Alila Villas Uluwatu Hotel Review
Nonstop Dan rating
Alila Villas Uluwatu
A clifftop villa experience that stays with you long after checkout, despite some shortcomings as the score suggests
What To Expect At Alila Villas Uluwatu?
Alila Villas Uluwatu is the most aesthetically pleasing hotel we have stayed at so far, and it comes with a price tag to match. It is worth it if you are coming for the villa, , the cliff views, and the quiet rather than for polished service or great food.
This is the third hotel in our Bali series, where we are comparing different levels of luxury properties to see what you actually get for the extra money. After the Sofitel Nusa Dua and the Apurva Kempinski, Alila Villas Uluwatu puts us in a completely different price class. The average nightly rate across the whole year is $845. The range runs from roughly $710 on the low end to $1,050 on the high end, setting aside the most extreme dates. We paid $800 for one night in a one-bedroom pool villa, which we were pretty pleased about, since it was high season and we still came in under the average.
We booked through Hyatt Privé, the travel advisor program, which is not just for travel agents. Anyone can get these benefits by booking through an advisor. We received a $100 property credit, breakfast for two, a welcome amenity, a welcome package, a scheduled Alila experience, early check-in from 9:00 AM and late check-out until 5:00 PM. The last two are subject to availability, and you pay no more than booking directly through Hyatt.
On many lists, this is considered one of the best hotels in all of Bali. The question we came to answer is whether it is just a pretty shell, or whether it delivers beyond the aesthetics. The full video review is on our YouTube channel.
Want free breakfast, a room upgrade, and $100+ in credit?
Book through our travel advisor link and get the same rate as booking direct, plus meaningful extras at no additional cost.
- $100+ property credit
- Complimentary breakfast for 2
- Room upgrade, subject to availability
- Early check-in & late checkout, subject to availability
* More benefits may apply at select properties
Alila Villas Uluwatu Lobby and Check-in Experience
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort entrance
Check-in at Alila Villas Uluwatu is the best we have ever had at any hotel we have reviewed.
We pulled up to the lobby, were greeted by name, and were immediately sat down for a complimentary five-minute head and shoulder massage. Six minutes into the stay, five of them had been spent being massaged. It is an amazing welcome, and it is also smart, because the moment they offer it you realize that you do in fact need a massage😉
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort reception
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort open air lobby seating
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort open air lobby
We opened our eyes to a refreshing face mist, cold towel, and a drink. There was nobody else checking in at the same time as us. The whole thing happened in a quiet outdoor setting, and every staff member spoke in a muted tone. It was like the feeling you get walking out of a yoga class.
Alila Villas Uluwatu welcome amenity
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort check-in passport decoration
They informed us that we are eligible for a complimentary 30-minute professional photo session, complimentary yoga every morning from 7:30 to 8:30, and breakfast running from 7:00 to 10:30, which is a nice late start. Within twenty minutes they had left an enormous number of impressions. Most of it is unnecessary, and that is exactly why you remember it.
We offered to walk to our villa, but they insisted on taking us by buggy the first time.
Alila Villas Uluwatu One-Bedroom Pool Villa Features and Amenities
The one-bedroom pool villa at Alila Villas Uluwatu is the entry-level room, and it is anything but basic. There are four rows of villas, plus beachfront villas and hill villas, and we were in Villa 203. Upgrades are rare here, because there are only five cliffside villas. If you book this category, this is almost certainly what you get.
The entrance door is not so much a door as an entire wall. Inside, you start with a desk and an orchid, and mirrors that make the villa feel even larger than it is. There is a dining table with two chairs, angled so you can eat while watching TV, and the TV pulls out so you can angle it toward the bed. The bed sits on a raised platform, with the garden behind it. There is a pillow menu, an anti-snore option included, though for the record I do not snore.
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa living room
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa living room
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa living room
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa living room
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa bedroom
A few things bothered us. The bedside lights are dim, there are no reading lights, and there is only one global charging port, tucked low on one side of the bed. At this price point, and for the demographic staying here, you want more light at night.
