I spent 3 days at Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali, in May. It is one of the few hotels in Bali that stayed open during the crisis. Read on for my general review of the Six Senses Bali as well as my impression of what it feels like to travel during the Coronavirus
Getting to the Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali.
The Six senses is located in the southernmost part of Bali. It is a mere 30 minutes drive from the airport so very convenient if you are coming to Bali for just a few days.
I came from villa Seaview near Air sanih in the North of Bali. So it was a long drive that took over 3 hours.
I was in Bali before all the travel lockdowns started and decided to ride the coronavirus here. I stayed in a beautiful and isolated villa Seaview and had been self-isolating in the house for 8 weeks. You can find more info about the villa here. As the coronavirus situation in Bali seemed mostly under control, I decided it was time to go for a minivacation and the six senses seemed like a good and safe option.
A car from Six Senses Uluwatu came to pick me up at 9 am and we drove through the whole island. I felt weird to go out of the house after 8 weeks. We drove through many villages in North Bali where life seemed almost normal. I was impressed that most of the people seemed to be wearing masks and water stations for hand washing have appeared everywhere.
Ubud and the south of Bali were much quieter with most of the shops and restaurants targeted to tourists still closed. It had an eery feeling.
Checking in the Six Senses Uluwatu
We arrived around 12:30.
As we crossed the hotel security, an officer did the normal car security check. What was different this time is that he took my temperature.
The resort is built along a cliff and the lobby is at the top of the cliff. The view from the lobby goes out to the sea and is stunning. There were very few customers in the hotel. I was told they were running at 10 percent occupancy.
My check-in was very swift with no other customers’ in sight. I was given a drink of Jammu (a Balinese mediational drink) and a few delicious cookies.
I and my luggage were then transferred into a golf cart and we were on our way to the villa
The Six senses Uluwatu resort and its infrastructure
As we were driving down the curvy lane, I realized how massive and built up the Six Senses resort actually is. There are over 100 rooms. Most of them are little villas with a private pool. Given the cliffside location, all the rooms have a beautiful sea view.
What surprised me however is that we could not hear the sea. The cliff is so tall that even if you are by the side of the cliff, you can’t hear the ocean. I was coming from villa Seaview by the sea in North Bali where the pool falls into the sea and had gotten addicted to the sound of the wave so that was a bit of a disappointment.
The main area of the resort is by the cliff. There you will find the restaurants, bars, spa, gym, library, boutique, and the main pool.
The main pool is simply stunning. Imagine a huge infinity pool right by the cliff. No-one could tell me the length of the pool but I would guess it was at least 100 meters long. Most of the time, I had that huge pool to myself and it was an amazing place to do laps.
The lounge chairs by the pool are plush and comfortable. Service was flawless with water and towels brought up each time I arrived. Worth noting that the umbrellas are not moveable so at some time of the day it was difficult to get shade (and the resort is facing South)
The pool is surrounded by the Roka and Crudo restaurants. The Roka Bar has a great location and sea view.
I didn’t get to try the spa. The gym was unimpressive. It was relatively small and didn’t have a sea view so I didn’t use it. The equipment looked clean and modern though so you can keep your workout routine while there.
The garden is beautifully landscaped with a lot of bougainvillea and other exotic plants. My only complaint would be that the resort is too built up with rows upon rows of Villa. I understand that land in Bali is getting expensive and most new hotels in Bali are overbuilt. But as the six senses resorts promote sustainability, I would have appreciated a bit more space left to nature and gardens like at the Six Senses Con Dao
The activities at Six Senses Uluwatu
Six senses usually have a weekly program of activities to keep guests entertained. I was looking forward to it (especially since I had stayed home for 8 weeks before that)
I was a bit disappointed to see that little activities were organized that week which is understandable given the low occupancy of the resort. The only activity on offer was the outdoor cinema.
The cinema is located on the right of the main pool and is totally breath-taking. I was alone so I could choose the movie from a list of about 40 movies. I loved every moment of it. Don’t miss it!
While in Bali, don’t miss exploring the island. You can read about day trips to East, West, North and even the center of Bali here.
