Bart Lapers

AYANA Resort and Spa Bali

Back in November, I flew Air Berlin and Etihad Airways Business Class to Jakarta. I reported extensively about my flight experiences with both airlines, but didn’t write yet about the hotels I enjoyed in Bali. First up is Ayana Resort and Spa, a huge property with 368 rooms located on the towering cliffs above Jimbaran Bay which opened in 1996 as The Ritz-Carlton Bali but rebranded as independent resort in 2009. It shares 90 hectares of gardens with sister property Rimba which opened in September 2013. Combined, Ayana and Rimba feature 11 pools (!) and 15 F&B outlets. Rest assured, you won’t get bored at this place. I recommended Rimba as honeymoon resort to friends of mine. After a week long stay, they decided to extend their vacation!

Pic: Rock Bar at Ayana Resort in Bali (Nov 2014)
Ayana also features the famous Rock Bar which is located on natural rocks 14 meters above the ocean. The bar looks fantastic, but suffers a bit from its popularity. One year after it opened in 2009, the 106sqm bar it was already extended with an additional 600sqm of surrounding terraces and paved areas. Every afternoon long queues build up as everyone wants to witness sunset at the unique bar. Fortunately, in-house guests can skip the line but don’t expect a quiet setting.
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