Alila Manggis in East Bali [In-Depth World of Hyatt Hotel Review]

If you’re like me, you typically associate wellness retreats or holistic hotels with high price tags. And that definitely applies when I hear “Alila,” as many of these World of Hyatt-participating properties can charge hefty sums. There are only 4 Alila Category 1 properties in the World of Hyatt program, and my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the 4 nights we just spent at 1 such property: the Alila Manggis in Bali.

While eastern Bali is less famous than Ubud or areas in the south, we were surprised by several elements during our visit to the Alila Manggis. And that’s on top of the excellent price tag, fantastic staff, and delicious food at the on-property restaurant.

Since our stay in early October 2023, I’ve recommended this hotel to multiple friends. Here’s what our stay was like and why it’s worth a visit.

Booking

I’ve been to Bali twice before, but my wife had never been. I had suggested Ubud, but she wanted to be near a beach. Thus, we searched for “best beaches in Bali“ and compared those with maps of where we could stay using our points. Discovering that a World of Hyatt Category 1 Hyatt property was near one of the recommended beaches was a winner.

The original results had advertised 5,000 World of Hyatt points per night for the 1 King Bed room, but going forward showed me a price of 3,500 points per night. I was excited, of course.

Cash prices during our stay averaged $244.27 per night, giving us a whopping 6.98 cents per point on our redemption. That’s way above our valuation of World of Hyatt points.

We stayed for 4 nights, booking the first 3 nights in my name and the last in my wife’s name. Here’s why: I have Hyatt Globalist status, so of course, we wanted the nights in my name for upgrades, free breakfast, and other perks. However, my wife had never stayed at an Alila property before. Thus, we put a night in her name to get credit for Brand Explorer. As her 15th brand, she came away from this stay with a Category 1 to 4 free night award.

While I had an available suite upgrade award that I wanted to use to confirm an upgrade in advance, unfortunately, the Alila Manggis is on a list of excluded properties. Thus, we had to wait to see what upgrade we might receive at check-in, if any.

Hot Tip:

While you could book this property with a free night award, like those received annually from holding The World of Hyatt Credit Card, I wouldn’t recommend it. Those Category 1–4 free night awards can be used to book more expensive properties.

Location

Depending on traffic, the Alila Manggis is 75 to 90 minutes from the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar (DPS).

While it’s not near the famous areas of Ubud, Kuta, or Seminyak, the Alila Manggis was close to both the Blue Lagoon and Virgin Beach.

Thus, we were able to take a taxi to either beach in 20 to 25 minutes.

Hot Tip:

If you want to head to this beach, make sure you say “beach,” because Blue Lagoon itself is crawling with boats and isn’t a space where you could swim safely.

Another positive is that the hotel’s location was less than an hour from the famous Lempuyang Temple — much closer for our visit than those making the trip from other parts of Bali.

Checking In

It would be easy to pass the entrance along the highway because there was just a small sign and a narrow road hidden among the trees.

Once we passed a security guard and he opened the gate for our taxi, the property spread out before us and instantly set a tone of relaxation and wellness — key themes at the property.

A circular drive had a platform made of rocks with a small boat on top, emblazoned with the Alila logo. Beyond this were the bellhop station (to the left) and reception desk (to the right).

The reception area felt bigger than it was due to its windowless, doorless construction, and we had great views of the ocean and other parts of the property.

There was ample seating around the lobby, such as this table and chairs near a small pond.

The far side of the lobby, away from the reception desk, had sofas and a small library of books donated by previous guests (I suspect some of these weren’t donated intentionally but were merely forgotten at checkout).

There were also lounge chairs in the lobby, facing the direction of sunrise.

The spacious lobby provided a great first glimpse into the property: spacious, fresh air, focused on relaxation, and a welcoming vibe.

Upon arrival, the taxi driver told our name to the security guard. When we arrived at the reception area to get out of the car 45 seconds later, the staff already knew who was arriving and were ready to welcome us by name. This set the standard for one of the most impressive aspects of our stay: staff consistently knowing our names and using personalized details for meaningful conversations with us.

