The Laguna, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Bali5

This luxurious resort is a stunning tropical oasis where guests are embraced by lush gardens, cascading waterfalls, and a vast network of picturesque lagoons. An extensive renovation carried out between 2023 and 2024 has breathed new life into the rooms and public areas, making them contemporary and tech-forward. But the resort's greatest asset, as guests unanimously agree, remains the phenomenal, genuine, and deeply personalized service that makes every visitor feel like a cherished arrival. Still, the otherwise flawless experience might be slightly marred by the strong low tides typical of Nusa Dua and a specific issue with excessive humidity in ground-floor rooms.

Key Observations

Outstanding personalized service: The hotel staff consistently earns rave reviews for their genuine warmth and meticulous attention to detail. Guests recount instances where the Sapphire Bar team remembered their musical tastes and played their favorite songs, and the culinary team crafted bespoke vegan and gluten-free dishes.

A one-of-a-kind aqua zone: The network of seven lagoon pools—including saltwater pools and an artificial sandy beach—serves as the resort's visual and functional centerpiece, making up for the strong ocean tides.

Ground-floor humidity issue: Despite the extensive renovation completed in 2023–2024, guests staying in Lagoon Access rooms on the ground floor occasionally complain about a persistent damp, musty odor.

Trajectory: A comparison of reviews reveals that post-renovation, the hotel has significantly refreshed its room interiors and improved beach cleanliness, but the structural characteristics of the ground floor still perpetuate excessive humidity in Lagoon Access rooms.

Main Pros

• An expansive, impeccably maintained estate with captivating landscaping, abundant greenery, exotic birds, and squirrels.
• A legendary level of hospitality: front desk, restaurant, and beach staff strive to exceed every guest expectation.
• Superb aquatic facilities: seven pools, including saltwater lagoons and soft-sand zones.
• Varied, high-quality buffet breakfasts with a wide selection of European and Asian dishes, fresh-squeezed juices, and ice cream.
• A privileged location within the gated, lush, and secure ITDC (formerly BTDC) area of Nusa Dua, with direct access to the promenade.

Main Cons

• Pronounced low tides in Nusa Dua in the afternoon, making ocean swimming impossible at that time.
• Unpleasant musty smell and humidity in ground-floor rooms, especially Lagoon Access categories.
• Very high prices for extras, including spa treatments, laundry, and bar drinks.
• Weak soundproofing in rooms—voices and footsteps from corridors are clearly audible.
• A limited complimentary activities program and the need to pay extra for some services (such as tennis court and racket rentals).

Overall Grade: A-

Hotel Overview

Basic Information:

• Name — The Laguna, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Bali
• Address — Kawasan Pariwisata, Jl. Nusa Dua No. 2 Lot N, Benoa, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali, 80363, Indonesia
• Opened — 1991
• Number of rooms — 287
• Positioning and category — a five-star premium resort belonging to Marriott's prestigious Luxury Collection. It's geared towards a tranquil, romantic escape for couples, honeymooners, and families with children.

Description: The hotel is designed in harmony with traditional Balinese architecture and modern luxury standards. The resort's centerpiece is a grand 5,000-square-metre network of lagoons and pools that gracefully winds around the accommodation wings. The grounds are a blooming tropical garden complete with waterfalls, sculptures, and secluded gazebos. Following the extensive refresh, the public areas and guest rooms now feature elegant design with natural wood and stone, alongside contemporary smart technologies.

Target Audience: The hotel is ideal for couples celebrating a honeymoon or anniversary, as well as families with children who value safety, impeccable service, and a serene atmosphere free from noisy nightlife.

Location & Transport

Location: The resort sits within the exclusive gated ITDC (formerly BTDC) enclave in Nusa Dua, on Bali's southern tip. It’s the island's most manicured, pristine, and secure district, with patrolled grounds and strict access control.

Key Points of Interest: The Bali Collection shopping and dining complex is just a 10–15-minute walk away or a 5-minute ride on the hotel's complimentary shuttle. A scenic pedestrian promenade runs along the coast and links the property to the neighboring Westin and Melia Bali resorts. Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) is about a 30–45-minute drive.

