully reopened post-COVID, tourists came flooding back.

Millions of Balinese rely on tourism for employment but some believe the negative impacts have not been well-managed – landfills are overflowing, sewage flows into the sea in some places and pollution from cars is palpable.

Despite all of this, Bali is magical. Local people are welcoming and delighted to share their multi-religious culture with visitors. The food is excellent, and there’s an itinerary for everyone – whether you want to explore temples, beaches or just the inside of bars, it’s all here.

As with any popular destination, hotel owners have little sway over what the government does to manage tourism. But they do have control over the experience of their guests, and I have only had positive experiences in Bali.

On a recent trip, my first time back here since pandemic restrictions lifted, I decided to explore Jimbaran.

This beachside town has one of the most beautiful coastlines in the country and is home to large, luxury resorts.

It’s also a short drive from the airport - ideal when you’re just off a long flight and can’t face Bali’s traffic congestion.

It’s hard to find an unobstructed ocean view in Bali these days but the infinity pool at Raffles looks out over a calming ocean.

The 23-hectare estate, cooled by a gentle ocean breeze, was originally eight separate pieces of land. All of these were joined together, with planning and construction taking 34 years from vision to opening in 2021.

This ambition and attention to detail was evident in every part of our stay, from the welcome ceremony to the beautiful gifts we were given upon check-out.

Everything here is done to your liking, from tailored menus to the timing of meals which ensure you rarely cross paths with other guests. I suspect privacy is what many come here seeking. The spacious villas are spread out amongst native trees and plants, adding to the sense of seclusion.

Raffles is famous in the hospitality world for providing guests with their own butler. Like in the films, I had expected ours to be a serious, suited and booted greying old man, prone to bowing when leaving the room. In reality, Rai was young, cheerful, from nearby Lombok and very professional.

Like everything here, he was on hand when needed (via WhatsApp) but unintrusive. He expertly navigated my dietary requirements to arrange our delicious in-villa dinner and was knowledgeable about the local area. We only ventured out a couple of