The Apurva Kempinski Bali Review: Is This Nusa Dua’s Best Luxury Resort?

Hi, we’re Keir and Amy.

We stayed at The Apurva Kempinski Bali for five nights during our honeymoon in September 2025, after splitting our trip between Ubud, Uluwatu, and Nusa Dua.

We chose the Nusa Dua area because it’s renowned for its luxury beachfront resorts, and we wanted somewhere more premium to finish our honeymoon in style. After comparing several options, the Apurva Kempinski stood out thanks to its incredible reviews and its iconic design overlooking the coastline. It’s also one of the most well-known beachfront hotels in the Nusa Dua area.

When we arrived, we were immediately struck by the grand semi-outdoor reception and lobby. The ceilings felt impossibly high and the entire space was pristine, giving a real sense of scale and luxury.

We were invited to sit down while checking in, where we were told we’d been upgraded to the Ocean Front Private Pool Junior Suite as we were on our honeymoon. It was a lovely gesture and instantly made the stay feel even more special.

But beyond the impressive first impressions… does the Apurva Kempinski actually live up to the hype?

Quick Verdict Box

Best for: Couples and families looking for a luxury resort experience

Recommended length of stay: 4-10 days

Not ideal for: Budget travellers

Location: South of Nusa Dua town 

Price range: Medium to High

Would we stay again: Absolutely 

Check live prices for your travel dates below →

Why Stay in Nusa Dua?

Nusa Dua is ideal for travellers looking for a polished, luxury resort experience.

We’d particularly recommend the area to anyone who enjoys the style of large seaside resorts you might find in other parts of the world — the kind where everything you need is within the resort itself.

While the Apurva Kempinski doesn’t offer an all-inclusive package (which is fairly uncommon across Bali), the overall atmosphere feels very similar. You have a wide choice of restaurants, multiple pool areas to relax in, and direct access to a private beach — making it easy to spend entire days enjoying the resort without needing to leave.

How To Get To Nusa Dua

Most international travellers will arrive at Ngurah Rai International Airport (Denpasar), which is around 25–30 minutes from Nusa Dua by car depending on traffic.

If you’re still planning your trip, it’s worth comparing flight prices early as Bali is one of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia.

Compare the latest flight deals to Bali here →

First Impressions & Architecture

As we arrived a little early, our room wasn’t quite ready yet, so we had about an hour to explore the hotel’s main indoor areas overlooking the resort.

The Apurva Kempinski is fascinating from an architectural perspective. From the main reception area, a cosy balcony space opens out over the entire resort complex, offering sweeping views of the vast pool areas below and the ocean stretching out beyond. It’s genuinely breathtaking and almost feels like a viewing platform designed to showcase the scale of the resort.

One of the most striking things about the hotel is its terraced design, which cascades down the hillside toward the beach. Even though you already feel high above the resort when standing at the lobby balcony, the building actually rises several levels higher above you. At the very top sits the rooftop bar L’Atelier by Cyril Kongo, which gives you an even greater perspective over the property and coastline.

The main lobby itself is centred around a grand staircase leading down to a lower level. From here you can access several of the resort’s key spaces, including restaurants, the Selasar Deli café, and the spa. The combination of huge open spaces, traditional Balinese design influences, and modern luxury gives the whole area a real sense of occasion.

Exploring the main indoor areas of the hotel only built our anticipation for seeing our room and finally getting down to the enormous pool area below.

Rooms & Suites

After doing some research before booking, we decided to choose one of the more affordable room categories. Even the entry-level rooms at The Apurva Kempinski looked luxurious, and we also wanted to leave some room in the budget to experience The Kayon Jungle Resort in Ubud, which turned out to be another highlight of our trip. You can read our full review of that stay here.

With great thanks to the team at Apurva we got to experience the Ocean Front Private Pool Junior Suite, which sits firmly in the upper tier of rooms available at the resort. Note that for those wanting to push the budget the ocean front prestige suites are a tier above again. 

When we arrived at the room, our luggage had already been delivered as promised, and we were immediately impressed with what would be our home for the next five days.

The suite featured a spacious layout with a walk-in wardrobe area, a large sleeping space with a very comfortable king-sized bed, a flatscreen TV, and plenty of plug sockets and desk space — something that’s surprisingly useful when you’re trying to charge multiple devices after a day exploring Bali.

Opposite the bed was the bathroom area, which felt suitably high-end for a resort of this calibre. It included a freestanding bathtub, double sinks with large mirrors, a waterfall-style shower, and a high-tech toilet with more functions than we really knew what to do with.

