The Royal Beach Seminyak, Bali review: The upmarket alternative to Kuta

The place

The Royal Beach Seminyak, Bali

The location

Seminyak is generally considered the upmarket version of Kuta, slightly less overrun with tourists (and, consequently, fewer touts) and filled with higher end shopping and dining options, though there are still bargains to be found if you seek them out. Seminyak's beach on the Indian ocean features dark sand, less pleasant than some of the white sand beaches to be found elsewhere on the island, but the surf is large enough to have fun in, though not big enough to be intimidating.

The place

The Royal Beach is a large beachfront resort of 128 rooms, with three restaurants, two swimming pools, a gym, shopping area and spa. Along with the rooms of the main buildings there is also a group of 17 private villas closer to the beach. The grounds are filled with tropical plants, making the space a pleasure to walk through. The main pool features ball games and other facilities to keep children entertained, with the garden pool further back in the grounds aimed at adults looking to enjoy a dip in a quieter environment. Live entertainment is provided, with a piano player at breakfast and performances at the beachfront in the evenings, ranging from traditional dancing and music to easy-listening cover bands.

The room

We start off in a grand deluxe room, a large space with a king-sized bed, comfortable divan, desk and small table. Although it's a grand deluxe, the main difference between this and other rooms appears to be the huge floor space (51 square metres), which is not really put to any particular use beyond showing off the parquet floors. The private balcony overlooks the garden pool. The marble-heavy bathroom features a large shower and separate bath.

For our final night, we upgrade to one of the private villas. Our beachfront space is huge, with separate bedroom and living areas, a courtyard with plunge pool and a gorgeous bath set in the wall in the bedroom corner. The marble floors keep the space cool and the four-poster bed features a sheer curtain that not only offers a sense of privacy but keeps any mosquitoes at bay.