The Legian Seminyak

On the beach at Seminyak is one of Bali’s most stylish hotels, the Legian. This is a more contemporary and urbane take on the Balinese resort, going easy on the island atmosphere with interiors that wouldn’t look out of place in a big-city boutique hotel. And though honeymooners are of course welcome, the Legian is a bit different in another way as well: an emphasis on public spaces means you may actually find yourself in contact with your fellow travelers, rather than simply holed up in your own private villa.

Instead of a collection of private bungalows, the Legian offers suites, clustered around the hotel’s nexus, a three-tiered swimming pool surrounded by umbrella-shaded decks and manicured gardens. If it sounds a bit more Melrose Place than Survivor perhaps it is; you’ll have every opportunity for privacy within the confines of your strikingly minimal parquet-floored suite, but if you believe that a hotel is meant, on some level, to be a social experience, then you’ll appreciate the public nature of life at the Legian.

For those in the mood for a little more privacy, there’s The Club, eleven villas enclosed in private compounds, complete with individual swimming pools and butler service.

There’s 24-hour room service for the shy, and two lounges and a bustling restaurant for the more social among us. This stretch of Seminyak Beach offers unparalleled views to the west over the Indian Ocean — sunset at the poolside lounge is a spectacle that’s not to be missed.