Took the Kids to Secana Beachtown Bali. Now I Want to Go Back Without Them

Secana Beachtown Bali Review: Is This Canggu Stay Better for Families or a Girls’ Trip?

There are certain holidays where you spend the entire time thinking how much the kids would love it. And then there are holidays with the kids where, somewhere between the rooftop cocktails, sunset views and ridiculously gorgeous villa, you find yourself thinking: I need to come back here without you.

Secana Beachtown managed to do both. We checked into a three-bedroom townhouse with our two girls and very quickly discovered this isn’t your traditional Bali family resort. There are no cartoon characters or enormous splash parks announcing that parents have entered Kid Territory. Instead, Secana feels grown-up, glamorous and seriously cool. It’s the kind of place I’d happily book for a girls’ trip, a couples’ escape or a few days away with friends, except somehow it also worked brilliantly with our kids. And that’s possibly what I loved most about it.

What Is Secana Beachtown Bali Like? New York-Inspired Design Meets Modern Canggu

Before we’d even properly unpacked, it was the design that got me. Secana has this fabulous blend of modern Bali and New York-inspired design, with Art Deco-inspired shapes and curves running throughout the property. Those shapes are mixed with contemporary finishes, beautiful colours and light-filled spaces to create something that feels completely its own.

It’s the details you start noticing the longer you’re there. The shapes of the windows, the lines of the building and the way internal lights shine through the windows after dark all become part of the design. It’s luxe, but it’s fun luxe. Nothing feels so precious that you’re terrified to let a child sit on something, which, as anyone travelling with children knows, is a very important distinction.

What Are the Secana Beachtown Townhouses Like? We Had Our Own ‘Penthouse’

Our three-bedroom townhouse came with its own private pool and enough room that four people didn’t need to live on top of each other for the duration of the holiday. On level one, two bedrooms sit together with an adjoining bathroom, while a staircase takes you up to what we very quickly dubbed “the penthouse”.

And honestly, it deserves the title. The top-floor bedroom has its own balcony and a television large enough to make anyone who has ever proudly mounted a giant TV at home suddenly question whether they went big enough. From there, the room flows into a gorgeous little reading nook, which in theory is a peaceful place to curl up with a book. In our reality, it was immediately claimed by the kids as their secret hiding place, quiet-time retreat and Barbie headquarters.

There’s also a beautiful bathroom with a bathtub and separate shower, while the practical things haven’t been forgotten. There are blackout curtains in every bedroom, plenty of storage, TVs in two of the bedrooms and toilets on each level. Downstairs, the open-plan kitchen, dining and living space opens onto the private pool, giving us that lovely indoor-outdoor Bali living without sacrificing the practicalities you need when travelling as a family. Importantly for us with a young child, the living area can be completely closed off from the pool with lockable doors, so we could enjoy having the pool right outside when we wanted it, but securely separate the indoor and outdoor spaces when we didn’t.

What Villas Are Available at Secana Beachtown? Mums, I’ve Found Our Next One

Our three-bedroom setup is only one of the options at Secana. Accommodation ranges from loft apartments and one-bedroom villas with private pools through to larger villas, including the four-bedroom Signature Villa, the biggest of the lot, with its own private pool and sunset-facing ocean views.

That particular discovery did absolutely nothing to stop me mentally planning another trip. In fact, somewhere between seeing the private pool and reading “four bedrooms”, the family travel research quietly turned into: mums, I’ve found where we’re staying next time.

Why Is It Called Beachtown? This Is More Than Somewhere to Sleep

Once you leave your villa and head into Secana‘s main area, the whole Beachtown concept starts to make sense. This is the central hub of the property, with reception at its heart and the different parts of Secana‘s lifestyle offering all connected around it. You’ve got Saya Gym and its three floors of fitness studios, Saya Energise for wellness and recovery, Saya Work with dedicated workspaces and meeting facilities, Beachtown Grocer and dining, all within the one precinct.

It means Secana doesn’t really feel like a traditional hotel where you have a room, a restaurant and a pool. It’s been designed as somewhere you can stay, eat, work, train, recover and socialise, but perhaps one of the biggest compliments is that you don’t actually have to be staying at Secana to want to spend time here. We saw people staying at other resorts coming in specifically to enjoy the rooftop, dining and facilities. When people leave their own resort to spend time at yours, I think that tells you pretty much everything you need to know about how good the place is.

What Is Secana Rooftop Like? This Is Where the Family Holiday Gets Interesting

Sitting above the heart of Beachtown, Secana Rooftop is where the family holiday starts flirting quite heavily with the girls’ getaway. With ocean views, daybeds, cocktails, dining and a spectacular swimming pool with a glass end, it has all the ingredients of a very grown-up Bali afternoon, while somehow still working brilliantly with the kids.

The pool also has glass viewing panels built into the floor, looking straight down into the reception area below. Aurora certainly approved, quickly discovering they could be put to excellent use for underwater handstands while excitedly informing me that EVERYONE IN RECEPTION COULD SEE HER. Exactly the peaceful poolside experience every mother dreams of.

