Jbr 4...The Peninsula Beach Resort.
After 10 days at the Green Garden Hotel we moved over to our timeshare place. This is a 4-5 star hotel on the Tanjung Benoa tip of Bali, next to Nusa Dua. It is one long road, 4-5 star hotels all down one side facing onto the beaches and the other side of the road taken up with shops, laundries, restaurants and the usual. Our room was a 2 bed, 2 bath fully self-contained apartment. Lena loved the fact that she could have her own room away from my snoring and have the air-conditioner turned off! We paid for a book of breakfast buffet vouchers, the breakfast was a mix of Indonesian/American/English, you could have eggs cooked anyway you liked. The food was good and you could have as much as you wanted. The breakfast area is an open-air café facing the beach, the view is great but it was quite humid and warm during our stay and I didn't find it the sort of place to sit and linger. The last day was the coolest and was much better, I did notice that a lot of guests would have a swim before breakfast and then eat whilst still cool, a plan for next time.
I have previously written about the timeshare so have a search of archives for any info or ask questions.
Pool lounge bookers were rife. AND they were Australians. One guest told me each morning he got up at 5 am and placed his towels on the lounges he wanted. He had also bribed the pool guy for the thickest cushions for his lounges! Another bunch of about 6-8 guests would book the only true shaded all day spot; they had a continuing battle with a large group from UK who also wanted the same spot! They all decided to share the spot every other day each...too bad for anyone else! Shade was at premium around the pool but you just got up and moved your lounge to suit. The pool was bath warm everyday, all-day and late into the night. Pool towels were available.
Not once whilst there were we informed of events happening at the resort, this will be in my report to the timeshare company. Not that I am inclined to go to these do's but I think they should be offered as soon as you check in so that you can take advantage if you so wish.
Exchange rate in the hotel was OK, about $2.40 difference to the Kodak shop which was quite a walk away, not worth getting hot and bothered for an extra $2.40. Restaurants along the street are many and varied in price, quality and type. One restaurant offering 30 minutes free Internet access if you purchased a meal. The food servings were very small and were very average but you could finish off with dessert, which I don't often do because of the meals being too large. Also got my laundry done here and very good quality and reasonable rates. Food in the hotel was good and service was excellent.
This part of our stay was for rest and relaxation and that is exactly what we tried to do. We heard the gossip around the pool, enjoyed happy hour and popped out for meals when we were so inclined. A nice way to finish off a busy holiday.
To whoever was asking about teenagers for this hotel, I don't think so. The hotel was full of middle age to older people; the guests didn't like children, which was made apparent around the pool when overhearing gossip. There really was nothing for kids. 1 family had 2 kids, maybe 8 and 10 and they were given dirty looks all the time whenever the kids made a noise or a splash near the pool. 2 other families had maybe 2 years olds and they were OK, it was obvious that these kids had only just been adopted???????????????lots of oohing and ahhing over these. Sorry but unless you are intending to stay out all day as we did back last June 2005 when we had a 16 and 19 yr old with us or intend staying in your room I wouldn't bother with the Peninsula with kids.