Travelling with Stabilo #1: Destination - The Mulia, Bali

Travelling with Stabilo #1: Destination - The Mulia, Bali

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Bali, one of the most popular tropical paradise in the world, is well known for its long stretches of sandy beaches, incredibly good food, vibrant nightlife, and of course, luxurious resorts. And last month, for my birthday celebration, I had the chance to stay at one of the most luxurious of these luxury resorts -  The Mulia at Nusa Dua. The Mulia is one of the most well-known resorts in Bali, having won the 2014 Conde Nast Traveller Awards as the best beach resort in the world, as well as numerous other awards. It was so famous that it featured on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

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^{The Mulia Resort, view from lobby}

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As soon as we step out of customs, we were pampered by the Mulia staff who greeted us, took our luggage and escorted us to our private, comfortably air-conditioned vans. We were quickly whisked away on a 30-minute ride to our home away from home.

The Mulia complex is separated into three parts, the Mulia Resort, where most resort facilities and hotel rooms are located, the Mulia Suites, where all the larger and more luxurious suites are located, and the Mulia Villas, the most luxurious, seclusive villas located on the top of a nearby hill. This was where we stayed.

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^{Our Villa, outdoor area}

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Our one-bedroom Villa is huge and tastefully decorated. The Villa is actually more of a studio – there is no separate lounge and bedroom. However, this is totally made up for by the exquisite pillows that nicely moulds around your head, and a bed so comfortable that you can sink into a deep sleep as soon as you lie down. The 500 m2 villa also includes a massive bathroom complete with a giant four-person jacuzzi, a two-person shower, an outdoor shower, plus a smart toilet and bidet that makes going to toilet enjoyable. The Villa also has a garden dotted with orchid trees with lawn that is soft and comfy to sit on. The outdoor living area also has a dining table, a couch, a day-bed, as well as a large swimming pool.

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^{Our private swimming pool and day bed}

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Initially we were anxious that staying at the Villas would mean that we would be quite far away from the main resort. However, this was quickly eased when our butler Astawa showed us the 24 hour golf buggy service that can take us anywhere in the Mulia complex within minutes. Astawa also offered to unpack for us, booked our table for dinner, and organised a little surprise for my birthday with a live band singing happy birthday. The Mulia staff really treat everyone like royalties and make us feel special.

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^{Astawa's daily drawings and my birthday surprise}

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The resort complex, located around 3 minutes buggy ride from our Villa, is home to 4 swimming pools and a private beach. One of the most popular pools is the Ocean pool, located right at the edge of the beach. Resort staff and lifeguards stand ready by the pool, to guide us to our chosen pool-side lounge and provide us with all the towels that we need. There is a swim up bar right at the centre of the pool serving their signature mojitos and other exotic cocktails and mocktails. It was amazing being able to laze around in the pool sipping on ice-cold cocktail and just chill.

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^{The Ocean Pool}

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There are two more pools, exclusive to Villa guests only. And that is great because this exclusiveness means that the pools are almost always empty and you essentially have the pool to yourself. One of the most scenic pools at the Mulia is the Oasis pool, located at the Mulia Suite wing of the resort. The infinity pool has a direct, uninterrupted view to the ocean, and private cabanas with day-bed are available for Villa guests to use. You can really stay here all day to marvel at the majestic Indian Ocean and let the warm sun and cool water wash your worries away.

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^{The Oasis pool}

^{Swimming in paradise}

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For food, many restaurants are available at the resort. One of the most exciting time of the day is to indulge in the daily all-you-can-eat breakfast freely available for all guests staying 3 nights or more. The main resort restaurant, the Café, serves an international smorgasbord of breakfast treats at five massive breakfast stations which include a Japanese corner serving fresh sashimi, western breakfast station serving eggs cooked to your liking and a range of pastries and cakes; a Chinese station with an authentic hawker style noodle bar, and a continental breakfast station with cereal, yogurt and smoothies for those who are health conscious.

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^{Buffet Breakfast at The Cafe}

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As Villa guests, we also get the privilege to choose to have our breakfast at the Lounge facing the Oasis Pool, or the Living Room up on the top of the hill, where a range of à la carte breakfast such as Vietnamese Clam Rice Porridge, Filet Mignon with fluffy scramble egg, and Korean Yukaejang are served in an All-you-can-eat sitting. The Lounge and the Living Room also serve complimentary afternoon tea for Villa guests with a fusion style high tea platter and a free-flowing selection of cocktails, wine and beer.

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^{Steak for breakfast and other fancy dishes at The Lounge and The Living Room}

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The Mulia really does take care of you, especially if you are staying at the Villas. All the staff treated us like VIPs, even after we checked out. We were still able to use all of the facilities, including the fitness centre where we took a nice shower before heading back home on a 7-hour flight. All-in-all, staying at The Mulia really was an unforgettable experience. With their un-parallelled luxury, out-of-this-world swimming pools and second-to-none service, The Mulia really deserves to be the top beach resort in the world. If you are after a bit of extravagant luxury and pampering, I will highly recommend choosing The Mulia Bali as your next destination.

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Click here for The Mulia, Bali Website