Bali is not short of culturally sensitive hotels, but the Ritz Carlton Mandapa ranks among one of the island's most authentic. Designed to replicate a traditional Balinese village, thatched, low-slung villas and suites cascade down the lush hillside, interlaced by absinthe-green rice paddies and crisscrossed by the mighty Ayung River. The finest come with their own private pools set in deeply secluded tropical gardens. Wellness is at the heart of the resort; the Mandapa Spa offers riverside yoga sessions, detox scrubs and restorative treatments from ESPA. Over at Green Camp, children can learn the art of stone painting or raft building, while parents dine in riverside bamboo cocoons at Kudu, with its Mediterranean tasting menus infused with local Balinese flavour. Don't miss a spin in the hotel's vintage convertible VW 181; it is the best way to get out and about to explore neighbouring villages, hilltop temples and hidden waterfalls.