AYANA Resort Bali

Bali is gorgeous enough at sea level that one can’t help but feel slightly guilty at the splendor of AYANA’s clifftop views. But once in a while a (literal) change in perspective is exactly what’s called for. Some of you may know the AYANA Resort Bali from its past life as a Ritz-Carlton, and while its name has changed, it still inhabits the same lofty heights of luxury.

The rooms and suites are lavish enough, but it’s in the villas that AYANA really spreads its wings — each spans thousands of square feet, and there’s a plunge pool seemingly around every corner. The design is intentionally a bit understated, contemporary but far from revolutionary, so as not to overwhelm the natural setting, either with island kitsch or with design heroics. And what a natural setting it is — the views range from dramatic to even more dramatic, the question being not whether you’re looking over the cliff, but how precipitously.

As you might expect, the spa experience here is decidedly high-end, and it’s not the end of the leisure offerings by any means. There are pools at the bottom and the top of the cliff, and all manner of physical diversions, from fitness facilities to mountain biking to golf. And should the seven restaurants somehow grow repetitious, AYANA offers an almost unreasonably lavish selection of private dining options — we challenge our guests to stump them with a location or a demand they can’t handle.