Sudamala Resort, Sanur — Hotel in Denpasar Selatan

There is so much to love about The Sudamala. We are in Bali for 5 weeks and this is our 4th resort, previously we have stayed in our own villa and in large, ‘super luxury’ resorts. The little Sudamala really punches above her weight, giving the big names a run for their money.

The Sudamala is a 30 roomed boutique hotel, 10 minutes from the beach on a quiet and very clean road. There are some excellent eateries on the doorstep, coffee shops, shops and a small market.

Built well over a decade ago, it is an older style hotel. Visually it is stunning, perfectly curated and surrounded by lush verdant gardens.

We have a deluxe studio room on the first floor, with pool views. It’s spacious, airy with a comfortable bed. A decent size balcony with comfortable sofa and armchair-the perfect spot for your early morning cup of teas.

The bathroom is huge, with a strutted wooden open ‘window’ area. The bath is large. Fresh sealed bottles of water are replaced daily, for teeth cleaning. As per previous reviews, yes the towels and robes are greying, stained and frayed, however they are changed regularly Hot water is plentiful and the shower powerful. However being an older hotel, there isn’t sufficient sockets for your needs. There is one by the bed, which you juggle in order to use the coffee maker, hair drier, bed side lamp and charging any devices. There are no USB charge points.

The air con is quiet, however it isn’t quite cool enough even on the lowest setting.

Obviously being in Bali, insects and mosquitos are part of life. However the hotel does its best to help combat them by providing plug in mozzy deterrents and burning incense at the evening turn down. Clearly these work successfully as we haven’t had a single bite.

The pool is large, and in line with pools in Bali, it is a warm bath. The padded sun-beds are very comfortable and towels are provided (interestingly of much better quality than those in your room). Staff circulate regularly, offering sticks of chilled fruit and drinks.

The breakfasts are the best we have eaten in Bali. A la carte, fresh, a great selection and plentiful. Their coffee is superb. You choose a main breakfast plus a fruit platter and warm croissants or pastries to finish. There is also a selection of freshly squeezed juices.

The staff here and the level of service they provide is outstanding, They consistently go above and beyond to ensure your stay is as perfect as it can possibly be. Excluding warmth and kindness. Wida, front of house supervisor, merits a special mention here, if this young man is not GM in the next 5 years, I will eat my hat. He elevates customer service to a stratospheric level. Also Bagus, part of the restaurant team, is the friendliest most consummate professional, nothing is too much trouble. Both these men are truly wonderful ambassadors for the brand.

My wife had a 2 hour spa package, declaring it THE best she has ever had.(we have had quite a few whilst in Bali) spa prices are understandably more expensive than road side spas, however they remain incredibly reasonable and the setting is beautiful.

The restaurant whilst doing the best breakfasts, sadly we found the evening meal underwhelming and very over priced. However given the abundance of fantastic eateries on your doorstep, it’s not an issue. We ate incredible food at The Saigon kitchen, The Retro cafe (on the beach and great for sunset watching) and decent, very cheap food at The Little Monkey.

There is construction work going on immediately next door, for two days of our stay, the drilling and banging was hugely intrusive, both in our room and around the pool. We were moved to a different room, which helped a little, we were also given complimentary spa treatments and a sincere apology.

They have 10 sun-beds on the local Beach. The beach isn’t particularly clean, but it is peaceful. The sun-beds are difficult to locate as there is no signage highlighting which beds belong to the hotel.

Would we return to the Sudamala? In...

