St. Regis Bali vs. Ritz-Carlton Bali: Which Nusa Dua Luxury Resort to Choose?

I’ve stayed at both the St. Regis Bali Resort and the Ritz-Carlton Bali in Nusa Dua, and here’s my honest comparison. Both are exceptional luxury properties in the Marriott portfolio, but they offer very different experiences. This guide will help you decide which one matches your travel style and budget.

Important Note: This review covers the Ritz-Carlton Bali in Nusa Dua, not the Ritz-Carlton Reserve Mandapa in Ubud. The Mandapa is a different property entirely—it’s in Ubud (about 1.5 hours away), operates in a completely different league, and sits at a significantly higher price point. If you’re researching Mandapa, this comparison won’t apply. If price is no object, and you don’t like beaches, choose the Mandapa.

Quick Answer: Which Should You Choose?

Choose the St. Regis if: You want the highest service level (personal butler for every room), a more intimate and secluded atmosphere, exceptional spa experiences, and don’t mind paying premium rates for next-level luxury. Best for couples on romantic getaways or those who want the service and convenience of having a dedicated team on call.

Choose the Ritz-Carlton if: You want an epic, impressive resort experience carved into a cliff, better Indonesian dining, a massive joyful breakfast buffet, and significantly better value (often half the price of St. Regis). Best for families, weddings, or anyone who wants luxury without the ultra-premium price tag.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Bottom Line: Unless you have unreasonably high standards, you’ll be happy at either one. If price is no object, you probably go St. Regis, but the even more expensive Mandapa Ritz in Ubud is calling if you don’t need the beach. The real question is what kind of luxury experience you’re after and how much you want to spend.

Detailed Category-by-Category Breakdown

Closeness to Airport: Tie

Both are close to the airport, with the St. Regis maybe 5 minutes closer.

Breakfast Buffet: Ritz-Carlton (Slightly)

Better food at the St. Regis, but I slightly prefer the Ritz Carlton buffet because it is truly enormous, and still is nice. The St. Regis buffet is smaller but higher quality and included in the room rate, unlike at the Ritz. If you want that joyful, massive spread experience, the Ritz wins. If you want refined quality and it’s already paid for, St. Regis edges ahead.

Indonesian Restaurant: Ritz-Carlton (Clearly)

Better food and better view at the Ritz, but both were good. The St. Regis has a nightly Indonesian dance, which was cool, but the Indonesian restaurant is the one area where the Ritz beats the St. Regis and it’s not even close.

Spa: St. Regis (But Both Are Great)

The Spa is better at the St. Regis, though they are both great. My review here is subjective but I received perhaps the best foot massage of my life at the St. Regis. It’s next level. Everything feels calm there.

The Beach: St. Regis

The beach at the St. Regis is slightly better, with better service, nicer towels, free kayak rental, etc. The Ritz beach is still nice however.

For Weddings: The Ritz-Carlton

The Ritz Carlton has a purpose-built cathedral on the beach, and it would be a fantastic wedding venue.

Ambiance: The Ritz-Carlton

The Ritz is epic, carved into a cliff, with a tiny temple near the elevator, with expansive views, and a huge feeling. It feels like adventure. The St. Regis feels like a quiet, secluded, luxury retreat.

Hotel Pool: St. Regis

The St. Regis has a very cool and sort of magical lazy river type thing in the middle of the resort complete with floating bean bags you can lay on while you float around. Fun and magical. The Ritz pool is extremely impressive as well, but is more standard. The St. Regis also had a small but normal luxury hotel pool near the beach.

Service: St. Regis

Having a personal butler makes the St. Regis the clear winner, although everyone at the Ritz is incredibly nice and service oriented. The St. Regis is flat, secluded, more private, less impressive outwardly, but with a higher service level and slightly higher food quality. St. Regis has butler service for every room, which is genuinely helpful. Stuff like coffee and tea is free, fruit is pretty cheap. Someone is always around you at the St. Regis, helping you or offering to help. Being at the St. Regis feels like you’re a HNW individual with a team of helpers—for better or worse.

For Points Redemptions: Ritz Carlton (But status may lean St. Regis)

I’ve seen redemptions for the Ritz at around 50,000 Marriot Bonvoy points per night. Ritz Carlton Cardholders can get upgrades to the Club Lounge, which I’ve never been to, but according to Google apparently exists.

By contrast the St. Regis is 85,000 points and up, and often over 100,000 which makes it impossible to use an 85k certificate + 15k points to stay there. As a result the St. Regis, in the one time I was there, upgraded me to the Pool Villa while at the Ritz I got a still very nice but not as crazy upgrade to the Lagoon room. What I’m saying, to be clear, is that if you have elite status you might go further in the St. Regis than the Ritz, but the St. Regis is really generally more expensive on a points basis.

Best Overall Experience: St. Regis

St. Regis wins simply because you have a butler, and the level of service is insane. The Ritz is still incredibly nice though. The Ritz Carlton Nusa Dua is expansive, huge, impressive, with part of the hotel on a cliff, the rest several stories below, accessed via elevators. Everything is good or great. The breakfast buffet is massive, and fun, and kind of joyful to experience. The Indonesian restaurant at the Ritz is better, and has a more epic view, by far, than the one at the St. Regis.

Price-Adjusted Verdict: Ritz-Carlton

The Ritz Carlton is often about $300 USD a night while the St. Regis is about twice that. Is the St. Regis twice as good as the Ritz? No. And it might be slightly worse if you have kids, since the Ritz has such a huge, more family vibe, while the St. Regis is quieter, more secluded, and feels like it is for couples on a romantic trip or retirees.

