Review of Oberoi Bali, by John Borthwick

Bali's Seminyak beach stands at the far northern end of Kuta-Legian's circus sands. This used to be a very low-key and somnolent strand until the "villa people" - self-consciously stylish foreigners - discovered it a decade ago. Now there are "confusion" menu restaurants next door to Hindu temples and a raft of too-cool expats... Nevertheless, a quiet sunset stroll towards the dreamer's end of the beach can restore your faith in authenticity. Here the venerable Bali Oberoi remains one of the best luxury hotels on the island, if not the planet.

The facilities

The stone cottages and spreading banyans of the Oberei are a beachfront landmark. The full desiderata of resort luxury is here, including huge seafront grounds private villas and fine dining - not to mention a spa where the healing hands are exceptional. In this luxury hotel's grounds are secret, leafy corners so tranquil that the stone gods and goddesses must step nightly from their plinths to cavort with the tree spirits.

The rooms

The Lanai Cottages and walled Villa suites (each with its own private pool) are appointed with all the 21st-century stuff that you want but perhaps don't really need on holiday - think cable TV and so on - plus marble bathrooms with deep, pool-like bathtubs. Fountains and statues of gods, canna lillies and goddesses conspire to preserve your visual privacy and to extend the tranquility of the gardens into each guest room. The white noise hum of the sea is interrupted on several evenings a week when the luxury hotel's stone amphitheatre hosts traditional Legong ballets or the hypnotic chanting of the Kecuk monkey dances.

While you're lingering, the sun drops into one of those lava-like afterburns for which this shore is famous; silhouetted against it, a ceremony might be in full swing, complete with priests, gongs and offerings.