Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu Review: Where Time Slows Down

Few places truly capture the beauty of Mother Nature like Uluwatu. The fierceness of the waves breaking; the golden glow of sunrise; monkeys quarrelling as they play along the clifftops; and butterflies dancing among the flowers. Each morning felt like waking in a dream as we slid open the doors of our villa in Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu, a luxury resort perched on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula.

A Luxury Clifftop resort in Uluwatu

For travellers looking for luxury accommodation in Uluwatu that works just as well for families as it does for couples, Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu occupies a particularly beautiful pocket of Bali’s southern coastline. But what stayed with us most wasn’t the size of the pool or our clifftop villa. It was how quickly we stopped looking at the clock.

There’s a saying in Bali, “Jam Karet”, or “rubber time”. It’s the idea that time is elastic, meaning it can stretch or shrink like a rubber band rather than run on a strict, linear clock. And there are few better places to surrender to Bali time than on the clifftops of Uluwatu.

Staying in a Junior Suite at Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu

We woke with the sun and enjoyed our morning coffee watching the early surfers from our vantage point of the “Junior Suite”, a 90sqm villa that is one of five, all unique in size and offering. Located in a secluded part of the resort, these villas enjoy clifftop views, a private infinity pool and manicured lawns that provide the perfect morning playground for a family of monkeys. Security is always nearby to shoo them away, but they’re harmless and provide entertainment away from our phones.

Sunset Drinks and Dining at Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu

Twice a week at sunset, this quiet pocket of the resort transforms. Bean bags are scattered across the lawn, cocktails are poured and a live DJ provides the soundtrack as the sun sinks into the Indian Ocean. Walking to the main resort takes about five minutes, but a buggy service is available for guests staying in the villas.

Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu has 139 rooms, suites and villas, ranging from Deluxe Rooms to suites with rooftop terraces and private ocean-view villas, making it an option for couples, families and groups looking for luxury accommodation in Uluwatu.

Breakfast each morning is plentiful and designed to suit Westerners while offering a selection of traditional Indonesian fare. We also ate at Artichoke, where the menu includes classics such as nasi goreng and gado gado. My husband declared the nasi goreng one of the best he’d ever had — no small endorsement after several trips to Bali. Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu is also well placed for exploring the wider dining scene in Uluwatu, from casual restaurants to cliffside destinations designed around sunset

Is Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu family-friendly?

Despite travelling with a three-year-old, we never felt as though we were staying at a “family resort”. There’s a kids’ playroom and plenty of space around the main pool, but the atmosphere remains calm enough that couples and solo travellers would feel equally at home.

Spa ESC: Slowing Down in Uluwatu

It would have been remiss of me not to try a treatment at Spa ESC, but when I discovered a pedicure lasting 75-minutes, my first thought was, how? Then I reminded myself of Jam Karet. I had nowhere to be. No meetings to attend. No dinner to prepare. When you’re tethered to a phone or a busy schedule, carving out 75-minutes for a pedicure feels impossible. So, I put my phone away, melted into the chair and found myself almost dozing off towards the end.

On our last day, we were treated to a Balinese massage under the clifftop rotunda. Our 3-year-old daughter was even offered a massage, to which I responded, there’s no way she will last more than five minutes. To our surprise, she enjoyed all 45-minutes, relaxing into the bed as waves crashed below and leaves rustled in the breeze.

Perhaps she understood Jam Karet better than we did.

For a few days, we had nowhere to be and nothing to rush towards, and somewhere along the way, Bali time took over.

Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu: The Details

Where: Uluwatu, Bali
Best for: Families, couples, wellness stays and relaxed resort holidays
Don't miss: Sunset cocktails on the clifftop lawn and a treatment at Spa ESC
Family friendly: Yes, kids' playroom, large pool and family-friendly accommodation
Our pick: The secluded clifftop suites/villas for the views, privacy and infinity pool