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa bedroom
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa bedroom
The welcome amenity was assorted vegetable chips, raw food balls, orange juice, rosella blossom, and a fruit plate with granadilla and mangosteen, the queen of fruits. The minibar is entirely chargeable, which stings a little at this price. The Apurva Kempinski gave us complimentary items, though we were in a suite category there, and here every room is a villa. There is a tea and coffee set, all Alila branded, with flavors like tropical mango and minty breeze, plus a pod machine that will do the job.
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa welcome amenity
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa welcome amenity
Behind the bed there are no curtains. Instead you close massive wooden doors, which add a layer of sound isolation. The window by the couch and behind the bed both open fully, so you can lie there and be effectively outdoors. That feature adds a lot to the whole stay.
The bathroom is a 10. Double sinks, though they sit about two meters apart, each with its own close-up mirror plus a huge mirror. Two tissue boxes, one each, which I love. The toiletries are Jenggala for Alila.
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa bathroom double vanity
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa bathroom sink
There is a wardrobe accessible from the bathroom but out of the way in the villa, a Dyson hairdryer, and Balinese slipper and flip-flop hybrids. The bathtub is enormous and has a headrest, which is an essential that most hotels skip.
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa bathroom closet
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa bathtub
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa bathtub
Bath products include bubble bath, soap, bath salts, insect repellent, after-sun cooling gel, and signature sunscreen.
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa bathroom amenities
The toilet is a Japanese TOTO. The indoor shower has a handheld, a rainfall head, and jets on both walls. There is an outdoor rainfall shower with a handheld too, though outdoor showers are cool in theory and rarely fun in practice.
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa bathroom toilet
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa bathroom shower
Then there is the outdoor area. Two sun loungers, an enormous day bed, an outdoor table, a seating area in the shade, and a long private pool. Not long enough for laps, according to Oskar. After voicing our sadness at having nowhere to lounge at the Kempinski, this was a correction and then some. You can go straight from the pool into the bathroom, and straight from the bed onto the terrace.
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa private pool deck sun loungers
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa private pool
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa private pool
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa private pool deck sun loungers
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa pool private pool view
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort villa private pool
Alila Villas Uluwatu Dining Experience
Breakfast at Alila Villas Uluwatu is much better than dinner. It is served at Cire, à la carte with no buffet, but you can order unlimited items off the menu. If breakfast is not included, expect to pay around 700,000 to 750,000 rupiah with taxes, which is a lot. We had it included through Hyatt Privé.
Alila Villas Uluwatu Resort Cire restaurant
Alila Villas Uluwatu Cire breakfast menu
Alila Villas Uluwatu Cire breakfast menu
Alila Villas Uluwatu Cire breakfast menu drinks
We got an ocean-facing table, and it is one of our top breakfast spots ever. The oceanfront tables were taken when we arrived, but some people left and we moved, and I am so glad we did.
Alila Villas Uluwatu breakfast restaurant pool terrace
Alila Villas Uluwatu breakfast restaurant pool terrace
Alila Villas Uluwatu Cire breakfast pastry
Alila Villas Uluwatu Cire breakfast fruits
Alila Villas Uluwatu breakfast restaurant view
Alila Villas Uluwatu infinity pool
Alila Villas Uluwatu breakfast restaurant inifinity pool
For vegans, this menu is a treat. We had a coconut yogurt bowl with soursop puree and caramelized banana, a quinoa kimchi bowl, a Bali lassi that turned out to be a yogurt bowl rather than a smoothie, and nasi pecel. The drinks were a surprise: a green juice, a beetroot juice, a strawberry oat, and a pandan coffee. The pandan latte was good, though it did not much taste like pandan. This reminded us of Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, one of the only other hotels we have been to with specialty lattes like this. The coconut yogurt was fluffy, almost like Cool Whip. The peanut crackers were excellent. We finished with an affogato made with dairy-free coconut sorbet, complimentary and vegan, which is not something you get at most hotels.