St. Regis Photos:

What is the Upgrade Calculus for Marriott Bonvoy Members?

I’m Marriott Platinum. At the St. Regis I used points to get a normal room, but got upgraded to a crazy Villa room connected to a sort of lazy river swimming area.

At the Ritz, I used points to get a normal room, but got upgraded to room on the ground floor connected to a much smaller connected pool area, which is still awesome.

If you’re upgrade hunting, my 1/1 experience is that I did better at the St. Regis, but I have no idea whether that was a fluke. Either way, being Platinum or above should provide real benefits here.

Ritz Carlton Photos:

About Nusa Dua: Location Context

Nusa Dua Is Not That Interesting, But You (Probably) Won’t Care

Both are in Nusa Dua, which is a resort area with easy airport access, thanks to a highway that crosses the water.

Nusa Dua itself is boring, commercial, and not super local, although if you leave the resort you do obviously feel you are in Bali. There are local temples, and walking around is recommended, if only to get a cheaper massage or at least some sort of local flavor. You can get some culture here, there are local temples, and if you interact with locals you will learn things, but basically it’s the least “authentic” part of Bali.

However, the Ritz and the St. Regis are both so incredibly nice that, for better or worse, you probably won’t feel that bad that you are not having an ‘authentic’ cultural experience.

Both the Ritz and St. Regis have very good Indonesian restaurants. As a foreigner I can’t say whether they were “authentic” but they were nice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better value: St. Regis Bali or Ritz-Carlton Bali?

The Ritz-Carlton Bali offers significantly better value. At roughly $300 USD per night compared to the St. Regis at $600 USD, you get an exceptional luxury experience for half the price. The St. Regis is more refined, but it’s not twice as good.

Does the St. Regis Bali have butler service?

Yes, every room at the St. Regis Bali includes personal butler service. This is the signature St. Regis experience and genuinely helpful—your butler can arrange everything from coffee delivery to activity bookings. It makes you feel like a high-net-worth individual with a dedicated team.

However, both the Ritz and the St. Regis sent me nice emails before my stay, asking if I needed assistance. I did have the Ritz pick me up from the airport for 250k IDR but I should’ve just used Gojek, which I later learned is like 50k IDR.

Which hotel is better for families with kids?

The Ritz-Carlton Bali is better for families. It has a more vibrant, family-friendly atmosphere, a massive breakfast buffet that kids will love, and a purpose-built beach cathedral that creates a sense of adventure. The St. Regis is quieter and more secluded, better suited for couples or retirees.

Is this the same Ritz-Carlton as the Mandapa in Ubud?

No. This review covers the Ritz-Carlton Bali in Nusa Dua. The Ritz-Carlton Reserve Mandapa is a completely different property in Ubud (about 1.5 hours away), operates at a higher luxury tier, and commands premium pricing well above both Nusa Dua properties.

Which has the better spa experience?

The St. Regis has the better spa. Both are excellent, but the St. Regis spa is next-level calm and refined. I received perhaps the best foot massage of my life there. If spa experiences are a priority, St. Regis wins this category.

Can I use Marriott Bonvoy points at both properties?

Yes, both properties are part of Marriott Bonvoy. As a Platinum member, I used points at both and received room upgrades at each property. My upgrade at the St. Regis (villa with lazy river access) was more impressive than at the Ritz (ground floor with small pool), but this could have been a fluke.

Is Nusa Dua worth staying in, or should I go to Ubud/Seminyak instead?

Nusa Dua is the least authentic part of Bali—it’s commercial and resort-focused. However, both the Ritz and St. Regis are so exceptionally nice that you probably won’t mind missing out on the cultural immersion. If your priority is relaxation and luxury resort experiences, Nusa Dua works. If you want Balinese culture and local vibes, consider Ubud or, perhaps Seminyak instead. Seminyak is heavily touristy, and even the once more pristine Canggu is increasingly developed.

What about the Bulgari Hotel?

I haven’t been there but the St. Regis staff said the Bulgari sends their guests to the St. Regis if they want to spend time at the beach, as the Bulgari lacks a beach, and is instead on a stunning clifftop vista.

What about the Laguna Autograph Collection Hotel?

Also nice. In some ways a blend of the Ritz and St. Regis. More intimate like the St. Regis, but quality level closer to the Ritz. To be honest I prefer the Ritz and St. Regis over the Laguna, but you could have a great time at the Laguna too. What is nice about that hotel is it connects via walkways to other hotels in the Nusa Dua area, so you can pleasantly walk about the beach. The Ritz and St. Regis are more closed off, especially the Ritz.

Final Recommendation

For Most Travelers: Choose the Ritz-Carlton Bali. You get 80% of the luxury experience at 50% of the price, with some elements, like Bejana-the Indonesian restaurant-clearly better at the Ritz. The epic cliff setting, massive breakfast, superior Indonesian restaurant, and family-friendly atmosphere make it the smarter choice for most people.

For Ultimate Luxury Seekers: Choose the St. Regis Bali. If you want the absolute highest service level, personal butler attention, the best spa, and that magical lazy river pool, the premium is worth it. Best for romantic getaways or if you genuinely want to feel like royalty for a few days. This was probably the best hotel experience I have ever had, but I loved the Ritz too. You can’t go wrong.

Either way, you’re choosing between two exceptional properties. The “wrong” choice here is still a fantastic vacation.

My visits took place in late 2025 and it is believed information is accurate as of 2026.