Our Padma Resort Legian Review: An exciting beachfront luxury playground for families with kids in Bali

Written by Stephanie Peeters

As you step into the beautiful grounds of Padma Resort Legian, a gorgeous absolute beachfront luxury resort, you will be instantly greeted with blissful Balinese gardens, ponds and traditional pavilions.

Located in Legian, just a short stroll from the hot spots of Seminyak, the resort overlooks the long and wide golden sandy coastline that runs from the airport of Bali all the way to the end of Seminyak, bordering the Indian Ocean where perfect surfing waves drift to shore and where the sun sets every evening.

This hidden peaceful paradise by the beach comes as a lovely surprise, since the lively streets of Legian and Seminyak, full of boutique shops, spas, coffee bars and restaurants, are all within walking distance.

Also read:

26 fun things to do with kids in Bali that will bring out everyone’s inner child

9 luxury resort pools in Bali where you can swim in on a day pass

9 Bali beach resorts with amazing water slides and kid pools

12 Bali resorts where you can get direct access to the lagoon pool

Despite the five-star luxury you can find here, the resort has kept its Balinese charm. I loved the Balinese elements that are so carefully infused in every corner of this beachfront resort. Walking through the resort’s pretty gardens with flowering frangipani trees, koi-fish ponds with fountains, Balinese stone-carved statues and traditional Javanese teak wooden pavilions with high soaring rooftops was just delightful!

And of course, Padma Resort Legian is the perfect playground for families, full of Instagrammable spots. Kids will have the time of their lives on waterslides and pools. Moms and Dads will love the peaceful, tropical setting and the on-site facilities such as great restaurants, a luxurious spa, the infinity pools and the sauna and gym. The balance of having fun with the kids and being able to share intimate and romantic moments with your loved one without the little ones, is just perfect!

Ready to start your family adventure?

1. Splash and family fun at these 3 amazing pools (out of 5!)

Who doesn’t love a refreshing soak or a splash in the pool with waterslides?

Padma Resort Legian boasts of five different swimming pools, three of which are perfect for you and your little ones to have fun in.

1-a. Water playtime for the whole family: Family pool with water slides

The family pool is an absolute dream-come-true swimming pool for you and your kids.

With Indiana-Jones-style artificial rocks, waterslides and lush tropical flowering trees, this pool has got all the facets of a wild water adventure park.

Climb up and inside the rocks to reach the top of the slides and down you go as you plunge into the pool below. There are several slides in the family pool for kids of different ages.

Photo Via _Pineapple_Beach

I must admit, I would’ve loved to go down the kids’ slides myself, if only I wasn’t way too pregnant and too old for it – they look so immensely fun and inviting! I guess I will have to wait for my kid to be old enough, so I can play on these amazing wildwater slides with her, pretending I’m only doing it just for her, of course.

1-b. Get your little girl’s hair braided and nails painted by the Lagoon pool!

All the little princesses will love this.

Between the family pool and the lagoon pool that features a shallow children’s area for toddlers and a massive Barong-head waterfall feature, there is not only the Barong Pool Bar and Cafe and a dedicated ice-cream stand, but you’ll also find a little poolside pampering corner for little ladies to get their hair braided or have a mini manicure session.

A friendly Balinese lady is busy with one kid after another wanting to get a makeover. The speed with which this lady breads the hairs of kids with is unbelievable. When the hair is braided all beautifully, kids can choose their nail polish colour and even get some nail art done!

1-c. Water volleyball and water races for the entire family in the main pool!

The large main pool is ideal for parents and kids to swim together and join in the resort’s daily water activities. Most of the time, this pool is wonderfully quiet. There are little kids with floaties on, Mom and Dad swimming with them, couples having drinks at the poolbar or sunbathing on the poolside lounge beds.

Liveliness kicks in when the daily complimentary pool activities start, which range from water volleyball and basketball to bombing contests, kids doughnut water races, ping pong tournaments and learning how to dive and snorkel. The friendly staff will walk around to invite you to join. For activities like diving and snorkeling, you can sign up beforehand.

We joined a diving lesson by a friendly diving instructor. Learning how to breathe and clearing your diving masks weren’t easy for everyone, but since Bali is surrounded by amazing diving and snorkeling spots, these skills come in handy!

