11 Oct Belmond Jimbaran Puri

Belmond Jimbaran Puri is a stylish hotel built upon the long white sands of upmarket Jimbaran Bay.

There are traditional Balinese cottages and pool villas set in beautifully maintained tropical gardens; a tranquil mix of bougainvillea, rose-pink waterlilies, hibiscus and frangipani interspersed with original remains of Balinese temples. The design aesthetic is the classic Balinese style.

The Balinese-style cottages lie adjacent to one another, and are reached along stone paths passing occasional statues of Hindu gods and koi-filled lily ponds. Features include spacious bathrooms with sunken terrazzo bathtubs, and terraces or wooden decks. The Garden View Cottage Suites are a little way back from the beach with only a view of their private walled courtyard gardens. If you prefer to feel less enclosed and want a sea view , i recommend one of the Beachview Cottage Suites. These are closer to the beach (though still 100 yards away) and feel more airy.

The villas offer an extra dash of luxury, with private pools in their gardens. Top of the pile (and well worth the extra) are the enormous Deluxe Pool Villas (1 or 2 bedrooms), which each have a spacious tropical garden and sunken swimming pool. Inside, decor is elegant: a wood and marble living room, black stone bathtub, indoor and outdoor showers and super comfortable kingsize beds.

Guests have two restaurants to choose from: beachside Nelayan, which specializes in fish, and Tunjung, where an American breakfast is served each morning. Between meals, be sure to visit the large stone-lined swimming pool and the Beach Spa, which uses products made from natural ingredients. The Balinese Coffee Scrub is an ideal pick-me-up, using fine-ground home-grown coffee and volcanic pumice from Mount Agung. And after a day at the beach, a Jasmine Javanese treatment will exfoliate away the effects of the hot Balinese sun.

I recommend to anyone who has ample budget to enjoy every aspect of this resort.