Alila Villas Uluwatu breakfast
Alila Villas Uluwatu breakfast beverages
Alila Villas Uluwatu breakfast affogato
We ordered a second nasi pecel because the first was so good. It arrived with an egg on it, despite our having asked for no egg the first time and despite the kitchen supposedly having noted everywhere that we do not eat eggs.
Dinner was where things fell short. We ate at The Warung, one of the two restaurants, and ordered rendang, stir-fried eggplant, and a yellow tofu coconut curry. The curry was pretty good and extremely mild, with no spice at all. The eggplant tasted almost Italian and was also toned down. All of it is fine. It is nothing I would ever crave again, and it is not bad. It is the definition of a 3/5.
Alila Villas Uluwatu warung balinese dinner
Alila Villas Uluwatu warung balinese condiment tray
At the Sunset Cabana Bar we had mocktails, a dalma and a coconut sorbet drink. Both were underwhelming, and the flavors were not balanced. The glassware was gorgeous, and the peanuts with dried chili were good. To be honest, I was quite happy the drink was not amazing, because then I did not have to finish it.
Alila Villas Uluwatu cliff private dining
Alila Villas Uluwatu Pool, Gym, and Spa
The main infinity pool at Alila Villas Uluwatu is stunning to look at. Unfortunately, there is only seating for maybe 20 people around it, and at midday there are roughly six spots in the shade. This is a resort that can hold 130 to 150 guests. Most villas do not have this view, so if you want to enjoy it, you need a seat by the pool. I understand the aesthetic argument for not doing so. They should add them anyway. Paying $850 a night and not getting a seat by the main pool is an all-inclusive Malaga problem, not an Alila Villas Uluwatu problem.
Alila Villas Uluwatu infinity pool
Alila Villas Uluwatu infinity pool
Alila Villas Uluwatu infinity pool
There is also no pool service to speak of. Nobody offered water or laid out a towel, which is unusual at a resort this expensive. In the water, the view is less impressive than it is from land, and the tiles at the bottom are visibly failing. We swam for ten minutes and went back to our villa.
Alila Villas Uluwatu infinity pool damage
The Alila Villas Uluwatu does not have a swimmable beach. When we texted to ask the route down the cliff to the beach, we were told it was inaccessible until 5:00 PM due to high tide, and then told that the beach is for sightseeing rather than swimming. It is 663 steps down. Alila Villas Uluwatu is not a beach resort like Apurva Kempinski Bali, and you should know that before booking.
The gym is small and better equipped than you would expect. It was recently renovated and sits in a separate building next to the lobby. There are cardio machines of every type, two treadmills and one of everything else, which makes sense. Assisted bench press, squat rack, cables, lat pull down, pectoral fly and rear fly, leg curl and leg extension, plenty of multipurpose machines, a big mirror, two benches, and dumbbells up to 30 kilos. There are energy bars, infused water, apples, and towels. It is a decent gym in a very tranquil setting.
Alila Villas Uluwatu gym equipment
Alila Villas Uluwatu gym treadmill
Alila Villas Uluwatu gym dumbbells
Wellness beyond the gym is thin. There is sunrise yoga, stair climbing, and HIIT workouts, but a lot of it is chargeable. There is no sauna and no plunge pool. We could not get a steam room reservation in our 24 hours because it was fully booked. The one thing that does count for wellness here is the serenity of the place, which put us in a restorative mood the moment we arrived.
Alila Villas Uluwatu cliff private cabanas
Alila Villas Uluwatu cliff private dining pavilion
Alila Villas Uluwatu cliff private dining pavilion
Behind the hotel, past the monkeys and a small Balinese temple, there is a viewpoint with an insane view that nobody told us about. What a spot!
Alila Villas Uluwatu Balinese temples
Alila Villas Uluwatu Balinese temples
Where Is Alila Villas Uluwatu Located?