It was also so much fun to watch the water basketball contest and hear the shouts and laughter of happy kids and their Daddies. What a great way to befriend other families at the resort, don’t you agree?

2. Poolside lunch and mermaids: The Barong Pool Bar & Cafe

Update: The Mermaid Fin Fun Programme is currently temporarily unavailable at Padma Resort Legian.

Does your little girl dream of becoming a mermaid?

Her dream can come true on Saturdays with the special Mermaid Fin Fun Programme at the Lagoon Pool (one of my favourite pools), a gorgeous lagoon-inspired swimming pool and a massive Barong-head waterfall feature. No surprises that this programme is extremely popular among all of the little girls staying at the resort.

The girls are transformed into beautiful mermaids and they get to learn how to use their fins in the pool and swim like mermaids. They will also get to indulge in a mermaid lunch with sandwiches, juice, fruits, fries and ice-cream.

Don’t worry about safety, there would be one or two instructors onsite to look after the kids, depending on the class size. Parents can also jump in to supervise your little ones if you wish!

I can’t wait to see the expression on my little girl’s face when she hears that she can actually become a mermaid for a day.

At the Lagoon pool, parents can enjoy drinks at the sunken pool bar while watching the kids play in the shallow area. It also features an open-air restaurant with a good range of local and Western dishes and more yummy cocktails. There’s also a kids menu, and they bake quite amazing pizzas, not only pepperoni and cheese but also fruit, nutella and marshmellow pizzas!

Advertisement

3. For the energetic little ones: Wolly Kids Club and Games Centre

Conveniently located by the family pool and the family suites, the Wolly Kids Club and Games Centre is a happy and colourful place for kids between 4 and 12 years old who want to play, learn new things and make new friends.

Your young ones can join in for a couple of hours or a full day, complete with meals and guided activities so that parents get to spend some quality time together, just the two of you like in the old days.

When I was there, all I could see was happy faces of little boys and girls, looked after with love and care by the friendly ladies of The Wolly Kids Club.

Photo Via Jen McNab

The indoor area comes with endless toys – a big doll house, dinosaurs, fluffy animals, puzzles, books and a kiddie kitchen with cooking equipment. The indoor playing area also features a cozy TV lounge with beanbags for the kids to chill out on. Older kids will love the mini pool table, football and hockey table as well as a games centre with Playstations, Wii and online games.

The outdoor area comes with slides, seesaws, a trampoline and climbing racks. The sound of laughing kids from the playground and the nearby family pool sets the perfect holiday vibe, putting kids at ease instantly.

And if your little ones love to roam around, they will love being taken out to feed the fish, ducks and turtles in the resort ponds. The daily kiddies programme also includes swimming and sliding time in the family pool under close staff supervision.

Many activities are free of charge, such as Balinese dance classes, learning how to play the traditional bamboo instruments, making Balinese offering baskets (which we did!) and learning Bahasa Indonesia.

On Wednesday and Saturdays, kids can sign up for the Kids Party. The fun starts with a kids buffet dinner, followed by fun activities such as ‘Crazy Dance Fun’ and ‘Boys vs Girls’ contests. Isn’t it simply perfect to let your little ones have the time of their lives here and you head off for your long-awaited romantic dinner?

4. When the kids are occupied: Chill at the infinity pool and swim up to pool bars

This adults-only infinity pool overlooking the Legian beach is absolutely stunning and tranquil, where you can chill at in peace. The inviting pool is fringed by tropical palm trees and the view of the sea and the endless horizon is just magnificent!

We grabbed some lounge chairs and complimentary beach towels and dipped into the crystal clear water, swimming straight to the edge of the pool to gaze at the ocean and listen to the calming sounds of waves rolling to shore.

I can easily spend the whole day here just swimming laps, sipping cocktails at the pool bar, soaking up the sun and the ocean view, not missing the breathtaking sunset at the end of the day.

It is just wonderful to snooze to the sound of the sea, thinking about nothing at all and relieving the romance once again with your loved one.

5. Sunset cocktails and sweet treats at S.K.A.I Beach Club

The beach right in front of Padma Resort Legian is famous for its breathtaking sunsets.