Outside, the room also had its own small private pool. Ours faced a section of hedging designed to give extra privacy, which meant we didn’t get much direct sunlight during the day. I did try the pool once and found it a little on the cool side, but still perfectly usable.

What we appreciated most about the room was how quiet and comfortable it was. During our stay the hotel was hosting a large business event, but from inside the room you wouldn’t have known — it felt extremely peaceful.

While our ground-floor location meant we didn’t have a direct ocean view, we genuinely loved the space. It had everything we needed and more for our five-night stay, and in many ways felt like a high-end suite, just without the elevated outlook.

Another bonus was the location of our room within the resort. It was less than a one-minute walk to the main pool area, which proved surprisingly useful when you inevitably forget something like sunglasses or sunscreen.

Because much of the resort is designed to wrap around the main pool complex, many of the rooms have convenient access to the pools without needing a buggy or long walk.

Some of the larger suites are located higher up near the main lobby and offer spectacular elevated ocean views. If your budget stretches that far, they look incredible from the photos.

If you’re considering staying here, you can compare the different room categories and check availability for your dates here →

Pools & Beach Access

The pool complex at The Apurva Kempinski is one of the standout features of the entire resort.

There is a dedicated children’s pool area with slides located closer to the main building, while the main pool stretches out towards the ocean and is lined with sunbeds along both sides.

One thing we really liked about the design is how the pool is divided into smaller sections with bay sections that have sunbeds positioned around them. This clever layout makes the pool area feel more private and less crowded, even when the resort is busy.

Within these bays there are also partially submerged loungers, allowing you to relax in the sun while still sitting in shallow water — perfect for reading a book or cooling off without needing to swim.

We never had any difficulty finding sunbeds during our stay, although early risers naturally tend to claim the very best spots. That said, you definitely don’t need to be up at sunrise to secure a good place for the day.

Because of the surrounding palm trees, some areas of the pool receive partial shade at different times of day. If you’re looking for uninterrupted sun, the loungers positioned within the water tend to get the most consistent sunlight.

Overall the atmosphere around the pool felt relaxed rather than lively. There’s a mix of couples and families staying at the resort, so you’ll hear some noise depending on who’s nearby, but it never felt overly busy or chaotic.

The pool temperature was ideal for swimming, and the setting itself is quite special. On one side you’re looking out towards the Indian Ocean, while on the other the impressive terraced structure of the hotel rises above you. 

You can see the moment we captured in the video below. 

The Apurva Kempinski Pool Area Views

It was sitting by the pool that we really realised we’d chosen somewhere special to spend the final five days of our honeymoon.

For families, it’s also worth noting that The Apurva Kempinski offers extensive child-friendly facilities. The Jalak Family Club includes indoor and outdoor playgrounds, a treehouse, and supervised activities such as Balinese mask painting, cooking classes, and tie-dye workshops. There’s also a dedicated kids’ pool and various family-focused activities throughout the week.

Beyond the main pool area you’ll find the resort's private beach. It’s a great alternative spot to spend a few hours if you want a change of scenery from the pools. The beach also offers activities such as kayaking, although we were enjoying the relaxed pace of the resort so much that we never quite got around to trying them — maybe next time.

There are staff offering occasional table service around the pool, but most of the time we simply walked over to the nearby bar to order drinks or food ourselves. The selection was excellent, with plenty of options throughout the day.

Even though we visited during peak season, the size of the pool area meant it never felt overcrowded.

If you’re planning to visit during busy travel periods, it’s still worth checking availability early to secure your dates here →

Dining Experience

We’ve stayed at a fair number of five-star resorts over the years and enjoyed our share of expensive meals, but The Apurva Kempinski really stands out when it comes to dining.

The food was consistently excellent throughout our stay, but two meals in particular stood out as some of the best we’ve ever had - not just during our honeymoon, but in all our travels.

What impressed us most was the balance the hotel strikes. The dining feels creative and modern without ever compromising on quality, the service is polished yet relaxed, and the drinks menu is extensive with some genuinely excellent cocktails.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served at both Pala Restaurant and The Reef Beach Club.

While Pala offers the larger selection of food, we actually preferred eating at The Reef most mornings because it had a more intimate and relaxed atmosphere. It was noticeably quieter and felt like a calmer way to start the day.

The breakfast itself was exactly what you would expect from a luxury resort. You can order freshly prepared dishes to your table while also making use of a large buffet selection with plenty of international options.

With the variety on offer, we found it easy to try something different each morning.

