There is something about W Hotels that always awakens something inside of me and the W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak surpassed even my wildest expectations. In fact, if you’re anything like me then this stunning property will have your senses on high alert from the moment you start driving down what seems like a 1 kilometre canopied entryway hugged by dozens upon dozens of trees. From the amazing food, the energy around the pool, the natural beauty all around, and of course the fabulous openness and minimalism of the suites…the W is the perfect hotel for a your next holiday in Bali.

The property is oceanfront in the heart of Seminyak and seems to occupy one of the best locations in town because the sun set directly in front of us each night I was there, making for a pretty awesome Sundown Session at WooBar or experience from your ocean view balcony.

Why You’ll Love the W Retreat & Spa

• The Food! Both Fire and Starfish Bloo offer up cuisine that will have you snapping photos of everything you eat and wishing that you never had to leave. The dishes are inventive yet simple and 100% memorable.
• The Views! I was on the 5^th floor in the Spectacular Ocean Retreat Room (ask for room 541!) and can’t imagine a better vantage point to soak up the energy of the resort and marvel at the beauty of the Indian Ocean.
• WooBar @ Sunset … and the 1-on-1 mixology class with head mixologist Arie Barker is SOOOOO fun!
• The Pool! Whether you want to float around the pool, sip cocktails while soaking up the sun in a chaise lounge, or occupy a large Thai bed near the sand the staff at the W will keep you happy and hydrated all day long.

Location … and What’s Close By

The W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak really is located in the heart of the city. Given how amazing the food is and how fun WooBar is you really could tuck in and never leave the property. However, when the mood hits and you decide to dine or chill or party elsewhere you have the best hotspots in town close to your door.

Be sure to check in with the W Insider upon arrival…if you tell her what you’re looking for then she can ensure you have the best table at the most perfect lounges and restaurants for you in town.

 

The Spectacular Ocean Retreat Room

According to the team at the W, this is the most popular room category and it’s easy to see why. When I walked in the W’s latest CD filled the room with an amazing energy. The bed is so large it seems like two queens. The bathroom is massive, with a vanity area, two sink & mirror setups, separate loo, and an overside bathtub and rainforest shower with a retractable skylight over it to give it that villa-esque vibe. The colour theme in my room was purple with natural greens…and my bed looked as if it was covered with delicate lily pads. OH…and did I mention the view from my suite was 100% kick ass fabulous?

The Food

Fire Restaurant

The lovely Fire Restaurant is the western grill option at W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak. ‘Fire’ is symbolically named for the KECAK dance in Bali that traditionally depicts stories acted out by over 50 chanting male dancers wearing black and white sarongs gathered around … of course … the flames of a fire.

While they are famous for their signature aged steaks (Fire serves the largest selection of beef in ALL of Indonesia), the restaurant also serves up really interesting raw and organic options for anyone looking for healthy, gluten-free or vegetarian cuisine here in Seminyak. The beef and veal that is hand selected and aged a minimum of 21 days before being grilled by the chefs here at Fire has been sourced from the best on offer in Australia, Ireland, and Holland.

Must Try Dishes at Fire

• Sashimi of Norwegian Salmon – this amazing starter hits the spot with truffle ponzu, pickled green mango, basil flowers and bronze fennel. It’s light but filled with explosive flavour and an extra kick of savoury goodness thanks to the salmon caviar that tops it.
• Smoked Duck & Medjool Date Salad – this light and healthy salad is made complete with pistachios, sild rocket, feta and sun dried tomatoes. It’s the #1 favourite menu item of W’s sweet PR manager Aini!
• OMG Lobster yumminess! Don’t miss the Sweet Onion & Parsnip Bisque with poached lobster, slightly pickled green apples, purple basil and radish pickles. It’s not too heavy and check out the presentation below, it is simply beautiful #foodporn!

