MY STAY
The clifftop villa
The cliff at Bulgari Resort Bali was part of the experience from my villa pool to the funicular down to the beach club. I enjoyed the ride; the shore below, however, was not somewhere to count on an easy swim. Staying by the villa or main pool made more sense when the sea was rough.
Villa condition
Villa position and condition mattered just as much as the coastal view. Some finishes felt older than the dramatic photographs suggested, and the open setting had an unexpected visitor: wild monkeys have made their way to food in villa minibars. I kept an eye on doors and anything left out rather than treating the terrace as sealed off from the landscape.
Butler & dining
A helpful butler could settle dinner or an outing without a long exchange. At Il Ristorante, meeting the kitchen team turned one meal into something more personal than another reservation, and the spa was worth booking before arrival. I still wanted straight answers about any extra charge and the exact villa being offered.
Would I return?
The private pool, clifftop outlook and trip down to the beach club were plenty of reason to stay for several days. Expecting calm swimming in the sea or a newly finished interior in every category would have made it a very different holiday.