There are plenty of activities to keep the little ones entertained here, while the adults unwind and chill

Let's be incredibly real for a second: traveling with children usually just means doing your regular, exhausting parenting duties in a slightly more humid location while hauling a 20-pound beach bag.

But occasionally, you get to experience a resort setup so perfectly engineered for families that it practically does the parenting for you. Thanks to the hospitality of The Ritz-Carlton Bali, I recently stayed in a suite facing our very own private pool, and let me tell you—it is the ultimate luxury cheat code for exhausted parents.

Here is exactly why upgrading to a private pool suite at this Nusa Dua sanctuary is the absolute best thing you can do for your sanity:

1. They have a miniature check-in desk exclusively for kids. The VIP treatment starts literally the second you walk into the stunning open-air lobby. Instead of making kids stand around while you handle passports and credit cards, The Ritz-Carlton has a dedicated, pint-sized check-in counter just for them. My 5-year-old marched right up to his own desk, was greeted by the incredibly sweet staff, and received his very own welcome packet and activity booklet. He felt like the absolute king of the resort before we even saw our room.

2. You never, ever have to pack a "pool bag" again. Every parent knows the agonizing 45-minute routine of prepping for the main hotel pool. The sunscreen wrestling match, the search for the goggles, the sheer volume of floaties. In a pool-access suite, you literally just slide open the glass doors. The kids can jump straight into the water the second they wake up, and you can supervise them from a plush lounge chair with a hot coffee in hand. I am forever changed.

3. It is a beautifully quick hop out of Changi. We all know the absolute dread of trapping energetic kids in a metal tube for an entire day. The sheer beauty of this getaway is that you can grab your morning kopi at the airport, breeze through the short flight to Denpasar, and have your 5-year-old splashing in your suite's private pool before the afternoon slump even hits. It is the ultimate low-stress, high-reward escape from the city.

4. The suite is massive enough to stop the sibling bickering. Nothing ruins a holiday faster than kids fighting because they're cramped in a standard hotel room. These suites are cavernous. There is enough square footage at a whopping 145 sqm for a hyper 5-year-old to burn off energy while the older kids completely spread out, decompress, and exist without invading each other's personal space. The large one-bedroom features either a super king bed that can be cordoned off for privacy or two queen beds if you want the entire family to be in the same room. Not to worry though, the living room features a large couch that converts into a sofa bed along with ample space for cots. There’s also a dining table for those times you just want to order room service.

5. The Missoni Resort Club is an absolute aesthetic dream (and unique to Asia!). If you need a break from typical hotel loungers, the resort has partnered with the Italian fashion house Missoni for an exclusive beach takeover. It is the only Missoni Resort Club in the region, and it completely transforms the pristine shoreline into a high-fashion oasis. Think iconic, vibrant Missoni patterns on luxury daybeds, cabanas, and umbrellas. It’s a space where you can sip a gorgeous Mediterranean-inspired cocktail while the kids build sandcastles nearby.

6. The Indonesian restaurant does table-side sambal (and literally washes your hands for you). Getting kids to sit through a nice dinner is usually a gamble, but Bejana, the resort's cliff-top Indonesian restaurant, turns dinner into actual theater. Before the meal, the superb staff brings a beautiful bowl to your table for a traditional hand-washing ceremony—which the kids found endlessly entertaining. Then, a little cart rolls up to custom-make fresh, vibrant sambal right in front of you. You get to eat absolute world-class authentic cuisine, and they are totally mesmerized by the interactive process.

7. You can literally ride camels down the white sand beach. Yes, you read that correctly. Camels. In Bali. Right on the white sands of Sawangan Beach in front of the resort, you can book a Bali Camel Safari ride along the water. Seeing a 5-year-old's mind completely explode at the sight of a camel strolling past the Indian Ocean is worth the price of admission alone. Your family vacation photos will look completely insane.

8. The suite's bathtub is literally big enough for your entire brood. Hotel bathrooms can be notoriously cramped, but the marble bathroom in these suites is practically its own zip code. The absolute star of the show is a colossal, deep-soaking tub that is genuinely large enough to fit all the kids at once. Throw in the luxurious bath salts and the provided child-friendly amenities, and you’ve suddenly turned the dreaded evening sand-scrubbing routine into an indoor pool party. Not to be outdone, there is an extra roomy standing rain shower for those who prefer vertical cleansing. As is the norm at Ritz, you’ll find Diptyque and Asprey products to suit every possible grooming need.

9. You can literally roast s'mores on a private beach at sunset (and the staff supervises!). Listen, a beach bonfire is great in theory until you're the one hauling the firewood, stressing about fire safety, and fishing sand out of the marshmallows. The Ritz-Carlton does it the luxurious way. They set up a private, glowing bonfire right on their stretch of white sand just as the sun goes down, and their incredible staff is right there to supervise the roasting. You just get to sit back with a drink, listen to the crashing waves, and watch the kids put down their screens to toast the perfect marshmallow without anyone getting singed.

10. The in-room "Night Safari" glamping is next-level. Because you have so much space in the suite, the resort can actually pitch a custom Ritz Kids tent right next to the bed. Complete with a glowing LED lantern, campfire felt toys, and a Leo the Lion plushie, it brings all the fun of a wilderness adventure indoors. My 5-year-old completely lost his mind over this setup—it’s an instant core memory with zero mosquitoes and premium air-conditioning.

11. Floating breakfasts are the ultimate bribe. Getting kids to sit still for breakfast is usually an Olympic sport, but The Ritz-Carlton will deliver a massive, decadent breakfast spread on a floating tray directly into your private pool. Watching your kids excitedly eat pancakes and fresh tropical fruit while waist-deep in water is not only an epic photo op, but it's genuinely the most peaceful meal you will ever experience.

12. The Kids Club is an actual destination, not just a holding pen. When you finally manage to pry them away from your private pool, the Ritz Kids program is waiting. This isn't a dingy room with broken crayons; it features its own private children's pool with water slides and incredible, culture-forward activities. It’s practically a miracle that they can keep everyone fully entertained, but they pull it off flawlessly.

13. You actually get to have a vacation. The absolute best part of the private pool suite? Nap time and early bedtimes no longer mean you are trapped sitting in the dark, silently scrolling on your phone. When the 5-year-old finally crashes, you can simply step out onto your private terrace, slip into the glowing, warm water of your pool under the stars, and actually enjoy the sound of the ocean.

Let's be completely transparent—booking a private pool suite at a five-star resort is definitely a splurge. But when you calculate the sheer amount of parental stress it eliminates, the built-in VIP perks that keep the kids endlessly entertained, and the fact that you actually get to unwind in a private oasis after 8:00 PM... it stops being an indulgence and starts feeling like a legitimate investment in your family's sanity.

If you're going to go through the effort of packing up the whole crew for a quick Bali getaway, do yourself a massive favor and book the room that practically does half the parenting for you. You've definitely earned it. Ready to dramatically upgrade your next long weekend? Same. See you in the water!