by Santorini Dave • Updated: February 16, 2019
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See Also: The Best Hotels in Bali
InterContinental Bali Resort – Massive resort offering luxury, convenience, and traditional design.
Although the grounds are vast enough to feature a helipad, the rooms seem huddled together. But they are more spacious than expected, with likable traditional touches and views of the gardens (not sea) from a sizeable balcony/veranda. Corridors lined with Balinese paintings and photos add to the charm. Villas are separated, boasting a private pool and direct access to a patch of beach. The extensive gardens are adorned with several statues, fountains, and ponds filled with lilies, and the resort also features 6 gorgeous pools. The kids club is the finest in Jimbaran, while tennis, water-sports, and other fun activities are also offered. And all within a few minutes’ stroll of renowned beachside cafés and shops along the main road.
InterContinental Bali Resort – The Location
- Address: Accessible from the main road in the southern section of Jimbaran, a surprisingly quiet region just south of the airport.
- Area: Stretches a long way between the main road and magnificent beach. Many facilities – including seafood cafés – are easier and quicker to reach via the beach rather than the main road.
- How to Get There: The only way to/from the airport is by metered taxi or chartered car with a driver. This takes about 18 minutes, depending on traffic.
- Handy to: Village with temple and market. Cafés on the sand for seafood dinners at sunset.
InterContinental Bali Resort – The Basics
- Guests: Caters very well for all, but many guests are families.
- Kids Club: The Planet Trekkers kids club (4 to 12-years old) is the most impressive in Jimbaran. Secure and spacious with loads of activities and classes including Balinese offerings and learning to speak Bahasa. Highly-trained staff and (unusually) open until 10 pm.
- Beach: The beach in front of the resort is narrow but the water is calm and the sand, powdery white. Like all beaches, it is open to the public yet reasonably uncrowded.
- Views: Most rooms and suites are at least 100m from the ocean, so none have sea views. All accommodations overlook the gardens, lawns, ponds, and/or swimming pools.
- Kitchen: Larger villas feature a ‘butler’s kitchen’, more for staff than guests.
- Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Some villas feature a private pool.
- Extras: Morning yoga classes. Short courses in Balinese culture.
- Wi-Fi: Available free throughout for all guests.
- Parking: Some limited free and secure parking available, but think long and hard before driving anywhere in Bali.
- How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
- Phone: (0)361 701 888
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: bali.intercontinental.com
InterContinental Bali Resort – Amenities
- Pool: 6 gorgeous pools, with the main pool facing the beach. Includes a ‘Balinese bathing pool’ and another for the exclusive use of club members.
- Spa: Spa Uluwatu is as extraordinary as the resort, offering a range of treatments rarely provided elsewhere.
- Fitness Center: Large, fully-equipped, and open 24/7. Personal trainers can be arranged.
- Activities: Tennis courts. Water-sports. Yoga classes. Lessons in wood-carving, surfing, and tradition gamelan music. Bicycle rental. Beach volleyball and football.
- Other Facilities: Arcade of boutiques. Hairdressing salon. Helipad. Hindu temple.
InterContinental Bali Resort – Food and Drink
- Restaurants & Bars: Taman Gita Terrace – Breezy setting with outside tables. Buffet breakfast only. • Sunset Beach Bar & Grill – Focuses on healthy meals including salads and seafood. • Bella Cucina – Sophisticated Italian fare with chandeliers inside and tables on the lawns. Offers an extensive wine list, but dinner only. • KO Japanese Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge – Authentic food and décor, and a flamboyant teppanyaki area. Dinner only. • Jimbaran Gardens – All-day dining for seafood, wood-fired pizzas, and cuisine from across Indonesia. Alongside the main pool and facing the sea.
- Breakfast: Not normally included, but this may depend on the type of booking.
- Room Service: Available 24/7.
InterContinental Bali Resort – Rooms
- Room Types: Jivana Villas • Imperial Villas; Pecatu Suites • Bukit Suites • Uluwatu Suites • Balinese Suites • Club InterContinental Suites • Premium Club InterContinental Duplex Suites • Club Duplex Suites • Premium Duplex Suites • Singaraja Premium • Club Intercontinental Rooms • Jimbaran Deluxe
- Smoking Rooms: No smoking in the rooms but permitted on the balconies/verandas and anywhere else.