So in the late afternoon, it’s time to head to the resort’s very own S.K.A.I Beach Club, boasting of an infinity pool, deluxe double daybeds, a DJ booth and delicious cocktails and snacks.

We sought out the best daybed by the poolside, ordered the Chug and Munch tapas package and prepared for the magical sunset to enchant us with its beautiful colours.

Everything is just perfect for ultimate chilling and lounging! The nice sea breeze, relaxing lounge music, good company, jaw-dropping views and yummy snacks with gorgeous-looking and delicious-tasting signature cocktails (lemonade for the kids, of course).

This is what the Chug and Munch set looks like, with delicious sweet and hearty treats, served with 4 tropical cocktails or beers. You want a bite and a sip of that, don’t you? With macarons, layered cakes and fruit tartlets, English scones, cheese sticks, crackers and french bread topped off with ham and cheddar, the Chug and Munch set makes the perfect sunset snack!

6. Excite your kids with a fun stay in the Family Room!

Now this is what I call a perfect room for parents with kids! The spacious family rooms at Padma Resort Legian are split into a master bedroom for parents and a bunk-bedded room with an extra pull-out trundle bed for the little ones, sleeping up to 3 kids comfortably.

Both the master suite and the bunk-bedded kids’ bedroom boast of large wall-mounted flat-screen satellite-TVs with DVD-players. Kids can get comfortable on the beanbags and watch a cartoon show before bedtime. Both bedroom are adjoined by a private en-suite bathroom fitted with a luxurious rain shower and full bathroom amenities.

Kids will love to slide and splash into the family pool, located near the family rooms! They would love entertaining themselves there and make new friends while you can keep an eye on them while having tea in your room’s private ground-floor terraces with seating corners, surrounded by greenery.

The beds are super comfy, tucked in fresh white linen and topped off with towels beautifully folded into swans and other creatures. You are bound to sleep like a baby! I sure did!

7. Chill out in the Lagoon Access Room

Isn’t it lovely to wake up in the morning after a perfect night sleep, slide open the doors to your private terrace and dip straight into a lagoon pool just steps away from your bed? What an idyllic holiday!

The opulent Lagoon Access Rooms are bordered by the resort’s beautiful lagoon swimming pool, surrounded by little tropical islands and greenery, creating peaceful semi-private swimming spots right in front of the room.

So while you are still slowly waking up to another day in paradise out on their private terrace with some tea or coffee, the enthusiastic kids would have jumped into the pool with their big smiling faces, loving every minute of their stay. Your teens will love this!

The Lagoon Access rooms feature deluxe super king-size beds, large wall-mounted flat-screen TVs with satellite channels and DVD-players, reading chairs and writing desks.

In their en-suite bathrooms, you can find spa-style bathtubs and monsoon showers. Sliding timbre doors allow guests to enjoy a hot bubble bath right next to the bed. How awesome is that?

8. From Balinese to Western to Japanese: Daily themed buffet dinners with performances

Want to enjoy dinner with themed performances?

We joined in the Balinese-themed buffet on Sunday evening and I just couldn’t stop eating. Most nightly buffet evenings are held at DONBIU, the main restaurant tucked in a traditional antique Wantilan pavilion which is actually a Balinese meeting hall by origin.

The Balinese Themed Buffet evening is set up like a traditional night market with food stalls all around the Donbiu restaurant and a grand buffet that includes a whole roasted suckling pig (the famous Balinese Babi Guling) in the middle.

Everything is cooked the traditional way and in my opinion, the food was to-die-for. My Indonesian friends and husband loved it too! It is authentic, of great quality, richly flavoured and the whole ambience is also truly Balinese, exotic and more than perfect!

I went from the sate stand to the ‘soto’ (soup) warung, munched on the Balinese-cooked veggies, beef rendang and enjoyed the live-cooking.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I passed by the dessert corner. Wow! What a feast for the eyes! Little local treats in bright happy colours of pink, yellow, green, purple and so on – I did my best to try a little bit of everything. The sweet mini martabak cakes were just the perfect size.

I loved the jelly and fruit dipped in chocolate sauce, chocolate fondue, rice cakes and ice-cream. It’s a dessert heaven if you have a sweet tooth like myself!

