Hotels in Bali?

[flipflops 1,274]

I'm looking for a decent hotel in Bali. Priorities are beach, cost, relaxing atmosphere.

 

The girl I'm taking is one to lay around on her days off... Thai lifestyle! We are not bar goers but do enjoy good food, not necessarily expensive or high style dining. Maybe do some local shopping but I doubt we'd do anything really touristy.

 

Any info on taxis or transportation from DPS to hotels would be appreciated.

[bkkladyboy 447]

i know a lot of people like Bali, and i gave it a try a few years back and i took 2 great LBs from Cascade with me. the one thing the 3 of us agreed on was that 99.99% of the food we had during our 5 days there was any better than mediocre. one plate of nasi goreng was ok.

 

as a professional chef, and food and beverage manager, i was stunned that even in the villa resort we stayed at the food was absolute shit. i would hope that some of the major chains like Sheraton would have decent food, but the local fare we had was horrible. we even went to a cooking school/restaurant thinking that would be ok, and it not only sucked, but it was the most expensive meal we ate there. one night we went to a beach-side seafood BBQ where you choose your own live seafood, and that too was close to inedible.

 

IFO will never go back despite the fact that the beach was awesome. IMO there are so many other places that are so much better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

despite the fact that the villa was awesome, we ate one meal at the hotel on arrival (despite 2 meals/day being included) and then spent the next 5 days trying to find something passable.

 

 

[mikel 2,473]

I guess the obvious note of warning is to avoid Kuta and the bogan Aussies. Would seriously mess up your trip. I enjoyed Jimbaran Bay - if you're feeling flash the Intercontinental is fantastic. No need to leave! When are you going?

[john john 32]

there is a counter just before the front doors that have fixed price taxis $10.00 AU to Kuta. otherwise when you go through the front doors the taxi drivers are lined up waiting you can bargain with them if you have a long distance to go, but it is usually cheaper to tell them to put on the meter, make sure you have rupia though, although they will accept USD or AUD getting change can be a hassle, I once bargained for a taxi to Kintamani for $30.00 he even took me to his compound to meet his wife and family which was way off the beaten track I even bought 6 largies and drank them in the back seat on the trip. As for the food there is a plethora of restaurants everywhere, all depends on your personal taste, on Jalan Legian right in the heart of Kuta there is a 24hr german restaurant called Mama's that has great german sausage fantastic at 4.00 am.

Also most of the resorts have their own free transfers.

I spent a lot f time there years ago when there were no storm water drains or sewage or toilets you had to use a mandi and a hole in the ground back then.

also be careful when ordering anything with mushrooms on, they shoot people for drug possession but magic mushrooms are perfectly legal and just about every restaurant serves them.

A couple of tourist die each year because they think they can fly and jump off buildings while tripping on mushrooms.

[flipflops 1,274]

Thanks for the info. Am I better off going down the west coast south of the airport? That is where the Intercontinental is at 9000+ per night. 55555

 

I had though of taking a ferry to Nusa Lembongan too but we might be short on time.

 

@bkkladyboy thanks for the heads up. I won't spend hours looking for good food. Just eat what is necessary to sustain me. It was odd I went to Koh Samet and had some of the best Thai food at a tiny little resort on the west coast. You just never know.

 

Nice pics too. :-)

[john john 32]

I guess the obvious note of warning is to avoid Kuta and the bogan Aussies. Would seriously mess up your trip. I enjoyed Jimbaran Bay - if you're feeling flash the Intercontinental is fantastic. No need to leave! When are you going?

I resemble that remark.

[mikel 2,473]

I resemble that remark.

555.

 

I reckon you know exactly what I mean.

[nrunol 2]

Yeah Aussies won't wait for good food, but pay loads for any shitty stuff. So cultures will adjust to this kind of client. That's now Bali standard, and same elsewhere they go.