What is is like to stay at the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay? It is known as one of the best luxury resorts in Bali, but is it worth its reputation? This is my personal Four Seasons Bali review of the luxury beach resort so that you know what to expect before you book your Bali luxury travel and make sure it is the best hotel for your vacation in Bali.
Arriving at Four Seasons Resort Jimbaran Bay
For those wondering where the Four Seasons in Bali is located, the Four Seasons Resort Jimbaran is conveniently situated in Jimbaran Bay, South Bali. It’s very close to the Bali airport; Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) is the nearest airport to Four Seasons Bali. With limited traffic, it takes a mere 20 minutes to get there. You can get a taxi at the airport for about 100,000 IDR (approx. 6 USD), or you can ask the Four Seasons Bali for an airport transfer, and they will have a driver waiting for you at the airport exit.
Arriving at this luxury beach resort was seamless. I was then driven to the lobby and offered a drink and a cold towel. The reception staff had already prepared all the documents, so I just needed to give my passport and credit card. Within a few minutes, I was escorted to my room by a golf cart. The trip started well with a five-star check-in experience!
Resort Review: Four Seasons Jimbaran Grounds & Atmosphere
The Four Seasons Jimbaran is a luxury complex in the South of Bali. It is composed entirely of luxury pool villas and truly represents the best of Bali luxury travel.
Each room is a mini villa with a private pool and an outdoor seating area. The villas are surrounded by beautiful gardens and are located on a cliff by the ocean so that you can see the sea from most places in the resort. This setup solidifies its place among the top luxury resorts bali offers.
The location on a cliff is exclusive and gives you a lot of privacy. But what is fantastic is that the north side of the Four Seasons Resort Jimbaran is located directly on Jimbaran beach. So, it is easy to walk out of the resort to try the local restaurants and shops. You get the best of both worlds: the exclusivity and quiet of the resort and the action and busyness of Jimbaran beach.
Most of the newer luxury beach resorts in Bali are large concrete buildings with little Bali atmosphere. In that sense, the Four Seasons Jimbaran was refreshing. There are no high-rise buildings, and the design is that of a small Balinese village with nature all around. Balinese art is very present, with stone and wood carvings all around.
Getting Around the Resort
The resort is immense, and it can take 10-15 minutes to go from one end to the other. Little golf carts are only a call away to drive you to the pool, restaurant, or spa. During my stay, they were fast and efficient. However, I enjoyed walking through the resort as there are many pathways along the seafront, and the resort is surrounded by fragrant plants.
Among the Jimbaran Resort and Spa villas, there are many gazebos and inviting areas to relax. You can also book a romantic dinner in one of those areas, and it looks gorgeous. This luxury beach resort is perfect for your honeymoon in Bali!
Pools at Four Seasons Jimbaran: Main Pool & Sundara Beach Club
In addition to the 150 plunge pools in each villa, the Four Seasons Resort Jimbaran has two public pools.
The main pool is located in the middle of the resort and is above the cliff. The pool is built on a stone terrace by the sea. The sun’s rays warm up your body while the pool water keeps you fresh and cool. You can enjoy cocktails and sun tanning on the double daybeds along the pool. The deep blue color of the pool water will make you feel energetic and refreshed. It was always empty during my stay as guests preferred to use their private pools or the Sundara pool on the beach.
The Sundara Beach Club pool is located directly on Jimbaran Beach. It is part of the Four Seasons Hotel in Bali but is also open to the public.
Due to its size and location on the beach, it is the nicest pool in the resort. However, it can get quite busy as it is open to outside guests.
Tip: Even if you are not staying at the Four Seasons, you can still enjoy the Sundara pool. The price for a two-person day bed is 500,000 IDR (approx. 30 USD), and you get that money as restaurant credit!
You can find the menu and other practical info on the Sundara Beach Club here.
I would usually go there for the sunset. The pool is over 50 meters long, and the long chairs are super comfortable. The Four Seasons Resort Jimbaran faces the south, so you can’t exactly see the sunset behind the hills, but you can see the reflections—stunning!
Tip: Often, when it rains in the afternoon and clears up before the sunset, it clears up the air. The volcanos become visible in the background, and it often announces a mesmerizing sunset that you don’t want to miss.
