Luxury Hotel Review of the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan

“Welcome to the Jungle” Said by our buggy driver when we arrived at the the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan.

Arrival/first impressions –

We were lucky enough to have a transfer organized to take us from the Four Seasons Jimbaran to the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan.

When we arrived at the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan we were greeted by the staff and provided with a blessing and a Balinese sash, we were provided directions to the reception, via a long teak board walk which leads to an elliptical lotus pond measuring 852 square meters!

This pond rests on the roof of the resort’s three-level central building and offers a panoramic view of the valley.

The views are breathtaking (I don’t use this word lightly), your senses are bombarded, gorgeous jungle views and sounds smells of nature.

When we finally arrived at the reception (after spending a little while gawking at our surroundings – it was so different to the beach we just came from with its beautiful green hills and rice fields), the reception staff seated us at the Jati Bar and provided us with a lovely welcome drink and cold towels.

Check in was quick and we were provided with some information on the resort and map and our room key (an actual key) and taken over to the buggy.

Room –

Riverfront One bedroom villa at the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan

What I found strange was there were not many large buildings and we wondered where the heck all the rooms were, there seems to be a lot of areas with ponds that you can sit and enjoy the scenery.
Needless to say this was actually the entrance to the rooms, which we soon found out!

The buggy stopped and the lovely staff member asked us to follow him, entering the villa from the rooftop complete with lotus gardens and a wooden deck, we took a two flight of stairs down and came to a large door which lead through to find a large open area, with a small “villa” on the left and on the right, an outdoor living area with a dining table, comfortable lounge chairs and a plunge pool.

The spacious bedroom includes a bed and sheer white canopy, a wood-panelled walk-in wardrobe and lavish marble bathroom with freestanding tub, his and her basins and outdoor shower. Large double doors open out to the outdoor area which provides a beautiful views on the below grasses area and river, the sounds of the rushing river and surround jungle make this resorts so peaceful and relaxing.

Take the video tour here:

Pool/Beach –

Most rooms come with a private infinity pool, however if you would like to socialize you can enjoy the large infinity-edge, kidney-shaped swimming pool, ideally positioned beside the river.

Dining Options –

The Four Seasons 2 restaurants and 1 bar:

Ayung Terrace – Elegantly situated atop the slope of the lush gorge, the dining room offers breathtaking views of the swift-flowing river below. Serving three meals per day, guests may select to dine in the restaurant or outdoors on the elegant terrace.

Riverside Cafe- Casual, poolside dining is served at this open-air restaurant featuring healthy, Western cuisine and a wood burning oven. Located next to the river and shaded by an iron wood singles roof and umbrellas.

Jati Bar- Located next to the Lobby, this comfortable lounge built out of beautiful teak wood is known for its panoramic view and delicious libations.

Spa –

The Spa is divided into two sections with three double-sized treatment rooms, each with shower and bath located in the main building and the three spa villas secluded in a private location within a lotus pond. In-suite/villa massage available upon request. The beauty salon offers facials, manicures and pedicures.

Location –

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan is located in Ubud which is approx 35 km/ north/north-east of Ngurah Rai International Airport, on 18 acres of lush, green terraced rice slopes. The Resort overlooks the Ayung River which flows through the central highlands of Bali.

Special Activities –

Outdoor activities in this area include trekking, cycling, river rafting, kayaking, nature walks and bird watching.

Enjoy a one-hour guided bike trip with our fitness centre staff, taking you through the neighbouring village of Sayan for a glimpse of real Balinese life.

Spend the day in the life as a Balinese farmer, start the day with a morning trek through the Ayung River valley, followed by breakfast overlooking the rice paddies. Then learn to plant rice seeds and transplant the shoots. To refresh, enjoy a relaxing Batu Kali River Stone Bathing Ritual in the Spa. The experience ends with a riverside lunch.(full review to come on this soon!)

Staff worth a Special mention –

All the staff were exceptional, they were always happy to assist. We had absolutely no complaint in this regard.

Aguse, the fitness instructor who took us for our bike ride, a trek through the jungle and our day as a Balinese rice farmer. Aguse was fantastic when a lady in our group fell off her bike and scratched her arm, he quickly pulled over and found somewhere for her to sit, provided first aid and then called for her to be collected by the hotel car.

Watra from the poolside restaurant made our dinner fantastic, ensuring we had enough to eat and drink and checking to make sure everything was okay.

April and Rusmini from the spa were amazing! They explained everything we were going to do and experience in the treatments. We left feeling a 120% better!

Sas from the bar really looked after us on the last day, bring up snacks and lots of cocktails!

Did the hotel fulfil our requests? –

We didn’t have any requests before arriving to the hotel and we didn’t request anything outside of the ordinary during our stay.

Did we have any issues during our stay or do we have any suggestions –

We didn’t come across any issues in fact the staff did everything to make sure our stay was amazing, including a lunchtime food order to ensure we didn’t miss our afternoon activity.

The only small annoyance is the internet, you cannot have more than 2 devices using the internet without paying which is a little frustration for us in this day and age as we have phones that require internet, an IPad and a laptop. However a quick call to reception cleared this up and they explained we could only use 2 devices which was our 2 phones for the duration of our stay.

Would we stay here again? –

Definitely, I’m already planning our next trip to Bali with a stay at the Four Seasons!

General Summary –

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan is a perfect way to start or end your holiday to Bali, it gives you a completely different experience to a beach resort.

The staff were always happy and willing to assist, including waiting for us in the buggy while we get changed for dinner after our lovely massage.

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan
Jl. Raya Sayan,
Ubud, Bali 80571, Indonesia
+62 361 977577
Fax: +62 361 977588
http://www.fourseasons.com/sayan/

Disclaimer: Thank you to Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan who kindly hosted our stay. All opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.