Alila Villas Uluwatu is perched on a cliff in Uluwatu, at the southern end of Bali. The location is a five out of five. Being on that cliff is the single reason to stay here, and I have kept thinking about that vista since we left.
Alila Villas Uluwatu cliffside resort
The resort itself feels tiny compared to the other Bali properties we have reviewed, and it is very quiet, aside from the occasional helicopter passing overhead. There is a beach club right next door, and on our Sunday night we could hear club music from our villa even with the blinds shut. We sleep with earplugs out of habit, so it did not affect us much, but it is worth knowing.
Is the Service Good at Alila Villas Uluwatu?
Service at Alila Villas Uluwatu starts well and slides steadily downhill. The arrival was our best check-in ever, with the massage, the face mist, and the view we opened our eyes to. After that, there was no personalization. Nobody knew our names for the rest of the stay. Nobody knew which villa we were in.
The staff were lovely individually. The operation was chaos. At checkout, the manager spent his time talking to a group of guests who appeared to be influencers, asked them for feedback, and ignored everyone else, including us. We asked to have something printed and it took 30 minutes while our Grab driver waited. And the egg on the second nasi pecel, after we had flagged the dietary requirement, is the kind of thing that should not happen at a hotel this small and this expensive.
At this price, the basics of recognizing a guest by name are something you should expect. What is missing is not warmth. It is cohesion and training.
Is Alila Villas Uluwatu Worth It?
Alila Villas Uluwatu is worth it if you are coming for the villa, the cliff view, and the quiet rather than for polished service or great food.
In Bali you can get a private pool villa for $100 to $150 a night. Paying $800 to $850 means it needs to be five or six times more epic than that. The Alila Villas Uluwatu are not quite that much more epic, which is why value scores a 6/10.
It suits couples who want to switch off completely, people who will actually stay in the villa rather than the resort, and anyone who values a view and a private pool above service and food. It does not suit anyone expecting a beach, anyone expecting polished service, and anyone who cares about exceptional dining.
We described the stay to each other as a mass market Hollywood blockbuster. You know the quality is objectively not that good, and you enjoy it anyway. A lot of plot holes. Still a good time.
Alila Villas Uluwatu Scoring Breakdown
Room (Villa): 9/10. The outdoor area is a straight 10, perfectly designed, and the couch by the window that opens fully is incredible. The villa interior itself feels a little old and outdated, with bare stone floors that read closer to a nice Airbnb than to a luxury hotel. That is why it is not a 10.
Bathroom: 10/10. Not much to say. Everything we needed and more, and you can step straight out to the pool from it.
Night's Sleep: 9/10. One of the most comfortable beds we have had in a long time, plush without being soft, still supportive. The serenity of the place put us into sleep mode straight away. Losing a point for the club music from next door.
Value: 6/10. We paid $800 against an $845 average. Against $100 to $150 for a Bali pool villa, this is not five times better.
Breakfast: 8/10. The food was fantastic and the à la carte selection is genuinely interesting if you like newer, trendier food. Cannot give a 10 without a buffet, and the variety would start to thin out over a longer stay.
Condition: 6/10. Alila Villas Uluwatu opened in 2009 and is quite poorly maintained. On the macro level it is stunning and you notice nothing. Zoom in and it appears: roughly 20% of the tiles at the bottom of the main pool were loose or coming off, the greenery around the pool was ready to fall in, the grounds were not well manicured, and there were ants in the villa. It never gives you the ick. It is just an observation, and it is noticeable.
Service: 2/5. The best check-in of our lives followed by no personalization, no name recognition, the influencer incident at checkout, the 30-minute print job, and the egg. Lovely people, no cohesion.
Dining: 3/5. Dinner was mediocre, breakfast was better but limited in variety, in-room dining was unremarkable. Overall it was okay.
Amenities: 4/5. It took hunting through the iPad to find anything, and it was not advertised well, but there are board games, chargers, decent soaps, and his and hers sets. Solid once found.
