We happened upon this hotel by a stroke of luck; our original booking in Uluwatu turned out to be a real dud, and because of certain problems, we couldn't even spend one night there. Fortunately, my wife managed to secure rooms for us and her parents at the last minute, and it's a good thing she did; this was easily one of the nicest places we have stayed.
Having worked in 5-star hotels, I understand good service, and believe me, the Bale gives just that. Upon our arrival, the manager (the very friendly Michele Giraudo) greeted us, and we were given a short tour of the hotel after checking in in the rooms. Michele also made periodic appearances at dinner, occasionally during the day throughout our stay, and came to thank us as we checked out.
The rooms were very clean, well-furnished, and stylish. There was enough room that we felt that we could really relax, yet not so much that we felt that we couldn't enjoy everything. My only complaint would be that the air conditioning (a single unit for a somewhat large villa) wouldn't go below 24 degrees, which is a little warm for our sleeping tastes, but we managed.
The food at the restaurant was quite good, and the chef, a longtime expat German, was extremely friendly, and was happy to accommodate our tastes with items that weren't on the menu. The beach club also offered a separate menu from one of the local warungs that they support, and holy smokes, was it good. It's only a 5-minute walk to the beach, but the staff will be happy to drive you if you don't feel like walking.
Overall, the service at this hotel was absolutely excellent, the staff extremely friendly and accommodating, and the hotel itself was beautiful.
If you are planning on visiting Nusa Dua and don't like cookie-cutter giant resorts (and don't have your kids with you; the Bale doesn't accept guests under 16 years), do yourself a favor and book yourself a stay at the Bale. You will not regret it.