The Hotel Opened since 2019, The Apurva Kempinski Bali is one of the new hotel properties which I was keen to check it out, till Covid hits. Finally, it is high on my agenda to check into this Nusa Dua Kempinski property during my recent Bali trip after I checked out from my stay at the Potato Head Suites & Studios in Seminyak. 

The hotel is situated beside the Indian Ocean in Nusa Dua, with the lobby on a high ground, hence you get a very breathtaking view of the Indian Ocean and a bird’s eye view of the entire property landscape from the viewpoint at the lobby. My first impression – it is very impressive to say the least from an architectural perspective. 

There are 475 iconic rooms, suites and villas, with 60% of the accommodation featuring its own private plunge pools. 

To say that the lobby is huge is an understatement. There are plenty of check in counters and seating area, and it might be that I am a GHA Discovery Titanium holder, I was attended to by a lady in red. 

I arrived at around 1pm, and was told the Apurva Prestige Suite I booked was not ready yet. That was quite dampening for me, as it was a two-categories upgrade I managed to secure where my original booking was the Cliff Private Pool Ocean Junior Suite. Instead, I was offered a temporary suite in the interim to store my belongings and rest – Cliff Private Pool Junior Suite with a garden view. I was slightly disappointed, as I had the expectations that early check-in is available for GHA Discovery Titanium holder. 

The Room Finally, I managed to check into the The Apurva Prestige Suite, which I was very excited about. My suite is located at level 5 of the main building, and my first impression is how well-designed the layout is. At a spacious 200 sqm, that sense of spaciousness is amazing. 

There are only 8 Apurva Prestige Suites in the entire property, which makes this suite category very exclusive and I could not find any online review of this suite prior to my stay. 

On the right of the entrance upon entering the suite is the spacious living room, which opens up to the private pool. The interior design of the suite is contemporary, decked in neutral tones and dark wooden parquet floor. The living area comes with comfortable sofa which can sit up to 8 people, a huge TV, mini-bar, and it really feels like home. 

The outdoor private pool is definitely the main highlight of The Apurva Prestige Suite for me. I am glad that it is a decent size pool where I can actually do laps, instead of a small plunge pool.

There are two outdoor sundeck chairs, and while it is an inner courtyard view, it feels peaceful and you do get the distant ocean view. 

As a Discovery Titanium holder, I also received a welcome amenity, a bottle of Sparkling Rose from a local wine producer. It was certainly a great way to chill by the private pool with a glass of Rose in hand!

Moving to the bedroom, it offers a beautiful view of the resort and overlooks the private pool. There is a working desk, sofa, and bedside tables on each side of the king size bed. The bed is really comfortable as it is quite hard, to my liking. 

There is also a spacious walk-in wardrobe area where there is ample space to store your luggage and belongings.

The size of the bathroom is ridiculously big. His and her sinks, with marble flooring, standing shower with two separate shower heads with water jet sprays, a dressing table, and the most impressive bit? A bathtub with full glass to ceiling window, and a folding door which opens up to the private pool!

So yes, you can soak in your bathtub, and jump into the pool directly too without accessing the pool from the living room. 

I also like how well-stocked the toiletries and towels are. During my two nights stay, I did not even bother with housekeeping matters because of the ample supplies. 

The Facilities Suite guests enjoy exclusive access to the Cliff Lounge and Cliff Lounge pools, which is located at level 9 and 10 of the resort. Level 9 is the Cliff Lounge pools, which is really more for soaking than serious swimming. It was quite empty during my visit, as I do find that it lacks privacy. 

The Cliff Lounge serves daily breakfast and complimentary afternoon tea for suite guests between 3pm to 5pm, where you can expect an assortment of local Indonesian kuehs, cakes, and light bites. 

The best past about breakfast is that it runs till 12pm, so it is great if you are not a morning person. The spread here is definitely less exciting than the spread at Pala Restaurant, but you get better privacy as it is less crowded. The best seats in Cliff Lounge are the sheltered outdoor tables overlooking the resort, but unfortunately no reservations are allowed and those tables are always occupied. 

If there is one big highlight of the resort, it is the sheer size of the main swimming pool. It is a 60-metre swimming pool to swim laps, and a children’s pool with fun slides located adjacent to the main pool.

There are plenty of cabanas and sun-deck chairs from the children’s pool section all the way to the end of the pool nearest to the beach.

I had a great time spending the afternoon in the main pool with minimal people around me. 

For fitness junkies, the fitness centre is well-equipped with modern equipment and the best part is the ocean view. 

Each gender’s changing room also comes with sauna, and plunge pools which overlook the ocean. 

The spa is also located on the same level as the fitness centre if you need some massage. Unfortunately, I did not manage to try any treatments during my stay.

Located at the end of the resort is the private beach, where the water is surprisingly quite clear. I even spotted camels!

There is also a chapel at the beach, which seems to be designed for beach weddings.

The Restaurants I did not step out of the resort during my two nights stay as there are plenty of food options within the resort.

Pala Restaurant & Rooftop Bar is set in the midst of a long pool within the main gardens, which features live cooking stations with an array of local and international cuisines. 

This is also the breakfast spot for non-suite guests, or suite guests can also pop by here for a more extensive breakfast spread than Cliff Lounge. The best seats are the tables at the end of the restaurant overlooking the main pool and the ocean. 

Located on the second floor of Pala Restaurant is the rooftop bar, where I visited during the evening as suite guests enjoy complimentary cocktails and wines. For bites, it is a mix of Indian and Indonesian dishes. 

The most famous restaurant in the resort has to be Koral, an underwater aquarium dining concept which is a destination on its own. I managed to dine at Koral for lunch and you can refer to my previous article for a full review. 

The other concept which I appreciate in the resort is Reef Beach Club located right at the beach. Compared to other beach clubs in Bali, this is really a quiet version which suits guests who just want to chill quietly. 

The main highlight is the 42-m infinity pool, and there are plenty of cabanas, sun-loungers and sunbathing spots. I managed to spend some time to relax here and had some bites, though there is also an indoor-restaurant setting. Watersport activities are also available. 

Other dining options in the resort include upscale restaurant Izakaya by Oku, Bai Yun which is a Chinese restaurant serving steamboat, and Selasar Deli located at the lobby for pastries and coffee. 

Rants The truth is I was only informed my suite was ready at close to 4pm on my check-in day, granted that there are only 8 Apurva Prestige Suites in the property. 

Service so far is a far cry from our previous property, and that is astonishing from an established brand like Kempinski. I continue to notice inconsistencies in treatments of guests such as mask wearing (some were told to, some weren’t) etc. 

That said, I do experience sincere service from concepts like the rooftop bar, just not at the Cliff Lounge which is supposed to be exclusive from suite guests, and hence my higher expectations. 

Overall Experience The hardware of The Apurva Kempinski Bali is definitely an impressive one. I love the sheer size of the resort, which comes with great facilities like the Reef Beach Club, huge swimming pool and the fact that I can chill in the spacious suite all day. The only downside is that service is quite inconsistent where some parts of the resort offer a more polished service than others, and especially disappointing service standards at the Cliff Lounge. That said, I will still recommend friends to stay here if there are looking to be based in Nusa Dua.

The Apurva Kempinski Bali
lot 4, Jl. Raya Nusa Dua Selatan, Benoa, Kec. Kuta Sel., Kabupaten Badung, Bali, Indonesia 

For more information, check out the The Apurva Kempinski Bali Website.

Ranted by The Ranter