The rooftop has been cleverly divided into different spaces rather than simply surrounding a pool with rows of identical loungers. There are daybeds along one side, individual loungers on the other, quieter spaces, cabanas on a slightly lower level, casual seating around the bar and covered ocean-view dining tables where lunch can quite easily become sunset drinks and dinner.

At night, the pool lights up and the whole rooftop changes again. The illuminated water against the evening sky gives the space an almost magical quality, particularly with the lights of Canggu around you and the ocean beyond. It’s one of those spaces that feels completely different depending on what time of day you visit.

The service was just as impressive. One afternoon lounging by the pool, the staff noticed the girls weren’t completely shaded and moved an umbrella over to our beds so they had full coverage. We hadn’t asked them to do it; they simply noticed and sorted it. Those little moments tell you far more about service than someone remembering your room number ever could.

Where Can You Eat at Secana Beachtown? Start With Sunset on the Rooftop

One of our favourite evenings was the sunset BBQ, where we ordered a selection of plates to share, from calamari and halloumi to lamb koftas and steak skewers. The girls had mocktails while I ordered a Pornstar Martini. I don’t drink very often, but if there was ever a moment calling for a cocktail, surely sitting on a Bali rooftop watching the sky change colour over Berawa Beach was it.

The rooftop menu suits the setting perfectly, moving between Mediterranean influences, fresh seafood and grilled dishes through to pizzas, pastas and familiar favourites. It’s the kind of menu that encourages you to order for the table, add another plate when you feel like it and settle in rather than rush through formal courses. Throw in the sunset, ocean views and a cocktail and suddenly you’ve been sitting there considerably longer than planned.

On Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, the DJ Sunset Sessions shift the energy again as afternoon turns into evening, giving the rooftop that little bit more of a social buzz without losing the relaxed Bali feel. And I have to admit, sitting there with my cocktail, watching the sunset with music playing in the background, was approximately the moment I stopped thinking solely about our family holiday and started mentally compiling the guest list for a girls’ trip.

Is the Food at Secana Beachtown Kid-Friendly? Ours Put It to the Test

We certainly gave room service a workout. The kids tried carbonara, pizza and fish and chips, while I had the chicken katsu curry, and every meal arrived beautifully prepared. It’s incredibly handy being able to have genuinely good food delivered to the villa on those nights when everyone has reached the end of their holiday energy and getting dressed for dinner suddenly feels like an unreasonable request.

Breakfast at Beachtown was just as good. The à la carte menu meant everyone could order what they actually wanted rather than me returning from a buffet balancing seven plates of food nobody remembers requesting. Aurora chose French toast, Arcadia went for a croissant and I tried the scrambled eggs, with everything beautifully done.

And then I spotted the HP Sauce. As an English woman, finding a bottle of HP at breakfast in Bali is the kind of small but very important detail that does not go unnoticed. Forget the private pool for a moment, they had me at HP Sauce.

What Is Beachtown Grocer Like? Even the Convenience Store Has a Wellness Side

Beachtown Grocer was another surprise because this isn’t simply a little hotel shop stocked with water, chips and the emergency items you forgot to pack. Yes, you can pick up useful things, but look around and you’ll find products that feel much more considered and individual, including bubble milk bath, natural soaps, natural lip balms and other beautiful wellness and lifestyle finds.

Even the grocer seems to embody the broader Secana philosophy. The products feel chosen with purpose rather than simply put on shelves because hotel guests might need something. It becomes somewhere you actually want to browse, which I can’t say about many hotel convenience stores. If you do need something they don’t stock, Secana is so centrally located that there’s also a mini-mart just down the road.

Can You Work Remotely at Secana Beachtown? Apparently Holidays Can Include Work

Nobody goes to Bali dreaming about conference facilities, but the reality of modern travel, particularly if you’re a business owner or contemplating a longer stay, is that sometimes you need to get something done. Saya Work makes that considerably easier, with high-speed Wi-Fi, shared working areas, private meeting rooms, conference facilities and soundproof booths.

Rather than attempting a Zoom call from your villa while one child watches TV and another screams, “MUM, LOOK AT MY HANDSTAND”, you can disappear into an actual workspace, get what you need done and then head straight back to the pool. That’s the kind of work-life balance I can support.

What Is Saya Gym Like? Your Hotel Gym Is About to Look Slightly Embarrassing

Calling Saya Gym a “hotel gym” doesn’t really do it justice. This is a three-storey, air-conditioned fitness and wellness centre with serious equipment, free weights, professional trainers and a huge range of classes including Reformer Pilates, yoga, Muay Thai, spin, strength and conditioning and circuits.

Even the walls are trying to keep you moving. Little mantras and motivational phrases are positioned around the gym, with reminders along the lines of “Don’t Quit” and “Stronger Than Yesterday”. Depending on where you are in your workout, they’re either highly motivational or exactly what you need to glare at while wondering why you thought exercising on holiday was a good idea.

Short-stay Secana guests receive complimentary access, which means you can genuinely maintain your normal fitness routine while travelling rather than wandering into a tiny hotel room containing one lonely treadmill and an exercise bike that looks like it last saw action in 2004.

