Once in a while, if you’re really open to it, a residence or resort can transcend the place in which it resides. Of course, in a place as spiritual and beautiful as Bali, that resort would have to be very special. The Mulia and Mulia Villas are that special place.
Set on an edge of coastline in Nusa Dua, Bali’s most exclusive enclave, The Mulia is made up of three properties: The Mulia Resort (a 526-room beachfront hotel), The Mulia (111 luxurious suites – all with 24/7 butler service and private patio Jacuzzis), and The Mulia Villas (108 one- to six-bedroom villas perched above the Indian Ocean). All three boast Instagram-worthy pools, incredible service, and cosmopolitan restaurants that rival those of big cities.
Weddings at The Mulia are equally impressive. Their ceremony and reception options include a majestic ballroom, a beachside garden, a modern chapel with unbeatable ocean views, and a dramatic glass chapel that floats on a lake. Couples can even opt for a Royal Balinese wedding blessing, complete with traditional musicians, dancers, and attire.
The property’s eight restaurants are elegant enough for rehearsal dinners and tasty enough for everyday dining. Oftentimes resort restaurants lose the heart and soul of its community culinary roots, but the Indonesian and Asian offerings at The Mulia are completely authentic (not to mention incredibly delicious). The Café will amaze you with its array of seemingly never-ending options, while the glamorous Soleil dishes out hand-crafted pastas and Mediterranean creations.
The Mulia Spa, consistently rated among the best in the world, is the tranquil oasis you’d expect it to be. With a comprehensive menu incorporating Balinese, Asian and Western treatments, you could spend a few days there and still not exhaust all their offerings. The spa also boasts Asia Pacific’s first ice room, a cold therapy experience at -1 degree Celsius. Couple it with the meditative steam room for the ultimate hot/cold detox.
And then of course there’s the beach. With waves breaking far off shore, the water in front of the resort is perfectly calm and clear. You could grab some snorkel gear to explore your underwater surroundings, but why bother? The water is like glass, offering incredible visibility. The Mulia is situated at the very end of the quiet beach, where a beautiful cliff-side temple – just a short walk away – keeps watch over the property.
If you choose to venture off property, Bali will keep you busy. There are the world-famous beaches, a slew of spectacular waterfalls, and Mount Batur – a 5,633-foot active volcano. Temples are everywhere, but the mystical Gunung Kawi (known locally as the Rocky Temple) is especially beautiful thanks to its 10 towering shrines carved into rock faces and impossibly green rice fields.
Most visitors make a stop in Ubud, the artsy center of the island full of craft shops, markets, and artisan stalls. Also in Ubud is the John Hardy jewelry workshop and headquarters, which is open for tours (and shopping). And, if you’re brave and don’t mind macaques running off with your sunglasses, the Monkey Forest is exactly as it sounds – a forest overrun with mischievous little macaques that have absolutely no fear of humans.
Getting to Bali’s international airport, Ngurah Rai (or Denpasar), is a long flight from the U.S., but the warm welcome you receive – not to mention the relaxing and fulfilling days ahead – make it all worth it. The Mulia can arrange for car service to pick you up from the airport and drop you off at the end of your travels. They even send along someone to help you navigate security and check-in, allowing you to skip the stress associated with travel and keep that relaxing Bali vibe all the way home.
>Written by: Allyson Reedy
