Celebrate the festive season and ring in 2021 at these luxe resorts on Indonesia’s Island of the Gods.
Dining with a view at The Warung, Alila Villas Uluwatu. (Photo: Alila Hotels & Resorts)
Alila Villas Uluwatu
This cliff-top retreat on the Bukit Peninsula has just released its Festive Rendezvous 2020 calendar. On Christmas Eve, guests will enjoy cocktails at Sunset Cabana Bar with a backdrop of live music, followed by a four-course Western set dinner at The Warung, the resort’s specialty Indonesian restaurant; the experience is priced at IDR 750,000 nett per adult (and IDR 450,000 nett per child). From 12 noon on the 25th, an all-day Christmas brunch for IDR 600,000 nett per person will offer a wide range of Western and Indonesian dishes from an extensive all-you-can-order menu.
In the mood to dress up in a 1920s outfit? The Gatsby-style New Year’s Eve celebration will feature sumptuous food at Cire restaurant, and musical performances by DJ Sammy Sax and singer Lydia Rose during the resort’s countdown party at Sunset Cabana Bar. This year-end bash costs IDR 1,200,000 per person for both the dinner and countdown event from 9 p.m. Standalone tickets for the latter are only IDR 550,000 nett per adult and include access to dessert stations at The Warung.
Outdoor seating at Sunset on Seminyak. (Photo: Minor Hotels)
Anantara Seminyak Bali Resort
On Christmas Day, the Anantara’s beachside Sunset on Seminyak restaurant will be offering family-style brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 6:30–10:30 p.m. Patrons can either share a roast turkey—complete with stuffing and cranberry sauce—or Balinese babi guling (spit-roasted suckling pig), and feast on other mouthwatering delights such as fresh oysters, chili crab, plus a variety of homemade desserts. Prices for both experiences start from IDR 750,000 for a table of up to six guests.
Alternatively, count down to the New Year with a live DJ at rooftop venue MoonLite Kitchen & Bar, where guests will enjoy all-night snacks from the grill and bottle service, as well as a four-course tasting menu priced at IDR 567,890++ per person or a family-style dinner at IDR 2,987,654++ for up to six people. The first seating for the NYE experience is from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with the second seating scheduled from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Photo: Four Seasons
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay
A long-standing Jimbaran favorite, the Four Seasons has rolled out several year-end dining promotions for foodies. At Sundara Beach Club, executive chef Phillip Taylor will combine classic French cooking techniques with local flavors for the festive lunch and dinner menus on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; these five-course set meals are priced from IDR 750,000++. The highlight of the resort’s festive calendar is its New Year’s Eve Enigma Dinner, which aims to put a positive spin on a what has been “a year of mystery and new revelations.” Expect plenty of surprises, with dessert potentially disguised as sushi. A five-course Enigma set dinner will set you back IDR 2,250,000++, including one glass of champagne. Sundara, which makes an ideal vantage point from which to watch the many fireworks displays along the shores of Jimbaran Bay, will also host a countdown after-party with a live band on New Year’s Eve. While it is complimentary for in-house guests, the shindig costs IDR 750,000 per person for other patrons.
Photo: Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Grand Hyatt Bali
The Grand Hyatt in southern Bali’s Nusa Dua enclave has just reopened to guests and is taking reservations for the festive season. A one-night stay in a Grand room is priced at IDR 1,888,000++, inclusive of Christmas Eve dinner at Garden Café for two; expect to see specialties such as traditional roast turkey, honey-glazed pork ham, and seabass en croute. The Christmas Eve meal is also complimentary for those staying a little longer. Paying IDR 2,888,000++ for two nights will get you extra benefits such as late checkout and a free upgrade to the next room category.
Non-guests can book a Christmas Eve dinner for IDR 450,000++ per adult (kids aged six to 12 dine at half price), with appetizers and desserts delivered straight to their tables. The Grand Hyatt’s Japanese restaurant Nampu is also serving a seafood and beef teppanyaki dinner for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; these are priced at IDR 785,000++ per adult, including a welcome sake cocktail. On the 25th, beachfront Italian restaurant Salsa Verde will offer a tapas-style brunch, with barbecue and carving stations, plenty of antipasti, pasta, and pizza, and a selection of refreshing cocktails. Starting from IDR 475,000++ per adult, the Christmas Day Brunch will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with live music and kids’ activities; patrons will also receive pool access.
Those looking to ring in 2021 in style can do so by booking the resort’s latest F&B offer, the Venetian Masquerade New Year’s Eve Party. Guests will be given a bottle of champagne, access to the dessert buffet, and a guaranteed table at the event for IDR 2,200,000++ per couple.
Photo: Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Hilton Bali Resort
Also in Nusa Dua, this 420-room property’s Prepay and Save deal entails discounts on room rates of up to 15 percent for guests who book directly through the website, with free changes and cancellations up to 72 hours before arrival. On Christmas Day, the Sea Sun Brunch at beachfront restaurant The Breeze will feature a DJ spinning relaxing beats and plenty of kids’ activities. Guests and non-staying visitors alike will enjoy access to the Hilton’s four interconnected swimming pools and waterslides, not to mention the adjoining beach. For New Year’s Eve, all-day dining venue Grain will serve a lavish international buffet at just IDR 550,000 net per person, including a welcome cocktail or mocktail and live entertainment.
