There are very few names in the hotel world associated with luxury as keenly as The Four Seasons.
So, when it came to reviewing The Sundara Beach Club at The Four Seasons in Jimbaran, Bali, we found ourselves with a positive avalanche of reviewers willing to give up a day to spend it by the pool at this beach club.
In fact, we’re fairly certain that our teams in North America and Europe would have flown in if they could.
But was it as good as the team assumed it would be? This is what our reviewers learned at Sundara Beach Club, Bali.
Introduction – Getting To Sundara Beach Club
Obviously, the biggest part of getting to Sundara Beach Club is getting to Bali, and that’s super easy from Australia and other parts of Southeast Asia.
It’s more of a long-haul flight from Europe or North America, though. One thing to consider, though, is that while the flight may be long, you can often save the cost of the flight when staying in Bali for an extended period of time, when compared to other beach club destinations like Miami, Tulum, Ibiza, Mykonos, etc.
Once you arrive in Bali, you’ll be pleased to know that Sundara Beach Club is close to the airport and to most of the major tourist towns on the island.
That means you can easily get a Grab or Gojek to the club, or drive yourself – there’s plenty of parking at the Four Seasons.
Where Is Sundara Beach Club? Sundara Beach Club, Bay, Jimbaran, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Online: Four Seasons
Opening Hours: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. every day except for Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, which is a mandatory business holiday in Bali.
What’s Available At Sundara Beach Club?
There’s an extremely large beachfront pool, which The Sundara says is the biggest of its kind in Bali. Certainly, 57 meters is an impressive length for a pool anywhere on Earth.
The club also has some beachfront cabanas available, daybeds (sunbeds), a sundeck, as well as restaurant and bar services for all the guests.
It is worth noting that this is very much a family luxury resort and not a party venue. So, there is not much in the way of entertainment, though they do have a DJ and saxophone player on Sunday afternoons and a live band from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday.
Our Detailed Review Of Sundara Beach Club
We adopt a uniform method for evaluating every beach club to promote fairness for owners, management, and staff, and to provide reviews in a consistent structure that makes comparing venues straightforward.
The evaluation process proceeds as follows:
- A review team is selected to examine the venue.
- All members are required to visit the beach club, though they may visit individually and not necessarily on the same day.
- During their visit, each reviewer completes a scorecard, assigning scores from 1 (lowest quality) to 5 (highest quality) in predefined categories, while also recording their experiences.
- Once all scorecards are submitted, the team convenes to review their observations and finalise category scores.
- A team member is then tasked with drafting the review, incorporating the group’s consensus and scores, before it is posted on our website.
Reservation and Booking Process
It’s sad to say, but one of the worst things about this beach club is the booking process, or rather, the lack thereof.
You cannot reserve the cabanas, daybeds, or even the sundeck at the Sundara Beach Club, and yes, as you would anticipate, there is a priority for hotel guests over walk-in visitors.
That may work out best for the Four Seasons and its bank account, but it’s very frustrating if you’re thinking about travelling to Jimbaran for the day, it means you can’t rely on being able to score a seat here.
We think this is a huge failing in an otherwise excellent facility. When you will spend as much money as you will in Sundara Beach Club, we don’t think it’s asking too much to let you book a seat even if you need to secure it with a deposit.
Ambience and Atmosphere
We like the Four Seasons, and the hotel’s vibe very much carries through to the beach club. This is a place about elegance and luxury.
You will be made to feel like a minor celebrity as you join the folks enjoying the same vibe, and that means you may find that it’s best to bring your own company, as there can be a remote feeling between you and the other guests.
One thing you should be aware of is that the lack of a booking facility doesn’t mean that there’s an absence of minimum spend; in fact, every single seat in the Sundara Beach Club demands a minimum, and it’s a higher rate per person than in most of Bali’s beach clubs.
However, given that this is inside the Four Seasons, don’t expect to spend less than that number; it’s very much a starting point for a day out here.
Location And Accessibility
Jimbaran Bay is not the most popular beach town in Bali, but it’s very near the most popular places such as Canggu, Uluwatu, Seminyak, Kuta and Nusa Dua.
That means it’s very easy to get to from the majority of the island, and the location is a good one with a nice view out over the ocean for sunset.
We should also note that one of the joys of dealing with a hotel beach club is that you won’t need to deal with any taxi mafia as long as you hail a ride share from the hotel grounds.
Aesthetic And Design
The Sundara Beach Club is part of the Four Seasons, I know, we’ve said that already, but it’s in the aesthetic that it becomes very clear as to what that means.
