Overview of the Four Seasons in Ubud

one of ubud’s finest hotels provides a quiet oasis from the hustle and bustle of Sayan

the four seasons, ubud

Getting to stay at the Four Seasons is like seeing a unicorn in the wild – you’re not 100% sure it happened, but feel the magic and mystique anyway. This was probably a once in a lifetime visit – celebrating a big milestone birthday for a family member so all stops were out!

Nestled in the Ayung River Valley in the Sayan village, the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan (there’s two Four Seasons in Bali – the other one is closer to the ocean at Jimbaran Bay) is arguably Ubud’s premier luxury hotel located just a short drive from the city centre. This award-winning Bali resort features 60 exclusive accommodations comprising 18 suites and 42 private villas, each designed by renowned London architect John Heah. The property’s iconic “spoon and bowl” rooftop design, adorned with water lilies, has become a signature architectural landmark in Ubud. Check it out below!

Room options include river-view villas with private infinity pools, spacious family suites perfect for Bali family vacations, and luxury villas showcasing authentic Balinese craftsmanship with hand-carved wood details, locally sourced shells, and traditional ikat textiles.

Onto the amenities: The Four Seasons Ubud offers world-class amenities including three restaurants serving authentic Indonesian cuisine, the scenic Jati Bar with panoramic valley views, and a luxury Balinese spa featuring three couples’ treatment villas positioned alongside the rushing Ayung River. Additional facilities include an outdoor infinity pool (albeit seemed to constantly be in the shade and also a weird shape – narrow and curvy, not very conducive for laps!), a gym and a complimentary Ubud shuttle service.

I also loved the resort’s dramatic riverside location with unparalleled jungle views and the sounds of the Ayung river rushing by – it made it feel truly removed from the craziness of the world. The Four Seasons at Sayan consistently ranks among the best hotels in Ubud and top luxury resorts in Bali, making it the ideal choice for honeymoons, wellness retreats, special family occasions and luxury travel experiences in Indonesia’s cultural capital.

Shoutout to the dramatic resort lobby and entrance – super open and expansive, and a perfect landing spot for pre and post dinner beverages!

the grounds

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the Balinese jungle vibes of the hotel. We had a family photoshoot here and it was the perfect setting – think rice paddy fields, the rushing river, traditional Balinese architecture and native plants.

the rooms

We were in the two bedroom river view pool villa, which touts 1,320m2 of indoor and outdoor area – it certainly was very spacious but I suspect in their floorspace calculations they were including half the valley!! The villa featured two large bedrooms, each with their own adjoining bathrooms and a central outdoor living area – complete with small kitchen, dining area, living area and sizeable plunge pool. The decor was very Balinese and luxurious feeling – lots of solid teak wood complete with Balinese style carvings, generous lounging areas and marble touches.

In true Balinese style, everything was quite open plan and given the lovely all year round weather, the central living and dining area was all outdoors, making it feel like you were in nature all the time!

The two bedrooms were sizeable and had a nice, warm feeling to them – with beautiful, soft lighting and welcoming teak wood interiors. Each bedroom also had a desk, TV and small balcony area with deck chairs.

The bathrooms were enormous – each with their own double sink and opulent deep, soaking bathrub with a textured granite wraparound. You know that expensive decor that just feels so solid? That was everything here at the four seasons – nothing flimsy or feeling like it escaped from a Temu warehouse. Although I would expect nothing less from the four seasons brand, and it did not disappoint!

Each bathroom also had not just one, but TWO showers – one indoor and one outdoor. I suspect the outdoor one was for the post or pre-pool rinse off, but there’s also just something really holiday vibes about having an outdoor shower just because you can…

food

Breakfast is included with your room, and is a largely ala carte affair – with a buffet juice and fruit bar. The juices were fresh and had a good range, including watermelon, green and orange juice, and more local flavours like papaya and jamu (turmeric and ginger). The fruit selection was also great – mostly cut fresh to order and including highlights such as mangosteen, incredibly fresh and juicy mango and papaya (order it with a squeeze of lime!).

I quite like the move to ala carte breakfasts over buffet – it means less food wastage and also generally a high standard of cooking as the kitchen is less constrained to items that will survive a 3 hour long simmering bain marie situation. Here, the ala carte menu was fairly extensive, split into the 6 broad sections of eggs (omelette, DIY, benedict etc), healthy bowls (granola, smoothie bowls), asian flavours (dosas, noodle soups, porridge and classic local dishes like nasi goreng and bubuh bali), sweets (pancakes, waffles, french toast), set breakfast bento style (split into cuisines such as ubud, tokyo, shanghai, mezze) and then a random “different” section (tacos, low carb, high protein, hot dogs, Caesar salad). To be honest it felt a bit schizophrenic, lurching from one option to another. I understand the intention, to cater for everyone’s tastes and allergies – unfortunately in this case however, it meant the food was a little average! Don’t let that detract too much from the experience though – the breakfast setting of Ayung Terrace nestled amongst the palm trees and serenity of a beautiful Ubud morning.

All in all, an incredibly luxurious stay in one of Bali’s top resorts. We also loved the free transfers into town (~10 mins drive), which, combined with the convenience of Grab made it really easy to get around and explore. Would I go back again? Probably not, given the price point and my personal preference for resorts that are bit more lowkey and boutique (not to mention the beating my wallet took!!) – but it was perfect for a very special occasion and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.