Introduction
The St. Regis Bali opened in 2008 as the first St. Regis in Asia, and it's still one of the big names on the Nusa Dua strip. I went in with one question: does a resort this old still hold up against the newer luxury places in Bali?
The short answer is mostly yes, but it depends a lot on which room you book. The grounds, the lagoon, the beach and the breakfast are all excellent. The villas are in great condition. Some of the rooms in the main building, though, are showing their age, and I'll be honest about that below.
Location
The resort is in Nusa Dua, the gated resort area on Bali's southern tip, around half an hour from the airport depending on traffic. It's a completely different Bali from Ubud or Canggu. It's quiet, manicured and built around the beach, not the jungle or the café scene.
That's the appeal for me. The beach in front of the St. Regis never felt busy, even when I was there in peak season, and the water is protected by a reef, so it's calm enough to swim in. The trade-off is that there isn't much to walk to outside the resort, so you'll either stay put or book a driver.
First Impressions
You're dropped off at an open-air lobby with a musician playing traditional Balinese music at the entrance. It's big and very ornate, with huge chandeliers, fresh flowers changed every day and koi ponds wrapping around the edges. From the railing you can look down over the gardens to the fire ceremony stage and the villas below.
Every guest is assigned a butler on arrival, and they'll take you on a buggy tour of the grounds before showing you to your room. Ask for the buggy tour even if it isn't offered. The property is large, and it's the easiest way to get your bearings.
Two spots near the lobby most people walk straight past:
- The library, which has an all-day tea station with Twinings teas, cookies and bottled water, plus a daily English-language newspaper. The book selection itself is fairly average.
- A children's library by the check-in area, with a good range of books for every age.
Downstairs there's also a free pool table, open 24 hours.
The Room
This is where the St. Regis is a bit of a mixed bag.
The resort says every room is a suite, but that's a stretch. The standard suites don't have a separate living room and bedroom. They're just very big rooms, with a sliding curtain you can close. That said, they're well laid out:
- A proper desk, with plugs and USB ports built in neatly beside the bed
- A huge walk-in dressing room
- A bathroom with a bathtub big enough for two, and a TV you can watch from the bath
- A covered balcony with a sofa, looking out over the gardens
The suites are starting to feel a little dated, though. The design is also very maximalist, with carved wood, patterned rugs, gold fabrics and ornate lamps everywhere you look. It's grand and unmistakably St. Regis, but if you prefer clean, minimal interiors, it might not be for you.
The bed is excellent, one of the most comfortable I've slept in. You also get a St. Regis hat and beach bag that are yours to keep, which is a nice touch.
My main complaint: the suite in the main building had a persistent musty smell. The room was spotless, so it's not a cleanliness issue, it's an age issue. The resort hasn't had a major renovation since it opened, and poorly ventilated rooms in the middle of the building show it. The team moved us quickly when we raised it, but at this price, you shouldn't have to ask. If you're booking a suite, ask for a higher floor or an end room.
The villas are a different story. The Gardenia Villa we moved to was in immaculate condition, and it's enormous. It has:
- A full living room and dining table under a big chandelier, plus a kitchen (I doubt anyone uses it)
- A separate bedroom with a Dyson hairdryer
- The biggest bathtub I've ever seen, easily big enough for four
- A full amenity kit in proper boxes, including a dental kit and shaving kit
- A luggage unpacking and repacking service, if you want it
- A garden with sunbeds, an outdoor shower, a traditional pavilion and a large private pool, only 1.3 m deep, so you can stand up anywhere
The Gardenia Villas are tucked away in their own tropical gardens, which makes them very private. The one thing they don't have is lagoon access. If you'd love to step out of your garden and swim straight into the saltwater lagoon, book a Lagoon Villa instead. They open directly onto the lagoon through a back gate.
The Lagoon and the Pools
The saltwater lagoon is the highlight of the whole resort for me. It's over 3,700 m² and winds through the grounds, with waterfalls, stone seating areas and a floating bar. It connects to the main pool by the beach, which means you can swim all the way to the beach without ever getting out of the water. I did it, and it was one of the most fun things I've done at any resort. In a Lagoon Villa, that swim starts right at your back gate.
A few notes:
- The stone "jacuzzis" in the lagoon aren't heated. They're nice to sit in, but don't expect hot water.