Lunch

Most days we opted for lunch by the pool.

The Kubu Pool Bar offers a poolside menu with a good range of freshly prepared dishes that can be delivered straight to your sunbed. It was perfect for relaxed afternoons when we didn’t feel like leaving the pool area.

If you prefer a proper sit-down meal without heading back to the main hotel building, The Reef Beach Club is another great option for lunch.

There are additional restaurants located closer to the lobby, but after a big breakfast we rarely felt the need to get changed and head back up. Relaxing by the pool or beach with lunch brought to us felt far more appealing.

The Selasar Deli also proved useful on the day we arrived and again before we left. It’s ideal if you want a quick bite during the day, particularly if you’re heading out for an excursion or stopping by the spa.

Dinner

Dinner is where the Apurva Kempinski really shines, with several excellent restaurants to choose from.

Pala Restaurant offers a premium buffet experience with multiple live cooking stations serving international dishes. While nothing here was particularly groundbreaking, the quality was still very good and it’s a solid option for a relaxed evening meal.

One evening we tried the Chinese hotpot restaurant Bai Yun. As we had never experienced hotpot before, we weren’t entirely sure what to expect, but the staff were incredibly helpful in guiding us through the process.

The food was very enjoyable and the service excellent. One highlight was the cocktails, which were prepared tableside by a bartender using a small bar cart — a really nice touch that made the experience feel extra special.

That said, we realised we personally prefer having our food cooked and served rather than preparing it ourselves. The hotpot concept felt a little novel for us, but the restaurant receives fantastic reviews, so if that style of dining appeals to you, it’s definitely worth trying.

Izakaya by Oku

For us, the true standout meal of the entire stay was at Izakaya by Oku, the resort’s Japanese restaurant.

This was genuinely one of the best meals we’ve ever had.

Japanese cuisine is one of our favourites, so we’ve tried plenty over the years (although not yet in Japan itself), but the food here was exceptional. The dishes were creative yet perfectly balanced, and the quality of the ingredients was obvious from the first bite.

One of the highlights was a sushi dish wrapped in wagyu beef, which was incredible. We also ordered sashimi that was so fresh it practically melted in your mouth.

Every plate was beautifully presented and the whole experience felt like dining with a chef truly at the top of their craft.

The cocktails were equally impressive. Once again a bartender prepared them tableside, explaining each drink as he made it. When we mentioned we were on our honeymoon he even surprised us with a complimentary cocktail to enjoy with dessert.

It was an incredibly memorable evening and one we still talk about now. If we ever return to Bali, Izakaya by Oku will be at the top of our list to visit again.

What made it even better was the value. The entire meal - including three cocktails each - cost roughly half of what we would expect to pay in our home city of Glasgow for a restaurant of similar quality.

Koral Restaurant

Of course, no stay at The Apurva Kempinski would be complete without visiting Koral, the resort’s famous underwater aquarium restaurant.

If possible, you should try to book a table in the aquarium tunnel, which is reserved for guests aged 17 and over. Families can still dine at the restaurant itself, but the tunnel provides the most immersive experience.

There is a minimum spend for these tables, although we found this wasn’t an issue since the set menu options easily exceeded it.

Unlike the other restaurants in the resort, Koral operates a smart-casual dress code, so flip-flops and beachwear are not permitted.

Our tunnel table was genuinely mind-blowing - we’d never experienced anything quite like it before.

When you arrive you first enter the main dining area with large glass panels looking into the aquarium. From there you’re escorted through to the tunnel section, where the tables sit beneath the curved glass aquarium.

If you want one of these tables it’s definitely worth booking well in advance. We’d recommend mentioning if you’re staying at the hotel and especially if you’re celebrating something like a honeymoon.

Once seated, it’s hard not to spend most of the evening staring up at the marine life swimming above you.

Stingrays glide across the tunnel regularly, momentarily changing the light across the entire dining room as they pass overhead. There are also dozens of different fish species, and we kept spotting new ones throughout the meal.

Follow the link below for our own personal footage of this

The Koral Restaurant Tunnel Table Views

At one point a diver entered the tank to feed the fish, which made for some great photos with the diver waving behind us while a swarm of fish gathered around.

Thankfully the food matched the spectacle. Each course of the set menu was excellent, and by the end we were completely full - especially after the extra honeymoon cake the staff kindly brought out alongside dessert.

While the drinks here weren’t quite as standout as the cocktails at Bai Yun or Izakaya, they were still great and perfectly suited to the experience.

Overall Dining Experience

Overall, the dining at The Apurva Kempinski was exceptional.