The cliffside villa room review at Six senses Uluwatu
I stayed in the cliffside villa 36. Most of the villas at Six senses Uluwatu are one-bedrooms cliffside villas. They are quite modern and pleasantly laid out. Calling them “villa” is maybe an exaggeration because it is basically a bedroom and a large bathroom and a terrace with a pool.
The room is very well designed and comfortable. The style is “zen chic” and reminded me more of the Alila brand than the other Six Senses I have stayed at before.
The room is full of automation. You can control everything from the bed (except the pool and garden lights which are automatic so you can’t turn them off yourself). I don’t understand why hotels invest so much in-room automation. I personally find it annoying. For some reason, on my last day, the radio came on at 6:15 AM and the same song played 3 or 4 times. I never found out how to turn it off but fortunately, it turned off by itself.
The bathroom is the highlight of the room. There are 2 outdoor showers, 1 indoor shower and a great bathtub from where to relax with a pool and sea view. There is also a Japanese style toilet that stays warm the whole time. I am not sure how these fit with six senses eco-friendly values.
The pool is on the small size but big enough for a bit of swimming and I really enjoyed alternating my days between the privacy of the room pool and the splendor of the main cliffside pool.
My only regret is that the villas are too close to each other and I could hear the people staying in the villa next to me.
TIP1: if you want more privacy on your terrace, avoid the rooms near the central staircase.
TIP 2: the best villas are located at the bottom of the resort. Nearer the cliff and facilities of the resort. The lower you are, the easier it will be to climb up to your room after a visit to the restaurants or the spa.
If you are traveling with a group or family, there are 2- and 3-bedrooms villas available. The presidential villa looks stunning.
Review of the food at Six senses Uluwatu
As can be expected from Six Senses, the food was very good.
Due to the low occupation of the hotel, only the Roka restaurant was open.
It is a large restaurant with a view of the cliff and an indoor and outdoor area.
The breakfast was a la carte as there were not enough customers to justify a buffet
It was a cloudy day so we could use the terrace and enjoy the Seaview.
TIP: If you don’t want sugar in your juices, mention it. My first juice was very sweet
Service was impeccable and the food tasty.
Worth noting that as a precaution for the coronavirus, they would take our temperature and give hand sanitizer before allowing entry to the restaurant
True to the Six senses habit, there was a free ice cream station. It is located near the library and the boutique. I enjoyed my daily ice cream to keep me fresh on my way climbing back to the room.
My impressions of traveling in Bali during the Coronavirus crisis
While we move to the “new normal” phase and learn to live with the virus, many people are wondering if travel can still be enjoyable.
While some changes are noticeable, it didn’t prevent me from really enjoying my stay at Six Senses Uluwatu. I view the measures of temperature checking, hand sanitizer, and extra cleaning as necessary to ensure everybody’s health and safety. The staff was all wearing facemask which sometimes made them harder to understand but it is in my opinion a small price to pay if it means we can still enjoy travel. After staying home in lockdown for so many weeks, traveling to a new destination feels like taking a breath of fresh air.
The tourism industry has been one of the hardest hit by the Coronavirus crisis so traveling during this time also provides an income to many people who need it right now. Balinese people are very proud and will not complain but many have been hit financially very hard.
The rate of Coronavirus infection in Bali is much lower than in many other countries so the risks are probably lower here than in your home country. What you need to be careful of is not to bring the virus to the destinations that you visit. I did get a quick test before traveling and I think it is a responsible thing to do.
I would also suggest avoiding crowded places and built up hotels. Staying in low-density hotels or private villas is probably the way to go for the next few months
With those precautions in mind, happy travel!
Conclusion
The Six Senses Uluwatu resort deserves praises for its great service and modern rooms with private sea view pools, The promotional rate due to Coronavirus is a great value (you need to book it directly with the hotel). I recommend the hotel to people coming to Bali for a few days who want a convenient and relaxing escape in Bali.
Be aware that the hotel feels much more built-up than the other six Senses resort and has little Balinese feel. You could be in a luxury hotel anywhere in the world. If you are looking for a beach hotel, it is also not the place for you as there is no beach access.
