The Elysian

Executive summary by darmansjah

An all-villa retreat amid the action of Seminyak

IT MAY BE LOCATED in the heart of Bali’s happening neighborhood of designer boutiques, art galleries, swish restaurants, and some of the hottest nightspots, but the Elysian is as tranquil as resorts come. Tucked away in Seminyak, 26 villas are ringed by towering palm trees, giving it a tropical appeal far removed from the bustling street outside.

Each of the spacious pool villas features a master bedroom with a plush king-size bed and an enormous bathroom with a sunken tub. They are decked out with high-tech toys, like complimentary laptops and Wi-Fi, a Bose Sound Dock, an iPad and IPod, and an apple TV to enjoy personal media content. If you’re having trouble dragging yourself away from your quarters, Guest Services are at your beck and call to organize everything from day trips to the interior of the island to a reservation at the property’s spa. Other than your own private pool, you can also take a dip in the resort’s 25-meter-long swimming pool, set right in the center of the property and flanked by curtained cabanas on one side and a dining terrace on the other.

Nearby are the clubhouse and the spa, a calming hideaway with contemporary, Zen-inspired interiors, bamboo furniture in an earthy palette of brown and green, and treatment rooms enveloped by silk-paneled walls where tensions melt a way under the skillful hands of Balinese therapists. Apart from a wide range of wellness rituals, the spa also offer beauty treatments utilizing internationally renowed products that will leave you glowing.

Dining at the Elysian is also a treat. The alfresco eatery Rush Bamboo Restaurant & Bar delivers an impeccable sandwiches to local specialities, carefully prepared using the freshest local organic a fully catered, candlelit dinner in the privacy of your villa.

18 Sari Dewi, Seminyak Bali 62-361/730-999; theelysian.com