- Go early or around sunset. The midday sun is harsh, and in the early evening I had the lagoon almost to myself.
- Villas beside the lagoon have less greenery around them than the garden villas, so they're a little less private.
There's also a freshwater pool near the beach, with cabanas, loungers and turtle fountains. It's lovely, but the lagoon is the one to spend your time in.
The Beach
The beach is one of the best stretches of sand in Nusa Dua. It's soft, clean and never crowded, and the loungers have padded sides a bit like a business class seat, so you can nap with some privacy. Each lounger has a call button to get the beach attendants' attention, which I loved.
Some beach tips:
- Go in the morning. Roughly 9 am to midday is the best time. The current gets stronger later in the day.
- Get up for sunrise at least once. It comes up over the water around 6:30 am, and it's worth the early start.
- Look for the floating blue buoy offshore. That's where the coral and fish are, if you want to snorkel.
- The water sports hut has towels and equipment.
Dining
Breakfast at Boneka runs from 7 am to 11 am, and it's one of the best breakfasts I've had in Bali. The buffet covers everything:
- An omelette station and a pancake station
- Breakfast sushi, which I don't see often
- Dim sum and noodles
- Local dishes, curries and Indonesian crackers
- Smoked salmon, smoked swordfish belly, cheeses and cold cuts
- Pork bacon, beef bacon and sausages
- A big fruit, yoghurt and cereal section (with oat milk)
- An ice cream station, if the kids talk you into it
Don't stop at the buffet. There's a separate menu of breakfast specialties you can order at no extra charge. The lobster omelette is the signature, and the Wagyu steak and eggs and the crab nasi goreng are also excellent. The tea comes in a huge pot, too.
There are four restaurants at the resort. I had the tasting menu at the Balinese restaurant, and I'd recommend it. The food was authentic, the portions were generous, and it was very reasonably priced for a resort of this level.
For something sweet during the day, the deli by the lobby stairs has ice cream, sorbets, cakes and macarons stamped with the St. Regis logo.
The Evening Rituals
The St. Regis does a good job of making evenings feel like an event. Plan your night around these:
- 6:15 pm: Champagne sabrage, the St. Regis tradition of opening a bottle with a sword
- 6:30 pm: The fire dance at the stage below the lobby, every night
- Around 8–8:30 pm: A Balinese dance performance at the Balinese restaurant
My tip for the fire dance: go around the back of the stage. There's a table of free traditional Balinese snacks, like shrimp crackers and satay, that most guests don't realise is there.
The Spa and Gym
The Iridium Spa is right next to the gym, and the big news is that the steam room and infrared sauna are free for all guests, until around 10 pm, even without booking a treatment. If you do book a treatment, you also get access to the hydrotherapy area with hot and cold plunge pools. When I was there, the cold plunge wasn't very cold.
The spa's waiting lounge has tea, cookies and newspapers, and it's one of the quietest spots in the resort.
The gym is very good by resort standards. It's cool, has high ceilings and plenty of cardio machines (including a rowing machine), with dumbbells going up to 26 kg.
Service
The service was polished and warm throughout. Staff are friendly everywhere you go, the buggies come quickly whenever you call them, and our butler was on hand for anything we needed. Honestly, we barely used the butler, but it's reassuring to have one.
Small touches stood out. Ask your butler for mangosteens. They'll bring a whole bowl to your room, along with lemon, honey and ginger tea. There were fresh flowers and cake waiting for a birthday, too.
The only real service stumble was the smelly room, and they fixed that fast.
The Verdict
Overall: 8/10
The St. Regis Bali is a beautiful, relaxing beach resort with some of the best grounds in Nusa Dua. The lagoon, the beach, the breakfast and the evening rituals all make it a lovely place to spend a few days without leaving the property.
It's not the right choice if you want a brand-new resort or if you want to walk out to restaurants and shops in the evening.
A few tips if you're booking:
- Book a villa if your budget stretches. They're in far better condition than the main building. Choose a Gardenia Villa for privacy, or a Lagoon Villa if you want to swim straight out of your garden. Expect to pay well into four figures a night.
- If you book a suite, ask for a higher floor, or look at other hotels that could provide better value.
- Book with breakfast included - it's the best breakfast in Bali.
Would I go back? Yes, but I'd go straight for a villa.
Booking St. Regis Bali With Perks
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