The St. Regis Bali Resort – Review

Do you remember the first time that you fell in love and what a special moment that was? When everything seemed so exciting, unique and exhilarating and you were so full of anticipation as to what wonderful things were about to happen to you next. Well we have to confess we are totally smitten and head over heels in love with St. Regis Bali in Nusa Dua. This love affair started as we drove through the very impressive Rainforest Gate with its blue lighting and hanging roots from tropical plants. It continued as we were assaulted by the perfect beauty of the resort and cemented by the wonderful facilities, graciousness of the service and world class cuisine.

Following swift and efficient check-in procedures, we were shown to our St. Regis Suite which was mind blowingly beautiful. It comprised an entrance hallway with mini-bar facilities, large office and lounge area, walk in dressing room with a well lit mirrored wall, a huge and very comfortable bed, an outside balcony patio area complete with easy chairs and table and a supremely modernistic bathroom with free standing bath, his and her sinks and a separate shower. In addition to this there was every conceivable amenity that one could expect from a high class holiday resort. These included two flat screen TVs, one of which you could watch whilst in the bath, a Bose ipod docking system, free and efficient wifi, fresh fruit and flowers which were continually replaced and Cempaka flowers placed by your bedside at night to enhance a good night`s sleep. One of the outstanding qualities of this resort is the attention to even the minutest detail to ensure that each guest`s wishes are more than catered for. During our visit we had the opportunity to view a whole range of the outstanding accommodation available. We marvelled at the Presidential Suite, were amazed by the Gardenia, Lagoon and Strand (Sea View) Villas and the overall quality of every room that we saw. Our impression was that the whole resort encapsulates a timeless elegance that in our opinion sets it above any other hotel experience that we have ever had. The outstanding signature equipment was enjoyed by all rooms and, wherever you stay, you will enjoy the same unique and amazing facilities.

To modify an old saying `if food be the music of love` then the restaurants at St. Regis Bali play a `symphony of sheer pleasure and delights` led and conducted by their executive chef Oscar Perez.
The first movement in this symphony is the already world renowned breakfast in the beautiful Boneka Restaurant. The word Boneka means puppet and as you feast upon one of the world`s best breakfasts you are smiled down upon by the life sized Wayang Puppets placed high above the centre of the restaurant. Your taste buds will be tantalised by dishes such as; river lobster egg omelette with lobster bisque and wild arugula leaves, Wagyu beef tenderloin with fried eggs, slow baked cherry tomatoes and baby potatoes, fried eggs and seared duck foie gras, scrambled egg white tian, eggs Benedict and the signature egg nouvelle. In addition to this there is a world class international breakfast buffet and regular visits by chefs to your table bringing you tempting tasty delicacies to sample. Without doubt this was the best breakfast experience we have ever had.
The second movement in this beautiful symphony of food is lunch at the Gourmand Deli, a delicatessen located in the centre of the resort, showcasing the very finest of imported food and beverages. Here you can enjoy the most amazing selection of cheeses, cold meats, caviar, freshly baked pastries, cakes and sandwiches, washed down with premium wines and champagne. In addition to this there is an extensive hot food selection to tempt even the most discerning diners. I enjoyed the finest nasi goreng and slow braised beef ribs bourguignon with bacon, mushrooms, pearl onions and mashed potatoes whilst my wife feasted upon the pan roasted red snapper with sauce meuniere, new potatoes, fresh lemon and parsley, oven dried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts.

The final movement was the meal of a lifetime enjoyed at the award winning Kayuputi restaurant. This elegant restaurant is located adjacent to the beautiful beach and affords wonderful views of the stunning Balinese sunset. Guests can enjoy the very best in fine dining in this intimate and romantic setting. Our journey to this wonderfully pleasurable culinary experience began with an amuse-bouche of carpaccio of beef. It really was an almost impossible job to choose from the very impressive and extensive menu. I opted for the hotel`s signature dish aptly named `cold experience` and `hot experience`. The `cold experience` entree comprised a selection of chilled sashimi with Tasmanian salmon, yellow fin tuna, sweet shrimps, fresh shucked Washington oysters and Hamachi with soy citrus dip, wasabi and pickled ginger. This was followed by my `hot experience` which was grilled half Balinese lobster, miso marinated butter fish wrapped in oba leaf, squid satay and king prawn tempuras with coconut milk, kaffir lime chilli dip, garlic dill aioli and preserved lemon chutney. My wife chose the Alaskan king crab meat and tomato maki rolls, with melon and konbu salad, wasabi emulsion and light soy liquid. For her main course she had free range chicken breast from the wood stone oven with pan seared foie gras, on leg of chicken confit, king oyster mushrooms and savoy cabbage maki roll with a thyme jus. Our final dish, the totally irresistible and delectable Chocolate – Amedei, was an explosion of chocolate encompassing all kinds of different flavours and textures. The restaurant has again won a coveted and prestigious award by the world known Wine Spectator Magazine. This quality of product was demonstrated by the fine New Zealand wine, recommended by the sommelier, that we enjoyed during the meal. It would be no exaggeration to say that this was a culinary adventure featuring the artistry of highly skilled chefs producing food that can be best described as a portrait on a plate and a unique work of art.

We also had the opportunity to visit the beautiful Reméde Spa which without doubt is an opulent sanctuary of indulgence and relaxation. Customized treatments are available to suit individual needs and a Reméde Spa therapist will tailor your massage using speciality products and techniques essential to your ultimate relaxation and rejuvenation. We opted for a 60 minute Reméde Customized Massage and, following cool refreshing towels and lovely iced mango tea, were shown to our double therapy room complete with soft lighting, relaxing music and a blue moon and butterflies ambience. We enjoyed 60 minutes of sheer unadulterated pleasure and relaxation as our therapists used a variety of methods including Shiatsu, Swedish and Deep tissue, enhanced with warm paraffin, to give us the most complete massage we have ever had. Whether you seek relief for overexerted muscles or simply want to let your mind and body escape reality this is definitely the place for you.
The St. Regis Bali seems to have every conceivable facility that anyone could ever wish for in a luxury holiday destination. In addition to its 3668 sq metres of swimming lagoon, it boasts close proximity to one of the finest beaches in Bali, has numerous other business and leisure facilities and even has its own chapel so that couples can get married on site and enjoy a wonderful honeymoon in the ultimate romantic honeymoon destination. Every evening there is an amazing `fire dance` performed at 6.30 pm to entertain the guests whilst at the same time lighting the myriad of open flame lanterns that spectacularly light the resort at night.
The memories of our brief love affair with the St. Regis in Bali will stay with us forever. It is simply a unique and special place full of wonderful people and amazing, life changing experiences. We will always remember our few days in this beautiful oasis with great affection and long for the day when we can return.