A Jimbaran Deluxe room at the InterContinental Bali Resort. (Photo: IHG)
InterContinental Bali Resort
It’s not too late to book a year-end getaway at the recently renovated InterContinental on Jimbaran Beach. Stays from December 20, 2020 until January 1, 2021 will only cost IDR 2,000,000 nett per night for a Jimbaran Deluxe room, including daily breakfast, an hour-long Balinese massage, one guided cycling tour to discover the surrounding area, and an introductory yoga session, all for two.
On the 24th and 25th, Italian restaurant Bella Cucina will serve a five-course Christmas dinner accompanied by live acoustic music, while the breezy poolside venue Jimbaran Gardens is offering a whole range of seafood-based Asian and Indonesian dishes. On New Year’s Eve, diners at Jimbaran Gardens can opt for an indulgent six-course dinner, before joining the post-countdown party (featuring a live DJ) at the Sunset Beach Bar & Grill.
Photo: Marriott International
Mandapa, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Tucked away in the verdant Ayung River Valley outside Ubud, this ultra-luxe resort has unveiled a quartet of special dining packages. At Kubu, the property’s bamboo-built riverside restaurant that specializes in Mediterranean-European cuisine, the four-course Christmas Eve menu includes tuna sashimi, Boston lobster, organic chicken ballotine, and vanilla strawberry mille-feuille. The experience costs IDR 1,300,000++ per person and IDR 650,000++ per child (from six to 12 years old).
Meanwhile, alfresco Indonesian venue Sawah Terrace will serve up a four-course set menu comprising asinan Jakarta, red snapper cooked in Balinese spices, and rawon (beef stewed with black nut), followed by a crispy cinnamon banana fritter for a sweet finish. The Christmas Eve dinner at Sawah Terrace is priced at IDR 980,000++ per adult and IDR 490,000++ per child.
The feasting continues on New Year’s Eve at both Kubu (IDR 2,000,000++ per person)—where the degustation dinner menu includes Boston lobster, coral trout, and wagyu beef rib eye—and Sawah Terrace (IDR 2,500,000++ per person), before guests proceed to Mandapa’s elegant 20-seat lounge, The Library, for cocktails and canapés to ring in 2021. Those dining at Sawah Terrace can expect an indulgent take on Indonesian favorites, with highlights such as lobster opor, grilled lamb, and Manadonese-style red snapper woku. Prices for both NYE specials include one pre-dinner cocktail.
Photo: The Mulia Bali
The Mulia, Mulia Resort & Villas
All new bookings for the festive season made by December 24, 2020 come with extra benefits at Mulia Resort, The Mulia, or Mulia Villas. Reserving just one night here entitles you to daily breakfast and a Christmas lunch for two, while three-night stays are matched with additional resort credit of at least IDR 750,000. Those bedding down five nights will also receive a complimentary Christmas dinner and another free dinner at The Café, also for two.
On Christmas Day, stylish seaside restaurant Soleil will pamper guests with an all-you-can-order menu featuring traditional Italian antipasti and freshly made pasta, not to mention Pan-Asian tapas and a selection of premium steaks and seafood prepared à la minute. Soleil will also host a special dinner buffet on New Year’s Eve, after which all Mulia guests will be invited to a countdown party with live DJ sets at Sky Bar and The Bar, an event capped off by fireworks on the beach.
Sakanti Bali, a dessert at Raffles Bali’s Rumari restaurant. (Photo: Raffles Hotels & Resorts)
Raffles Bali
Gourmands are in for a treat at this recently opened all-villa resort in Jimbaran. The Christmas Day brunch here features truffle croissants, artisanal European cheeses, and a mouth-watering range of seasonal desserts. Available from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., the experience starts from IDR 900,000++ per person with free-flow non-alcoholic drinks, though you can always go for an upgrade by paying IDR 1,050,000++ to enjoy Old World wine and Pommery champagne.
Meanwhile, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners at the Raffles’ hilltop Rumari restaurant are priced at IDR 1,700,000++ per person or IDR 2,700,000++ per person with wine pairing. Dishes on the set menu include Alaskan king crab with ginger flower gel and Kintamani citrus, Rougier foie gras, Hokkaido scallops, and Australian wagyu beef tenderloin.
Or you could bid farewell to the year 2020 by booking a spot at Raffles Bali’s New Year’s Eve soirée. This event starts off with a six-course dinner, with highlights such as slow-poached Canadian lobster with lemon verbena; coconut husk–smoked Hokkaido scallops; and a special dessert featuring Valrhona Sakanti dark chocolate (made using Bali-grown cacao) and berries harvested in the island’s north-central highlands. The NYE party runs from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. and is priced from IDR 2,200,000++ per person or IDR 3,700,000++ with wine pairing.
Alfresco seating at Cucina in Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Resort. (Photo: AccorHotels)
Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort
All Christmas and New Year’s specials at the Sofitel Bali come with unbeatable value: four people are eligible to dine for the price of two. Throughout the festive season, Mediterranean restaurant Cucina will serve nightly Christmas-themed buffet dinners from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., priced at IDR 449,000++ per person. On Christmas Eve, patrons also have the additional option of a five-course degustation menu offered at IDR 699,000++, or IDR 849,000++ with alcohol included.
The following day, a buffet brunch starting from IDR 899,000++ will see diners entertained by a live acoustic band, a children’s choir, and a magician; kids will also get the chance to take photos with Santa. For New Year’s Eve, Cucina will be hosting a special buffet dinner from 6 p.m. onward, priced at IDR 999,000++ per person and IDR 1,399,000++ with alcohol included.
