Club Med Bali

The Club Med is an enormous all-inclusive resort set in a series of Balinese-inspired buildings on a large, grassy landscaped plot. The lobby is a semi-open space with a high roof supported by dark-wood beams and columns, featuring a mix of stone and tile floors and plush lavender booth and banquette seating. The space looks particularly spectacular at night, when it's illuminated by large paper lanterns. Just beyond the lobby is a series of fountains with traditional statuary and illuminated lanterns that add to the overall mystical effect. The resort's buildings are connected by roof-covered walkways that perch above large lotus ponds. The majority of guests are families with kids and teens, and couples, solo travelers, and business travelers might feel out of place here. 

Club Med Bali is light on the beach on Bali's southeastern coast, in an area dominated by other high-end hotels, without much else within walking distance. It's a 20-minute drive to the town of Kuta, and getting to Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park takes about the same amount of time. The Uluwatu Temple is within a 35-minute drive. It's a 20-minute drive to Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, and Ubud is slightly more than an hour away.

There are 393 rooms at the Club Med Bali spread over five buildings -- Flores, Sumba, Java, Lombok, and Madura. Although rooms come in a range of configurations, all follow the theme of blond-wood furniture, red accent walls with matching Balinese print cushions and bed throws, and cool marble floors in beige or gray. All units have large balconies or terraces, but the small windows and semi-enclosed construction don't contribute much natural light to the spaces. Bathrooms are a bit more modern than the rooms but feel equally dark, with a mix of beige and dark-brown marble. Suites are similarly lacking in natural light but have track lighting and multi-shade marble walls with bas-reliefs that add a bit of texture to the spaces. Living rooms are compact but have a few soft chairs and coffee tables, along with writing desks. The bathrooms in the Suites are standouts, with large black-granite vanities with double vessel basins, huge soaking tubs, and separate marble walk-in showers with ceiling-mounted rainfall showerheads. All units are air-conditioned, and have safes, kettles, and flat-screen TVs. 

The Club Med chain is known for its abundance of on-site activities, and the Club Med Bali is no exception. Activities include trapeze school, golf lessons, yoga classes, snorkeling, archery, windsurfing, and guided walks. The resort also has badminton, basketball, soccer, squash, and tennis facilities, along with equipment for playing beach soccer and volleyball. Guests who prefer something more low-key can hang out in the lounge, which has a few red-felt pool tables and a large projection screen for watching sports and movies. Other features include free WI-Fi, an enormous shop with resortwear and a huge selection of souvenirs, and a large, semi-open theater with a stage for performances. 

The property is located right by the beach and has lots of cushioned lounge chairs on the sand, along with some thatched parasols for shade. Additional sunbeds are located in a golf-course-green patch of grass with plenty of palm trees. There's also a swimming pool surrounded by shaded lounge chairs with tarp-covered areas for avoiding the sun. A kids' pool and an adult-only Zen Pool set in a quiet garden area round out the picture. 

A variety of local and international treatments are offered at the Club Med Spa by Mandera, which has lots of red accent walls and dark-wood trim. The spa also has its own private courtyard surrounded by greenery, complete with a small pool and a whirlpool hot tub. There's also a separate wooden patio for relaxing after treatments. 

The Club Med has two bars. The Kintamani -- at the swimming pool -- has a pavilion-style indoor section with a large round bar at its pinnacle and a small stage for live music performances off to one side. It offers cocktails, beer, wine, and juices as part of the all-inclusive rate plus premium drinks such as wine, Champagne, and select spirits. The seaside Tupai Tupai Beach Bar has a similar menu. The Deck Bar and Restaurant features indoor and outdoor seating in nautically inspired hues of blue and whites, with blue tile and light-blue LED backlighting. The more elegant option is the Agung Restaurant, housed in a traditional Balinese structure with high ceilings supported by dark-wood beams. There's also an outdoor section for alfresco dining. 

There's a Baby Club with lots of toys for children under two -- parents can can simply drop their little ones off. Two- and three-year-olds can hang out at the Petit Club Med, which offers arts and crafts, dress-up games, and lunch. Both the Baby Club and Petit Club Med come with extra fees, and need to be booked in advance. The Mini Club Med (included in rates) is for kids between four and 10 years old, and offers arts and crafts and sports activities. Pre-teens and teens up to age 18 can hang out at the Juniors Club Med (also included and split into two age groups), with a range of organized activities, but it's open only during school vacations.