Friday, October 19, 2012

WHERE I WANT TO BE: Bulgari Hotels and Resorts, Uluwatu, Bali





 
Bulgari Bali is the pinnacle of tropical luxury, a sleekly modern resort perched on a cliff with awe-inspiring views of the Indian Ocean.
 
Luxury jewelry-maker Bulgari's Bali resort offers the same aesthetics as the brand's baubles: bold lines and sleek surfaces. The thatch-roofed villa sits daringly on a rugged Balinese cliffside like an expensive jewel, Indian Ocean sweeping in below. Through all 59 rooms, every natural element is polished to a shine: Indonesian wood floors glow, natural lava walls are neatly bricked, and floor-to-ceiling glass walls reveal manicured tropical plants.

Bulgari Bali's activities are undeniably opulent. Swim at the pristine private beach, reachable only by elevator. Take a specialty spa treatment at sunset on the edge of the plunge pool. Go on a colorful local market tour with a personal shopper. Or visit a volcano from breathtaking heights of a helicopter. At day's end, dine at the poolside restaurants: Il Ristorante for classical Italian, or Sangkar, whose Balinese dishes will compete for your attention with stunning décor featuring scores of gorgeous bamboo caged lamps.