Viceroy Bali: One of The Best Luxury Hotels in Bali

Viceroy Bali, owned by the Syrowatka family, is an independent boutique luxury resort that is still to this day managed by the owning family. Set in the heart of Ubud, Viceroy Bali features 25 private pool villas and offers privacy and unparalleled views of the valley.

This family-owned property has won multiple awards in recent years and was on my bucket list of Balinese hotels to stay in for a long time! To be one of the best-ranked resorts in a country where tourism is their main industry, and resorts are everywhere- that’s something special. On a recent trip to Bali, we decided to see if the Viceroy, the number one ranked resort in Ubud, and a constant winner of Condé Nast Traveler awards lived up to its megastar-level hype.

The hotel is set on the sunrise side of a lush hillside that’s three miles from sights such as the sacred Ubud Monkey Forest and Ubud Palace, which are reachable anytime with the free shuttle service. It’s 24 miles through rice fields and quaint villages to Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Viceroy Bali is a luxury, exclusive property that offers views over the so-called Valley of the Kings.  Viceroy has spacious villas that come with flat-screen TVs, minibars, and private pools and some have garden gazebos. It is interesting that here you will find a private helipad on-site, but if you are planning to travel, as usual, the hotel provides airport transfers from Airport in Denpasar.

Viceroy Bali has 2 restaurants. The first one Cascades is a Balinese restaurant that offers panoramic views over the Valley of the Kings.  The second restaurant is called Apéritif which offers refined global cuisine at its finest – all the while integrating Indonesia’s exceptional culinary diversity.

Near Cascade Restaurant there is an Infinity pool that features a floating deck and cabanas. The two-level spa in Viceroy Bali includes a hot tub, pool, and hair salon.  There is also a modern gym and private yoga sessions available. This is not everything – here you will find a conference room for business meetings and a private theater for up to 15 people on-site.

Service is top-notch from start to finish, with reception, room service, spa therapists, and more succeeding in making each guest feel like a king or queen. For a small hotel, the property has a lot going on. The hilltop infinity pool with a swim-up bar and a waterfall is a natural gathering place on balmy Bali days, and it’s easy to lose track of time in the adjacent garden, featuring lounge areas and palms.

Polished suites and villas add to the hotel’s stately ambiance, with marble bathrooms, plush daybeds, and bright carvings of traditional masks. Stepping through sliding doors onto the deck with a private heated infinity pool, overwater bale lounge area with cushy pillows and spectacular valley views is enough to make you want to move right in. Espresso machines and minibars are on hand, but the 24-hour room service menu is quite extensive for more substantial cravings. Other highlights are turndown service, where miniature gifts are left nightly, plus chic slippers and kimono-style robes.

We stayed at the deluxe terrace villa! With its spacious 150 square meters and a beautiful infinity pool overlooking the lush green jungle, this is a place to unwind and relax. The many thoughtful design features transform it into the ideal couples’ villa. What I loved was the smart sound and TV system in the room.

You can connect your Phone to the sound system and play your favorite music while chilling in the traditional outdoor balé seating area or the pool. The TV lets you connect to Netflix for the perfect movie night.

Our Terrace Villa is designed with modern features whilst retaining Balinese authenticity, and has an infinity pool overlooking the jungle ravine with a suspended traditional Balinese bale hanging over the edge of the villa over the ravine – probably some of Bali’s most spectacular bales. The villas can be linked via the terrace to make a two-bedroom family villa. The key difference between the Deluxe Terrace Villa and the Terrace Villas are the orientation of the outdoor bale and the size of the private pool.

I have mentioned this before, but all pools, private and common, at Viceroy Bali are heated. In Ubud, which is naturally elevated, in a valley and blanketed in foliage often making the temperature much cooler than by the coast, the pools can get chilly (as they also see little in the way of sunlight). They have somehow managed to ensure that pools are heated to a comfortable temperature, which is something even some of Bali’s more famous resorts have struggled with.

The pool area was my favorite place to be. It makes you feel like being somewhere between Malibu and Bali. The infinity pool is overlooking the lush jungle and the white pool chairs give it that classy and luxurious feeling. When you turn around you look at stunning white colonial restaurant buildings and many palm trees.

The main infinity pool at Viceroy Bali is one of Ubud’s and Bali’s most iconic, with an infinity edge overlooking the panoramic views of the Petanu Valley and tropical forest, where you can occasionally spot monkeys on the other side. However, as the only common pool at the resort, it is not very big and can get quite packed in the afternoon.

Viceroy Bali

Guests may choose to have breakfast at the Cascades, which has an absolutely beautiful view of the valley in daylight, or guests can pay an additional fee to have an in-room breakfast at the villa. Guests start the breakfast with a mixed fruit smoothie (which varies daily and is something we looked forward to each morning!) and pastry. The extensive choices from the a la carte menu also offer some excellent dishes, and we strongly recommend the coconut rice pudding and french toast.

Know before you go: A small hotel means not a very large restaurant and tables book up quickly, especially if there is a traditional Balinese dance performance being offered. Reservations are necessary as CasCades is quite popular and just because you’re a guest at the hotel doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a table.

Viceroy Bali is not adult-only, which is a bit of a shame given the luxurious setting. Not a deal breaker for everyone, but know that there is the possibility of noise from toddlers around the hotel grounds even though you’ve paid top dollar and are guaranteed privacy and peace.

To ensure you enjoy the best weather Ubud has to offer visit between July and September, the driest time of year. January and February receive the most rain which can limit activities and sightseeing, but the rainy season runs from November to June. It can be extremely humid during this time and is the least popular for tourists. Temperatures remain fairly constant given the proximity to the equator, with temperatures of between 28 and 34°C for most of the year, although an occasional fall to around 22°C isn’t uncommon during the wet season.

What I noticed throughout the hotel was the consistent branding and neatness of everything. This hotel has been planned in such detail and I really didn’t find one thing I didn’t like there. Of course, the Viceroy is more expensive but it’s worth it. For a special holiday or honeymoon, it is the place to visit in Bali!