In Reply to: Bali Mandira posted by gillb on Friday, 3. February 2006 at 18:10 Bali Time:
We just got back and spent the last 2 nights at Bali Mandira as per the recommendations from this forum. So we were there last Sunday and Monday! Yes they have safety deposit boxes in room...very clean and very nice staff at restaurants. We booked it online thru Asia rooms and got a great price. We stayed in the cheapest room superior I believe and I would not do that again. We had been travelling around Bali for 3 weeks and our first impression was disappointing. but we got used to it. The superior and deluxe rooms are in a tower at the back of the property and feel like being in a motel. After all the other hotels this felt the least like being in Bali to me....once in the rooms it was fine but small rooms and a motel feeling. I would book the deluxe rooms or spring for a cottage. The pools are both fantastic, breakfast very good, meals in the restaurant really good...we always sat outside and you can sit facing the beach and watch the surfers right in front of the hotel. The staff are very nice...but one of the guys at the front desk was non smiling and rude to us. My sister in law and her husband had not booked in advance and ended up paying $75 for the same room we paid online for $54! but c'est la vie....For the Legion area this is a magnificent hotel...I would love to next time stay at Padma as it looked incredible..but much more expensive. I think you will love the Mandira..I know I am giving mixed messages but once we got used to it it was great...we were used to either smaller places, or big ones but more in nature and not in this tower....enjoy...I would give anything to be back there..location is good too.....great beach in front to walk on, if you choose to get a superior room try to get one on the 2nd or 3rd floor...very clean and tasteful rooms...Enjoy!