The Pool Bar at The Legian may be the most exclusive beach club in Bali. That’s because you have to stay at the hotel to use it, and this is one of the most expensive and desirable hotels in Seminyak.
Yes, this even puts places like the Alila Villas to shame when it comes to room fees, so if you want to enjoy the Pool Bar, be prepared to pay for it.
Our team was very excited to see this place, and it was one of the very last reviews that we did on our first full pass of the beach clubs on the island. This is what they learned during their stay at the opulent hotel and in The Pool Bar itself.
Introduction – Getting To The Pool Bar @ The Legian
The Legian is on the beachfront in Seminyak, which means it’s a fairly easy place to reach from any part of the island, particularly the other main beach towns and Ubud.
It is important to note that this beach club facility is only open to hotel guests, and that this is a pretty exclusive hotel; on average, it’s 10,000,000 IDR per night (that’s around $650 USD or $1,000 AUD) to stay here, so be prepared to pay for access.
When you arrive at The Legian, you will find there are plenty of car parking spaces and that there is valet parking available from the lobby area.
If you arrive by Grab or Gojek, you will find that there’s no problem pulling up to the front door, though there may be a brief security check of your vehicle as you enter the premises.
Once you’re inside The Legian, you will probably want to put your bags, etc., in your suite before you head to The Pool Bar, which is very easy to find, and the staff will be very happy to direct you there if you get lost on the way.
Where Is The Pool Bar @ The Legian? Jl. Kayu Aya, Seminyak, Kec. Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Website: The Legian
Opening Hours: open during daylight hours and until 11 p.m. to hotel guests only, every day
What’s Inside Pool Bar @ The Legian?
There is an attractive infinity pool area, some comfortable seating and bar and restaurant facilities. This is very much a hotel beach club, and thus, it’s not geared up for partying.
Our Review Breakdown For The Pool Bar @ The Legian
We review every beach club in the same fashion, that’s whether it’s in a luxury hotel or a simple local business on the beach. We believe this ensures that the owners and management are all treated equally.
It also allows us to deliver to you, our readers, reviews that make it super easy to compare one beach club to another.
The process that we use works like this:
- The team is asked to visit a beach club, and every single member of the team must visit for our reviews. They are not required to visit at the same time or even on the same day.
- While they are at the beach club, they must grade the beach club from (1) best to (5) worst in each of the criteria that are laid out below.
- After every single one of our reviewers has been to the beach club, they must meet up to discuss their experiences and to vote on a final grade for each of our criteria.
- Then, one reviewer is appointed from the team, who writes up the review and ensures that the review reflects the experiences of all members of the team and the final grades as agreed.
- Finally, the review goes live on our website where it remains for a period of, at least one year before we revisit the club and review or revise our comments as necessary.
Pre-Club Advertising
We are big believers in pre-club advertising, but in this case, we kind of understand why they don’t advertise this beach club as a separate service.
The Legian Hotel is one of the most iconic hotels on the island, and it’s a place that advertises its services far and wide, given that you can only use The Pool Bar if you’re a guest, they simply wouldn’t advertise this place separately.
However, this does mean that this bar is not as “social” as most beach clubs; it’s more of a place for quiet reflection and relaxation by the sea, rather than a meeting place to make new friends.
Location
Seminyak is one of the island’s most popular beach towns, and it’s easily accessible from most of the other major towns and hotspots in Bali.
This hotel is on a lovely strip of beachfront, and as you might expect for a place this refined, the beach is kept clean and free of any impairments at all times.
There’s ample parking on site for those who choose to drive, and it’s an easy place to get dropped off if you’re arriving by ride-share, taxi or private car.
Booking Process & Seating Options
Because this is a private facility for hotel guests, there is no booking process for this beach club. If you’re in the hotel, then it’s available on a first-come, first-served basis, and if you’re not, it’s not available at all.
If you intend to celebrate a special occasion at The Pool Bar and are a guest, if you talk to management, they may be able to section off an area for you to use.
Entry Fee
There is no entrance fee for The Pool Bar itself, if you stay at the resort, it’s a privilege included in your room rate.
However, we can’t avoid mentioning that the room rate is going to be, at least, 10 million IDR (that’s $650 USD or $1,000 AUD), and that’s a pretty steep entrance fee.
Sure, that number comes with a ton of additional privileges, not just the use of The Pool Bar, and there’s no doubt that The Legian really is an amazing place to stay, but we review beach clubs, not hotels and thus, we’ve got to remove some points in this category.
Minimum Spend
There is also no minimum spend requirement at The Pool Bar, and while normally, we’re big fans of minimum spend as it allows you to reserve a seat at the beach club, in this case, it doesn’t really matter.
After all, you’ve paid to be a guest at The Legian by this point, so they’ve kind of already secured a fairly substantive minimum spend from you.
Welcome And Security
The welcome at The Legian is first rate, as you’d expect from a hotel in this league, and the staff will go out of their way to make you feel at home.
While there is no “bag check”, per se, you will pass through a car check as you enter the hotel grounds to ensure that your arrival is in keeping with the safety protocols at The Legian.
We fully approve of this, we believe that safety and security screening helps to ensure that all guests are kept safe, as well as promoting overall safety in Bali as a whole.
Inclusions
You will be able to use any of the seating at The Pool Bar and will be provided with towels as required.
However, there are no additional tiers of inclusions. Which is a bit of a surprise given that this is a luxurious hotel, you’d think they might want to offer their guests the chance to really push the boat out on holiday.
Service
The service at The Legian is really everything you would expect from an iconic resort. You will feel like a million dollars in every interaction with the staff here.
They are highly trained, very professional and kind, caring and knowledgeable. There’s no doubt that they are receptive to special requests when it comes to modifying the menu around your dietary needs or to help make your time in Bali easier.
