Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa

We celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary at Renaissance Bali Uluwatu. The accommodation and facilities are fantastic. The staff went out of their way to make our stay extra special - our room was beautifully decorated on the day of our anniversary, our table when we booked dinner had a rose petal heart decoration, to name a couple of special touches. All staff were friendly and helpful with a specific shout out to Dedek and Jasmine from Clay craft restaurant.

We stayed for 3 days and 2 nights at Renaissance Uluwatu Bali, and it was truly the best experience of our holiday in Bali. Although the location is a bit secluded and away from the crowds, that actually made it feel even more special. Super comfortable, wonderfully quiet, yet the views are simply breathtaking. The scenery from the lobby and the pool area is spectacular. Check-in and check-out were quick and smooth, and we stayed in a room with a balcony complete with a sofa. The bathroom had a bathtub overlooking the forest behind the hotel, which was incredibly relaxing. The pool itself is very spacious, and swimming at sunset was magical. The hotel also provides a free shuttle to Roosterfish Beach Club, so guests can enjoy a fun beach club experience with complimentary access. The breakfast selection was extensive, with beautifully presented dishes that tasted absolutely delicious. The staff were warm and friendly, and the hotel’s expansive grounds added another highlight to our stay. Our kids were thrilled to discover the kids’ club, which had impressive facilities and a great play area that kept them happily entertained all day. Thank you, Renaissance Uluwatu Bali, for such an unforgettable stay.

A huge hotel in the middle of nowhere, however taxis are v cheap and “Grab” mopeds are dirt cheap if you fancy an adventure! We had a suite, simply superb but beware they have levelled the jungle at the back so view is limited. Staff are all excellent very attentive and respectful. Breakfast was the highlight, a huge buffet ranging from Indonesian to full English truely outstanding. Restaurant food although expensive for here was still nowhere near London prices and the food was excellent. The Indonesian Restaurant was a highlight with simply excellent food. The lower pool is worth checking out very quiet and loads of empty sunbeds and decent pool bar with call buttons on your sun lounger table ! Room service 5* and so quick. If you are less able or just lazy like us you can get buggies to pick you up and run you around the huge site. Overall couldn’t fault it - doubt I will be able to return but I’d love to ! Thanks Renaissance for the great memories!

To provide some context, this was a very special trip for my partner and me—it was our first time travelling together and we were celebrating our second anniversary. During our time in Bali, we stayed at two hotels: Anumana (a 4-star property in Ubud) and Renaissance Uluwatu. We were particularly excited about Renaissance, not only because of its strong reviews and 5-star rating but also because it was our first experience at a Marriott-branded hotel—something we’ve wanted to try based on strong recommendations from friends and family. Unfortunately, our experience did not meet expectations, and if we were to rate our overall stay, it would be a 2 out of 10. I’ve outlined the reasons in detail below: Initially, the communication we received from the hotel (particularly Widi) was excellent—prompt, welcoming, and informative. We appreciated the attention to detail and the opportunity to add a roses and cake package for our anniversary. However, the issue began with payment. I had requested to pay in advance for peace of mind, which Widi facilitated via a payment link. I completed the payment and received confirmation that the hotel had received it. Despite this, when we arrived, we were told that our bill had not been settled. I showed the email confirmation and payment proof, but it felt as though the staff didn’t believe me. I understand that verification is necessary, but the internal communication breakdown created a stressful and awkward experience for us and the growing queue of people waiting to check in behind us. Since we arrived early, we were told we could safely store our luggage while we visited the uluwatu temple. This same service had been handled seamlessly at our previous hotel. However, when we returned later that evening, our luggage was not in the designated secure room. Instead, we found it left unattended in the lobby area. This was incredibly concerning, especially as our bags contained valuable and important items. If secure luggage storage couldn’t be guaranteed, we would have chosen to wait with our belongings. This incident made us question the overall attention to guest security and service standards. Upon entering the room, we were initially impressed by the rose decorations—they were beautiful, and my partner loved the gesture. However, things quickly went downhill. The anniversary cake included in the package had been left uncovered and was infested with ants when we arrived. This completely ruined what should have been a special moment. We attempted to use the in-room phone to contact reception, but it was not working. We had to walk down to the front desk to report the issue. Although a replacement cake was offered and a room cleaning was arranged, the cleaning team took over an hour to arrive. Even after cleaning, ants remained in the room throughout the night. We also noticed a persistent unpleasant smell from the toilet area, which remained despite another cleaning request. These issues further impacted our ability to relax and enjoy our stay. The in-room phone never functioned during our stay, despite raising the issue multiple times. Each time we were told it would be looked into, but no one followed up or resolved it. This became a pattern—issues would be acknowledged, but rarely addressed or resolved in a timely manner. On Saturday, a wedding party was taking photos near our room (Wing 2), and the noise was excessive—shouting and loud conversations continued for over two hours. We and nearby guests spoke to the front desk about this disturbance, but our concerns were dismissed. While we understand that weddings are important, we felt there was little regard for the comfort of other paying guests. This lack of balance between event hosting and guest comfort was disappointing. After our room was cleaned on Saturday, we noticed that one of my partner’s personal items—a facial toning bottle and liquid —had been thrown away. It was not labelled but clearly not empty, and it had been placed with other toiletries in the bathroom. At this point in the stay, we chose not to report the issue as we had lost confidence that any meaningful action would be taken. We had received multiple apologies during our stay, but few actual resolutions, which made those apologies feel somewhat hollow. Despite the disappointments, there were a few bright spots worth mentioning: Breakfast buffet: The food was excellent—fresh, diverse, and delicious. The staff at breakfast were friendly, attentive, and seemed genuinely happy to be there. Facilities: The pools, common areas, and on-site activities were very well maintained and thoughtfully designed. We appreciated how the resort catered to couples, families, and solo travellers without feeling overcrowded. Security: The consistent and thorough checks at the entrance gave us a strong sense of safety, which we deeply appreciated. While the property itself is stunning and many individual team members were kind and helpful, our overall experience at Renaissance Uluwatu fell significantly short of a 5-star standard. We received better service at a 4-star hotel in Ubud, which we would feel more confident recommending to others visiting Bali.