Cultural yoga retreat in Lovina Beach, Bali lasting 4 days.

I went on a yoga retreat at Puri Bagus Lovina for a week. If you want to escape your everyday life or need some relaxation from the busy streets of Ubud or Canggu during your Bali vacation, I highly recommend heading north to Puri Bagus Lovina. The resort, right on the beach, feels like paradise. The bungalows were really comfortable, the food was fresh and delicious, and the staff treated me like family, always willing to help with anything I needed. The yoga classes, which were held twice a day, in the morning and afternoon, were led perfectly, suitable for both beginners and professionals. Kadek, the resort’s yoga teacher, and her substitute teacher were both amazing instructors. Each class was unique and incorporated asanas, meditation, pranayama techniques, or morning kriyas. After not practicing yoga for a while, it was the ideal way for me to get back into a daily yoga routine. Besides the breathtaking yoga studio, my favorite spots in the resort were the spa and pool. If you’re interested, the staff can organize individual tours for you to explore Bali’s natural beauty and culture. I left the retreat feeling so relaxed and happy! I can’t thank Kadek and everyone at Puri Bagus Lovina enough for such an incredible experience.

I stayed at this stunningly landscaped resort that is located really close to a mosque. Unfortunately, the mosque plays prayers over loud speakers multiple times a day, starting at 5 am. During my stay, I happened to be there during Eid al-Adha and the constant noise from the speakers gave me some PTSD. I understand that it’s not the resort’s fault, but it was quite unpleasant. I really hope they can find a way to communicate with the mosque and ask them to turn down the volume or direct the speakers away from the resort.

Now, one thing that the resort can control is the smoking sections. I noticed that many guests would smoke at the restaurant or by the poolside, and it was hard to avoid the smoke in public spaces. It would be great if they could designate a separate area for smokers, away from the restaurant and pool.

On the bright side, the staff at Puri Bagus were incredibly kind. They arranged a well-thought-out itinerary for me, filled with cultural activities and daily yoga. My favorite experiences were the trips to the waterfalls, trekking, and cooking class. Additionally, they have a spa where I booked extra treatments to help me relax. The yoga classes were also really good, thanks to Kadek, a knowledgeable Ashtanga teacher. Since I was pretty much the only person practicing yoga at the resort most of the time, I got to have private lessons 9 out of 10 times.

The hotel is a beautiful, tranquil, well-maintained place. The staff is very kind and caring. The yoga teacher, Kadek, is excellent and also very nice.

Ayu, the woman who organized my week, suggested some very enriching excursions, including a visit to an ashram built by Mister Dada with adorable orphaned children. I shared some great moments with them. I also experienced a purification ritual performed by a Hindu monk in a water temple, which I shared with Balinese families.

The spa is fantastic, a beautiful and calming place with very gentle masseuses. The rooms are very beautiful.

I struggled to understand the instructors sometimes. The noise from the sea and outside, along with their accents, made it difficult. Plus, I’m English.

who attended Gusti’s yoga classes found it difficult to understand him due to his strong English accent. Instead of focusing on themselves, they had to spend the entire class trying to decipher his instructions. Not only that, but Gusti didn’t seem to be helping them improve in yoga. He would keep his eyes closed during most of the paranayama session and didn’t bother to check if they were doing the movements and asanas correctly. When they were struggling with a particular position, Gusti wouldn’t come over to assist them either. Furthermore, he failed to provide proper instructions on important details, such as making sure their feet were at a 90-degree angle with their knees. It became clear that Gusti didn’t understand the true essence of yoga, which involves connecting the mind, soul, and body.

The same breakfast spread always has such friendly staff – they make us feel right at home, super comfortable!

I had an amazing time! The place is absolutely stunning and peaceful. The rooms overlook a warm and swimmable sea with breathtaking views. The yoga sessions, held twice a day, took place in a beautiful studio with views of the garden and sea. Our instructor Kadak made sure the classes were interesting and diverse. She, along with the rest of the resort staff, were kind, attentive, and went above and beyond to ensure our stay was unforgettable. It’s the perfect place to recharge, and there are so many additional activities to choose from, like diving, dolphin watching, traditional Balinese cooking classes, trekking through rice plantations, and climbing Mount Batur, just to name a few. The food at the resort restaurant was always top-notch, beautifully presented, and served with great attention to detail.

I can’t express how pleased I am with my stay at Puri Bagus in Lovina. I was sad to leave and will definitely make it a point to visit again in the future.

Overall, I found the accommodation to be extremely disappointing. The lack of cleanliness in both the room and the restaurant was the main issue. In the room, the walls and curtains were disgustingly dirty, and the towels were so old that they had turned grey. Furthermore, the cups and glasses were not cleaned daily and there were instances where we returned to find the shower covered in Jif and the mirror smeared, making it difficult to see anything.

The restaurant didn’t fare any better. The plates for breakfast were unclean and there were ants crawling all over everything. We brought up these issues with Ayu, who was very helpful. I believe that this place has the potential to be a perfect 10/10 with some simple improvements. It definitely needs to modernize in order to compete with other retreats or hotels.

Additionally, I found some of the yoga classes to be quite slow-paced. If you enjoy that style, then it’s great, but if not, then this retreat may not be the right fit for you. On the positive side, the gardens and setting were beautiful and the yoga studio was lovely. The dolphin tour was also enjoyable, and the staff were pleasant and accommodating.

The location in the little village was good, with a few other restaurants, cafes, and bars just a short 2-minute walk away. There was also a small shop owned by Julie, whose husband is a driver, so we had a few pleasant conversations with them.

This place isn’t just a yoga retreat – it’s actually an amazing hotel where you can also take yoga lessons if you want! But when we were there, none of the other guests seemed interested in yoga. It was just us and one other person who joined the yoga class. Honestly, I don’t think I would call it a proper yoga retreat. There are plenty of other hotels in Bali that offer the same thing. But let me tell you, the staff here are super helpful and will go above and beyond for you. And the hotel and pool? Absolutely fabulous!

I’m leaving 😉 The staff really impressed me! They took great care of the resort grounds, which are absolutely beautiful and well-maintained. The resort itself is situated on a large piece of land right in front of the beach, giving off this amazing vibe that you’re in your own paradise. Oh, and the food, the room, EVERYTHING was just amazing!! So good!!

Nothing really! I had the most incredible experience at a yoga retreat so far. Puri Bagus Lovina is just the perfect place, and their staff, from the drivers to the trainees, are all absolutely wonderful.

There were no negatives at all. The staff was absolutely wonderful. Morning Yoga classes, overlooking the ocean, were very special. They were private, tranquil, and restorative.

At Pur Bagus, every staff member was genuinely warm, friendly, charming, and hard-working. They went out of their way to make us feel special and ensured we had a perfect holiday. Ayu, who was in charge of our schedule for the 9 days, planned a fantastic itinerary that allowed us to experience a wide variety of cultural and recreational activities. They even made sure we had time to relax by the pool and enjoy beautiful sunset views.

Unfortunately, this yoga retreat didn’t really focus on yoga. They gave us a schedule when we arrived, with specific days and times for activities. But during my five-day stay, I only had two one-hour yoga classes on my schedule. And to make matters worse, it became clear after attending the first class that the so-called “yoga teachers” weren’t actually trained at all. Turns out, they were just regular resort staff who taught the classes because it was too expensive to hire qualified yoga teachers.

On top of that, I had a leak in my bathroom from the second day onwards. I told the staff about it over five times, but it was never fixed. Their brilliant solution? They just put a bath towel on the floor to soak up the water. It’s a shame because the staff there are amazing and really helpful. And the location is so peaceful and quiet.