Having experienced the magic of Sudamala Resort in Senggigi, Lombok, my anticipation ran high for their Sanur resort – and it exceeded every expectation.From the moment we stepped through the entrance until our departure, we were enveloped in genuine Balinese hospitality. The resort's soul reveals itself through thoughtfully curated details: traditional architecture, manicured gardens, carefully positioned artwork, and striking sculptures that capture Bali's essence. The staff's attentiveness manifested in countless ways, from offering mosquito incense at dusk to sheltering guests with umbrellas during rain showers.The culinary journey at Ares Restaurant proved to be a highlight of our stay. The breakfast package, which I heartily recommend, presents an abundant à la carte menu featuring both Indonesian and Western cuisine. Each morning began with fresh fruit platters and an array of beverages, from freshly squeezed juices to aromatic coffee. Our lunch and dinner experiences were equally impressive, with the kitchen team demonstrating remarkable flexibility in accommodating special requests.What truly sets Sudamala apart is their commitment to excellence. When we noticed a minor service discrepancy and shared our feedback, the management team responded swiftly and effectively, demonstrating their dedication to continuous improvement.The resort's team deserves individual recognition. The gardeners maintain stunning landscapes, while the lobby and restaurant staff deliver consistently outstanding service. Several team members left lasting impressions: Kelvin, a trainee who enhanced our beach experience with his attentive service; Dewi at Ares, whose warmth and efficiency made every meal special; and Wida from the concierge team, whose deep knowledge of Bali and engaging conversations added rich cultural context to our stay.As I plan my next adventure to Sudamala's Labuan Bajo property, I'm already anticipating the distinctive charm and excellence that has become synonymous with the Sudamala brand. Two properties down, and my journey through their collection of exceptional resorts continues.A Practical Note for Sanur Visitors:- The location of the hotel is approximately 7 minutes walk from the beach and 10-15 minutes from a variety of restaurants close by. Icon Bali is the newly built shopping centre that's a short Grab/Gojek journey away. Grand Lucky is the large supermarket to visit for Indonesian treats. - For fitness enthusiasts staying at the resort, while the hotel's own gym is under construction, I highly recommend Paradise Bali nearby – a well-equipped facility that’s in close proximity. - As with any tropical paradise, insects are part of the experience. The warm climate of Asia means you'll encounter mosquitos, flies, and ants, particularly during evening hours outdoors. While the hotel expertly manages these natural visitors, you can enhance your comfort by requesting candles from the staff – they're particularly effective when dining or sitting outside. Consider packing citrus-based personal...

Lovely boutique resort; but theft incident breaks our heart

My fiancé and I had enjoyed our 4-night stay, from 24th to 27th June, thoroughly at this boutique resort which has a lot of personality and quirky touches, and is indeed great value for our money. We couldn’t have been happier with the decision to stay here. The hotel is well maintained, and the bed and pillows are comfortable which gave us good rest throughout our stay. We are really truly fond of the creative touches to the hotel, and were also deeply touched by the warm hospitality extended to us and how most staff went above and beyond in their service to make our stay a memorable one, in particular front-desk staff Eka who personally helped us to exchange our faulty rental car. Other front-desk and restaurant staff are also pleasant and helpful, and are highly conversant in English and communicate very well.

In fact, we continued to stay at a Sudamala lodge in Amed, and are looking forward to more stays with Sudamala Resort in other parts of Indonesia. We truly think that Sudamala holds the benchmark of Balinese hospitality, and would highly recommend to anyone visiting Bali or other parts of Indonesia.

However what truly breaks our heart is that there was highly likely to have been a theft incident, whereby my AirPods left in the hotel was taken away by a dishonest staff member on the first night of the stay, however I only realised the fact belatedly upon returning home. The ‘Find My’ function showed that the AirPods is at a location 6km away from Sudamala Resort, Sanur, and was last active on the early morning of the second day of our stay. Before leaving for dinner on the first day of our arrival, we did inform reception about an old blood stain on the duvet sheets and had requested for a change. When we returned after dinner, reception confirmed that someone went to check the complaint while we were away, and I am convinced that is when the theft had taken place. In fact when we returned I do feel like some of my belongings were out of their original arrangement. When I lodged a report with the hotel upon returning to my home country, however, the response I’ve gotten was unsatisfactory, as I am not convinced that any investigation had been carried out on the dishonest conduct of one of their staff member. It is unfortunate that the misconduct of one staff member soiled the experience.

I do not comment out of spite, but I do hope the hotel takes guest complaints on theft more seriously, even after we have checked out, because it is the hotel is supposed to our abode away from home, and we are supposed to feel safe. It is not so much about the value of the item lost, but it is about making your guests feel safe and at ease. But when complaints like these are not taken seriously, it does feel like the hotel does not value guests’ safety...