W Retreat & Spa Bali: A Luxury Resort With A Fashionable Touch

Getting There

W Retreat & Spa Bali is set on the legendary coast of Seminyak, on one of the most famous beaches of the popular Indonesian dream island.

From the brand new Bali Denpasaar airport, it will take you about 20-30 minutes (45 in case of heavy traffic) to reach W Retreat & Spa Bali. After a smooth landing and airport exit, we were immediately greeted by our hosts who transported us to the hotel in a luxury German SUV – the first hint that we were entering a world of complete refinement…

On board the vehicle, fitted with wi-fi in case you need to catch-up with emails or social networks during the trip, we were offered refreshments and fresh fruits to make our transfer more pleasant.

About The Hotel

W Hotels is probably one of the most fashionable brands in the hospitality market. W Retreat & Spa Bali is no exception to the rule. Water features and greenery surround the property, that is successfully playing with the juxtaposition of traditional Balinese mythology and W Hotel’s invigorating energy.

During our stay, we got to experience completely different hotels day and night without actually changing our accommodation. The stylishly designed lobby, bars, ceilings, lifts and light panels adopt a different ambiance and create a funky stylish, yet high-end atmosphere depending on the time of the day and night.

W Retreat & Spa Bali is a beach-front resort, directly facing the ocean. The hotel also features an amazing tiered pool facility with a design inspired by the terrace fields of the island.

Right in the middle of the villas section and away from the bustle of the resort’s hot spots, two reflective ponds are set in a lush, tropical garden with a Wantilan (Balinese pavilion), a secluded oasis for in-house guests.

The Rooms

The hotel accommodation consists of 237 retreats, suites and villas all designed with W signature chic and innovative touches, offering spectacular ocean or garden views.

Our room, generous in size from the sleeping area to the bathroom and facing the sea, boasted amazing views over the resort and even on the coastal area of the island.

The rooms offer a luxurious and comfortable experience with cutting-edge modern amenities. High-speed wireless internet access, BOSE® sound system, flat screen LED TV, W signature beds, Bliss Spa amenities, plush bath robes, soaking bathtubs and rain forest showers are just some of the features of the rooms we enjoyed during our stay.

Villas are totally independent and set in a different part of the resort in the midst of tropical gardens and water ponds. This type of accommodation would be highly appreciated by GCC residents as they offer a perfect set-up for family holidays with private pools available in each villa type.

Leisure And Wellness Facilities

Inspired by the Balinese rice fields designs and spanning over 1,790 sq meters, the landscaped tropical pool area is probably one of the key outdoor features of the W Retreat & Spa Bali. Whether you like to swim a couple of lengths to keep fit or just relax on the inflatable mattress or on the sun beds, you will just love hanging around at the resort pool. In the afternoon and until late evening, a DJ plays trendy beats by the pool.

The beach-front is also equipped with lounge beds for you to relax in comfort. The sea is quite rough with high waves throughout the day, so sea-swimming is not recommended.

The resort gym is available to guests 24/7 and yoga sessions are organized in the morning. If you prefer outdoor exercise, you can even borrow one of the bikes available at the resort and go and explore the island! The nicest feature of the gym is inside its changing room where after a hard work-out session, you can relax your muscles and your whole body inside the hot and cold plunge pools or the large steam room… just perfect!

For those who rather like to take it cool, the resorts also has a fantastic library and lounge with a comprehensive library of books and DVDs. The place is also fitted with a complimentary coffee machine: a good book and a coffee, it cannot get any better…

The Spa

You could not come to Bali without experiencing at least the world famous Balinese massage. You will be able to choose this, or many other body treatments and massages at the W Retreat & Spa Bali. Cool down after the beach and treat yourself with a visit to the 24h hotel spa. Yes you read it right… the spa is open 24 hours to take care of you anytime of the day and night, another good illustration of the “whatever/whenever” philosophy of the hotel.

The spa features plunge pools, floating and meditative chambers, experience suites, a pedicure bar, wet and dry treatment areas and a detox/oxygen room to perform physical, mental and spiritual therapy as well as salon services for your every need.

Dining Highlights

From breakfast to dinner, the W Retreat & Spa Bali won’t fail to impress. Your culinary journey of the world’s finest flavors starts here at some of the best restaurants in Seminyak, Bali.

FIRE

FIRE  is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We took one of our breakfasts there during our stay and had an original experience. After greeting you outside the restaurant, the first thing the staff will ask you to do is to choose your cup or mug on the imposing wall display at the entrance of the restaurant. Choose amongst dozens of different cups, mugs and bowls, all different from each other, based on your mood of the day and your thirst for hot beverages!

The food and beverage options at breakfast are simply amazing with a huge choice of fresh and organic products. A strong accent is put on local produce and recipes , so you will be able to find your all time international breakfast classics at FIRE, but also explore the local dishes of the Balinese cuisine.

We returned to FIRE for dinner and the ambiance and set-up was totally different. At night, FIRE transforms into a steak-house and seafood grill restaurant with beautiful decor and set-up based on the theme of fire and flame from Balinese mythology.

The menu contains some of the finest cuts of meat you can find, flown to the island from all parts of the world.  Wagyu beef or black Angus are of course on the menu and your waiter will bring you a tray with fresh pieces for you to choose the one you would like the chef to prepare for you. We went for fish and beef to experience the best of both worlds. Both were cooked to perfection and we did not need much more than roasted vegetables on the side and a green salad to complete our meal. If you still have space, the dessert menu offers interesting choices including an extensive list of ice-creams and sorbet with some unexpected flavors like peanut butter, banana-nutella or bubble gum.

STARFISH BLOO

Situated right by the waves of the Indian Ocean, STARFISH BLOO is specialized in Pan-Asian cuisine and also open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We also took one of our breakfasts there to see what it had to offer and we had another interesting lunch experience at STARFISH BLOO with a selection of seafood and meat – small bites with local flavors and probably the most original part of the meal: a set of raw salmon and Wagyu beef brought to our table along with a mini barbecue filled with hot lava stones for us to grill the food ourselves. Add to this a couple of tropical mocktails with fresh fruits from the island and you’ve got the perfect lunch experience by the beach!

Whatever/Whenever

Whatever/Whenever is W Hotel’s signature service: whatever you want, whenever you want.  W’s legendary Whatever/Whenever service features a 24-hour concierge that grants your every wish: a pair of tickets to the latest nightclub? That must-have Miu Miu accessory? Dine under the stars? They have it all covered!

Final verdict

If you like your hotel trendy, flashy and modern, but without compromising on your comfort and in-house facilities, then W Retreat & Spa Bali is for you. Give it a try when staying on the Seminyak part of the island and you won’t regret it. We will be going back there on our next trip to Bali for sure!