Wellness: 3/5. The gym is small and well equipped. There is sunrise yoga and HIIT, mostly chargeable. No sauna, no plunge pool, and the steam room was booked out for our entire 24 hours. Bonus points for the serenity of the place.
Pool: 3/5. Stunning, and nowhere near enough seats. No pool service. Crumbling tiles. The view from in the water is worse than from beside it.
Location: 5/5. Judged in place of Beach, since there is no swimmable beach. Perched on a cliff. Breathtaking.
Overall Feeling: 9/10. So many shortcomings in the objective scores, and we still look back on it fondly.
Final Score: 77/100. See how it compares to other properties in our full luxury hotel rankings.
Positives of Alila Villas Uluwatu
Alila Villas Uluwatu is worth it if you are paying under $800 a night and you are coming for the villa, the cliff, and the quiet rather than for polished service or great food.
77/100 overall, which lands it in our current top 10.
The best check-in experience we have ever had, with a five-minute welcome massage.
The one-bedroom pool villa's outdoor area is a 10: private pool, day bed, two loungers, and a couch and bed that both open fully to the outside.
Bathroom is a 10 out of 10, with a Dyson hairdryer, a TOTO toilet, a headrest bathtub, and Jenggala ceramics.
Breakfast at Saia is excellent for vegans, including a complimentary coconut sorbet affogato.
Booking through Hyatt Privé gets you a $100 property credit, breakfast for two, a welcome amenity, a scheduled Alila experience, early check-in, and late check-out, at the same price as booking direct.
Areas of Improvement of Alila Villas Uluwatu
Seating around the main infinity pool: roughly 20 seats for up to 150 guests, and only about six in the shade at midday.
No pool service. No water offered, no towels laid out.
Condition. Roughly 20% of the main pool tiles loose, overgrown greenery, unmanicured grounds, ants in the villa.
Service cohesion. No name recognition after check-in, nobody knew our villa, 30 minutes to print a document, and the manager ignoring non-influencer guests at checkout.
Dietary requirements not followed. An egg on the second nasi pecel after we had already flagged it.
Dinner at The Warung is mild and forgettable. The mocktails at the Sunset Cabana Bar fall flat.
No reading lights, dim bedside lighting, and one charging port on one side of the bed only.
Chargeable minibar at this price point.
Wellness facilities are thin. No sauna, no plunge pool, steam room fully booked.
No swimmable beach, and 663 steps down to the one that exists.
No information or guidance about the property. Nobody told us about the viewpoint behind the temple, which is one of the best things there.
Alila Uluwatu Villas FAQ
Is Alila Villas Uluwatu good for vegans?
Yes. Breakfast at Cire is excellent for vegans, including a coconut yogurt bowl, a quinoa kimchi bowl, nasi pecel, and a complimentary affogato with coconut sorbet. That said, they served us an egg on a dish we had explicitly ordered without one, so check every plate.
Does Alila Villas Uluwatu have a beach?
No swimmable beach. There is a black sand beach 663 steps below the property, accessible only at low tide, and staff told us it is just for sightseeing rather than swimming.
How much does Alila Villas Uluwatu cost per night?
The average nightly rate across the year is $845, with a range of roughly $710 to $1,050. We paid $800 for a one-bedroom pool villa in high season.
Is breakfast included at Alila Villas Uluwatu?
Not by default. Booking through a travel advisor on Hyatt Privé includes breakfast for two. Paying out of pocket runs around 700,000 to 750,000 rupiah with taxes.
Is Alila Villas Uluwatu quiet?
Mostly. The resort is very quiet aside from the occasional helicopter. There is a beach club right next door, and we could hear club music from our villa on a Sunday night even with the blinds closed.
Want free breakfast, a room upgrade, and $100+ in credit?
Book through our travel advisor link and get the same rate as booking direct, plus meaningful extras at no additional cost.
- $100+ property credit
- Complimentary breakfast for 2
- Room upgrade, subject to availability
- Early check-in & late checkout, subject to availability
* More benefits may apply at select properties