With our bellies full, this delightful Balinese-themed evening is still not over yet. As you enjoy the dinner, you’ll be serenaded with live musicians playing traditional Balinese gamelan music, with Balinese Legong dancers in stunning traditional costumes. A great ending to a another wonderful day!

9. Sunrise yoga, family bingo and more activities!

It’s the little things that sometimes make your days delightful.

Besides water activities in the main pool (snorkeling, diving, watersports and more), you can join in the daily resort activities such as early morning meditation and yoga classes. Or how about a family bingo evening where you get a chance to win prizes?

Start your day fresh and wonderful with the sound of the sea and the fresh ocean breeze in your hair at the infinite grassy lawn. This is the spot where the yoga and meditation classes are held at 7 and 8 am respectively. A professional instructor will guide you in this journey of inner relaxation.

If you are a tennis player, you will be delighted to know that there’s a tennis court in the resort, and racket hire is free for in-house guests. You can even get a hitting partner for Rp. 200,000 per hour (approximately USD $15.75).

Those who are up for a workout, head to the fully-equipped fitness room. Personal trainers are available at an additional charge. Don’t forget to make use of the complimentary on-site sauna and steam room!

10. Learn the art of Balinese cooking at DONBIU

Have you fallen in love with Balinese cuisine?

Well, we have good news for you – you can learn the art of whipping up some signature traditional dishes at Padma Resort Legian. Simply book a Balinese cooking class for yourself and your partner while the kids are happily entertained at the kids club.

The class lasts for about two hours, during which a skilled chef will show you key ingredients and preparation methods of authentic Balinese dishes, and you get to try it out by yourselves.

The Indonesian kitchen involves a lot of chopping and slicing, from shallots to chili, ginger, turmeric and many more. But guess what, at Padma Resort Legian’s cooking class, all the tedious chopping would have already been done for you.

We made traditional sate, spiced and cooked on a charcoal grill and served with homemade peanut sauce. For dessert, we whipped up some Pisang Goreng (fried bananas) served with vanilla sauce. Yummy!

You will get the recipes printed out for you on beautiful paper and at the end of the class, you’ll receive a certificate (after a job well done, of course). Bring it home and impress your friends with a delicious home-cooked Balinese meal.

If you have little chefs, do bring them to check out the newly launched Junior Cooking Class!

11. Relax at The Spa

Parents, this has to be one of your favourite. After a long tiring day of running after overly energetic kids, what can be more relaxing and refreshing than a blissful spa?

Ruled by soft, calming green colours and overlooking peaceful ponds and gardens, The Spa exudes serenity and luxury. Try out the dedicated couple treatments, during which you and your partner can take refuge in a bubble of ultimate relaxation!

When the treatment starts, the light is dimmed, soft music plays in the background and you are taken on a journey of full-blown relaxation for the body, mind and soul.

I was warmly welcomed by the friendly spa staff and was served a cup of delicious herbal drink with cloves, cinnamon, ginger and other spices that warm and prepare the body for the massage. The treatment starts with a flower footbath and the masseuse will do everything to make the treatment perfectly suited to your wishes and your body’s needs.

The Lovers Escape, lasting 2.5 hours, includes a Balinese body scrub followed by an 80-minute Balinese massage, topped off with a rose milk bath. A heavenly journey for you and your loved one!

I absolutely loved my stay at Padma Resort Legian and I will definitely be back with my family once my baby girl is old enough to swim with floaties on and play on those slides with her Mommy. I loved the Balinese ambience, the beachfront, central yet peaceful location and the amazing food.

Padma Resort Legian is a heavenly haven for all kinds of travellers and it is the ultimate playground for children. Parents get to enjoy both precious family moments with complimentary family activities as well as plenty of well-deserved couple time. Isn’t that the best of both worlds?

Have you stayed at Padma Resort Legian in Bali? We’d love to hear all about your experiences!

Comment and share with us your experiences if you planning to stay or have stayed here before and we will PM you a special offer for this hotel!

PLEASE NOTE: All the above information is correct at the date of publication. If you come across any changes or updates, please let us know and we will update the information accordingly. Thank you! Tell us

• share on facebook
• twitter
• google+
• linkedin

Advertise with us