Everything felt polished and thoughtfully executed, from the quality of the food to the attentive service and creative cocktail menus.

Because the resort welcomes both couples and families, it didn’t quite have the same ultra-romantic boutique atmosphere we experienced at The Kayon Jungle Resort in Ubud, but in terms of food, drink and service, the Apurva absolutely delivers.

For travellers who value great dining experiences as part of their trip, this resort truly excels.

Amenities 

The hotel also has a well-equipped gym with modern, well-maintained equipment overlooking the ocean. If you enjoy keeping active while travelling, it’s a great space to get a workout in, and gym access is included as part of your stay.

They also offer reformer Pilates classes, although these come at an additional cost of around 350,000 IDR per person at the time of writing (approximately £16.50 / $22 / €19).

There is also a full-service spa within the resort. We had actually considered using it on the first rainy day of our trip, but unfortunately it was fully booked.

In the end, this worked out quite well. We discovered that several nearby spas offer pick-up services and treatments for a fraction of the price of the hotel spa.

We decided to visit Zahra Luxury Spa in Nusa Dua after seeing the fantastic reviews, and the experience certainly lived up to the hype. It’s definitely worth considering if you’re looking for a high-quality spa experience without the luxury resort price tag. Follow the link below if you would like to consider this option.

Zahra Luxury Spa Nusa Dua

Service & Atmosphere

The Apurva Kempinski was quite a contrast to our previous stay at The Kayon Jungle Resort in Ubud.

At Kayon you get a much more intimate, boutique-style atmosphere, whereas the Apurva offers a large-scale luxury resort experience.

Because of its size, it can feel slightly more corporate at times. During our stay there was both a business event and a wedding taking place. However, these were held in separate areas away from the main resort facilities, so they didn’t impact our experience.

In many ways the contrast between the two resorts worked perfectly for our honeymoon, allowing us to experience both the romantic jungle retreat of Ubud and the grand beachfront luxury of Nusa Dua.

Guests at the Apurva also seemed generally more sociable and open to conversation compared with the quieter atmosphere we experienced in Ubud.

Overall, the resort appeals to a wide range of travellers - couples looking for luxury, honeymooners, families, and those wanting a relaxing short stay or a longer week-long holiday.

It’s probably less suited to backpackers or budget travellers, and if you’re looking for lively nightlife you may find it a little too relaxed. There are a couple of bars open in the evenings, but they focus more on cocktails and conversation rather than loud music or late-night entertainment.

Is It Worth the Price?

One of the biggest surprises for us was how accessible the Apurva Kempinski can be in terms of pricing, particularly if you book one of the entry-level rooms.

Even the more budget-friendly rooms feel very premium, making the resort a realistic option for couples planning a honeymoon or a special trip to Bali.

It also works well as part of a wider Bali itinerary. You could easily spend a few nights here while exploring other areas of the island and staying at another resort or two.

For travellers looking for even more luxury, the resort also offers a range of suites and private pool options that significantly increase the price. Even then, many of these still cost considerably less than comparable luxury resorts in Europe.

Although the room rate typically includes breakfast only, we found the food and drinks throughout the resort to be fairly priced considering the quality and overall standard of the hotel.

You can review current pricing and availability below →

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Reliable service from a trusted luxury brand

• Expansive pool complex with private beach access

• Entry-level rooms still feel spacious and premium

• Exceptional dining options throughout the resort

Cons

• Limited nightlife within the resort

• Less intimate than smaller boutique resorts in Bali

• Too expensive for backpackers or budget travellers

Final thoughts 

The Apurva Kempinski Bali really does deliver on its reputation. From the striking architecture to the vast pool complex and excellent dining options, the resort consistently feels polished and high quality.

It works well either as a luxury base while exploring Bali or as a destination resort where you could easily spend seven to ten days relaxing and enjoying the facilities.

While it may not offer the same intimate atmosphere as some boutique resorts on the island, it excels at providing a premium beachfront experience with fantastic food, service and facilities.

If you value quality, style and exceptional dining - all delivered at a price that’s often far more reasonable than luxury resorts in Europe - then the Apurva Kempinski should definitely be on your shortlist when planning a trip to Bali.

Ready To Stay At The Apurva Kempinski?

If you’re planning a trip to Bali and want a luxury beachfront resort with exceptional dining and world-class facilities, the Apurva Kempinski is hard to beat.

Because it’s one of the most popular resorts in Nusa Dua, rooms can book out well in advance during peak travel seasons.

→ Check latest prices and availability here