Perched 150 metres above the sea on a cliff edge in Uluwatu, Bulgari Resort Bali is a breathtaking getaway where Italian style meets tropical luxury.
That horizon. It takes your breath away, your thoughts, your imagination, your sense of what is real... It calms, it stimulates... At night it conjures up magic with the glittering lights of small fishing boats, at dawn it gently nudges you to consider life and the potential and possibility of the unknown, and what lies ahead.
At the Bulgari Resort Bali, you can’t avoid the endless horizon that stretches out across the Indian Ocean. The hotel clings to the very edge of the Uluwatu peninsula, 150 metres above the crashing sea below.
It is like a small sprawling village made of villas and mansions where privacy and luxury are the defining factors. From the minute you drive through the gates, and the madness of the outside world melts away, your eyes — and heart — are drawn out to that awe-inspiring view, which is the focal point of all you do.
From the soaring arches of the arrival pavilion to the cliff-edge infinity pools, the terraces of the restaurants and bars, the decks of your private villa, everything is set to make the most of this most prime position.
The Design
The resort was designed by Milan-based collective ACPV Architects, founded by renowned Italian designer Antonio Citterio and architect Patricia Viel.
In the recent documentary The Importance of Being an Architect, Citterio talks of the design of tomorrow being centred on an “armistice between nature and the built environment” and you can definitely experience this concept here.
The buildings nestle into the landscape, surrounded by lush green foliage with pops of bright fragrant flowers. The design references both cultural and natural elements from hand-cut volcanic stones to rich dark woods, Ikat and textured fabrics to Balinese antiques and artworks, which all sit alongside modern furniture and ceramics.
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Advertise with NZME.The resort cleverly combines Balinese warmth and ease, with touches of Italian elegance and sophistication to create an environment that is effortlessly relaxed.
Our villa is gloriously private, yet wide open to that horizon. The main living area is defined only by one solid wall, a soothing plunge pool, a garden of bougainvillaea and frangipani, and that view.
Floor-to-ceiling glass doors wrap around the rest of the villa; the bedroom with its soaring ceiling is based on the design of traditional houses.
Fresh baking is delivered every day, as are fresh flowers.
Travel guides and a large photography book of Bulgari jewellery are subtle reminders of the international glamour that underpins everything here.
In the expansive black terrazzo bathroom, a giant bath sits centre stage and every day red rose petals are sprinkled around its edges, while Bulgari soaps and body lotions are kept in generous supply, adding to the sense of pampering.
It’s hard to drag ourselves away from this luxurious cocoon. We spend hours on the sun loungers, dipping between the cool pool and our sun-warmed towels, having long languid conversations inspired by the endless sky and the divine sense of ease and relaxation that has washed over us.
The Ceremony
I google “cliff edge” symbolism and read of “risks, embracing change, and going through the necessary transitions to move ahead in life”. This explains our meandering yet meaningful conversations.
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Advertise with NZME.We decide to embrace this special energy and take the inclinator, which hugs the side of the cliff, down to the water’s edge where a raked sand ledge is lined with sunloungers for those who want to make the most of the private beach.
We are not there to sunbathe, however, but to take part in a Melukat purifying ceremony — a traditional ritual to cleanse the body and soul, banish bad spirits, bring good fortune and help you “find your equilibrium”.
We sit cross-legged, the waves crashing below, as a local Hindu priest chants and sprinkles us with holy water from a coconut shell before we splash it on our faces. It tastes sweet and mixes with the salt on my lips. Incense fills the air.
A feeling of peace washes over me as the priest presses flowers into my hands, places a frangipani behind my ear and ties a crown made of woven pandang leaf and flowers around my head.
We give thanks to nature, to our ancestors, to the people in our lives — and look out at that endless horizon where the soft blues of the sky and sea merge into one.
This ritual is just one of many ways Bulgari seamlessly weaves the values and beauty of the Balinese people into its elegant experience.
Another day Wita, one of the staff, takes us for a walk around his nearby village. We meet his wife at the market, where she is busy putting together flowers and baskets for people to take to the temple.
We weave down alleyways, past friendly stray dogs, and stop to talk to locals sitting on the porch of their family compound.
We call in on another village elder who is weaving fishing nets by hand and who kindly offers us fresh coconuts to drink from.
The Amenities
Back at the resort, our personal concierge is there to quietly organise anything we desire — scuba diving, surfing, sailing?
It all sounds, well, a just bit too energetic. And why leave this corner of paradise?
