Think of stepping from your lounge into a walled courtyard with its lush tropical foliage and a private swimming pool. Then later in the day, imagine spending hours being pampered in a spa or visiting a volcano with your own tour guide. This is a world few people experience, but one that you can readily find at a handful of choice resorts on this mystical island.

AMANDARI
Bali's most famous resort is undoubtedly Amandari, set on an escarpment high above the Ayung River Gorge five minutes from the centre of Ubud. Designed as a walled Balinese village, the resort offers spectacular views to the river valley and terraced rice fields. The name means peaceful spirits – and it is this feeling of peace and tranquillity that sets Amandari apart. Staircases lead down to the river and a series of tracks cross rice paddies through nearby villages. The town of Ubud is the cultural heart of Bali, with a vibrant artistic community and great restaurants and bars.

The hotel's 30 villas are enclosed in private walled courtyards and are linked to the main buildings by stone pathways. If you really want to splash out, opt for one of the 11 villas that have their own pool. Amandari's customers include the rich and famous – Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall got married here. The resort is far from the beach, but that does not seem to worry guests who return year after year. They clearly prefer the quiet, gentle atmosphere of Ubud.

AMANKILA
The Amankila belongs to the same group as the Amandari, so you can expect the same exceptional standards. However, the resort's big attraction is its cliffside location, which provides spectacular ocean views and access to a private beach club down below. Amankila is situated near the village of Manggis in East Bali's Karangasem Regency. This is “old Bali ” at its best. Days can be spent wandering through ancient temples, villages and water palaces or trekking through forests and rice fields.

Of course, you can also opt to relax at the hotel's fabulous beach club, with its 45-metre pool. Another three-tiered swimming pool is set into the cliff edge at the resort on the hill above. The hotel's cruiser and small fleet of boats are always standing by waiting to whisk you away for a morning or an afternoon fishing, snorkelling, diving, swimming, sailing or just cruising.

The resort is fashioned as a Balinese beach house with 'alang alang' roof thatching. The 33 spectacular suites have canopy beds and sunken tubs, and some have private pools. Don't miss traditional afternoon tea, when brightly-dressed women from an adjacent village lay out cups and rice cakes at the library. For a perfect evening, you can choose to have a private candlelit dinner on the beach for two.

THE LEGIAN HOTEL
If you want a private retreat with all the facilities of a five-star hotel, try the Legian Hotel. This all-suite hotel has a near-perfect location, wedged between peaceful rice fields and a tranquil stretch of Seminyak Beach. Yet, it is only a short distance from the stylish restaurants and bars of the Seminyak/Petitengit area, the haunts of the island's trendiest visitors. With a total of 67 suites, the smallest measuring 99 square metres, the hotel has a calm, exclusive feel.

If you are travelling as a family or want additional rooms, opt for one of the fabulous two-bedroom suites, with their huge private terraces and butler service. Once you have touched up your tan at the poolside and had a massage at the excellent health spa, you can take a long walk along the beach or shop at one of the many little boutiques that dot the side lanes of the area. You can even take a hotel car to Kuta, where the streets are crowded with tourists and shops sell cheap knick-knacks and fake designer wear. The Legian allows you to experience the many different sides of a Bali holiday.

FOUR SEASONS RESORT BALI AT SAYAN
Overlooking the island's sacred Ayung River and nestling in a jungle, you will find the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan in Ubud. The resort's 18 suites and 42 villas offer the ultimate in privacy and comfort. Lie beside your own pool with a view across the jungle or lie in bed, listening to the roar of the river below.

For the ultimate luxury experience, you should spend a few nights in the Royal Villa. You enter from above, through a rooftop terrace with its own lily pond. Located on the storeys below is a private pool, an outdoor shower, a terrace overlooking the valley and three en suite bedrooms. This hotel is garnering international awards, with the key to its success being the friendly staff that provide unobtrusive, professional service 24 hours a day.

THE BALE
The upmarket area of Nusa Dua is home to many of the island's big luxury hotels, including the Conrad, the Sheraton, the Grand Hyatt, the Hilton and the Westin. However, a number of small boutique villa resorts are springing up here as well. One of the best is The Bale, located on a hilltop overlooking the Indian Ocean.

With only 20 luxury pavilions, it offers impeccable service and total privacy for its guests. Every villa has its own butler, salt-water swimming pool and secluded garden. A special feature is its outdoor pavilions, each with a queen-sized bed, where you can while away the day. In contrast to the usual traditional Balinese architecture, the Bale is done in a stark, minimalist style, which works especially well at night, when candles create an intimate, romantic atmosphere.