This place is gorgeous and there’s been a huge amount of care put into the design and layout, sure, there’s a hint of the huge corporation in the background that set the ball rolling, but that won’t spoil it for you.
The super long beachfront infinity pool that the Sundara Beach Club considers its biggest selling point is lovely and provides an excellent focal point for the club’s activities.
There are plenty of small touches, too, that really add to the overall ambience of this place.
Staff Friendliness and Professionalism (Service Standard)
Bali has a deserved reputation for some of the friendliest service in the world, and there’s no doubt that the Four Seasons can take that innate quality and then hone it to a fine point.
That’s exactly what you get at Sundara Beach Club, too. The staff here are superb professionals who really go out of their way to ensure that every guest feels like they got the VIP treatment.
You’ll find that from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave, nothing feels like too much trouble for them.
We were also very impressed with how well they knew the menu, the local area and could answer nearly all of our questions without breaking a sweat.
Service Speed and Efficiency
The friendliness and professionalism of the staff certainly don’t impair their ability to get the job done and to get it done fast and well.
You’ll find that they very much anticipate when you will need them and then quickly materialise before you can even start to flag for their attention.
After taking an order, there’s no real delay between that and the delivery of your drinks, and the food only seems to spend as much time in the kitchen as necessary.
Most of all, you will get both your check and any change pretty swiftly when you want it, which is a nice way to end the day.
Food Quality and Variety
The food here is very much world-class, and if you love seafood, then this chance to try the best of the offerings from Jimbaran Bay, Bali’s seafood capital, is going to blow your mind.
However, while there’s also plenty of variety to go along with the quality, we do need to mention pricing here.
You are paying a substantial amount of money just to enjoy a nice seat here, but instead of paying that as a fixed upfront fee, it’s tacked on to everything that you order.
While we did think that things here were all delicious and beautifully presented, we also flinched at their cost. This is definitely a spot for a serious treat for most holidaymakers in Bali, not for everyday dining.
Beverage Selection and Creativity
It won’t come as a surprise that this was also the biggest issue with beverages in Sundara Beach Club.
There are plenty of drinks to choose from, the presentation of things like cocktails is world-class, and you won’t stop snapping for your Instagram feed.
But, you will also look at the final bill and wonder if it was worth the additional cost, and whether you might have gone somewhere else that would offer better value for your money.
Cleanliness and Hygiene
The Sundara Beach Club is part of the Four Seasons, a luxury hotel with a world-class reputation. We’d have been both shocked and appalled if the place had been anything less than spotlessly clean.
And we were neither shocked nor appalled. Every area was kept beautifully clean, and the pool area, changing rooms and toilets all deserve to be called out for how hygienic things were.
You’d have no problem allowing your children to have free rein in this place, knowing that they weren’t likely to get sick from a lack of cleanliness.
Comfort of Seating and Lounging Areas
We thought the daybeds that we had access to were very comfortable and made to a high standard; however, they certainly weren’t the most comfortable daybeds that we’ve ever used.
There were seating areas that we didn’t get to try, particularly the cabanas, which were all booked out, but they looked to offer furniture of a similar standard to our, admittedly, untrained eyes.
We also felt that the seating and lounging areas had been carefully chosen to complement the decor and to give the beach club its own visual identity.
Music and Entertainment
When it’s on, the evening entertainment is actually very good, and there’s no doubt that this is one of the slickest venues on the island, so everything that takes place here is well done.
However, the daytime music is boring, piped generic beach club music, which will neither offend you nor lead you to remark on it during your time there.
Sure, it’s not the primary reason for visiting the Sundara Beach Club, but we just expect a little more in this area.
Seasonality
It’s Bali, and that means there’s almost no seasonality whatsoever. Sure, the tropical island has two seasons, a wet season and a dry season.
But the wet season sees around 8 hours a day of sunshine on average, and it rarely rains for a whole day, but rather for an hour or two in the evening or morning. It’s nothing like Goa or Phuket, where it can rain for weeks on end.
In fact, the only day that you’re likely to find the Sundara Beach Club closed is Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, which is a mandatory holiday on the island in either March or April.
Pricing and Value for Money
The pricing at Sundara Beach Club is among the highest in Bali, and it’s one of the few beach clubs in Bali where the pricing is getting close to some of the other major international destinations.
That’s not to say it’s bad value for money, this place is a polished diamond and sparkles cost, but you might find that you can get two days at another beach club in Bali for the price of one here.
So, we’ve awarded this beach club a median score in this category.
Beach Access and Quality
You get access to the beach at this beach club, but it’s not overly impressive, and it’s not a major draw to the beach club. Most people are here for the pool area.