Can Kids Try Muay Thai at Secana? Aurora Found a New Obsession

We had the chance to try a Muay Thai class with Aurora and it became one of the unexpected highlights of our stay. The instructor was fantastic with her, and rather than simply demonstrating combinations and expecting her to keep up, he broke each movement down so she clearly understood what she was doing, gave her time to put it into practice and then began identifying her strengths and working with them.

It felt genuinely instructional rather than a token holiday activity, and she loved it. The only downside is that I have now returned to Sydney with another job on my list: finding somewhere she can continue Muay Thai, because apparently I didn’t already have enough extracurricular activities in my calendar.

What Wellness Facilities Does Secana Have? Work Out, Then Recover Like an Athlete

If Secana is going to tempt you into exercising on holiday, it’s only fair that it gives you somewhere fabulous to recover afterwards. Saya Energise is the recovery side of the club, with a sauna, ice bath and jacuzzi designed to help guests relax and recover after training.

You can go from Pilates or Muay Thai to an ice bath, warm up in the sauna or jacuzzi and then head upstairs for sunset. And if your preferred version of wellness involves considerably less exertion, in-room spa treatments are also available. Whether your wellness journey involves Reformer Pilates and an ice bath or a massage followed by a cocktail, there is room for both here.

Is Secana Beachtown Good for Families? Yes, But Here’s What Parents Should Know

I always think family travel reviews are more useful when they tell you the things you’ll actually want to know before arriving, and there are a couple of considerations if you’re travelling with toddlers or very young children.

The townhouse has stairs, including an initial section where one side is open. With four-year-old Arcadia, we simply taught her to stay against the wall side and made sure one of us was nearby. There is also pool access when you first enter the villa, so little hands need holding as you come in.

The lockable living room doors were particularly reassuring, as we could keep the indoor space separate from the pool whenever we weren’t outside supervising the girls. None of this was difficult for us to manage, but it’s exactly the kind of information I’d want another parent of a young child to know before booking.

Is Secana Beachtown Noisy at Night? Yes, There’s Music, But Here’s Our Experience

Secana is a social place and when the rooftop is in full swing, some music can be heard from the upper bedroom. We found the middle bedrooms had noticeably better acoustics and were quieter, and despite the activity upstairs, all of us slept soundly.

Secana also provides earplugs for lighter sleepers, which I appreciated because the property doesn’t pretend to be something it isn’t. There’s a social scene here, particularly when the rooftop is in full swing, and that’s part of the experience. If you’re particularly sensitive to noise, it’s worth considering which bedroom you’ll use.

Is Secana Beachtown Good for a Girls’ Trip? Mums, Start Checking Your Calendars

This might have been the biggest surprise of our stay. I went to Secana with my family and never felt as though the kids were out of place. They swam, ate pizza, commandeered the reading nook, drank mocktails, and in Aurora’s case, discovered Muay Thai and performed underwater handstands for unsuspecting rooftop patrons.

But there were also countless moments when I looked around and imagined filling one of those villas with friends instead. And let’s return briefly to that four-bedroom Signature Villa with its private pool and sunset-facing ocean views, because I’m not letting that one go.

Imagine a group around the private pool, Pilates in the morning, in-room spa treatments, a long lunch, rooftop daybeds and sunset cocktails without anybody asking where their goggles are. Secana manages to occupy an unusual middle ground: luxurious enough for an adults’ escape, social enough for friends and practical enough that you can genuinely bring the family.

Better still, despite looking every bit like the kind of stylish Bali hangout where you might worry about bringing children, it never felt like a place where anyone was frowning because your kid had launched another diving toy into the pool or was doing her 47th underwater handstand of the afternoon. The kids could actually be kids, while we still got to feel like we were somewhere decidedly grown-up. I’d absolutely go back with them, but next time I may just be checking the girls’ calendars first.

Is Secana Beachtown Bali Worth It? The Parenthood360 Verdict

Secana Beachtown is much more than a collection of beautiful Bali villas. It’s the way everything connects that makes the concept work: you can stay, eat, work, train, recover, swim and socialise without constantly needing to leave the property, while still feeling connected to everything happening around Canggu.

Families with young children should be aware of the stairs and private pool configuration, while particularly light sleepers may prefer one of the quieter bedrooms when the rooftop is pumping. But for families with older kids, parents combining a little work with their holiday, wellness lovers or a group of friends looking for somewhere considerably more grown-up than a traditional family resort, Secana occupies a very clever sweet spot.

We arrived as a family and found somewhere that genuinely worked for all four of us. I left knowing I’d happily bring the kids back, while also wondering how quickly I could convince a group of mums that we really do need that four-bedroom Signature Villa.

Want to Experience Secana Beachtown for Yourself?

Whether you’re planning a Bali family holiday, a romantic escape, a wellness getaway or a long-overdue girls’ trip, explore the accommodation, dining, rooftop experiences and facilities at Secana Beachtown‘s official website.

Disclaimer: Parenthood360 was hosted by Secana Beachtown as part of a media stay and participated in select experiences and accommodation to provide editorial coverage. All experiences and opinions expressed are our own.