Sure, when you think of Bali, you might think of sprawling resorts. But the island is also home to an increasing number of boutique hotels. These hotels offer roughly just a dozen or so rooms – often, each of them styled differently so no two are the same.
Ahead, we round up some of the most inviting. From a 12-room hotel in Canggu designed by an Australian former fashion designer, to a jungle property in Ubud with 23 treehouses and evening campfire sessions, this is our edit of the best boutique hotels in Bali, currently.
The Slow, Canggu
The Slow is one of Canggu’s best-known properties. The brainchild of Australian fashion designer George Gorrow and his wife Cisco, the hotel has just 12 rooms and four ground floor suites, each with its plunge pool. The hotel restaurant in the lobby is one of the area’s most popular hotspots, often hosting DJ-ed events for locals.
La Reserve 1785, Canggu
La Reserve 1785 in Canggu was once home to French antiques collector Madamoiselle Henriette Reboul who bought the property in 1936 and used it to host her famous friends from all over the world. Today, the hotel has 13 suites in the design of French and Indonesian, a pool, surrounded by cabanas, and a spa.
Maja Canggu, Canggu
Maja Canggu looks more like Greece than Bali, with its whitewashed walls and curved archways. Choose from poolside suites, Palmview Suite or Maja Suite, which includes a kitchen and living area, rooftop terrace with a plunge pool and access to a butler for your every need. The suite looks out at tropical jungle on one side, while the living room opens onto the hotel’s communal pool.
Gravity Hotel, Uluwatu
Gravity Hotel in the south of the island has 15 bungalows, each styled and configured slightly different from the other, as well as six suites. One of its largest rooms is the Passion Suite, set in 42 square-metres and with its pool and outdoor bathtub. The hotel is a 5-minute drive from surf spots Padang Padang, Green Bowl, Bingin and Uluwatu.
Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, Ubud
Buhan, a Banyan Tree Escape is an adults-only resort with 16 villas and a no-walls, no-doors concept. It’s located a 40-minute drive north of Ubud, near a small Buahan village. Guests can experience the unique rituals and customs of the village at the hotel. Each of the hotel’s 16 rooms has an individual name.
Mule Malu, Bingin
Located near the Bingin clifftop, Mule Male is walking distance from famous surf beach Bingin and a short drive from Dreamland, Padang Padang and Uluwatu. Each of the hotel’s 11 rooms feature private patios and open-air shadows. The hotel is almost entirely plastic-free and uses solar panels to heat all the water used on-site.
Bisma Eight Ubud, Ubud
Bisma Eight in the north of the island houses 38 suites in the style Garden, Canopy and Forest. The aim with their interiors was to seamlessly blend into the vivid natural world outside them. The hotel’s ethos is to honour Bali’s cultural and ecological history, which you can also better understand at Ubud Royal Palace, a 10-minute walk away.
Balquisse Heritage Hotel, Jimbaran
With just 22 rooms, Balquisse Heritage Hotel in Jimbaran is generally quiet, with a pool that never gets too busy. Tucked into a garden on an old coconut plantation, the hotel’s structure was originally built in the 1960s, but has been reimagined into its current look and feel by acclaimed Moroccan designer Zohra Boukhari. The hotel offers all styles of rooms, including a family bungalow, vintage teak house and master suite.
Le Pirate Beach Club, Nusa Ceningan
Though Nusa Ceningan is its own island in Indonesia separate to Bali, boutique hotel Le Pirate on is so photogenic, it’s worth a mention. The island is a 40-minute ferry ride off the coast of Bali and has a population of just 1000. Le Pirate Beach Club Nusa Ceningan has 10 rooms, each with a terrace and hammock, as well as a pool overlooking the sea.
Capella Ubud, Ubud
A short drive from Ubud’s famous Tegalalang Rice Terraces and Manuaba Waterfall, Capella Ubud is a collection of 23 tents on its jungle grounds. The hotel has two restaurants, Mads Lange and Api Jiwa, a communal pool and a spa. At night, you can join other guests at regular campfire experiences that’ll see you roasting marshmallows and watching movies.
Related: The Buzziest Homewares Stores to Seek Out in Bali
Related: The 10 Very Best Hotels in Bali, as Voted By a Local
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