Kai
Google
Alila is not just a hotel. It’s a whole mood. Manicured lawn looks like a golf course, coconut trees straight out of a yoga retreat photoshoot , and the views make you forget you had a job back home, kinda.
Check-in was smoooth, thanks to Pak Budi, the concierge boss. He sprayed our faces to rid ourselves from bad spirits (kidding), with refreshing scent to help us freshen up and herbal juice for a kick and handed us a cold towel. He casually arranged a free massage session for us like a boss while walking us to the room, tell me if that ain't efficient.
And Hyatt Prive got us an upgrade, the deluxe room. They hyped it up as one of the best, and they weren't lying. Front row seat to the beach, ocean views. Only downside is no bathtub. But at least the room was clean and the TV was… there. But who watches TV on vacation anymore?
Breakfast was not a buffet spread. You order off the menu, which is cool but enough variety to keep us mildly impressed for two mornings. They have little stalls with local stuff and fruit. The restaurant has this dreamy fish pond that i'd love to build for myself back home and killer ocean views. All of which reminds you again that you're on vacation.
At the Spa, Ibu Tini and Ibu Yanti did magic with their hands. Soft where you want it, but firm where you need it, with the soundtrack of waves crashing in the background. I got out of there fully charged. Enough said, my pregnant wife and i were happy customers.
We ended the stay with a free photoshoot at checkout. The shots were better than we imagined. Totally worth it.
Yes, Manggis is a little off the beaten path, in that you’re not stumbling out of your room into Starbucks, but that eastern Bali peace and quiet is somethin'. We rented a car, so exploring was no hassle.
Final thoughts: we loved it. From concierge to spa they treated us like we were the main characters, and that's all we needed.