Ayodya Resort Bali

The Ayodya Resort Bali attracts a wide range of travelers -- from business people looking for large conference and meeting facilities to couples to families seeking a little R&R with kids in tow. This enormous resort is designed to resemble a traditional Balinese temple, with large lake-like fountains featuring water-spouting dragon statues, pagoda-style structures with orange roofs, and exposed wooden beam ceilings in common areas and arching over walkways that lead through the lush resort. The semi-open lobby features wooden floors and columns that support a large roof and include a collection of traditional statuary, such as a temple-style structure at its center. 

Ayodya Resort Bali is located right on the beach on Bali's southeastern coast, in a pleasant area dominated by other high-end hotels. It's a 25-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 about a 40-minute drive. It's a 25-minute drive to Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, and Ubud is slightly more than an hour away.

The Ayodya offers a variety of rooms and suites in four categories: Deluxe Rooms, Garden Rooms, Palace Rooms, and Suites with separate lounges. The Ayodya also offers a variety of rooms in its Palace, a "resort within a resort" that's equivalent to a club floor and has its own exclusive lounge. Rooms have wooden floors and simple, Balinese style with limited wall art and in some rooms, slightly dated furniture (the bamboo and rattan furniture in the Deluxe Room we saw, for example). Most rooms have a largely contemporary look, but Balinese influences can be felt in colorful, intricate patterns on accent pillows and headboards in some units, and the incorporation of local building materials. All come with mini-fridges, kettles, and flat-screen TVs. Bathrooms are marble and have dual sinks, and while Deluxe Rooms have shower/tub combos, higher-end rooms come with separate tubs and large walk-in showers. 

The Ayodya offers a large number of facilities for families, business travelers, and vacationing couples. There's an enormous lagoon-style swimming pool with a smaller wading pool for children, along with an elegant, romantic infinity pool with views of the sea. There's also a sandy (but not private) beach in front of the property, along with a grassy area with lounge chairs and parasols exclusively for guests' use. The resort also has a largish gym with ellipticals, treadmills, free weights, and weight-training machines, along with tennis and squash courts. 

The resort's spa -- Ayodya Spa by Mandara-- is particularly impressive, with numerous treatment rooms for individuals, Spa Villas with steam rooms and bath tubs especially for couples, and a huge range of offerings, from mani/pedis to reflexology treatments. Parents can drop off their kids at Camp Ananda, a colorful kids' club with a wide range of activities, babysitting services, and outdoor playground, before their spa treatments. There's also a shopping arcade with shops selling apparel, gifts, and basic sundries.

For business travelers, the Ayodya offers a large Meeting Center with an office and six meeting rooms, the largest of which can seat up to 80 guests theater style. The resort's ballroom -- the Samudra Room -- can hold cocktail receptions of up to 600 people and has additional space on its veranda. There are three additional interconnecting rooms, which can collectively seat up to 120 guests. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. 

The Ayoda offers a large variety of dining choices, along with 24-hour room service. The Java Hut Lounge looks out over the sea and serves coffees, teas, and pastries from morning until late at night. There's also a lobby bar -- Rama Terrace -- which serves coffee, tea, and cocktails but is open only in the late afternoon and evening. The pool bar -- Surfer's Corner -- serves cocktails and a range of light fare, including pizza. A free buffet breakfast is served daily at the Waterfall Restaurant, which also offers a brunch every Saturday and Indonesian specialties at dinnertime. The Lagoona Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner in a sunny space with high ceilings, reddish tiled floors, and large windows that look out on the property. Specialties include steak and seafood. Octopus Ristorante is one of the more elegant dining areas, with a focus on Italian pastas, antipasti, and wood-fired pizza, and is open for dinner every day. Genji Japanese Restaurant serves sushi and teppanyaki at private teppanyaki tables and also has a Tatami Room for private dining. The open-air Balinese theater serves Balinese food served buffet style followed by performances of local dance forms, from Legong to Kecak.