This is one of the perks of paying for a very expensive hotel, the staff are an absolute credit to this Seminyak institution.
Entertainment
However, there’s no doubt that The Pool Bar is not a place for partying; it’s for sophisticated cocktails by the pool and stunning sunset views.
So, there is no entertainment on offer, but we don’t think that has a negative impact on the place at all. Sometimes, it’s nice to be able to unwind with your own thoughts.
Pool Quality
The infinity pool here is lovely, and as you’d expect, it’s kept in immaculate condition and is very well maintained.
We doubt that the clientele at The Legian is prone to spilling drinks (or worse) in the pool, and thus, you can enjoy swimming or relaxing at sunset with cocktails in comfort.
Menu/Drinks Pricing
The menu prices match the room rates and are much higher than the usual prices in beach clubs around the Seminyak area.
We suspect that regular guests of The Legian won’t much care, as, in the scheme of things, they’re a minor issue compared to the cost of staying here.
Food And Drink Quality
However, sometimes in life, you do get what you pay for, and the food and drinks here are all of the finest quality, and they also look spectacular.
If you’re hoping to gorge your Instagram feed while you gorge yourself, The Pool Bar at The Legian is going to give you somewhere to do it in style.
Sunset View
This is one of the best parts of the island for a sunset view, and you can see far out to sea when the sun drops below the horizon and the sky lights up with glorious colours.
It’s one of the major highlights of a holiday in Bali and there’s no doubt that this is a view worth paying a premium for.
Music And Ambience
The music is tasteful and appropriate to the venue. We doubt that it will make a huge impression on you, it’s meant to serve as a backdrop to the day rather than be an experience in its own right.
Payment Options
You can pay by cash or card in The Legian, though we didn’t see any signs up for QRIS payments. Having said that, we’re not sure there are that many expats or locals staying at this hotel for it to matter too much.
Exit Process
Leaving The Legian is as much of a pleasure as arriving. The staff will be only too pleased to help you get your things into your vehicle and wish you a warm farewell.
It’s not a huge place, so finding your way out is as easy as arriving.
Transportation
Seminyak is excellently situated for Grab and Gojek services, and even at busy times of day, you shouldn’t have to wait too long for a ride.
If you are driving yourself or using a personal driver, then it’s easy to get to other parts of the island from here, too.
Social Media Presence
There is a bit of social media set up around The Pool Bar at The Legian but it’s rarely updated and doesn’t really showcase what to expect.
We suspect that’s because most of their clients don’t spend all that much time on Instagram.
Other/General Comments
There are hotels in Bali and then there are hotels like The Legian. This place is a very upmarket experience for discerning visitors. It’s not for everyone and it doesn’t even pretend to be.
If you intend to stay in Seminyak and want a premium experience, The Legian is a good choice and The Pool Bar is a nice perk for staying here.
Our Overall Opinion Of Pool Bar @ The Legian
This isn’t an everyday experience, and that’s OK. With a very steep price tag just to walk through the doors of this hotel, this is one beach club that only a very privileged few will get to enjoy.
However, there’s no doubt that if you can afford it, this is one of the nicest hotel beach club experiences we could imagine.
You’ll be pampered and your every need will be perfectly attended to. Sure, this isn’t a place to party, but there are very few places that we’d enjoy spending a day by the pool more than at the Pool Bar in the Legian Hotel in Seminyak.
FAQs
Can You Swim At The Pool Bar @ The Legian?
Yes, there’s a very nice oceanfront Infinity Pool at this bar, and because it’s an exclusive facility for hotel guests only, you can be certain that there’s never too much competition for space in the pool.
That means you can easily do lengths in here at all times of day, as well as enjoying a nice sundowner as the sun provides that wonderful, dramatic Bali sunset.
You can also, in theory, swim in the ocean as you have direct access to the beach at this bar, but we wouldn’t recommend it.
The currents in this area are erratic, and it’s easy enough to be swept out to sea, even if you are a strong swimmer. So, it’s best to enjoy the view of the ocean and swim in the amazing pool at this bar.
What Can You Do At The Pool Bar @ The Legian?
You can swim in the infinity pool and enjoy bar and restaurant facilities. This isn’t a party-oriented beach club, so that’s about it.
However, there’s no doubt that this is one of the swankiest hotel pool bars that we’ve seen in Bali, and if you’re looking for a relaxing day by the pool, you will be very happy here.
Is The Pool Bar @ The Legian A Family-Friendly Venue?
Yes, in keeping with the entire hotel facility, The Pool Bar is a fully family-friendly venue, and you are welcome to take your children anywhere inside.
There is a lifeguard facility at the infinity pool, but you should be aware that there are no lifeguards on the beach itself, and you should make sure your children are properly supervised on the beach.
You are also expected to be responsible for ensuring that your children don’t annoy any of the other guests as they play around the pool area.
We should also note that there are no special facilities for kids in this area and that they might get bored if left to their own devices for too long.
Who Owns Pool Bar @ The Legian?
The Pool Bar is part of The Legian hotel complex in Seminyak. The Legian is part of the IHM hotel group, which is a fairly large chain of hotels with international ownership.
Final Thoughts On Pool Bar @ The Legian
While it might not quite have the dramatic impact or party vibe of a beach club like FINNS, there’s no doubt that if you’re staying in this swanky beachside resort, you should take advantage of The Pool Bar.
It’s a very luxurious hotel beach club experience, and the food, drinks, and service are simply first-rate.
Is it worth spending $600 USD a night on a hotel room? Well, that’s going to depend on your budget. We don’t see ourselves going back to this spot very often, but we’re definitely glad that we went once.