The Sundara Beach Club can get busy at sunset. One afternoon, a group of 15 people came to sit near my lounge chairs. They brought their mini speaker and started to listen to music… I was surprised that it would be allowed as it doesn’t fit with my experience of the Four Seasons’ usually sophisticated ambiance. Fortunately, I moved to another area of the beach club and avoided the music and cigarette smoke…
The Sundara Beach Club is proud to have an ‘arak mixologist’ who creates cocktails with traditional Bali alcohol. I tried two cocktails, but they were too strong for me!
The Jimbaran beach is also busy, but don’t worry. If you want peace and quiet, you can always retreat to the central area of the Four Seasons luxury beach resort. At sunset, there were so many restaurant tables on the beach that it was hard to walk on the public Jimbaran beach without getting your feet wet, as you needed to walk close to the waterline.
Villa Review: Four Seasons Jimbaran Premier Ocean Villa
I stayed in the premier ocean villa number 205 for this part of the Four Seasons Bali review.
Premier Ocean Villa Bedroom
The bedroom of the premier ocean villa is spacious and comfortable. It has the comfiest wooden king-size bed you can ever lie on. The bed has classic white bedsheets, embroidered pillowcases, and side tables with lamps. It allows you to enjoy your favorite book or tea before you sleep. The bed is surrounded by a white mosquito net, giving it a vintage look. The room has a tropical, regal vibe itself. One of the walls behind the bed is carved, giving away a well-balanced classical yet contemporary ambiance.
Along the pathway to the bathroom is a unique piece of furniture. The room has a wooden chest/storage box, a working desk, and a chair by the window. The room is furnished based on Balinese courtyard houses.
It is also well insulated as I didn’t hear anyone staying in the villas around me. The lighting has been carefully designed to provide a different ambiance, depending on whether you want to work or relax. Still, I wish they had a master switch near the bed, as I sometimes find it annoying to have to manually turn off all the lights before going to bed.
The minibar is well-equipped, and drinking water bottles are provided free of charge. I appreciated that they use reusable glass bottles to avoid plastic pollution. I had six bottles in my room, but as the staff realized I drank a lot of water, they gave me extra water bottles for the next few days without me having to ask. (this is just an example of how excellent and proactive the service is at the Four Seasons). There is a good selection of tea and coffee in the room’s minibar at the Jimbaran Resort and Spa in Bali.
The room would be cleaned in the morning and turned down at night. They asked me my preferred time for cleaning during checking, and they were fast at cleaning the room, so I mostly had the space to myself and could enjoy it fully.
Premier Ocean Villa Bathroom
The bathroom allows you to enjoy both indoor and outdoor showers. It has a large soaking bathtub by the window, large enough for two people, so you can relish a relaxing bubble bath. It felt fantastic. I enjoyed the bath salt, incense, and candles provided near the bath for those special moments.
The bathroom has a relaxing ambiance and is amazingly spacious. It has toiletries, bathrobes, towels, luxury soaps, sanitizer, etc. There are mirrors fixed over the sinks. There is a full-size mirror perfect for capturing your entire outfit. The bathroom is well-lit due to the natural light and is supported by artificial lights.
Premier Ocean Villa Private Pool & Gazebo
One of the most remarkable features of getting the premier ocean view villa is access to a private infinity pool facing the ocean. Exotic flowers and trees cover the plunge pool on one side. It is not huge, but I found it large enough to do a few laps.
The room has an additional living area in the form of a thatched-roof pavilion (gazebo) in the garden area. The pavilion has the perfect balance to capture the sunlight and a shaded area. The overall environment complements the serenity you are looking for when on vacation. It provides a cozy space to spend time with your partner or kids, enjoy breakfast, or even sunbathe. I enjoyed the pool and the garden so much that I spent most of my time relaxing in the garden!
The photo below is the view from the villa pool at sunset. And it is without any filters! The colors were absolutely magical!
What Villa Type to Choose at Four Seasons Jimbaran, Bali?
The entry-level room at the Four Seasons Jimbaran Resort and Spa in Bali is the garden villa. Then you have the Jimbaran Bay villa, and the higher-end villa is the premier ocean villa.
All the villas have a similar layout and size. The main difference between the villa types is their location in the resort’s proximity to the ocean and their sea view.
The garden villas have no or limited sea view. The deluxe and premier villas also have a slightly larger pool, but that’s a minimal difference. So, if you plan to spend a lot of time in your villa and enjoy being close to the ocean, it is worth upgrading to a premier ocean villa. I loved every minute on the terrace, watching the waves crashing down below and the birds playing in the garden.
