Image supplied by Bloomfield Bali Hotel & Spa

If you’re currently planning a honeymoon, or next holiday, you may be considering Bali. It’s a short hop skip and jump from Australia and a favoured destination of many. Today, Sally Bloomfield shares her tips to make the most of your holiday and find the best spots to hang out, drink cocktails and eat until they have to roll you out!

The former Melbourne editor of Harpers Bazaar, Sally, started her love affair with Bali over 3 decades ago. Having travelled back many times, Sally and her late husband Ian Robertson put down roots and purchased the beautiful land in the Umalas in 2012 – which makes her a pretty good expert in all things Bali. Since then, their home has become the realisation of Sally’s dream to open a wellness-style, boutique, holistic lifestyle hotel. Her recommendations are certainly not to be missed!

Image via The Westin Hotel

Your Favourite Place That Only Locals Knows About 

Sunday’s are most expats day off and family day and we often head to Geger beach between The Westin and Mulia Hotel’s in Nusa Dua. It’s a little stretch of beach with cute little local restaurants and massage girls. You feel like you are a million miles away..

Image via Ulu Cliffhouse

Your Favourite Popular Place that is a Crowd Pleaser for a Reason 

I love Ulu Cliffhouse. It’s a fabulous beach club perched on the cliffs at – you guessed it – Uluwatu!!! It’s a fun and cool place to hang out. They have fabulous international DJ’s and it’s a great place to go and book the lounges that have amazing views of the coast.

Image via Mason

Your Favourite Restaurant 

My great friend Jane Lindsay has just launched Botanica in Seminyak with a beautiful garden oasis vibe and a modern Australian menu. They also have a wine bar called Rose Social, dedicated to all things Rose! I also love Mason and Fishbone in Canggu, both have a super cool relaxed vibe and great food and drinks. There are just so many to choose from but I also love La Lucciola in Seminyak, it is a bit of an institution and they also have a sister restaurant called Bambu around the corner and I love it there as well, they have more upmarket Indonesian food.

Image via Mano

Your Favourite Bar 

I love the cocktails (and the view) at Ji in Canggu. Da Maria (the guys from Icebergs in Sydney) also do fab drinks and it has a cool scene there. I also love Mano on the beach in Seminyak. Perfect for afternoon cocktails!

Your Favourite Store 

My favourite homewares stores are Souq and Kimsoo in Seminyak and Jungle Trader in Berawa. For fashion I always pop into Magali Pascal and Uma & Leopold, I also love Daun located at the top of Jalan Oberoi. My new favourite shopping retail space is The Find in Uluwatu!

Image Supplied by Bloomfield Hotel and Spa

Your Favourite Hotel 

Well obviously my own hotel Bloomfield!! It is a truly special piece of land in the heart of Umalas with breathtaking views. It was our home for six years before we turned it into a hotel, so it really feels warm and inviting and like being in someone’s home. It is also a great venue for weddings or for honeymooners! We have a beautiful Bale Bale in the rice field in front of the hotel which is a perfect place to get married. We can accommodate up to 60 people for sit down dinner or up to 80 guests for a stand up event.

The Best Way to Spend Time Outdoors 

By a beach, by a pool, by a waterfall.. basically anywhere near water!

The Most Interesting Person You’ve Met in Bali 

Bali is one of those incredible places that brings the most interesting people from the most interesting places all thrown together. You can be at a dinner with a 17 year old skater from LA on one side and a 60 year old business mogul on the other and it all just works!  I have made lifelong friends here from all around the world..

Ideal date night in Bali ? 

It’s been a long time between dates for me but I would love to climb Mt Butur and have a beautiful picnic breakfast at dawn! I think that would be an amazing date and more interesting than dinner!!!

Anything else that a honeymooner needs to know about Bali?

Pamper yourself!!! We have world rate spa’s here, so now is the time to indulge! Have massages and facials as it is so affordable here in Bali – so why not spend a whole day dedicated to making yourself feel fabulous?! At Bloomfield we have partnered with Glo Day Spas and have our own mini version called Glo at Bloomfield. Our menu has beautiful treatments, such as our Bloomfield Signature Massage, which is a four handed experience that truly transports you to another level of relaxation. We also offer Hot stone therapy and the Ancient warm bamboo massage along with facial treatments and other packages.

 

About the author Sally Bloomfield: Sally and her late husband, Ian Robertson, owned and operated the 85-room hotel, The Albany and Bloomfield, in Melbourne, Australia. More recently, Sally starred in the latest season of The Real Housewives of Melbourne. Bloomfield Hotel and Spa is the beautiful former private residence of Sally and Ian and provides boutique accommodation and spa to discover physical and spiritual wellbeing in the heart of picturesque Umalas, Bali.