Staff insisted on taking our luggage as we got out of the taxi, and the friendly employee at the reception desk was already pulling up our reservation. Rather than standing around at the desk to complete the process, the staff took our passports, invited us to sit down, and offered a selection of welcome drinks (various fresh juices).

We mentioned to the staff that we had an extra night in my wife’s name and provided the confirmation number so they could find it on the computer. They explained that we could keep the same room rather than checking out and moving rooms for our final night.

Elite Benefits

The hotel was completely booked on our first 2 nights, and no suites were available during our stay. However, we received an upgrade to one of the deluxe rooms, which are the rooms on the upper floor. These have a balcony and more privacy than rooms with a walk-out patio on the ground floor. We also received a room at the edge of the property, closest to the ocean, with less noise from the pool and restaurant.

Additionally, we received complimentary breakfast for all the nights booked in my name, and the hotel offered complimentary parking, though we didn’t have a rental car.

We were told about the restaurant’s location, oceanfront bar, and spa before receiving our key on a carved wooden lizard key ring.

From there, a friendly employee walked us to our room, indicating items along the way, like the shortest path to the restaurant and the pool. When we arrived in our room, our backpacks and suitcase were there waiting for us.

Amenities

I wouldn’t consider this an “enormous” property, but many amenities were packed into this space.

Spa

At the far end of the property, near our room, the spa offered a whole host of services. These ranged from massages and pedicures to hot stones, facials, and more. It was open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Pool

The pool sat in the middle of the property and was popular. It was open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. We had largely ignored it until our last day, which we came to regret. It was heated! If we’d known that earlier, we would’ve been in the pool every day.

There were numerous lounge chairs and shade umbrellas around the pool.

The pool deck could get slippery, so fair warning. A small stand nearby issued towels to guests and could take drink orders.

Near the pool, there was also a foot wash station.

Beach

Technically, there was a beach, but it differed from the kind you’d hang out on. This is why we took taxis to snorkel and laze on the beach at nearby sites.

Complimentary Photo Session

I’ve never seen this at a hotel before. At check-in, we received a coupon for a complimentary photo session with a free photo (digital or printed). The front desk said the photographer lived in another city, so booking a day in advance was required.

Event Facilities

The Alila Manggis had spaces for weddings and meetings. In fact, there was a wedding the first night we arrived, with the dinner reception in this space (near the beach, in front of the main restaurant).

Adjacent to the lobby, there was also an indoor meeting space. When not in use, it was locked.

Yoga

Complimentary yoga sessions were available on 2 afternoons during our stay. These took place near the wedding space.

Shuttle

The hotel had a complimentary shuttle for guests. It did not run to the airport, to be clear. Instead, it ran twice daily into the nearby town of Candidasa for shopping or dining at restaurants.

Wi-Fi

I will preface this by saying we had the next-to-last room farthest from the lobby, so maybe that’s why Wi-Fi in our room was so bad. We lost our connection often. When connected, speeds were slow, and the connection was unreliable.

When we needed to do something serious on the internet, like check-in for flights, we went to the lobby. Near the reception and in the restaurant, internet speeds were excellent. If Wi-Fi matters during your stay, you might ask for a room closer to the check-in desk.

Parking

Complimentary parking was available for guests.

Activities and Excursions

While not a typical resort, there were a fair number of activities. In fact, there were 58 pages of them. I found this out when emailing the hotel before our arrival to inquire about visiting the Lempuyang Temple. Staff replied with a 58-page book of options, such as cooking classes, cultural sessions with a traditional Balinese priest, and much, much more.

Complimentary activities included daily afternoon tea, mini massages, and tai chi.

There was even a badminton net between 2 trees.

The hotel also had bicycles located near the parking lot. These were complimentary if you weren’t going far. If you planned to be gone more than an hour or 2, staff indicated that there was a charge.

One of the paid options included hiring staff to take you out on this boat, whether for fishing or just a sunset cruise.

Deluxe Bedroom

We stayed in room 224, an upstairs deluxe room near the edge of the property and close to the beach.

