The Apurva Kempinski - Bali
- Nick, Editor
- Aug 14
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 24
A Majestic Stage on the Cliffs of Nusa Dua
Article summary>>
In this article, you will get our unbiased, independent review and thoughts on The Apurva Kempinski Hotel in Bali
Rooms & suites
Food & Drink
Amenities
Service
Vibe
Location
Thoughts
Booking
From the moment you step into The Apurva Kempinski Bali’s soaring, open-air lobby, an amphitheatre of stone, water and tropical breeze, the resort makes a promise: you will feel small in the best possible way.
Not diminished, but hushed; invited to look up, slow down and let the island do its age-old work on your senses. The Apurva (Sanskrit for “unique” and “magnificent”) was conceived as a grand stage for Indonesian culture, and it shows.
The architecture nods to temples and tongkonan houses, to terraced rice fields and coastal cliffs, all while choreographing the day’s light across pools and courtyards. It’s dramatic, yes, but never gaudy, Balinese gravitas rather than bombast. (The resort stands on a Nusa Dua cliff and positions itself as a luxury five-star “open-air theatre.”)
A sense of place, built sky-to-sea:
What makes Apurva’s design sing is its verticality. You arrive high and move slowly downward, to restaurants, gardens, the showpiece pools, and finally the beach and Reef Beach Club, like a pilgrimage from mountain shrine to ocean temple. The building’s bones are modern, but detailing keeps the conversation with Indonesia front and centre: carved stone, woven textures, bamboo forms. Design studios behind the project drew inspiration from the Balinese principle of Tri Hita Karana, harmony between people, nature and the divine, which gives the property its almost ceremonial rhythm. Check availability and start planning your trip here.
Rooms & Suites at The Apurva Kempinski Bali
The resort opened in early 2019 with 475 keys (rooms, suites and villas). Today, the hotel’s own overview describes a collection of 465 accommodations, likely the result of reconfigurations and product updates over time. Both figures are true, depending on which point in the property’s life you’re looking at.
For guests, the more useful details are these: 176 suites and 43 villas come with private pools, and 48 Grand Deluxe Rooms offer direct access to a lagoon pool. Many categories face the Indian Ocean; others look across landscaped courtyards and tropical greenery.
Among suites, the Cliff Private Pool (Ocean) Junior Suite is a sweet spot: a generous 100 sqm with a plunge pool and access to the smart, bi-level Cliff Lounge, a private realm for breakfast, grazing and golden-hour rituals. If you’ve ever dreamt of writing at a desk with the ocean in your peripheral vision and a pool within arm’s reach, this is your setting.
It goes without saying, all of the rooms, suites and villas are what you would expect and more, from a five-star hotel of this calibre, pure luxury and all the amenities giving a pure sense of wellbeing.
Eating and drinking: a culinary atlas under one roof:
Bali is a dining destination in its own right, but Apurva curates a compact, highly photogenic tour of the island and the region, spread over a roster of venues:
Koral – Bali’s first aquarium restaurant, where degustation menus play against an underwater backdrop; it’s a theatre with great lighting and a crisp focus on seasonal, modern plates. Book ahead.
Pala Restaurant & Rooftop Bar – The resort’s social heart and home to the exuberant “Brunchcation,” a weekend ritual that somehow manages to feel both indulgent and breezy.
Izakaya by OKU – An elegant Japanese counterpoint to all that sunshine; think precise, contemporary dishes in a cool, low-lit box of calm.
Bai Yun – Comforting Chinese hot pot, best enjoyed family-style.
Reef Beach Club – A barefoot-to-bikini sequence of wood-fire, smoke and sea salt, anchored by the club’s 42-metre infinity pool right on the sand.
L’Atelier by Cyril Kongo, Selasar Deli, Kubu Pool Bar and in-room dining round out the options, which is to say: you won’t run out of addresses, only appetite.
The through-line is Indonesian sourcing and storytelling, menus that nod to spice routes, archipelagic ingredients and the contemporary kitchen, without making you sit an exam to enjoy it.
Pools, beach and the art of doing nothing:
Apurva invites you to oscillate between two aquatic moods. Up at the heart of the resort is a 60-metre main pool framed by palms and sky, suitable for proper laps or gazing at cloud architecture. Down at the shoreline, Reef Beach Club is its more playful sibling with that 42-metre infinity pool, cabanas and daybeds, and a kids’ pool with slides. Choose your soundtrack: jungle chorus above, surf hush below. Either way, the day disappears in the cleanest way possible.
The Apurva Spa: ritual as remedy:
Too many resort spas feel like a template wrapped in jasmine. Apurva’s is different: Apurva Spa leans into Indonesian healing philosophies and life-stage rituals, lulur, jamu, and therapies that combine heat, herbs and attentive hands. The fitness centre sits with ocean views (motivation by horizon), and the programming often extends into breath work and movement classes. If you’re chasing one signature, ask for Gending Apurva, a herb-poultice massage built around the idea of balancing energies.
Weddings and wow-moments:
Bali is a vow-renewal magnet, and Apurva amps up the drama with its oceanfront Apurva Chapel, glass-fronted, bamboo-ribbed, set like a jewel in water and lawn. It accommodates up to 100 guests and sits adjacent to a two-storey villa for bridal preparations or intimate after-parties. Smaller cliffside chapels exist for micro-ceremonies. Even if you’ll never toss a bouquet here, wander by at sunset and you’ll understand why couples do.
Service, soft power and sustainability:
Kempinski’s flagship picked up Best Sustainable Hotel at the 2024 ULTRAs awards, useful shorthand for a wider ethos you feel on property: cultural programming that spotlights Indonesian makers, kitchens that talk provenance, and green practices tucked behind the scenes. Awards aren’t the point of a stay, but they are proof that the resort is doing the homework.
