Hotel Review: Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach

Location: Seminyak, Bali
Price: ££
Value for Money: 5/5
Overall: 5/5
Perfect for: Close to Seminyak, Short walk to Double Six Beach, Surfing

Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach was the first hotel we chose to stay in during our travels through Bali.

Located close to the airport, this luxury hotel is a short walk from both the vibrant streets of Seminyak and Double Six beach too. As a result this was a great destination to spend a few days familiarising ourselves with the island and culture before heading out further.

Location & Getting Around

Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach is located approximately 30 mins from Ngurah Rai International Airport (also known as Denpasar Airport) by car.

We arranged a private transfer through the hotel which was smooth and efficient. They were waiting for us with cold towels and water and took care of our luggage as we settled in for the ride.

I would recommend arranging a transfer with your hotel if it is your first time arriving in Bali, as it can be difficult to hail a taxi on arrival from the airport. It also allows for a less hectic experience, especially important after a long flight!

Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach has a great beachside location, in fact all you need to do is cross a small road to reach it. The hotel is also located in the middle Seminyak, which is brimming full of coffee shops, boutiques and restaurants, all of which are easily reached from the hotel.

We booked taxis online when going out for dinner in Seminyak, as it was quick and very cheap, and it saved us having to compete with scooters and cars navigating the narrow streets at rush hour.

Design and Character

From the moment you enter the vast open lobby, it is evident that Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach is a design-led hotel.

The central lobby is filled with a variety of large hanging rattan lampshades of various shapes and sizes, canvassing a space filled with eclectic furniture, including chairs, tables, and sofas.

Striking geometric patterns, heaps of carved wood and myriad of local crafts fill the hotel. This bright, Balinese inspired design feeds into the rooms and facilities too, giving the hotel it’s very own distinctive character.

Accommodation

Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach is a hotel which doesn’t feel as large as it is. The hotel offers 270-room and 19 villas, yet it feels more intimate.

We stayed in a standard room, which was actually very impressive. Located in the main resort building, close to the restaurants and reception, the standard rooms are ample in size and include a king size bed, large balcony with daybed, generously sized shower, and even a separate walk-in closet and boudoir for makeup.

The room was beautifully designed and bright with the furnishings taking inspiration from local culture. From the faux rattan lamps, to the panel wood carvings, it is evident that a lot of thought had gone into the design of the room, and the hotel too.

The room also included an espresso machine, manual juicer for orange juice in the morning and an Interactive 43" HD IPTV that can conveniently connect to any device.

Dining at Hotel Indigo Seminyak Beach

Breakfast

We had breakfast included with our reservation, which is served until 10.30am in both Makase restaurant as a buffet style, and also a la carte at SugarSands.

On our first morning at the hotel, we tried the buffet at Makase. The buffet included the usual selection of breads, salads and western cooked breakfast, as well as eggs to order. There was also a station for Chinese and Japanese cuisine too, which included bao buns and sushi.

I always struggle on the first day of hotel buffet breakfasts, and end up getting a little bit of a lot of different things!

On the second morning we decided to have the a la carte breakfast at the beach club restaurant SugarSands.

If your room is located in the main building near the lobby, be warned that SugarSands is quite a walk away, as it is sea-facing and so located towards the back of the hotel. However the early morning stroll is worth it, and I definitely preferred breakfast here than at Makase.

The a la carte menu here offers cold small plates to start, large Western and traditional Indonesian/Balinese brunch style dishes, and sweet treats too. I loved the convenience of having the food and drink brought to my table, as well as the ability to order specific dishes from a menu.

The quality and presentation of the food here was excellent. My Healthy Breakfast, served with asparagus, avocado, egg white, tomato and corn seemed to fill me with energy for the day as I ate it. I also tried a fantastic poached eggs on toast, poach egg with smash avocado, bacon, pumpkin seed, tomato and corn salsa, a dish which wouldn’t have been out of place in an Aussie brunch cafe.