Though stairs ascended to our room and a door to another room, we didn’t hear these people coming and going.

Carved lizards adorned the wall near our door and other places around the property.

I wouldn’t consider the room large, but it wasn’t cramped. The decorations were very simple.

The middle of the room had a king-size bed. The pillows had very little support, but the mattress was very comfortable. And the sheets were really light; they felt soft against our skin, which was nice during the humid nights.

Each side of the bed had a stone nightstand. One side had a phone, a case for the TV remote, a box with information about the spa, and a notepad.

The other nightstand held a sign about the linen policy and conservation efforts.

Near the bathroom, there was a digital thermostat.

Across from the bed was a sitting area with bench seating along the wall. There was also a small TV in the corner.

Under the TV, shelves held a small safe and a flashlight wrapped in wicker.

The partition in the middle of the bench had a welcome snack of fruits and dried banana slices, plus a note thanking us for choosing the Alila Manggis.

On the far side, near the balcony, was an empty mini fridge.

Above this, we had an ice bucket, bottled water, a kettle, and tea and coffee supplies.

Bathroom

We entered the room between the closet and bathroom before passing through to the bedroom area. The bathroom had a large counter with a sink. There was more bottled water here, refilled daily in glass bottles.

Under the sink, we had a trash bin and hand towels.

There was also a hairdryer and extra toilet paper.

On the counter, we had numerous toiletries. Beyond a bar of soap and a bottle of hand lotion, we also had dental kits, a comb, shaving supplies, and 2 shower caps. And fresh flowers were provided in our room daily.

There was also a room with a wooden door leading to a toilet in this nook.

Further, there was a shower behind a partial wall. And there was an extendable clothesline here for hanging items to dry.

We had pump bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel in the shower. There was no branding. These had an incredible lemongrass scent that we loved.

Closet

Near our room’s entrance, there was a closet with sliding doors. The doors had full-length mirrors and opened to a space with hangers and an ideal place for our suitcase.

Wooden drawers under this shelf provided storage space.

3 were empty, while 1 drawer had wicker slippers and another flashlight.

The closet also had a large umbrella and 2 bath robes.

A laundry bag was available, as was a price list.

This wicker handbag was also nice for taking a few items to the pool.

Balcony

Rooms on the upper floor (deluxe rooms) had a balcony rather than a walk-out patio.

There was a bench with cushions and wicker fans. And one of the dividers had a rack for hanging clothes.

There was also a small table with 2 chairs. This side also had a thick, white cloth that provided privacy between balconies.

From our balcony, we could hear the relaxing sounds of the nearby ocean.

Looking left, we could see the rest of the property, with the pool in the middle.

Food and Beverage

Seasalt

Seasalt was the main restaurant on the property. All guest rooms were to the right of reception; the restaurant was immediately to the left of reception.

I loved the look of the restaurant.

And the views during our daily breakfast were top-notch.

Around the edge of the restaurant, there were numerous tables for 2 or 4 people. In the center, several steps up, some tables could be pushed together to accommodate groups. There’s also a seafood buffet 1 night per week, hosted in the center of the dining room.

We had dinner and breakfast at Seasalt daily.

The breakfast menu had some staples, while other items were rotated daily.

Toast, butter, and jam were served to all guests, though the made-from-scratch jams rotated daily. We had (at various points) coconut, passionfruit, guava, lychee, and strawberry.

The second page of the menu had the main dishes. Allergens were indicated clearly, as were vegetarian and vegan options.

The item I ordered the first morning wasn’t memorable. However, the super bowl was fantastic and became my go-to breakfast.

My wife had an incredible banana pudding with hot apple compote one morning and was hopeful (though let down) that it would appear on the menu each ensuing morning. If this shows up on the menu during your stay, order it!

At dinner, the menu also had some items changing and others remaining the same each day. There were numerous traditional Balinese dishes to sample.

There were also a handful of Western dishes, plus a vegan section of the menu. The staff also mentioned on our first night that they could customize any dishes as needed to avoid allergens or make a vegetarian version of some dishes.

