Four Seasons contrasts two sides of Bali with Twice the Magic, from Jimbaran Bay to Sayan in Ubud

They say you can’t have it all, but I am seriously questioning if that’s true.

I’ve just arrived at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, an ultra-luxe secluded retreat wrapped in the verdant jungle of Ubud, and I’m completely arrested by what is unfolding before my eyes.

And yet, I had this feeling before, a few days before, when I landed at its oceanfront sister property, Four Seasons at Jimbaran Bay.

At first glance, these two five-star resorts couldn’t be more different — other than the fact they are both located on the Indonesian island and are equally jaw-dropping in their own right.

Being forced to choose between the two seems an impossible task.

Luckily, I don’t have to. For a few days, I get to have it all.

I am experiencing Bali, Twice the Magic: an exclusive offering designed by the Four Seasons to allow guests to seamlessly slip between the two resorts.

By leaning into the juxtaposition of these properties and the contrasting environments they are ensconced in — both natural and cultural — the global hotel brand amplifies the mystical essence of Bali into something almost transcendental.

The Island of the Gods has long been the destination for spiritual pilgrims. Silent film icon Charlie Chaplin was one of the original soul seekers in the 1930s and Elizabeth Gilbert’s 2010 book Eat, Pray, Love inspired a generation to venture here in search of personal enlightenment (and continues to do so, to this day).

The magic is not contained to any one place; it’s a quality infused into the sunsets over the coastline, the shimmering rice terraces bordered by palm trees and the bamboo, open-air yoga shalas tucked deep in the forest.

As one of the original luxury resort chains on the island, Four Seasons knows this and wants us all to know it, too.

JIMBARAN BAY

My stay begins at Jimbaran Bay, which feels like an intentionally soft landing in Bali.

It’s only a 20-minute journey south from Ngurah Rai International Airport even with some traffic — nothing like the endless gridlock I have experienced on previous visits when travelling in the opposite direction to hotspots north of Kuta like Seminyak, Canggu and Pererenan.

You can imagine this would be particularly welcome for those landing in Indonesia off a long-haul flight.

Every small detail at the hotel appears to be considered with comfort in mind, from the scented fresh towel and refreshing welcome drink (iced jasmine tea infused with lemongrass and makrut lime) I am handed at check-in, to the curtains already drawn around the bed at my private premier ocean villa in timing with my night arrival.

I wake the next morning to an epic vista over the water, with surfers bobbing in the light swell and Jimbaran’s famed beachfront seafood restaurants just a sandy stroll away.

On the way to breakfast, I marvel over the 14ha of landscaped tropical gardens that appear to spill into the sea below. Bright bougainvillea creeps around corners, frangipani scents the air and pathways weave between romantic viewing points that have played hosts to hundreds of marriage proposals.

It set a new international precedent when it opened in 1993, and it has certainly stood the test of time.

I wonder if this is because, rather than going with whatever trends were in vogue at that time, Four Seasons instead opted to merge Balinese design principles with its signature brand of timeless elegance.

The 147 villas are arranged into seven villages that employ elements of traditional design, each with its own village “chief” in charge of running the day-to-day operations of the compound.

There is a strong sense of place here that has only become richer over time, like the 200-plus types of flora that make the landscape feel like a well-established eco wonderland.

I speak to many members of the staff during my three-night stay, and they all seem to have worked at the property for a long time and genuinely love the hotel.

I’m told the location, perched on the edge of the ocean, is a sacred site and many of the 40-odd small temples scattered around the estate were here before the resort was built.

“Spiritually, I am attached to this place,” a staff member replies, when I ask what has kept him in the job for two decades.

Another says: “If you want to find Bali, just come to Four Seasons Jimbaran.”

While this might sound like marketing speak, I find it very earnest.

And, from my observations over a few days it rings true — it’s like the version of Bali from a movie, with all the authentic, warm hospitality and none of the tourist-trap cliches.

I’m nowhere near ready to leave when the day comes to transfer to Ubud, but I’m lured by the promise of double the magic.

SAYAN

Shortly after Barack Obama’s presidential term ended in 2017, he brought his family to Bali for rest and relaxation and Four Seasons at Sayan was the location of this escape.

Indeed, the resort’s seclusion serves as something of a time out from reality to those blessed enough to cross over into this paradise.

When the Obamas visited, they thrilled in a singular adventure referred to as “the world’s only hotel arrival by river raft”.

If you’re not afraid to get a little wet in the name of good fun, you can follow in the former first family’s wake by navigating class II rapids on the Ayung River before being dropped directly below the hotel’s pool to check in.

However, my trip to Bali coincided with unseasonal flash flooding that left a trail of devastation in many parts of the island. The rafting transfer was, understandably, off the cards that day. But this just meant my first glimpse of Four Seasons Sayan was instead via the dramatic sky bridge that has become famous for its striking design.

The suspended pathway represents chopsticks balanced on a rice bowl, which is symbolised by the resort’s equally stunning rooftop lotus pond.

All around, the undulating jungle cocoons the site in unparalleled privacy, punctuated by sweet birdsong and the river rushing in the valley below.

It is a sensory feast unlike anything I have witnessed: this is hands-down the most beautiful hotel I have ever had the privilege of visiting.

Where Jimbaran felt expansive and open with its sweeping sunsets and breezy beach allure, Sayan offers a different flavour of serenity.

It’s like the lush forest is gathering me up in its embrace as I descend into the resort from the elevated entry point; every step down beckoning me on a journey inward.

The great slow-down began gently by the ocean and now I’m being invited to venture deeper into introspection and full-bodied rest as I make my way to my private pool villa.

The gardens here are no less spectacular than those of the seafront sister site, interlaced with small rice terraces that are quintessentially Ubud and scenic meditation pavilions for moments of quiet reflection.

There’s that mystical quality again, this time in the natural intimacy of the setting.

I can’t help but think of the term “quiet luxury”. It has turned into a buzzy TikTok trend in recent years but really, Four Seasons did it first — long before it became a catchphrase in the gen Z vernacular.

At both the Bali properties, the scenery delivers the drama. The company has then approached this as an opportunity to world-build around the environment, in the process setting a new standard in opulence that somehow remains grounded and never showy.

It’s an ethos that endures; one that encapsulates the soul of Bali as I have come to understand it over many years travelling here.

“Having it all” wouldn’t be sustainable on a daily basis, I don’t think.

The specialness is being able to check out of real life for a few days and dip into a fantasy that embodies renewal on a cellular level.

How very rare to be in the lap of such luxury, and feel more anchored than I thought possible when I landed in Indonesia.

It’s a disconnection from reality and a re-connection to self.

Which, when you consider it, is the magic most of us are ultimately chasing.

+ Jessie Stoelwinder was a guest of Four Seasons. It has not influenced this story, or read it before publication.

fact file

+ Bali, Twice the Magic is available for selected dates to March 31, 2027, for stays in a villa.

+ The offer includes a complimentary third night with every two consecutive paid nights at each resort (Four Seasons at Jimbaran Bay and Four Seasons at Sayan), with a minimum stay three nights per property.

+ Also included is daily breakfast for two guests per bedroom and one-way car transfer between the two resorts.

+ Call +62 (361) 2019001 to book Bali, Twice the Magic or visit fourseasons.com/sayan/offers for more.