You can, in theory, swim on the beach, but the currents are unreliable and potentially dangerous, and with the biggest infinity pool on the island, why bother?
The sand is kept clean, though, and there’s no doubt that you get a nice view of the sunset when it comes around.
Sustainability Practices
The Four Seasons has done a lovely write-up of its commitment to sustainability on its website, but it lacks any reporting on progress.
Apart from the fact that they’ve hired someone to manage sustainability, we have no idea id they have achieved zero single-use plastics, turned their old cooking oil into biofuel, etc.
The only thing we can be sure of is that their zero waste cocktail workshops are a a real thing and don’t create any waste.
It’s a good start to show commitment, but we’d be more impressed if we had something tangible to measure them by.
Exclusive Perks for Guests
Assuming you’re using the Sundara Beach Club and not a hotel guest, your only perks are a comfortable sunbed and a towel in exchange for a substantial minimum spend.
This is the standard in Bali, and better than you get in many beach club destinations, but really, at the Four Seasons we expect more.
Where’s the VIP special service that we can spring for at places like FINNS?
Safety and Security
This is the Four Seasons and they take security seriously. Your vehicle will be gently searched as it enters the hotel compound.
There is also enough security on hand to ensure that if any trouble should break out in the beach club that it will be quickly taken care of.
Event Hosting Capabilities
They can handle events at Sundara Beach Club, but there’s a maximum group size of 20 people, which means it’s only really suitable for smaller, more intimate events.
You can’t hold a big company day out here, and we can see why; it would interfere with hotel guests and their use of the facilities.
Consistency of Experience
It’s the Four Seasons, you can almost set your watch by the consistency of this kind of experience.
However, like many venues we don’t see much effort into creating new, better experiences each day, either./
Additional Amenities and Facilities
Most of what you could need for a good day at the beach is on hand at Sundara Beach Club, and the staff will make efforts to secure anything else if you ask.
Should you need something that you can’t get in the Four Seasons, then there are plenty of other amenities within a short distance of the hotel.
Summary
The biggest concern for most ordinary mortals at Sundara Beach Club is going to be the exceptionally high prices, for Bali, that are charged here.
However, we think that if you visit a Four Seasons hotel facility, you’ve got to expect a significant premium over most other places. That’s part of the reason that it can invest so heavily in staff training, facilities, etc.
We’re not sure that we’d travel to Jimbaran Bay just for the Sundara Beach Club, mind you, though given its proximity to most of the other popular destinations in Bali, it’s not that far to go.
While our favourite beach club in Bali remains FINNS, the world’s best beach club, we can honestly say that you will have a very pleasant experience if you elect to visit Sundara Beach Club, as long as you’re not looking to party.
FAQs
Can You Go Swimming At Sundara Beach Club?
Yes, you can go swimming at Sundara Beach Club in Bali. In fact, this beach club boasts that it has the longest beachfront infinity pool on the island, so you should have no problem whatsoever getting a few lengths in here.
We’re also pleased to report that the pool and the surrounding area are clean and well-maintained, and you should have no health or hygiene concerns at this beach club, either.
What Is There To Do At Sundara Beach Club?
This is very much a hotel beach club facility, which means you can swim here, you can also eat and drink, and as you’d expect for a place in Jimbaran, there’s an emphasis on seafood. You can also lounge around on the comfortable daybeds and enjoy soaking up some rays.
On some evenings, they also have performers playing music during the dinner hour. We’d recommend that you phone ahead and check for this if it’s important to you
Is Sundara Beach Club A Child-Friendly Venue?
Yes, The Four Seasons is an entirely family-friendly resort, and the beach club welcomes children, and they are allowed to use the pool facilities.
You should be aware that the legal drinking age in Bali is 21, and while this is seldom enforced in practice, it’s more likely that it would be enforced in a hotel facility like this one.
Who Is The Owner Of Sundara Beach Club?
This beach club is part of the Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay resort, which, in turn, is owned by the Four Seasons hotel group.
This group’s ownership is publicly held by shareholders. Its investors are mainly international and not Indonesian.
Final Thoughts On The Review Of Sundara Beach Club
Sundara Beach Club was, to a large extent, the kind of beach club that our review team was expecting. It’s part of The Four Seasons, which means there’s a commitment to high standards and quality throughout.
It’s not a great beach club if you’re in the mood for partying with friends, but if you want to spend the day chilling out with your family, this is the kind of place that you’d want to come to.
Jimbaran Bay is also famous for the best seafood in Bali, and there’s certainly an argument that the Sundara Beach Club is one of the best places to try that seafood.
