The sun sparkles on the pale blue pool, the flames are leaping in the open kitchen and the deck chairs on the man-made beach are filling with people who are early to the party. It’s lunchtime at Mrs Sippy, Bali’s largest pool club and it’s a very cool spot to stop for lunch, afternoon cocktails and fun in the sun with your friends.
There’s already a crew lounging in the shallow edges of the pool, their icy cocktails a stark contrast to the blue and white of the venue – mango and strawberry frozen margaritas are working their magic as the clock ticks towards the adults-only hour at 3pm. The tunes are familiar and fun, nothing too heavy early in the day but hang around and the urge to dance gets stronger. Might be the margaritas!
Mrs Sippy spent the pandemic in hibernation, a hot favourite with the Australians, it’s only recently that the Europeans have discovered it. Early in the day, it’s a free for all as families bring the kids to jump off the diving platform and roam free around the venue but the strict no kids policy after 3pm on weekdays and all day Saturday means this party gets started early and happy hours are made to last.
Behind the venue are some top Australian restaurateurs so it’s no surprise that the food here is a lot better than many of the beach clubs around. The flame grill turns out delicious seafood dishes, the wood-fired oven makes a mean pizza and there are some creative salads and healthy offerings for those who are concerned their bikinis won’t fit!
There’s plenty of bikini action here, which makes for some fun people-watching, but there’s a surprisingly diverse crew at lunchtime including Mums and Dads, local families and expats like us who have dropped by for a bite and a dip.
Lunch for us was grilled prawns, with just a hint of spice and burnished edges. They were great, and coincidentally bikini-friendly too. We paired it with a robust salad of roasted cauliflower with raisins and kale. The staff had offered us a table but the pool was too pretty to resist so we opted for a double day bed.
Despite our best intentions, the cocktails were too hard to resist, so we ordered one, which turned into 3, this is Mrs Sippy after all, and once you’ve seen a few of these frosty beauties pass by I challenge you to resist. The girls next to us, who had been sipping on their saintly water, were quickly converted as well. Mrs Sippy feels like a holiday no matter what life is really like!
Saturday is Pool party day and Bali’s largest saltwater pool is central to the action as top-line DJs and live acts turn up the volume as the sun goes down. For those who choose to step it up, there’s a VIP section complete with a private bar and a toes-in-the-sand vibe.