Transport: The hotel provides private airport transfers (approximately 450,000 IDR), as well as concierge assistance with tours and car rentals. A complimentary shuttle bus operates within the ITDC complex.

Walkability: The surroundings are perfectly suited for strolls and morning jogs, with well-maintained sidewalks, shaded avenues, and little traffic.

Grade: A

Rooms & Cleanliness

Post-renovation rooms are stylish and modern, equipped with large Smart TVs, quality bathroom fittings, comfortable orthopedic beds, and smart lighting controls. A generous daily supply of drinking water in glass bottles (from six bottles per day) and premium toiletries is provided. The most requested category is the ground-floor Lagoon Access rooms, but owing to their proximity to the water, they often suffer from excessive humidity and a musty smell. Hallway soundproofing leaves much to be desired—noise-sensitive guests may be bothered by the echo of footsteps outside. Cleanliness is maintained at an exceptionally high standard, with twice-daily housekeeping.

Grade: B+

Service

It’s genuinely the service that makes this hotel exceptional. The staff demonstrate extraordinary hospitality, politeness, and a heartfelt desire to help. At reception, guests are greeted with welcome drinks, and early check-in or late check-out is offered whenever possible. Special praise goes to the Russian-speaking manager Daria, as well as to Maha, Perdi, Agus Perdi, Iwan, Eka, Ryandika, Krishna, Risky, and Verina Rendiza. Pool and beach service operates flawlessly, with waiters promptly bringing orders right to the sun loungers.

Grade: A+

Dining

Breakfast buffets at the main Banyubiru restaurant offer an enormous selection of Asian, European, American, and Chinese dishes, with an abundance of fresh fruit, pastries, fresh-squeezed juices, and even ice cream. Lunch and dinner at Banyubiru and Arwana are elegantly presented and utterly delicious—guests particularly praise the dry-aged steaks and Indonesian specialties. During peak breakfast hours, however, the restaurant can get overcrowded, which sometimes leads to delays in replenishing buffet items and service.

Grade: A-

Facilities & Amenities

The hotel's crowning glory is its vast aquatic landscape of seven lagoon pools, including warm saltwater pools and an artificial sandy beach. Guests also have access to a modern 24-hour fitness centre, a spa offering top-notch massages (though at prices notably higher than in town), and tennis and pickleball courts. The beach area is clean, well-tended, and furnished with an ample number of quality sun loungers and umbrellas—enough for everyone even when the hotel is full. You’ll spot squirrels, herons, and other exotic birds on the grounds.

Grade: A

Important Notes

• Dining, spa services, and laundry at the hotel are significantly pricier than at establishments outside the resort.
• The ocean in Nusa Dua is subject to strong tides. Comfortable swimming is mostly possible in the morning (until around 1:30 PM), after which the water recedes far from the shore.
• A refundable deposit of 1,000,000 IDR per room per night is collected at check-in.
• Pets are not allowed.

Practical Tips for Guests

• If you love water and want to swim directly from your terrace, book a Lagoon Access room. If you're sensitive to high humidity and musty smells, opt for a room on the third or fourth floor.
• Keep an eye on the tide schedule, which is updated daily at the beach, to plan ocean swimming for the morning hours. In the afternoon, enjoy the magnificent saltwater lagoon pools.
• For more budget-friendly dinners and shopping, walk (about 10 minutes) or take the complimentary shuttle to the Bali Collection mall, home to plenty of local and international restaurants.
• Be sure to visit the hotel spa before a late departure: the friendly staff will let you shower and freshen up even after you’ve officially checked out.

Final Verdict

The Laguna, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, is a magnificent green oasis in Nusa Dua that wins guests over with its flawless service, thoughtfully designed aquatic infrastructure, and an inviting sense of luxury. Minor shortcomings of the ground-floor rooms are more than offset by the stunning lagoon pools and genuine Balinese hospitality.

Overall Grade: A-

Breakdown: Location: A | Rooms: B+ | Service: A+ | Dining: A- | Facilities: A | Value for Money: B+

Best for: Couples, honeymooners, lovers of tranquil poolside relaxation, and families with children seeking a safe, premium getaway.

Not for: Budget travelers, those seeking a vibrant nightlife outside the hotel, and tourists for whom all-day swimming exclusively in the open ocean is a must.