My Top 3 Bali Stays: The Hotels I’d Book Again in a Heartbeat

There are hundreds of beautiful places to stay in Bali, and I could probably give you a recommendation for almost every type of holiday.

But if you asked me to narrow it down to just three?

These are the three.

They’re completely different. Two are definitely splurge stays, while the third is one of those places that makes you wonder how it manages to offer so much for the price.

But each one delivers something exceptional — and they’re the Bali stays I want to book again.

Whether you’re coming for a family holiday, a romantic escape, a resort week where you barely leave the property, or a completely different side of Bali, these are my top three.

1. Padma Resort Legian

My best all-round Bali hotel

If I had to recommend one Bali hotel without knowing anything else about your trip, Padma Resort Legian would probably be it.

It isn’t cheap.

But this is one of those hotels where I genuinely feel the experience justifies the price.

Padma manages to work for almost everyone. Families, couples, first-time Bali visitors, repeat travellers, people who want to spend their days around the resort and people who want to get out and explore.

It simply does Bali resort holidays extremely well.

Why I love Padma Legian

The biggest thing for me is that there isn’t really one single reason to stay here.

It’s the combination.

You have a beautiful resort, excellent pools and facilities, a fantastic location and that feeling that everything has been thought through properly.

You’re also staying in Legian, which means you’re not isolated inside a resort precinct. Step outside and you’ve got restaurants, shops, spas and plenty of Bali life around you.

That makes Padma particularly good for people visiting Bali for the first time. That makes Padma particularly good for people visiting Bali for the first time.

You can have the polished resort experience without feeling disconnected from the destination you’ve actually flown all this way to see.

Who I think Padma is best for

Honestly? Almost everybody.

It’s particularly good for:

• Families wanting a premium resort without being stuck in the middle of nowhere
• Couples who still want restaurants, shopping and things happening around them
• First-time Bali visitors
• Multigenerational trips
• Travellers who want a resort holiday but still want to explore

The downside

The obvious one is the price.

Padma is a premium stay, particularly during peak travel periods.

But if your budget allows for one accommodation splurge during your Bali trip, this is one of the hotels where I think spending the extra money genuinely changes the experience.

My verdict: If you want one excellent all-round Bali resort and don’t want to overthink it, Padma Legian is incredibly difficult to beat. My only suggestion would be to book this for the end of your stay because the service at Padma is so excellent it can set you up for disappointment if you expect this level of care and attention at every venue.

[Check current rates and availability at Padma Resort Legian]

2. Paradisus by Meliá Bali, Nusa Dua

My pick for an all-inclusive Bali resort

If your idea of a holiday involves checking into a beautiful beachfront resort and temporarily forgetting the outside world exists, this is the one.

Paradisus by Meliá Bali in Nusa Dua sits at the luxury end of the scale, but there’s a reason I’ve included another expensive resort in my top three.

This offers a completely different Bali holiday from Padma.

The beachfront Nusa Dua location, all-inclusive option and extensive resort facilities make it somewhere you could genuinely spend several days without needing to leave.

And now, with the addition of its new water park, it has become an even more compelling option for families.

The all-inclusive factor

Bali isn’t traditionally somewhere I automatically recommend going all-inclusive.

Part of the joy of travelling here is leaving the hotel, eating at local restaurants and discovering what’s around you.

But there are holidays where you don’t want to think about any of that.

Sometimes you want to arrive, unpack and know that virtually everything has already been taken care of.

That’s where this resort comes into its own.

If you’re travelling with children — particularly children who seem to want a drink, snack or ice cream every fourteen minutes — having an excellent all-inclusive option can also make the holiday significantly easier.

And it isn’t only for families

One of my favourite things about this resort is its sheer size.

Yes, it’s family-friendly.

Yes, there’s a water park.

But that doesn’t mean it feels like you’ve accidentally booked yourself into a giant children’s playground.

The resort is large enough that couples can still have a genuinely romantic holiday here.

You can be enjoying a peaceful part of the property while families are having a completely different experience somewhere else.

That’s relatively unusual.

That’s relatively unusual.

Who I think Paradisus is best for

I’d particularly consider it for:

• Families wanting a premium resort holiday
• Travellers specifically looking for all-inclusive
• Couples wanting luxury in Nusa Dua
• People who want a true fly-and-flop holiday
• Families who value a beachfront location
• Travellers happy to spend more for convenience and facilities

The downside

Again, this isn’t the inexpensive option.

You are making an investment in the resort itself rather than simply paying for somewhere to sleep.

For someone planning to spend every day exploring Bali from morning until night, that may not make sense.