The menu also had numerous wines to choose from.

And there was also a children’s menu.

After I ordered this tempeh curry the first night, it was so good that I became scared to try other dishes — fearful they wouldn’t measure up. Whatever magic they threw into this recipe, it was hands-down one of the best hotel meals I’ve ever had. I ate it all 4 nights and was sad to depart the hotel, knowing I wouldn’t eat it a fifth night.

Ocean Bar

As the name implies, Ocean Bar was a small bar near the ocean’s edge.

Complimentary afternoon tea was served here daily. Finger foods like fried sweet potatoes and coconut cake were available on a rotating basis.

And more than just tea was available. There was coffee and even a handful of mixed alcoholic drinks.

Ocean Bar also had seating at night, where you could order from a limited version of the Seasalt menu and enjoy your meal under string lights near the sounds of the waves.

Room Service

Room service was also available, utilizing the Seasalt menu.

Service

Service from the staff here was incredible. I’m guessing the staff had a shift meeting before clocking in because their knowledge of guests’ comings and goings was fantastic.

The staff did a great job keeping the property clean, including sweeping up the numerous leaves falling on the paths to the guest rooms. The staff were always friendly and efficient when cleaning our room and providing our daily bottled water.

The ponds around the room entrances were clean, and the fish were fed.

And the staff also conducted daily offerings at the small temple outside the property.

And the same applied at the larger temple behind the property.

These were simple tasks, and the staff did well at them. Where the team truly excelled was interacting with guests. Whenever we passed through the lobby, the staff greeted us by name. They knew how many more days we had left and could use that in conversations like “Only 2 more days here, that’s so sad.” They also knew our activities, asking us how the visit to the temple was or which beach we liked better after we’d visited 2 different local beaches during our stay. Mind you, the hotel was completely booked for the first 3 of our 4 nights.

When we mentioned that we were vegan at dinner the first night, this was relayed to other staff members. Ensuing mornings, when the bread basket came to our table, it no longer had slabs of butter and didn’t have croissants — instead, it contained only vegan items. This was clearly passed from the dinner staff to the breakfast staff without us asking.

Moreover, staff at the front desk started picking up on our likes and dislikes, beginning to recommend additional activities such as a new snorkeling spot and asking if we knew about a former royal palace (which we didn’t, so they helped us arrange a taxi for the next day). These personalized interactions were fantastic throughout our stay. And I can’t think of a single negative experience with staff during our visit.

A Note About Stairs

I want to call this out because it deserves mentioning for anyone who has difficulty navigating stairs. Unfortunately, the Alila Manggis might not be the right destination for your next trip if that’s you.

To enter your room, you must ascend or descend several stairs.

And we had to take several stairs from the main path down to the pool level.

While rooms on the first floor did have walk-out options — you could go between the pool and your room with 2 small steps — getting to the restaurant and lobby would require additional stairs.

If you need to avoid steps, you’d need to dine at the Ocean Bar or from room service because getting to Seasalt from your room would also require multiple steps. There also wasn’t any ramp or lift to get in and out of the pool.

We saw people struggling with the steps during our stay, which was unfortunate. Before you plan a trip here, make sure you take this into consideration.

Final Thoughts

Checkout was extremely smooth, as we just needed to verify the charges from the restaurant. The driver we’d booked to the airport was already waiting, and staff quickly whisked our bags to the car while we signed the credit card receipt.

We absolutely loved our 4 nights at the Alila Manggis in Bali. It provided a great mix of relaxation at the property with access to nearby activities. And though the rooms were full, the hotel didn’t feel “bustling” at any point. We also didn’t have to fight for loungers near the pool or wait in line for dinner.

The staff were excellent — simply fantastic. Honestly, if not for things on our calendar that couldn’t be changed back home, we would’ve changed our flights and stayed here for a few more days. We loved the food, the people, and the property. The Wi-Fi situation was a bit frustrating, but if that’s the only thing to complain about, it’s a pretty great stay. My wife and I are already dreaming of a return trip to this property.