These are three of Bali's best retreats - but which one should you check in to?

When it comes to luxury resorts, Bali runs a tight game with a high level of bang for buck. But what if you're looking for something a little more specific? Perhaps you're serious about tracking down the best soto ayam, beef rendang or nasi goreng. Or you won't stay anywhere without a fitness program and world-class recovery treatments. Maybe you just want to do some serious shopping. I stayed at three of Bali's most popular five-star resorts and found each had its own specific flair. Here's the verdict on each.

THE MULIA RESORT, NUSA DUA

There's nothing quite like momentarily forgetting where you are, only to be reminded when you roll out of your king-sized bed and open the curtains to sweeping views of the Indian Ocean and palm trees gently swaying in the breeze. This is the Mulia, pride of Nusa Dua.

I'm staying in the 105-square-metre Baron Suite, which includes a balcony jacuzzi, separate living area, Japanese loo with heated seat, freestanding bathtub with incredible views of Geger Beach, fresh fruit on arrival and personal butler service. It really does strike the perfect balance of enough inside to keep you wonderfully comfortable, with enough outside to keep you wonderfully engaged.

With six swimming pools, two tennis courts, a fitness centre with ocean views and morning yoga in the Eden garden, it's a challenge not to stay active here. The group fitness program is next level, offering everything from cardio boxing and MMA fighting to trampoline aerobics (possibly the most intense 50 minutes I've ever experienced) and boot camp, as well as a complete weights room with state-of-the-art equipment for solo workouts.

Recover with a deep tissue massage in one of the 20 treatment rooms, and bliss out with a Finnish sauna, steam room, ice room and hydrotherapy pool.

Breakfast, arguably the most important part of recovery, features a morning buffet that could very well be the most exhaustive in Asia. Stations from across the globe include dim sum, sushi, satay, curry, all the Western big breakfast fan favourites, cold cuts, salads, sandwiches and fresh pastries.

And if buffet isn't your style, there's a separate novella-sized breakfast menu available in the Living Room, overlooking the water. They even wheel around a pastry trolley so you don't have to leave your seat for cinnamon scrolls.

DOUBLE-SIX LUXURY HOTEL, SEMINYAK

Big fun awaits in bustling Seminyak. The all-suite beachfront resort is made for socialising and equipped for fun. The service is a step above, and staff are on hand to make good times happen. Named for the beach it faces, the Double-Six offers the perfect landing pad for those who would prefer to stay outside rather than in.

My suite faces the beach and lagoon pool, but the friends I'm travelling with have a plunge pool instead of a view. I can't decide which is better. In both cases, the rooms feature 80 light-filled square metres, a spacious balcony, a standalone bath and a generous bathroom with an exhaustive amenities kit. The rooms also feature great desk facilities if you have to work before you can relax. In the evenings, you'll hear the beach parties kicking off as the sun sets. During the day, it's a sedate pace, with much of the energy left in the night before.

On one side of the resort, Seminyak's seemingly endless streets of boutiques. On the other, the south-west coast's Double-Six beach, which lights up each night with music and ramshackle beach bars along with a constant parade of people, dogs and horses. You can view all of the action from the resort's rooftop bar (one of Bali's largest), cocktail in hand. The perfect place to watch the sunset.

Downstairs, the lagoon bar puts you among the action at ground level. Dive into cocktail hour, right by the pool, then continue the party at Suzie Q's - one of the resort's five restaurants with Chinese-style steamed buns and satay. For moody speakeasy vibes, the Plantation Grill is a bit of a local secret, located in the basement and styled like a 1930s Havana hideout.

AYANA RESORT, JIMBARAN

If you're after serious Insta-clout, you've come to the right place. Cliff top resort Ayana houses one of the most popular bars in Bali - Rock Bar, spanning 270 metres of lounges and table seating, floating just above the sea. There's only one way to get there, and that's down the side of a cliff in a purpose-built inclinator. It's possibly one of the wildest cocktail experiences you'll have on the island, not least for the opera singer busting out Kate Bush's 1978 sleeper hit, Wuthering Heights in a flowing gown, accompanied by a troupe of backup dancers and an electric violin.

A large part of the Ayana experience is a celebration of local Balinese cuisine. At Damar Terrace, an outdoor restaurant surrounded by koi-filled lotus ponds, satay skewers come to the table smoking on their own individual ceramic charcoal burners.

The writer travelled as a guest of Luxury Escapes. For holiday packages and bookings, see luxuryescapes.com