But if you’re actually going to use the facilities, enjoy the beach, spend time around the resort and take advantage of the all-inclusive offering, I think the equation changes completely.

My verdict: If you have the budget and want a luxurious Nusa Dua resort experience — particularly with children — this is one I would seriously consider spending the money on.

[Check current rates and availability at Paradisus by Meliá Bali]

3. Amertha Bali Villas, Pemuteran

My best-value escape — and perhaps the most special of the three

And now for something completely different.

Amertha Bali Villas in Pemuteran is the reason I didn’t want this article to simply become a list of luxury southern Bali resorts.

Because some of my favourite Bali experiences happen when you head north.

Pemuteran gives you a very different version of Bali — quieter, greener, slower and far removed from the traffic and crowds of the south.

This is where I’d take kids to snorkel

One of the biggest reasons I recommend Pemuteran is the snorkelling.

You can snorkel directly from the beach, while nearby Menjangan Island offers some of the most beautiful snorkelling I’ve experienced around Bali.

It’s also an area I’d consider particularly good for families wanting to introduce children to snorkelling.

Rather than needing every activity to involve a huge expedition, water activities become part of the holiday itself.

Wake up. Walk to the beach. Swim. Snorkel. Come back for lunch.

That’s my kind of family travel.

There is much more than snorkelling

You can also use Pemuteran as a base for boat trips, fishing and dolphin experiences, which means there’s plenty to build into a few days here without turning the holiday into a constant schedule.

And then there’s the resort itself.

The beachfront location and large grassy areas give children space to actually run around — something I think is underrated when you’re travelling as a family.

You’re not constantly trying to keep them entertained inside a hotel room or contained beside a pool.

But isn’t Pemuteran really far away?

Yes.

This is the compromise.

Pemuteran isn’t somewhere I’d suggest travelling to for one night.

Getting there takes time.

But I’d actually turn that journey into part of the holiday.

Rather than treating the drive north as wasted time, build a full Bali day around it.

Depending on your route and itinerary, you can stop at temples, waterfalls, mountain areas or villages along the way.

Suddenly the transfer becomes a day of exploring Bali rather than simply several hours sitting in a car.

Then stay in Pemuteran for a few nights before heading back south or continuing around the island.

It’s one of the easiest ways to experience a very different side of Bali.

Who I think Amertha is best for

I’d particularly recommend it for:

• Families
• Nature lovers
• Snorkellers
• Travellers who want quieter Bali
• People wanting better value from their accommodation
• Repeat Bali visitors ready to explore beyond the south
• Anyone building a multi-stop Bali itinerary

The downside

The location is both the reason to stay here and the reason some people won’t.

If you’re coming to Bali for five nights and want Seminyak restaurants every evening, this isn’t your hotel.

But if you’ve got enough time to add northern Bali to your itinerary, the journey is absolutely part of the experience.

My verdict: Amertha gives you beachfront Bali, space, nature and incredible access to the water at a price point that makes it one of my favourite-value stays on the island.

[Check current rates and availability at Amertha Bali Villas]

So, which of my top three Bali stays should you choose?

These three properties suit different holidays, so the location matters as much as the room. Compare the neighbourhoods in my where-to-stay guide, or see Seminyak’s private pool villa options if you’d prefer more privacy than a resort.

Stay	Best for	Area	Price	Why I’d choose it
Padma Resort Legian	Best all-rounder	Legian	$$$$	Exceptional resort + brilliant location
Paradisus by Meliá Bali	Resort & all-inclusive holidays	Nusa Dua	$$$$	Beachfront luxury, all-inclusive option + family facilities
Amertha Bali Villas	Value, nature & snorkelling	Pemuteran	$$–$$$	Beachfront, relaxed and a completely different side of Bali

If this were your first Bali trip and you asked me to choose without giving me any other information, I’d point you toward Padma Legian.

If you wanted the holiday to be the resort itself, particularly with children, I’d be looking very closely at Paradisus by Meliá.

And if you told me you’d already seen southern Bali — or you wanted to experience somewhere quieter, more natural and significantly better value — I’d send you north to Amertha.

They’re three very different holidays.

And that’s exactly why they’re my three.

A quick note before you book

I never rely on one headline rate. My Bali accommodation booking-app comparison explains how I check different platforms, room types and recent traveller photos before paying. If you’re unsure which area to book first, begin with my guide to Bali’s best areas.

Hotel prices in Bali can change enormously depending on your travel dates, school holidays and how far ahead you’re booking.

Always compare the total stay price rather than just the nightly rate, and check what’s actually included — particularly breakfast, transfers, resort benefits and all-inclusive packages.

[Check current Bali hotel prices]