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  The Ritz Carlton Bali

The Ritz Carlton Bali describes itself as a family-friendly resort, but does it live up to the claim? From the kids club to villa-style rooms, there’s a lot to love about the Ritz Carlton Bali. However, it’s not all butterflies and rainbows ALL the time.

The Resort

The grounds are beautifully landscaped and well-maintained. I loved walking the grounds at night while pushing the stroller (it’s how I get my kids to sleep when they’re jet-lagged). Since the resort is so large, they send “buggies” or golf carts to get you where you want to go; you just have to call 5 minutes ahead. Your younger kids will love that!

The Rooms

We stayed in a one-bedroom suite without a pool because I don’t like the mix of an unfenced pool and toddlers. If my kids were older, though, I would have opted for the suite with the semi-private pool right outside your door. They also have completely private villas with more bedrooms and completely private pools, which is a great option when traveling with friends or extended family.

The Pool

The pool area was great. There’s a poolside ice cream cart and a short menu to choose from. I especially liked that the main pool had a very shallow section with lounge chairs in the water. So, with young kids, they can splash around while you’re an arm’s reach away, relaxing in the lounge chair. If you stop by the kids’ club on the way, you can pick up pool and beach toys free of charge!  

The Beach

Nusa Dua Beach is constantly ranked as one of the best beaches in Bali, and since the Ritz Carlton Bali maintains the shoreline, the views are beautiful. Unfortunately, Bali has an ocean water pollution crisis on their hands. I entered the ocean exactly once and did not enjoy myself. It felt like there were a lot of particles in the water. I did have to pull some small bits of rubbish out of my swimsuit! I should mention that I am spoiled by amazing beaches back in our US home of Hawaii and the nearby beaches of Goa and Sri Lanka. The water was also too rough to let my toddlers go in, though that varies by season and beach. Anyway, I guess that’s why pools are so popular in Bali. We really enjoyed watching the camels walk along the shoreline and playing in the sand, though.

Ritz Kids

The kids club “Ritz Kids” is fantastic. The designated kid’s pool is located here, and it was ALWAYS empty – we could have been very lucky. We joked that it would have been silly to pay for a private villa pool when there was a private one right there with a water slide. I really appreciated that the whole pool was under shade.  Inside the kids, there were two large play zones for kids, a library, a TV room – which can be left off if you ask, and computers were set up for older kids. The staff were SO friendly and great with our kids. You can go there with kids of any age but there is a minimum age to leave your kids in the kids club without you – I think it was 4. You CAN, however, hire a babysitter through the resort to stay with your kids in the kids’ club while you do adventurous or kid-free relaxing activities. That, btw is one of my top kid’s club hacks – it works in most resorts around the world. Speaking of babysitters, the one we hired was amazing. The first time I hired her, it was a few nights in, and I was really struggling to get my kids to bed at a decent hour because of the jetlag. I decided instead of struggling again; I would go out for a dinner date with my hubby and hire a sitter. I honestly planned to come home and put them to sleep after because they had been going to bed so late. That baby whisperer had them both sound asleep when we got back, and she herself was peacefully reading a book on the couch. The kids’ club also offers fun and educational activities throughout the day, such as Kite flying, Lantern making, a kids’ spa, cooking, nature walks with plant education, cultural lessons, dancing, beach volleyball, crab discovery, koi fish feeding, and a lot more! They will even set up a “kids’ safari” in their room with a tent and flashlights. It’s just adorable kid-friendly service.

Perfume Making Workshop

I took the perfume workshop at the resort. It’s a private 1.1 lesson, and you walk away with a custom perfume that you’ve created yourself. Apparently, Bali is famous for providing scents to major perfume companies around the world. I named mine Bali Bliss, which my husband tells me is cheesy, but whatevs, he won’t be wearing it. Many of the scents are natural, so you can create a perfume without any added synthetic chemicals.

Ritz Carlton Bali Spa

The spa is GREAT. Overpriced but great. They sometimes have specials and sales, so ask before you book from the spa menu.

Dining

There are many dining options, many of which have open views or outdoor seating. My favorite is Breezes Tapas Lounge, which has giant beach-style loungers and great food. Everything we ordered via room service was great except for the Pad Thai. It was probably one of the worst Pad Thais I have ever had, so don’t get that unless undercooked fishy-tasting noodles are your thing. Try some delicious local dishes!

A buffet breakfast was included. Living in Asia, I am spoiled by the local buffet breakfasts – peeps in the US, you don’t know what you’re missing. This breakfast buffet did not disappoint. There was a cute kids’ table set up at eye level for little ones, but it mainly was unhealthy items – great for dessert, though. Kids under two eat free. Not just at the breakfast buffet, either. They can order anything off of the kid’s menu at all restaurants and even in-room dining. We aren’t just talking chicken strips and fries, either. The kid’s menu offers three courses, freshly squeezed juices, and healthy mains. For example, my daughter’s favorite was steak, mashed potatoes, and veggies with a fruit bowl dessert and freshly squeezed watermelon juice to drink. Amazing.

The service

This is where the Ritz Carlton fell short. We kept running into issues of having to wait a long time for things. For example, at breakfast on more than one occasion, they sat us at a table and said they would be right back with high chairs…. But they forgot about us repeatedly. Another time, they didn’t have enough high chairs, but instead of telling us that in the first place, they said they would bring one in a few minutes. Despite arranging ahead of time, we had to wait more than 35 minutes for our car at checkout on an unbearably hot day. Then, there were multiple issues with our room; they refused to move us to a different room of the same category. That was something we had never experienced at any other hotel. At that point, we even considered getting another hotel.

Getting There

The Ritz Carlton Bali is located in Nusa Dua, in the south of the island, about thirty minutes from the Bali airport. As long as you tell them beforehand, they will arrange for hotel pickups and drop-offs and will make sure car seats are already in the car.

Checking In

Once you get there, they offer a refreshing beverage at check-in. There’s also a unique check-in table for kids, complete with a sticker activity book and stuffed animals! How cute is that!?

Getting around Bali

Obviously, you’re going to want to leave the Ritz Carlton Bali at some point to explore the island. I like the Hotels car seat quality and ease of arranging, so we used a hotel car to get around the island. I shouldn’t have listened to the driver, though, because he brought us to a couple of places I wish we hadn’t visited. Drivers often receive a commission for bringing tourists to local businesses, so keep that in mind. You can arrange the hotel cars by calling the concierge or you can book directly with the driver that picked you up from the airport and bargain for a discounted rate. For more details on getting around Bali, see our Bali Vacation Guide. (Or Pin now, read later.)

Should YOU stay at the Ritz Carlton Bali?

In the end, despite all the issues with poor customer service, I would still recommend this resort to families. The pool, grounds, views, activities, kids’ club, babysitters, and dining are all fantastic! The ability to leave your kids in a safe and fun environment while you get some much-needed R&R is priceless, and that’s where the Ritz really shined. Quick Helpful Links: 

• Bali Vacation Guide [With kids!]
• Explore savings on other Family-Friendly hotels in Bali! 
• POPULAR: Airplane Toys for toddlers guide
• Global SIM cards (buy before you travel)

  **Article updated 2024 *This post contains Affiliate Link(s) by using these links, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you