The Island of the Gods gives generously when it comes to hotels, with accommodation options spanning the full spectrum from surfer-friendly hangouts to eco-retreats and opulent five-star hotels. Most of the action takes place along the south coast’s silver sands of Seminyak and Canggu, where you’ll find lively neighbourhoods packed with swish hotels, designer boutiques, beach clubs and no end of bars and restaurants. On the Bukit peninsula, there’s down-to-earth Jimbaran Bay and Uluwatu’s cliffside design hotels.
Unmissable Ubud is the island’s spiritual heart and the hotels here, whether budget or blow-the-budget, tend to tap into nature, wellness and the island’s rich cultural traditions. Bali’s soul-destroying traffic (and steep volcanic ridges) can make the west and north of the island feel inaccessible, but those willing to bear the long drives will be richly rewarded with untouched scenery and friendly locally run hotels.
Potato Head Suites and Studios, Seminyak
Desa Potato Head is more than just another hip beachside hotel in Seminyak — it’s a creative enclave, with a beach club, a music studio, an amphitheatre, art galleries, a sculpture park, a ceramics studio, cold-pressed juice bars, slow-drip coffee shops and designer clothes stores. Its rooms are stylish and sustainable, with reclaimed wooden walls, baskets made by local craftspeople, biodegradable coconut slippers and zero-waste amenities kits which include reusable water bottles, bamboo straws and natural soaps made from wild honey and Indian figs.
