W Hotel Bali

Excerpts were taken from my Bali travel review published in Gulf Business magazine…

When you step off the plane in Bali, the warm weather is enveloping. And everywhere you look, you’re greeted with greenery.

At the chichi W hotel in Seminyak, a trendy part of town, we were greeted with lounge-bar lights and a massive UFO-like structure in the lobby. But after witnessing the simplicity outside the resort, we wondered if we really were on a different planet.

The UFO-like entrance of the W Hotel…

Upon entering the W Hotel, we had to take a moment to appreciate what an amazing lobby lay before us – not your standard hotel lobby by any means. This was open plan, so the breeze plays with your hair as you check in and the view outside beckons.

How cool is this check in desk? Open air to the left and right!

Our bags were whisked away and in no time we were in bikinis at the beach, sipping cocktails made with something called purple dragon fruit.

Tala, me and Lauren – grad school buddies in Bali!

The W provided a perfect escape. A relatively new hotel, the W features plenty of pools and swaying palm trees.

Competing with the view

Sweet Suite

The rooms are airy, with modern decor and lounge music that plays on cue every time the door opens. What’s more, W villas boast private pools that shimmer with the reflection of stars on a balmy Bali night.

Villa with private pool… can I sleep out here forever?

Lauren sizzlin in our private pool

Room with a view… of a private pool… I could get used to this!

The attention to detail in the rooms is unmatched – there’s even a cosmetic bag with organic mosquito repellent!

Just walking back and forth to your room is something to write home about:

Our villa is third tree to the left…

Food-tastic

The breakfast buffet at the W Hotel is seriously out of this world. You can choose your own giant mug for your mocha, and you get a wheatgrass shot to make you feel less guilty about wolfing down a made-to-order waffle AND an omelette.

Choose your coffee mug!

Wheatgrass shot… yummy?

Spa-mazing

With so much to do in Bali, make sure to steal an hour out of a packed itinerary to experience a Balinese massage at a luxurious spa. Even the walk towards the spa is full of serenity and nature – the W Hotel cranks it up a notch inside though…

On our way to the spa

Yes, this is a spa, not a spaceship!

Take a Walk

With a stunning beach and its very own temple right on the grounds, you will find it hard to leave the luxurious lap of the W Hotel.

Temple on the grounds

But when you do leave, at least do it in style – on a W Hotel purple motorbike 😀

W Bali motorbikes

#WhatToPack

I know, my friend Lauren is absolutely stunning. She’s a medical doctor who is working on her first novel – it’s no wonder her style is one of confidence and power. Want to get her bold, sexy look? Here’s some style inspiration to Get Lauren’s Look on a beach vacation in Bali:

Bali #3 Bali #2 Alternative

W Hotel Bali by holidaysinheels featuring cut-out one piece swimsuits

Blue Man blue v neck dress
540 AED – farfetch.com

L Agent By Agent Provocateur cut out one piece swimsuit
590 AED – net-a-porter.com

Summer beach bag
96 AED – very.co.uk

CVC Stones grey necklace
10,285 AED – thewebster.us

Guest Post by Rupert Wright of Ashbright

Welcome

Paris holds no terrors for well-heeled travellers, who can check into one of the city’s eleven palaces such as the Georges V, Plaza Athénée, Le Bristol or my favourite, Le Meurice. But for those on any kind of budget, finding a decent place to stay in the French capital can be a challenge. Bedrooms smaller than a bathroom, bathrooms smaller than a bidet, we’ve all stayed at one of them and lived to regret it. So, it’s with great pleasure that I have found almost the perfect Parisian hotel – and you don’t need to be a tech billionaire to afford it. The Bedford has been family owned and run for more than a hundred years, combining Swiss roots, French flair and English tradition. It benefits from strong leadership, attention to detail, and a staff eager to look after you. With just 140 rooms, it is large enough to intimate, but not so large that you are anonymous. It’s a 4 star, but deserves more.

The rooms

Parquet flooring; high ceilings; comfortable beds and pillows; keys rather than plastic cards; and best of all, real switches, that turn the lights on and off. The Bedford has sensibly ignored many of the technical traps that can make staying in a hotel room more challenging than setting up your own satellite transmission site. The result is a place that combines understated elegance with modern touches and old school service. Some rooms overlook the rue de l’Arcade, others look over a courtyard, but all are a decent size and a muted colour. There is air-conditioning too, which is a relief when the summer strikes.

Eating

Breakfast is a buffet in a glorious belle époque room, boasting stucco reliefs and a glass roof. Dinner happens here too, French cuisine and fairly formal. There’s also a relaxed bistro/bar that serves meals and cocktails.

Location

A stone’s throw from the Place de la Madeleine, the Place de la Concorde and the Tuileries Gardens, and the Opera, this is one of the best areas to stay in Paris. (Marcel Proust used to live just around the corner). It is a lively area, with great boutiques, wine bars and an eclectic mix of restaurants, Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Korean, Lebanese and French too.

Don’t miss

The Bedford knows that many people like to travel with their pets, so they are allowed to stay too.

HOTEL BEDFORD, 17, RUE DE L’ARCADE 75008 PARIS Tel. : +33 (0)1 44 94 77 77 Fax : +33 (0)1 44 94 77 97 More information at www.hotel-bedford.com

Rooms from €250; Suites from €450

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Sara Hamdan

Welcome to a magazine editor’s guide to luxury hotels and what to wear when you’re there! My work has appeared in: The International New York Times, Rolling Stone, Variety and CNN Travel. I’ve held editorial roles at VIVA Magazine, Dubai Magazine and Stylist Arabia. Now, I freelance for the likes of Google, CNN and Savoir Flair!

Editing travel pages was always my favourite part of working for lifestyle magazines. I started this blog out of a love of beautiful hotels that provide the fairytale escape of a day as a princess where breakfast is a buffet and chocolates appear on my pillow.

PR queries, feedback and compliments? Email sara@holidaysinheels.com!