Heading up to the shops and beer sunsets (and roadwork diggings) of Kuta, the Hard Rock Hotel continues to gyrate with a hip and young crowd, great packages, and the Hard Rock Spa. There are treatment rooms and poolside cabanas as well as an array of massage chairs. Sit back and relax. An Ultra Glow will set you back just around US$50 as will the Rejuvenate treatment.
The pick of Kuta though is the quiet and laid-back Alam KulKul Bali that runs an authentic Jamu Traditional Spa. All the ingredients are produced inhouse using natural sources and traditional formulae. The Jamu spa is set in the heart of the resort in a quiet and shaded area next to the pool. The emphasis is on intimate rather than grand.
Spa treatment at Kamandalu
A two-hour Javanese Lulur is about US$80, the same price as a Vanilla Mocha Body Scrub. Contemporary treatments include a Pappaya and Mint Body Wrap and an Earth & Flowers Body Mask. Facials and traditional massages are available.
Moving out of the Kuta scrum and heading north is the charming Seminyak area, home to some fine resorts and a very vibrant nightlife. The exquisite, old-world and very authentic The Oberoi Bali offers treatments at its Banyan Tree Spa where everything from Ayurvedic, Balinese, Thai and Swedish remedies are available. Try a mud wrap or the now-obligatory Javanese Mandi Lulur. The Oberoi is a delightful getaway and was the original Bali designer resort.
Just up the road, The Legian, is more contemporary with a crisp elegance and two double and two single spa suites. The Spa at The Legian is set in verdant lawns amidst lotus ponds, overlooking the sea. It includes a fully-equipped gymnasium. The hotel offers a booklet with its "spa basics". On the delicate matter of clothing, it says, "Choose what is most comfortable for you. Our therapists will always use draping techniques to respect your privacy." Good. If you're Swedish or Japanese, just ignore this and, well..., strut your stuff. The "Legian Indulgence" which runs two-and-a-half-hours includes an aromatherapy foot polish, massage, reflexology, lulur and steam bath. Still in Seminyak is The Villas Bali Hotel & Spa. Villas feature private swimming pools, with a private entrance and garden, as well as high-speed Internet access, CD player and satellite TV. The Prana Spa - a fantasy Indian Bollywood meets Love Boat - with its exotic archways and extravagant orange and green hues, serves up a huge variety of treatments, like the two-hour "Spirit of Bali" at about US$75 combining aromatic exfoliation using sandalwood, turmeric and groundnuts, with a yogurt splash followed by a frangipani and rose petal bath. Guests might also venture forth to the more contemporary Chill, for a reflexology session or two.
