Alila Villas Uluwatu

We were welcomed like no other resort I have ever been to. They are professional, friendly and you can see the staff love working there. We got to know Rudy who gave me a hug when we left. He truely welcomed us like a long lost friend. and we will miss him and his warmth. he is the underlying heart of the place which all other staff feed off. Truly amazing experience.

Fresh off from our stay at Mandapa Reserve, our final pitstop on our Balinese vacation in the 2-bedroom Cliff Edge Villa at Alila Uluwatu was however stunningly disappointing, given the Insta-worthy photos that we often see online & given the almost similar price points comparable to Mandapa & other top-tier properties on the island. Pre-stay expectations were naturally high, but we left awfully disappointed. Firstly, compliment is due to the reservation online team who handled our pre-arrival queries & requests promptly & efficiently. Our bookings for airport transfer & dinner reservation at The Warung were promptly executed. However, our pleasant experience at Alila Uluwatu ended rather prematurely at pre-check in. 1. Check-in arrival at Alila Uluwatu On the day of check-in, we arrived at Alila Uluwatu in a convoy of 2 vehicles. My mother & sister, together with our four suitcases, arrived first at the hotel. While waiting for my delayed arrival in the second vehicle & for my authorisation to check in (as the reservation is under my name), several staff members attempted to load our suitcases into a hotel car without verifying the owner’s identity or against any relevant booking details. My sister had to intervene, after which the suitcases were returned back to the lobby, amidst confused look among the staff members. Wondering if the staff members were ever trained to handle guests’ belongings in a professional & organised manner. In addition, unlike many other properties we had stayed at in Bali, the welcome reception at Alila Uluwatu was sadly lacking, more so at a supposedly top-tier property like Alila Uluwatu. On their early arrival, my mother & sister noticed that there was a lack of staff members to attend to the guests at the main entrance. Also, a seemingly senior staff member (Caucasian lady) was present at the lobby, but despite making eye contact, she neither made any attempt to greet nor smile at us, nor to the other guests. Such a disappointing first impression, when a senior staff could behave in such a lackadaisical manner that would not stand as a good example of leadership for other staff at the property. Incidentally, this senior staff was sighted on other occasions during our stay, and in similar fashion, not a single smile & an ounce of friendliness befitting a staff of Alila Uluwatu. Certainly not the expected reception we were expecting from an establishment like Alila Uluwatu. What a stark contrast in service quality when compared to the superb welcoming reception we had experienced at Mandapa Reserve. No apologies for the comparison as we were utterly pampered by the superb team at Mandapa Reserve. 2. Two-Bedroom Cliff Edge Villa Upon being ushered to our villa by our butler, the villa was visually stunning with its wide expanse of space, much like what we have seen online. However, everything else inside began to show its age, to unravel the lack of maintenance of the inner hardware & finishings. The remote controls for the air-conditioning units in our bedrooms were not functioning, and we had to request for them to be fixed. What would have been a basic item that guests would use during their stay, such item should be in proper working condition prior to guest check-in. Secondly, one of the wood panels on a drawer (where the safe deposit box was located) in the third bedroom of the villa fell off its hinges to the floor, barely missing hitting my foot. Clearly a hazard to any guest & upon closer inspection across the entire villa, the wood panels were definitely showing their age. Why is the Management not looking into this to ensure the comfort, aesthetics & safety of their guests, while still continuing to charge premium rates? Thirdly, cleanliness of the deck chairs by the villa pool & within the outdoor cabana can be improved. Oil stains & dark stains should be cleaned up. Also, broken & unhinged wood panels of the outdoor cabana should be attended to prevent untoward incidents. 3. Breakfast at Cire Overall, breakfast service at Cire was extremely slow, given that the restaurant was not filled with guests. A simple pot of peppermint tea or a glass of mango juice took more than 20 minutes to be served, and that was just the drinks. The ordered dishes took unreasonably long waiting time to be served as well. Unsurprisingly, when reading online reviews of the breakfast service from other guests, the slow service delivery has been a consistent issue at Cire. Perhaps this calls for urgent immediate attention to systemic service issues at Cire? Or does the Management think this is not an issue? 4. Dinner at The Warung All is not lost from our stay at Alila Uluwatu as the service staff at The Warung were pleasant & attentive during our dining experience there. The only drawback from our experience was the somewhat limited menu spread during the ‘Pasar Malam’ evening, where there could have been a larger selection of food stalls. Lastly, in comparison to the high standards of service & personal attention we had experienced in Mandapa Reserve & even during our previous stay at your sister property, Alila Seminyak, our stay at Alila Uluwatu was regrettably underwhelming. Another interesting observation we had from our stay at Alila Uluwatu was the somewhat inconsistent service that was extended to Asian guests compared to Caucasian guests, where the latter were more likely than not, to be accorded better & more attentive service than one who is an Asian guest. As a loyal Hyatt member, and one who is passionate towards this brand of hotels, the shortcomings arising from our stay at Alila Uluwatu were glaringly obvious. Putting aside the high price points & perceived prestige of Alila Uluwatu, just based off the service quality & standards we had experienced during our stay, any other ‘lesser’ & ‘lower priced’ establishments could have easily met or surpassed Alila Uluwatu’s standard of service. In terms of value of money, Alila Uluwatu certain ain’t it. I do hope that Alila Uluwatu would take this review constructively, and to ensure improved & more consistent service quality for future guests, one that is synonymous with the Alila & Hyatt brands.

From when we checked in, to our last farewell, the staff were fantastic. We have never stayed anywhere so special. From the private pool to the restaurants, food, entertainment, we couldn't fault it.

Victoria, Bila and Henry are godsent and super awesome. They moved hell and heaven to made our stay as enjoyable and smooth as possible. They even anticipated our toddlers health, hygiene, toys and meal needs in advance. They even lent us lots of baby items sterilizer, humidifier, animal floaties, kids puzzles & cuddle toys, kids toilet seats and even mini stepping ladder for our kids who are learning to wash hands by themselves! Bravo, Vici & team!

The most wonderful experience. One of a lifetime. Felt genuinely cared for. Amazing, beautiful property and service that exceeds in every conceivable level. A masterclass in how to value your guests and provide a truly unbelievable experience. Thank you.