Must Try Drinks

• Liquid of Fire – sweet and spicy, this martini hits just the right spot. Made with berry infused Belvedere, shaken with crushed dates, fresh sage, chilli and a little squeeze of lemon. I LOVED this!!
• Chocolate Mojito – who knew there was a chocolate mojito? Leave it to the W to turn Havanna 3 years into a chocolateyyyyy deeelight. It’s clear, whereas I was expecting it to be brown, and 100% amazing! With its ‘homegrown in the W garden’ crushed mint leaves and Balinese chocolate, this is my new favourite cocktail during my stay (because I’m sure no where else will make it this good!).

Starfish Bloo Restaurant

Beachfront dining has never looked so yummy or diverse as it does here at Starfish Bloo. The presentation is lovely, they use molecular gastronomy to compliment the cuisine but not to act as the main star of the show and the result is superb. The focus of Starfish Bloo is freshness and they have created a menu that is perfect for sharing an assortment of dishes. In fact, they suggest 5 dishes be ordered for 2 people and I think that sounds about right after having tucked into 3 of them and feel just only slightly like I over-indulged.

Where you sit is up to you and they have long tables set apart for larger groups looking to whoop it up, smaller tables with front line views, bean bags on a grassy knoll if you’d just like cocktails from Ice … or like me, you can even sit in an oversized lobster cage with an amazing view of the Indian Ocean!

Here’s What I Loved:

• Bubbles, bubbles! Champagne & Strawberry Martini – OMG I had 3 of them during my late lunch and I don’t feel guilty at all haha, only sad that I didn’t take down the recipe. Menu says it’s Belvedere with strawberry liqueur, fresh ripe strawberries, and served straight up after being shaken with a healthy dose of Champagne foam.
• Norwegian Salmon Hot Rock– cooked tableside, this dish is served with roasted lemon and a simple teriyaki sauce that coats the salmon perfectly before you slide it onto the hot rocks.
• Grilled Black Cod Curry – this simple but awe-inspiring dish is a curry with a twist. Instead of being served as a typical sauce-based curry it is dry and infused with green Thai curry and corn flavours thanks to the help of the ingenious chefs at Starfish Bloo.
• Soy Marinated Chicken Yakitori – this signature dish comes with Yuzu kosho and teriyaki mayonnaise.
• Textures of Chocolate – I hated myself just a little for having eaten it but man was that dessert worth it! Three half shell chocolate spheres adorn 3 mounds of decadent homemade organic salty caramel ice cream, served with sour cherry jelly cubes and an inventive Nutella crumble. Deeeee-lish!

The Cocktails @ WooBar

Come on, it’s the W, of course the liquid libations made the list. WooBar’s DJs play a bouncy and upbeat mix of international chill-out tunes that are only improved by the cocktails. My favourites from the mixologist and awesome bartenders were the passion fruit martini with decadent Champagne foam, the kicky yet refreshing chilli margarita, and the passion fruit mojito…yum, yum!!

I took their private mixology class as well and I have to say that it’s the best one I’ve taken here in Bali so far.  We started with a ‘pick me up’ welcome shooter.  Then I was taught to properly make the 3 cocktails I selected:

1. Mojito
2. Passion fruit martini
3. Espresso martini

Being behind the bar was fun AND I walked away with a happy buzz, so I call that a perfect class!

Away Spa Offers Up Bliss 24/7

Whether you are in need of a little pampering, want to glam up a bit for a fabulous party night ahead or want an afternoon detox session to recalibrate a bit from the inside out, Away Spa has something for you…any time of day because they are open around the clock. They even have a new cabana nestled just between the perimeter of the pool and the sand, which I tried out. The cabana’s 1.5 hour signature treatment is a relaxing and remarkably refreshing treatment comprised of a full body massage with both dry pressure then with oil, cold compresses on the feet and head and a full head massage. You’ll walk out cool, very, very relaxed, and in a hypnotic zen-like state.

Connect and Contact

I had an amazing time during my stay at W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak.  The view was unprecedented, I still dream about the food, and the Sundown Session at WooBar is my favourite in Bali so far.  This past Sunday I even went back to the W for their decadent debauchery-filled Sunday brunch so check back for oodles of pics and that review soon, too!

Oh….and be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

For reservations or more information visit the W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak website.

Published simultaneously in the new Bali Travel section of my very 1st luxury travel blog AngelasBangalore.com

XOXO Angela

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