Alila Villas Uluwatu

Class: Deluxe

Style: Modernist

Rooms: 84

If any further proof were needed that Bali is back on track as a destination with cool hotels, then Alila Villas Uluwatu is it. This new kid on an already crowded block also demonstrates that designer luxury can reach yet another new zenith. The hotel's spectacular infinity-edged pool runs along a vertiginous limestone cliff, which drops hundreds of metres to a rugged beach along a pristine stretch of Indian Ocean. The 84 spacious villas, set out in tiers on the hillside like Balinese rice paddies, all have private salt-water pools, sun decks and cabañas with ocean views. The minimalist open-plan design, with removable walls and doors, allows the sea breeze to circulate and almost entirely negates the need for air conditioning. Sliding panels reveal a generous selection of treats, from flat-screen televisions to espresso machines and a bountiful supply of his-and-hers bathroom products and sun-creams. With a butler service that can be fine-tuned to personal taste (from minimal interference to total indulgence), and seductive in-villa dining and treatment menus, it would be easy not to take advantage of the hotel's other facilities. But do make the effort: there is an excellent spa, a clifftop bar, two restaurants and some innovative activities (or 'journeys'), which explore the cultural charms and natural beauty of the Bukit Peninsula.

Source: Conde Nast Traveller The Hot List 2010.