We visited several spas during our time in Bali, but the one we were most looking forward to was without doubt the Hanging Gardens of Bali hotel – the world’s first 7 star boutique hotel.

The only other 7 star hotel I’d ever heard of before this was the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, complete with its own fleet of rolls royces and submarine restaurant…..so you might understand why saying we were ‘excited to visit’ is an understatement.

The Hanging Gardens Jungle Swimming Pool

The one thing that the Hanging Gardens of Bali hotel is famous for in particular is its swimming pool. Photos of its pool have completely blown up instagram… and can you blame it? It might be one of the most stunning swimming pools in the world, and definitely one for the bucketlist.

Putting the ‘fun’ into funicular

Ok, so maybe it’s not thaaat fun, but one of the biggest surprises at the Hanging Gardens was the funicular railway.

As space is a commodity in Bali, many hotels are built into the steep hillsides. Believe me, after having stayed at a couple of hotels where walking up and down the hillside is the norm (..moving around the Kamandalu hotel is absurd, for example), having a tram was a serious treat.

Check this thing out!

The Spa

So what’s the spa like at the world’s only 7 star hotel then? It might not surprise you to hear that it’s actually pretty damn good. Of the 3 back to back spa treatments we had at 3 different hotels (check out our Kupu Kupu Barong experience), the Hanging Gardens of Bali’s spa was by far the most luxurious.

After being welcomed into the hotel lobby with a delicious fruit punch, cool towel and some chocolate dipped fruit, we headed to the spa to pick out a treatment.

We’d opted for the couple’s Balinese massage again (incidentally a great romantic way to spend the afternoon with your partner), and the therapists gave us a selection of different oils to choose from.

Once you’ve picked your oils, slip into your robes and let the treatment begin!

Not usually being one for spa treatments, I have to say that having a chance to lie down for an hour and do nothing was an amazing treat. Whereas other spas might have whale songs or white noise playing, Hanging Gardens has its very own jungle sounds right outside the window. It it impossible to stay awake (unless you opt for the hard massage of course).

I have to say that we loved our treatment here, we could have quite happily spent the entire day going from treatment to treatment.

Hanging Gardens Spa Prices

Prices for the various treatments start at around $100USD per person (for a Balinese massage), and go all the way up to a whopping $677 per person, for the ultimate “Riverside revival”.

Other treatments include masks, reflexology, scrubs, hair and nail treatments, massages, baths, healthy meals and much more. A full list of the Hanging Gardens of Bali Spa menu can be found here, and reservations and prices can be made at the Hanging Garden’s direct reservations page.

Eating at the Hanging Gardens

We were ravenous after our massage, so leaving without eating wasn’t an option. The food at the poolside restaurant was pretty tasty (expect to pay 7 star prices for your meal) and there were all the traditional Balinese options on the menu (e.g. fried duck or fried rice).

What we went for was certainly not fine dining, but then this was just a poolside snack. If you really want to go bananas, money’s no object or you want to have a unique/romantic meal, there are a couple of higher end options to choose from:

1. Floating brunch – Yes, doing what your parents always told you not to do, swimming and eating at the same time. But hey, if there’s a more instagrammable way of eating a meal, we haven’t heard of it yet.
2. Dinner in a sacred temple – this is probably the most unique way I’ve heard of having dinner. Across the ravine from the hotel, stands the very sacred holy Dalem Segara Temple. For $690USD, you can take your loved one for a once in a lifetime dinner here, and it even comes with a special welcome by the holy Mangku.

There are plenty of reasons why this place makes the perfect romantic getaway or honeymoon spot. It’s incredibly romantic and decadent, yet in a very calming and understated way. It truly deserves its award of 7 stars, and is the ultimate luxury jungle retreat.

Thinking of booking a stay here? You can check the current room rates here.

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