Bali
Indonesia


The Experience

Luxury resorts in Bali have become a dime a dozen, but this property -- set inland among jungle and mountains -- stands out not only for its service (which is at the upper echelon of Four Seasons' signature service) but for its outrageous architecture. The main structure looks like a spaceship that's landed along the verdant Ayung River, with a lotus pond for a roof. Once you've crossed the bridge and descended to the main lobby, built in the round for 360-degree views, the sight is indeed otherworldly: stepped rice paddies, a lazy river and Mount Batur in the distance. With a Four Seasons also on the coast, most guests couple the two resorts, making for a complete Bali experience. No wonder this is honeymoon central.

The Rooms

The smallest rooms are duplexes that measure more than 900 square feet, and are located in the main building. Furnished with handmade Balinese pieces, the room also has sliding slatted doors that open onto a deck that's your own, though with all the rooms in one building, it's not entirely private. For that you'll have to book the resort's über-private duplex riverfront villas, which have their own lotus ponds and plunge pools and are more than 2,000 square feet.

The Service

Service is so good the resort coined the term "personal paradise planners" to describe its concierges. A trip to the Tanah Lot golf course can be arranged in minute's notice. Fruit magically appears in your villa while you're outside on your deck, though you'll never hear a sound.

The Highlights

There's just one restaurant; fortunately, it's a winner. Both pan-Asian and Western dishes are served on the outdoor, circular patio of the main building, providing dreamy views of the sunset over spicy tamarind fish and sticky rice. If you love the food, there's a cooking class that begins with a chef-led outing to the local markets, where you'll source lemongrass and peanuts to make spicy-rich dishes back in the resort's kitchen. But location is really the raison d'être here: Take lazy walks along the river, have a driver whisk you into the artists' center of Ubud or laze in your villa and watch the women tend to the rice paddies across the water.

-- Heidi Mitchell

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