Nusa Dua, decoded:
If Seminyak is the island’s fashion runway and Ubud its soul, Nusa Dua is the sanctuary: a manicured enclave of beaches, gardens and low-key luxury, fifteen to thirty minutes from the airport, depending on traffic and whether you take the toll road.
The Apurva Kempinski sits at the southern end, close to Bali National Golf Course and within easy striking distance of Uluwatu Temple for the cliff-edge sunset and Kecak performance. The hotel’s own travel times are a reliable planning tool: Uluwatu 20 km/45 min; Bali National Golf 2.5 km/5 min; Kuta & Seminyak 35–42 min.
When you do want a dose of shops and air-con, Bali Collection, the area’s open-air mall, restaurants and services hub, is a short drive away. It’s not Seminyak chic, but for souvenirs, kid snacks, an ATM and a painless pedicure, it’s handy.
Who it’s for:
Families land softly here: lagoon-access rooms for splashing, a kids’ club and forgiving restaurants, plus the confidence of a polished five-star operation. Honeymooners and celebrants get those cinematic frames, the chapel, the cliff suites, the private pools and golden-hour terraces. Wellness travellers find a spa with purpose and staff who remember their tea preferences by day two. Event planners (and wedding parties) appreciate the scale and flexibility.
If your Bali fantasy involves wilder, surfy edges and a café-hop around Canggu, build that into another leg of your trip. Apurva’s vibe is more majestic sanctuary than boho hamlet, and that’s precisely its charm.
Practical notes:
Room count & configuration. Apurva Kempinski lists 465 rooms, suites and villas.
Pools. The resort boasts a 60-metre main pool and the 42-metre infinity pool at Reef; several categories, 176 suites + 43 villas, have private pools; 48 ground-floor rooms plug into a lagoon. That’s a lot of water to laze in.
Dining. The headline acts, Koral, Pala’s Brunchcation, Izakaya by OKU, Bai Yun, Reef, cover most moods from celebratory to sandy-feet. Consider Koral or Rooftop for big-ticket nights, Reef or Selasar Deli for day-to-day.
Wellness. Book Gending Apurva for a locally grounded signature; pencil the fitness studio for sunrise, when the gym’s ocean views do half the work.
Getting around. The hotel provides clear drive times; rideshares and taxis are plentiful. Expect 45 min to Uluwatu, 35–42 min to Seminyak/Kuta, 25–35 min to the airport, traffic-dependent.
Rates. Like anywhere in Bali, prices swing with season and lead time, entry rooms from roughly £325/night, with flash deals occasionally lower; suites and villas step up accordingly.
Verdict:
The Apurva Kempinski Bali is exactly what its name promises: singular and magnificent, with a command of space few resorts anywhere can match. It’s not trying to be the coolest kid in the Bali class, nor the oldest soul; it’s the valedictorian of grandeur, fluent in Indonesian aesthetics and modern hospitality. If your Bali brief reads: “I want the island’s culture and craft presented with ceremony; I want the sea within arm’s reach; I want to feel gently dwarfed by beauty”, then Apurva Kempinski belongs at the top of your shortlist; the service is spectacular throughout, personal, attentive, and always a friendly, happy vibe. Highly recommended.
Pros & Cons:
Pros
Architecture that actually means something, grand but grounded in Indonesian design.
A deep bench of dining options (including Bali’s first aquarium restaurant) that keeps you happily on property.
Serious pool game: 60 m main pool, 42 m beachfront pool, plus private and lagoon options.
Spa with a point of view, local wisdom, thoughtful signatures.
Easy access to Nusa Dua’s calm beaches and the Uluwatu peninsula for day trips.
Cons
The scale can feel imposing; expect walks or buggy rides between venues.
Nusa Dua’s bubble is blissful, but curated, urban café culture and surf-town grit are a drive away.
Popular venues (Koral, Brunchcation) require advance bookings or patience.
Key facts & takeaways:
Location: Clifftop in Nusa Dua (Sawangan) with elevator-down access to the beach; 25–35 min from Ngurah Rai International Airport via toll road (traffic-dependent). Uluwatu Temple 20 km/45 min; Bali National Golf 2.5 km/5 min.
Hotel rating: Five-star luxury resort.
Hotel vibe: “Majestic open-air theatre”, ceremonial, sculptural, and unabashedly grand, yet softened by tropical gardens and water.
Food & drink: A curated line-up including Koral (aquarium dining), Pala Restaurant & Rooftop Bar (home of Brunchcation), Izakaya by OKU, Bai Yun, Reef Beach Club, L’Atelier by Cyril Kongo, Selasar Deli, Kubu Pool Bar and in-room dining.
Hotel amenities: 60m main pool, 42m beachfront infinity pool, Apurva Spa (Indonesian healing focus), fitness centre with ocean views, chapels for weddings, kids’ facilities, and beach club with watersports.
How many rooms: 465; 176 suites + 43 villas with private pools; 48 rooms with lagoon access.
Pricing: Highly seasonal; rooms from £325/night, with promos below that; suites/villas scale higher. Always compare.
Location recommendations & nearby attractions:
Uluwatu Temple & Kecak dance – majestic cliff-edge sunset ritual (20 km / 45 min).
Bali National Golf Course – championship 18-hole layout (2.5 km / 5 min).
Bali Collection – Nusa Dua’s open-air mall for shopping, services and casual dining (3 mi / short drive).
Kuta & Seminyak – retail, dining and nightlife (35–40 min).
GWK Cultural Park – giant Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue and cultural performances (plan 2–3 hours with transport).
The Apurva Kempinski (Bali) Review 2025
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