The Fruit Salad and Plain Yogurt arrived served in a martini glass, piled with copious amounts of fruits. The Bircher Muesli is a favourite at SugarSands, and after trying it, I could see why. The almond nuts, berries, caramel sauce, chia seed and banana are the perfect mix of healthy decadence and the ideal fuel for the day.

We couldn't leave without trying the sweet treats, so we ordered a Brioche French Toast to share. This was also served with lashings of fruit and is the perfect dish for those who enjoy a sweet breakfast. As I’ve found with most cafes and restaurants in Bali, the coffee was exquisite and a must try.

The staff here were also very friendly and even though our decadent breakfast took us much longer to finish than closing time, the staff didn’t rush us and made sure to check if we needed anything else.

Dinner at Makase Restaurant

As we checked into the hotel in the late evening, we decided to dine at their in-house restaurant Makase which is conveniently open until 11pm (last order 10.30pm).

This casual restaurant serves locally inspired dishes with traditional ingredients and tastes combined with modern cooking techniques and presentation.

The open kitchen means you can watch as the chefs create your meal, there is also the option to dine outdoors too.

We ordered from their set menu and opted to start with Chicken Wings with house-made pickled cucumber and garlic aioli, which was a delicious dish bursting with flavour, as well as Croffle and Burrata Cheese, which was scrumptious and arrived as a large portion. The dish reminded me of brunch and wouldn’t have been out of place on a breakfast menu, especially due to the use of croissants.

For our mains, I tried the grilled baby chicken served with grilled romaine, cured egg yolks and onion dash. Again the chicken was very well cooked and of a high quality. We also tried the Rendang Sapi with Wagyu beef shin, which turned out to be quite a spicy dish!

For our dessert I had a delicious little pot of Green Tea Tiramisu and Pisang Garing Madu, banana fritters served with brown sugar and honey.

I was impressed with the quality of the food here, as instead of serving bistro style food for resort guests, Makase has created a menu which showcases high quality local ingredients in beautifully presented dishes.

Lunch at SugarSands

After a lazy morning spent by the pool, we decided to head to SugarSands for lunch at around 3pm, especially since we had enjoyed such a good breakfast here previously.

The lunch menu includes a selection of snacks, nibbles, mains and desserts. We dined from the set menu and opted for grilled octopus and salmon tostadas to start as well as a quinoa bowl and charcoal chicken. The dishes were light and not too large portion wise, which is what we were looking for.

The service was causal and super relaxed, which is probably the norm for beach side bars, but it does make a quick lunch unlikely.

SugarSands also has a decently sized sea-facing pool for diners, meaning you could spend a long leisurely afternoon here.

The Tree Bar

Located in the main part of the resort in The Tree Bar, which was my favourite part of the hotel. The decor here is classic monochrome with hints of Balinese culture accentuated through the use of woven chairs and a large sacred tree around which the bar is centred.

The vibe here us uber relaxed and I’d recommend enjoyed a coffee or Balinese inspired cocktail at least once during your stay.

Facilities

The resort grounds are centred around a large sea facing pool surrounded by a large number of eclectic daybeds and sun loungers. There is also a bar where guests can purchase drinks, snacks and ice cream too.

There is also a private pool area which is only accessible to hotel guests and has a much more relaxed vibe to it. There are cosy daybeds and sun loungers, all of which are well partitioned, giving an air of privacy. We spent a lovely leisurely afternoon here and much preferred this space to the larger pool.

Overall

From the moment our taxi pulled up to the vast, open-air lobby with views of the sea, we knew we were in a special place.

There is a vibrant, yet sophisticated charm to this hotel which exudes through the decor all the way to the friendly and knowledgeable service.

Even the standard rooms are of a superior design, size and quality, and the facilities match up to this.

Hotel Indigo Bali, Seminyak Beach seems to offer everything the first time holiday maker in Bali would be looking for, sea views, luxurious rooms and facilities and proximity to Seminyak centre.

We were pleased that we chose this as our first base in Bali, and I think almost any else would be too.