Jimbaran Puri, A Belmond Hotel, Bali

On arrival we were upgraded to a beautiful one bedroom suite with large private pool. The staff can’t do enough for you, the surroundings are stunning, delicious food and wonderful spa treatments. Highly recommend

We've stayed at Belmond's Jimbaran Puri on and off since 1998. Nine times? Eleven? I've lost count. We saw it when it was a luxurious boutique beachfront hotel with 23 immaculate little cottages and flower-filled gardens, and a breakfast where the boss used to bend down to counter-level to check that the fresh croissants were perfectly aligned. And we've watched it mature into the gorgeous grande-dame of a residence that it is today, dominating this perfect stretch of Jimbaran Bay with assured elegance and a justifiable confidence in its status as the greatest of the truly authentic Balinese hotels in the south. Authenticity is the key to Jimbaran Puri's star quality. There's no Asian minimalism here where you want to litter the guestrooms with scatter cushions to stop the echoes. Instead there's a generosity in the oversized furnishings and the decor - thick batik fabric, ancient Javanese carvings, huge day beds, private gardens bursting with thankfully untamed hibiscus, frangipani, waterlilies, pisang. There's birdsong. There are squirrels; there are private pools if you're lucky enough to have a pool suite, where water gushes from traditional stone gargoyles' mouths into your own heavenly swimming pool. And these suites are jawdropping. I can't swear that every one is different as we haven't stayed in all of them (yet), but our last villa was perfect. The architecture is pure Balinese. Alang-alang thatched roofs, natural stone, varnished wood, golden bamboo. A long bungalow with a vast sitting room with a sofa that would seat eight at one end, and glass sliding doors to allow you to slip straight into your pool without the inconvenience of having to pad through to the main garden. Then wooden screen dividers create a study/dining area in the centre, and sliding hardwood doors to the bedroom. where your mosquito netted bed is so huge it warrants its own internal lights, electric sockets and shelves. The bathroom has a deep, long bath, a dressing area, two showers (one outdoors in the garden) and a separate loo. Toiletries are luxurious (as are the teas and coffees provided, and the bedtime pastries and flasks), and I promise you will never, ever, run out of fluffy towels. Outside in the garden there are deep, comfy pool beds, a lawn covered in falling blossom like confetti, a dining table and chairs, and a shady bale where you can sprawl out and play cards during the long hot afternoons. Then stroll down to the bar (or ask your butler for a ride) to grab a ringside seat for sunset: truly the greatest show on earth. There is the beachfront Nelayan restaurant as a dinner venue, which is lit with flaming torches and specialises in exquisite seafood (it costs a bit more than the Jimbaran fish cafes a short walk along the beach to be honest, but you're guaranteed freshness and hygiene). Along with the bar, it's also open for lunches. But there's a special place in my heart for the sociable breakfasts, at the restaurant at the top of the hotel, where you look out onto the decades-old waterlily pond, with its koi and its Java herons and its exquisitely flamboyant blooms as big as your head. And the silver-barked frangipani I've watched grow from a little tree you could pick flowers from by standing on your tiptoes into the magnificent two-storey goddess she is today. I remember some of the staff from the early days... Ari, Ladra... and they unblelievably seem to remember me with pleasure too. But the staff here are all uniformly welcoming - without being subservient. Friendly but not all over you. Every one you meet will 'see' you and acknowledge you and ensure that your time at Jimbaran is the part of your holiday that you'll want to remember and return to again. And again. And again.

A real luxury resort in Jimbaran. We stayed in a large self contained villa with its own pool within the extensive and beautifully maintained grounds. Dinner is served in the restaurant on the beach with nightly entertainment. The staff are discreet and service superb and there is an excellent spa with fantastic massages. You can see planes landing at the airport but you can't hear them. The hotel is a short taxi ride from the tourist shops for your Bali souvenirs.

This was our first stop on our first trip to Bali. Flight arrived at midnight, driver was there ready to fetch us and the check-in was so easy, as we expect from a Belmond property. The location is great, the service superb, and the tour & activity offerings were just right. Recommend the fish market tour and cooking class.

Everything was perfect for arriving and relaxing in Bali – smiles and good vibes everywhere, excellent service, and the best massage in Bali. A place full of warmth and tranquility. After all these years, it’s confirmed once again – Jimbaran Puri remains on our list of the best hotels!