Whiling away hours by the sparkling infinity pool in one of the dreamy fabric-draped cabanas is easy, a cocktail or two to quench your thirst.
There’s a fully equipped fitness centre, a yoga pavilion, a beach restaurant, the luxurious spa, and the boutique gift shop which is like no other, sparkling with the breathtaking jewels that encapsulate Bulgari’s sense of glamorous hedonism and elegant sophistication. Including, of course, the striking Serpenti — a symbol of strength, seduction and wisdom from ancient Egypt which has been the inspiration at the heart of Bulgari’s collection since the 1940s.
Vibrant jewellery, precious watches, limited-edition bags, sunglasses, silk scarves... they are all carefully curated and part of a network of pieces that can be found in Bulgari’s growing global portfolio of luxury hotels (they’ve recently opened the Bulgari Hotel Roma, which joins London, Paris, Shanghai, Beijing and Tokyo).
The Food
Adding to the global feel of the Bali resort is the world-class cuisine created by the 80-strong culinary team led by resident executive chef Stefano Nicodemo, who has brought an Italian spin to the local recipes.
He took a deep dive into the traditional cuisine when he first arrived, he explains, then worked closely with the Balinese chefs to “elevate the presentation and combine techniques to generate dishes with a modern twist.
“Discovering new tastes and flavours in Indonesia has motivated and inspired me to create new concepts aligned with traditional local recipes. My team has been a great part of it as they constantly introduce me to the keys of Indonesian cuisine.”
At the Sangkar Restaurant, we sit on the terrace and work our way through a menu that never ceases to amaze.
Traditional nasi goreng is given the Stefano touch. “I always see it plated the same way,” he says, “so we swapped out some of the classic ingredients such as chicken and prawns for wagyu beef sirloin, adapted to delight and surprise our guests.”
My version has succulent Jimbaran Bay lobster and, laughs the waiter, “It is probably the most expensive nasi goreng in Bali!” I try not to choke.
As well as Italian and Indonesian dishes, Stefano has produced myriad a la carte options including Chinese, English, Japanese and Mediterranean dishes. Our culinary journey is taken to a whole new level when we book into the resort’s Il Ristorante — Luca Fantin for the elaborate degustation dinner.
The open-air restaurant is lined on one side with oversized black-and-white images from Italian Vogues of the 1960s, with glamorous models striking poses wrapped in Bulgari jewellery.
The menu is based on the Michelin-starred cuisine and expertise of chef Luca Fantin, the culinary force behind one of Tokyo’s top restaurants, the original Bulgari Ginza Tower.
On the ground in Bali it gives Stefano a chance to truly flex his culinary muscles as he cleverly combines Luca Fantin’s vision with seasonal local produce.
Understandably, seafood features prominently on the seven-course menu, but it is delivered with the most exquisite layers of detail, both visually and flavour. From seared scallop with parsley root and leek to sea urchin risotto, Papuan crab with asparagus and green tomato, spaghetti served with cured fish roe and smoked butter, each course, each mouthful is an explosion of flavour.
Matching wines are chosen from the vast cellar, the majority Italian but surprisingly a 2021 Kim Crawford sauvignon blanc is served with a fish guazzetto, potato and caviar.
The whole evening is full of decadent surprises and theatrical touches.
The Spa
When you are staying at a resort as luxurious as the Bulgari it seems only appropriate to finish on the ultimate high — with a visit to the spa.
The reception is housed in an antique wooden “Joglo” house, transported in pieces from central Java.
An enormous vase of tuberoses takes centre place, filling the air with sweet fragrance as we prepare for the Bulgari Royal Lular — a three-hour treatment based on a series of rituals first practised in Indonesia in the 17th century.
Our masseuses, Rini and Mariani, exfoliate our bodies in a mixture of rice powder and spices, before wrapping us in a full-body algae mask.
Between each session we wash in the outdoor shower in our private courtyard and soak in a bath of rose petals, then we are fed fresh fruit before we succumb to the ultimate decadence — a four-hands body massage.
Perfectly synchronised, it is impossible to tell whose hands are whose, as they massage in rich exotic oils and herbs.
My body feels supple, free of stress, alive.
When it is over we float out and lie on the loungers by the spa’s swimming pool. Everything feels surreal as we nibble on barbecued prawns and juicy fresh fruit, lick ice-cold gelato, and gaze with wonder out at that endless horizon.
Amanda stayed as a guest of Bulgari. To discover more, visit Bulgarihotels.com
