The Samaya Seminyak - Bali

The room itself was spacious and nicely designed, but the next morning relentless hammering from nearby construction ruined what should have been a relaxing stay. Staff first offered alternative villas that felt like downgrades, either with a smaller pool area or no sun exposure. After a lot of back and forth that cost us time and energy, they moved us to a similar villa across the street. We can only hope it's quieter there. We'd told the hotel in advance that we were celebrating our anniversary, but there was no note, flowers, or acknowledgment when we arrived. Flowers came only after we complained to the manager, so by then the gesture felt forced and too late. The poor impression began on arrival: nobody helped with our luggage, and the front desk greeting was minimal and unprofessional. The staff barely greeted us and looked expressionless. We were handed a welcome drink, then the receptionist said, “Go to your room, we will bring your drinks to finish it there.” The tone felt dismissive, as if we were being rushed away instead of welcomed. For a property claiming five-star standards, the service and guest experience fell far short. It may look appealing, but I give it a big fat zero for service.

We spent a month travelling around Australia and Bali and stayed in several places, but this was my husband's favourite. We loved our oceanfront one-bedroom villa, the lovely beach, and the beautiful setting. At sunset, dinner is stunning, and the food at Breeze restaurant is excellent. Staff did their best to seat people at tables with a view. Breakfast was excellent too, and being able to order it all day suited us because of the time zones. At other places we usually miss the included breakfast by getting up late, so this was great. Afternoon tea was included and lovely as well. The spa was so good I ended up getting a massage each morning. The beach isn't for swimming, but it's fun for jumping waves, and there are little tidal pools where you can sit as the waves come in. We mostly relaxed on the property and didn't really go out, though it looked well placed for nightlife and shopping. The resort arranged a pickup from Ubud and a drop-off at the airport quite easily. The fees were reasonable, especially since we needed larger vehicles for our luggage.

We really appreciated being allowed into our private-pool villa before check-in and moving into a private suite after checkout. Yogi deserves a special mention, and the whole team made our wedding anniversary stay feel special. The card and bouquet were lovely, although I later saw that the bag was given to every guest, not just for the occasion as we'd been told. The food and drinks were great, especially the Iron Booster and Antioxidant. Room-service food wasn't as fresh or nice as what we had in the restaurant. The jacuzzi was a serious letdown and still wasn't fixed after someone came to look at it. A few other things went wrong but were sorted right away when we dialled 0. The Indian food selection and vegetarian or vegan options at afternoon tea and elsewhere really need attention. It was a relaxing retreat for a special occasion, with lovely scenery, good food and drinks, smiling people, and fantastic hospitality. We had a great time and would come back if we're in Bali again. Best wishes to the whole team. The pictures show how much we enjoyed it.

The food was divine, and on our last night our butler Kris set up a romantic table overlooking the sunset. Such a lovely touch. We also made great use of the complimentary transport around Seminyak. This was our first booking through Luxury Escapes and, wow, what an experience. The Samaya van met us at the airport and the staff gave us a warm welcome. Our pool villa was spacious, private, and stunning. Every staff member was kind, caring, and polite, and they remembered our names, which made the stay feel especially personal. We loved them all. We highly recommend staying here, and we'll definitely be back.