The W Retreat and Spa Bali – Seminyak

One of the latest additions to the Seminyak hotel family just happens to be opulent to the extreme. The W Retreat and Spa Bali is located on Jalan Petitenget and overlooks the ocean but it’s the hotel’s ambience and décor that has everyone talking about this new addition. If a hotel can boast having eco-merit for building on an existing resort and serve only imported bottled water then you can guarantee the price tag per night to stay there is beyond budget travellers.

I read about this hotel in the Age newspaper this morning and was totally blown away with the description of the décor. According to the article, Finished in silver and granite, with splashes of fuchsia, lilac and gold, the lobby looks more like a space-age airport terminal than a beach resort, and, The lower-category rooms fan out above the lobby, each with views over the multi-level WET area and Indian Ocean from their balconies. The more expensive rooms are in a different corner of the property; these gated villas have a private pool and ample living space.

None are cheap; the base category rooms cost from $US423.50 ($397.40) for a garden view without breakfast (add $US60 for this), jumping to $US6100 for the two-bedroom “Extreme Wow” suite.