For families, they also have 2-bedroom villas, but I didn’t see those. This 4 seasons hotel in bali offers options for various group sizes.
Four Seasons Bali Dining: Restaurants & Experiences
Breakfast at Sundara Beach Club
Breakfast is offered on the upstairs terrace of Sundara Beach Club. It provides the most fantastic view of Jimbaran Bay. This is a highlight of the Four Seasons Bali dining experience.
It is à la carte and offers a wide choice of eggs, healthy options, and more consistent dishes. The menu is below.
The quality of the food is high. I appreciated the freshly squeezed fruit juices. The tea selection is interesting. I adored their Macha green tea, as it was not too bitter.
Tip: Breakfast is advertised from 6:30 to 10:00 am, but they are not strict on the timing. I was there until 10:45 am, and they were still serving a few tables.
Unfortunately, the area allows smoking. The table next to me was chain-smoking, with the wind blowing its smoke toward me, which was unpleasant. It might be good to have a section exclusively for smokers, as most other hotels do.
Jimbaran Beach Barbecue at Sundara Restaurant
Jimbaran luxury beach barbecue is one of the must-do activities in Bali. Tourists can go to Jimbaran beach around sunset and eat freshly caught seafood grilled just for them. The beach is usually overcrowded, with thousands of tourists sitting on it.
Few people know that the Four Seasons offers its take on the Jimbaran barbecue dinner at its signature Four Seasons Jimbaran restaurant, Sundara. The Sundara restaurant seating area is much more stylish and spacious. The pool and waterlily pond create a gorgeous sunset reflection.
Sundara restaurant offers a set BBQ menu that is surprisingly affordable. You can choose three main courses: fish, seafood, meat, and vegetarian. The menu is below:
My favorite dish was the spicy feta gnocchi. The flavors packed into them were incredible, so don’t overlook the vegetarian options even if you go there for the seafood. It’s worth noting that the portions are large, and I ended up with too much food.
Tip: Sundara beach club restaurant is open to the public and booking is advisable.
Besides the barbecue, you can also see their all-day menu here.
Service Quality at Four Seasons Jimbaran
Beyond the understated elegance, many people continually return to Four Seasons luxury beach resorts because of the service quality. And the Four Seasons Jimbaran didn’t disappoint. The service was flawless. My needs were often anticipated, and everything I requested was delivered promptly and with a smile. The service also felt personal, with many people addressing me by name.
Activities & Facilities at Four Seasons Jimbaran
I enjoyed my villa so much that I did very few activities while at the Four Seasons Bali. I spent my days between my private ocean-facing pool, the beach club pool, and the spa… It was pure and total relaxation.
Weekly Activities Schedule
As is customary for Four Seasons hotels, guests are offered weekly activities. Compared to other Four Seasons hotels I have stayed at, the complimentary activities were very limited and not inspiring, so I didn’t do any during my stay. They only offered three complimentary yoga classes per week, and those were all in the afternoon.
You can see the schedule of activities during my stay below.
Watersports Centre
The water sports center is located on the beach, past the Sundara beach club. It offers complimentary kayaks and paddleboards. The center also has a hobby cat for guests, but it was out of order during my stay.
The Gym
The Four Seasons Jimbaran has a gym. It is not the biggest gym in Bali, but it has a few high-quality machines to keep you moving if that is what you want to do during your holiday.
Spa Review: Healing Village at Four Seasons Jimbaran
The Four Seasons Jimbaran has developed a whole healing village. It is big and beautiful and shows you how serious the Four Seasons Jimbaran is about the Spa experience. Make sure you don’t miss it during your stay at this exceptional luxury resort’s Bali property!
The treatment list is innovative, focusing on light and sound healing.
They even have a soundproof room with a massage bed covered by warm stones and gold! The Four Seasons Jimbaran spa is at the forefront of healing technologies as sound therapy is increasingly viewed as a therapeutic modality ( with many scientific studies to back it up). In the sound room, they do sound and color therapy sessions. Just entering the room felt weird, and I already felt more relaxed.
I did the Baru Detox treatment, a 135-minute treatment that includes a scrub. The body brushing woke up my skin. I was then covered in a citrus oil and clay wrap with detoxification powders and wrapped in warm blankets.
The massage table is hyper-advanced. It is heated and moves in all directions, like a first-class plane seat. So the therapist can quickly put your body in the most comfortable position.