- Best Room: The Jivana Villas are about 6 times larger than the standard suites. Spread over 2 levels, they’re opulent, secluded, and contemporary. Within a few meters of the beach, they contain a pool and jacuzzi, and even a wine cellar and grand piano!
- For Families: All suites can fit in a family of 3 or 4, while most villas can comfortably accommodate 6.
InterContinental Bali Resort – Local Transport
- Walking & Cycling: With flat roads and less traffic than other regions, walking around Jimbaran is pleasant – and often quicker via the beach than the road. Cycling is also easy and the resort offers rentals.
- Public Transport & Shuttle Buses: In lieu of any public transport, the Kura-Kura Bus company links Jimbaran with Ubud and the rest of southern Bali, but schedules are convoluted and routes confusing. Shuttle bus companies (e.g. Perama) that service Kuta and Sanur don’t bother coming to Jimbaran.
- Cars, Motorbikes, & Taxis: Taxis ply the main road and are a cheap and comfortable way to reach anywhere in southern Bali. For longer distances, charter a car with a driver. Driving a car is not recommended anywhere in Bali, nor is hiring a motorbike for traveling around this part of the south. All transport options can be arranged at the hotel.
InterContinental Bali Resort – What’s Nearby?
Restaurants & Bars
- About 15 seafood cafés are clustered in an area known as Muaya Beach, about 250m south via the sand (3-minute walk). (See Attractions below.) But the choice is surprisingly poor along the main road.
- Warung Musik MC – Likeable corner setting with a wide range of Balinese and western food and musical-themed décor. About 450m south down the road. 6-minute walk.
- Oishii Tei – Authentic Japanese cuisine, including sushi bar. Charming décor and shady outside seating. Around the corner from Warung Musik MC. 6-minute walk.
- Mamma Mia Café – Wood-fired pizzas and pasta. Also popular for daily specials, spacious interior, and happy hours. 50m past the associated Oishii Tei. 6-minute walk.
Shops & Markets
- Enough minimarts along the main road but few other shops of interest in the immediate area. About 300m south down the road (4-minute walk) is an outlet of the sophisticated, international fashion boutique, Paul Ropp. The Jimbaran market is at the main intersection, a pleasant 1.2km stroll to the north (15-minute walk). Opposite is the village temple.
Attractions
- A highlight of any trip to Bali is dinner at sunset on the sand in Jimbaran. With wandering musicians, fireworks, and traditional dances, this should not be missed. Cafés set up from 4 pm at several places along the beach (including the end of Jalan Pemelisan Agung street, 1.2 km north of the resort, 15-minute walk), but most are also open all day. Menus overwhelmingly focus on seafood but other meals are available.
InterContinental Bali Resort – The Hotel
The resort is in the southern section of Jimbaran, a more relaxed region just south of the airport.
The InterContinental is easily the largest resort in Jimbaran.
The resort grounds are truly massive, with the lobby more than 100m from the main entrance.
The public beach facing the resort is a little narrow but scenic and reasonably uncrowded.
A raised area within the resort provides elevated views and maximum breezes.
The Taman Gita Terrace in the resort is only open for breakfast.
Jimbaran Gardens, alongside the main pool in the resort, specializes in seafood and pizza.
The bar alongside the main pool is especially popular during happy hours.
Near the lobby is an arcade of boutiques.
The resort grounds are packed with ponds.
Most rooms and suites are distant from the beach, so none offer sea views.
The extended block of rooms and suites overlook the gardens, swimming pools, ponds, and/or lawns.
Suites are spacious, with a décor that is contemporary Balinese.
Suites are large enough for a family of 3.
Only 200m south of the resort via the sand is the Muaya Beach area of seafood cafés.
Numerous cafés at Muaya Beach offer food all day and lounge chairs on the sand.
Cafés at Muaya Beach set up tables across the sand in time for dinner at sunset.
On a corner 600m down the road from the resort entrance, Warung Musik MC is a likeable café.
Around the corner from Warung Musik is an authentic Japanese restaurant.
Just past the Oishii Tei Japanese restaurant, Mamma Mia is famous for pasta and pizza.