Samabe Bali Suites & Villas | All-Inclusive Luxury Hotel Review

“How should I address you,” the young woman asked me. “Ms. Petri? Ms. Alexandra?”

I was floored. “No – Allie is fine. You can just call me Allie.”

She smiled.

I’d never had my own personal butler before, but there is a first time for everything I guess. I stood there in my beautiful ocean view suite – the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean vast and calm before me, local fishermen paddling through the waters for daily catch –  in my tattered backpacking clothes. This is luxury on a new level, I thought to myself.  I tried to mask my giddy, childlike smile, but I couldn’t help it. I was just overcome with excitement.

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I went from a stay at the Grand Mirage Bali, a place I imagined going to with my friends or family, to the brand new (and not yet publicly launched) Samabe Villa Suites & Villas, a place that I will bring my boyfriend to next time around.

Owned and operated by the same group as the Grand Mirage, Samabe is like the classic Chanel bag of hotels. A splurge, but one that is well worth every penny.

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Samabe is the only Bali-based hotel chosen as one of the Five Star Alliance’s Worlds Best Hotels, winning the category for best new hotel in 2014. The ample amount of services and facilities –  along with its limited privileges stay and all-inclusive stay packages – make it easy to see why this is one of the best resorts you’ll stay at.

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The hotel is built into a cliff and sits on eight acres of land (don’t worry, there are drivers and golf carts available to escort you where ever you need to go). It has two restaurants, two lounge/bar areas, 81 suites/villas, a private beach and an infinity pool that peeks out over to the ocean. Samabe’s design is clean, crisp and elegant without being overly modern in a way that feels cold. Everything about the property glitters shines with class.


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I was in shock from the very moment I stepped foot on the Samabe property. I could see the ocean in every which direction, no matter where I was in the resort; however, I learned that the beach,  was a bit of a mission to get to, and by mission I mean some absurd amount of steps that were easy on the way down but an effort to ascend. Though I was still slightly (somewhat) in decent shape, I definitely would say that I was short of breath by the time I arrived back up to the resort after a visit to the beach.

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In a way, I almost felt like I had the entire place to myself. It was quiet, almost too quiet at times, and remarkably peaceful. I felt like my brain slowed down (once it emerged from its childlike state of giddiness over the resort) and enjoyed being calm for the first time in awhile.

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I was a guest of the all-inclusive stay, which meant that once again I didn’t have to worry about paying for any bills – except for any alcoholic drinks before 5 p.m. I found that to be the biggest grievance with the all-inclusive package. I wasn’t looking to get hammered, but when I reclined in my lounge chair and stared at the vista of the waters in front of me, I felt it was necessary to have a pina colada in hand for the perfect Instagram photo. I resorted to the virgin version, but I was left wondering whether you could label something as all-inclusive when there is a small asterisk in regard to  the drinking rules.

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I ordered a pumpkin salad for lunch from the Ring of Fire pool bar, and it was amazing to have a fresh, delicious salad for the first time in months. Salad, many travelers will learn, is one of the things that is most missed (and truly craved) when traveling through Asia. I spent much of the day reading by the pool, writing in my journal, taking 500 sets of the exact same ocean photo, and occasionally walking back to my ocean view suite so I could soak in every second of having it all to myself.

As part of the all-inclusive package, I was able to take part in a variety of signature activities, some of which can be done every day and some of which can be done only on particular days. My first go-to activity was having a private car take me to Uluwatu temple so that I could watch the sunset, but it seemed it was the wrong day for that activity and no drivers were available.

I scanned the rest of the activities on the list. There were so many ocean activities, and I cursed myself for falling out of the bemo back in Flores, which left a big wound on my foot that I didn’t want to get infected.

And so, I faced my fears and I booked myself a massage for the following day. I decided to forgo any activities my first day, just wanting to enjoy the peace and serenity and big beautiful suite that I had for the next 24 hours.

My room was like heaven, and the view of the ocean never left my sight. It was almost like a big, studio-style room with the bed facing the waters, and there was a separate area with a gigantic closet (for my one backpack), the tub, a shower, toilet and two vanities.

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At around 5 p.m. I decided to retire for the day and draw myself a bubble bath in one of the most beautiful bathtubs I will probably ever have the privilege to soak my skin in. A glass of ride wine rested on the side of the tub, and I timed the entire experience perfectly: the sun started to dip below the horizon, and the a series of pinks, purples and blues swirled through the sky like magic.

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I took my dinner of steak and fries on the balcony that night, the waves crashing on the beach below me and the night air breathing out sighs of relief that the day was nearing to a successful end. It has been a beautiful afternoon lit by the softest sunlight Bali can be privileged to have, and the dark sky was dancing with faintly glowing stars above.

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This was one stay that I would never forget. I wanted to sleep with my balcony door open that night, but unfortunately the deck lights couldn’t be turned off by the flick of a switch, and my butler kindly explained that the lights would turn off automatically. My second grievance with my stay, though minimal, was that it was somewhat inconvenient that they were automatic and that I had to sleep with my blinds drawn to keep the lights out that night when I would have preferred to sleep the the sounds to the waves below.

I woke up, sent my clothes out for washing (which is included in the all-inclusive stay) and dipped away for my massage, which has changed my world forever. I was practically in tears when it ended. Though I wasn’t loving being lathered up in oil, I did love how my relaxation level managed to dip 10 levels lower than its normal low. (Listen, no matter what people say, I can relax like the best of the them.)

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When the time came to depart for Samabe, I definitely left reluctantly. Samabe provides airport pick up and drop off as part of its all-inclusive program, and I was headed onto another adventure. Yet still, Samabe helped me to say “see you later” to my final days in my favorite country with style.

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I was a guest of the Samabe Bali Suites & Villas. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

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