During the wrap, the spa therapist did a mini facial. I was then treated to a Vichy shower to rinse off. The Vichy shower is covered by color lights ( chromotherapy) representing the Chakras. The water flowing over my body was super relaxing. Still, I was a bit skeptical about the chakra lights because they were not positioned above my chakra body.
The massage was divine, and I wanted to stay on the massage bed forever. I left absolutely relaxed, with my skin soft and glowing!
The Four Seasons Resort and Spa is not cheap, especially compared to other spas in Bali, but it is worth it. It is one of the best spas I have ever been to, and you must try it at least once!
Tip: arrive a bit early to use the steam room. It will relax your muscles even more before the spa treatment.
Exploring Beyond the Resort: Bali Day Trips
The Four Seasons Jimbaran is hard to leave, but if you want to explore Bali, you will find a lot to discover. Here is a suggestion for some awesome day trips you can take from the hotel:
- Snorkel with manta Rays in Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. These are islands to the south of Bali. You might even get to snorkel with Manta Rays if you are lucky. For more info and booking, check here.
Tip: The sea is the strongest on full moon and 1 or 2 days after the full moon so if you get seasick, time your trip to avoid those days
- Visit the Uluwatu temple and attend a Kecak fire dance. This is located about 30 minutes from the hotel. You can book it here
- Take a full-day tour of Bali and see the most Instagram-friendly spots. This tour gets great reviews and you can book it here.
I have also written guides about visiting East Bali, central Bali, and the best restaurants in Ubud.
And if you have more time and want to escape for a few days, check out North Bali. Few tourists make it to North Bali, but it is delightful, where waterfalls, volcanos, and dolphins await the more adventurous travelers. You can find beachfront private pool villas like Villa Seaview or Samastiti Villa in Lovina and they offer great value for money.
Frequently Asked Questions about Four Seasons Bali at Jimbaran Bay
Where is the Four Seasons in Bali located?
The Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay is located directly on Jimbaran Beach in the Jimbaran area of South Bali, Indonesia.
What is the closest airport to Four Seasons Bali at Jimbaran Bay?
The closest airport to Four Seasons Bali is Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Denpasar, Bali. Depending on traffic, it’s approximately a 20-minute drive away.
What are the villas like at Four Seasons Jimbaran?
The resort comprises private villas featuring traditional Balinese architecture, a private plunge pool, outdoor living areas (gazebos), lush gardens, and luxurious indoor amenities including comfortable bedding and spacious bathrooms with soaking tubs.
What is the dining like at Four Seasons Jimbaran?
Four Seasons Bali dining options include the Sundara Beach Club & Restaurant (a popular Four seasons Jimbaran restaurant), offering breakfast with stunning bay views and a renowned Jimbaran seafood BBQ dinner. Other options may be available. The quality is generally high, though experiences can vary.
Is Four Seasons Jimbaran a good choice for luxury travel in Bali?
Yes, it is widely considered one of the top luxury resorts Bali offers. Its combination of private pool villas, exceptional service, beautiful Balinese design, extensive spa facilities, and prime beachfront location makes it ideal for Bali luxury travel, honeymoons, and relaxing holidays.
Conclusion: Four Seasons Bali Review Summary
It is easy to see why the Four Seasons Bali is considered one of the best hotels in Bali. Its fragrant garden, charming villas, private pool, outstanding spa, and excellent service are recipes for a relaxing vacation. This detailed Four Seasons Bali review confirms its status as a top choice among luxury resorts in Bali. I enjoyed my villa so much that I found it hard to go out and explore the area and the magic of Bali! The Four Seasons Resort Jimbaran truly delivers an exceptional experience.
Four Seasons Jimbaran: Pros & Cons Summary
- Pros: Beautiful Balinese architecture and lush grounds, luxurious private pool villas, direct access to Jimbaran Beach, exceptional and personalized service, outstanding spa (Healing Village), high-quality breakfast, unique dining experiences (Sundara BBQ), convenient airport proximity.
- Cons: Main pool at Sundara can get busy with outside guests, limited complimentary activities schedule, some villas might lack complete privacy if near pathways, smoking allowed in some outdoor dining areas.
For more beach resorts in Bali, read my reviews of the Oberoi Semyniak, the Mulia resort, the Sofitel Nusa Dua, and the Six Senses Bali
