Four Seasons Sayan Review: Private Pool Villas in the Bali Rainforest

Had a spaceship landed in the middle of the Bali rainforest?

Crossing a teak-and-steel footbridge over a dramatic gorge, we stared at what looked like a three-tiered spaceship that had stopped beside the rushing Ayung River.

But no, it turned out to be the reception, spa and main restaurant building of the Four Seasons at Sayan.

Located on the edge of Ubud, Bali’s artist colony, it’s one of the top luxury hotels in Bali.

Four Seasons Sayan villas

The resort’s 42 villas are equally eye-catching.

(This Bali Four Seasons property also has 18 suites, but the villas are where you want to stay – and where we stayed.)

The villas are cleverly carved into the hillside, which keeps them cool.

From the path to your villa, all you see is a lotus pond and a patch of tall grasses (actually your own shaded meditation area).

A spiral stone staircase leads down to your villa door.

Open that, and you see that your indoor/outdoor villa has been cut into the hill in an L-shape – two walls are snug up against the hillside.

Each villa has an expansive wooden deck with cushioned couches and chairs (under the shade of a roof with ceiling fan) plus a teak dining table with umbrella.

Watching the river from our deck was quite hypnotic (we’d inevitably doze off), and we could hear the water tumbling over boulders in the riverbed at night.

All villas also have a small private pool outside.

Inside, the air-conditioned bedroom has warm polished wood floors along with a writing desk and bedside tables inlaid with mother-of-pearl tiles.

A giant carved wooden screen behind the king-size bed features a delicate pattern of leaves and birds.

No Four Seasons Sayan review would be complete without mention of the huge bathroom.

The bathroom has green marble floors – and get this – an egg-shaped bathtub, also inlaid with mother-of-pearl tiles. Totally striking!

What to do at the Four Seasons at Sayan?

There are many romantic things you can enjoy on Bali.

But the outdoor setting of our villa was so inviting that we really didn’t feel the need to do very much during our stay at the Four Seasons, other than laze about and eat.

Feasting

Speaking of eating, we enjoyed the resort’s weekly buffet feast, which celebrates Indonesian food – and we got to try local suckling pig and crispy fried duck.

Babi Guling or suckling pig is one of Bali’s most famous dishes.

Traditionally, the pig is stuffed with spices like lemongrass, coriander, turmeric, black pepper and garlic, then roasted on a spit.

The crackling skin is the best part (so long as you don’t worry about all the fat!).

Complimentary activities

Several activities are complimentary when you stay at this Bali Four Seasons resort.

And we did rouse ourselves to enjoy both the authentic Balinese dance performance and a guided walk through the rice paddies.

Spa

The spa also won us over with its lovely couples spa villas overlooking lotus ponds.

Our feet were first bathed in a wooden bowl of water with floating rose petals.

Then we were scrubbed down with Himalayan salt crystals before giving ourselves up to a languorous Balinese massage.

The Balinese know how to do spa treatments right!

Now, if only Scottie could beam us back up to the Four Seasons Sayan again…

We also stayed at its sister hotel: See our review of the Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay

If you visit the Four Seasons Sayan

It’s award-winning

The Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan has made Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List for more than five years running.

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Photo credits: 5, 6, 7, 9 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | Remaining photos Four Seasons Resort Sayan

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We stayed at this Ubud Four Seasons as media guests for review purposes. But as professional travel writers, our words and views are always our own.

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