Just back to cold and wet Perth after three glorious weeks in Bali.
We booked our trip through Nicki in Queensland. The excellent prices she quoted and follow-up service made booking our package a very pleasant experience. She also arrranged our travel insurance for a very good price. We had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Nicki at S&S during her trip to Bali in June.
Hotels. Staying at five different hotels in 25 days may not be to everyone's taste, but we enjoyed the variety and being in different locations. This is where we stayed:
Padma Hotel. 8 nights. Always wanted to stay here and was not disappointed. We had a Garden Club Chalet with Club Lounge facilities which we used extensively. It included: private check-in, breakfast in the room or at the Bella Rosa restaurant overlooking the beach, unlimited use of the internet in the club lounge where tea, coffee and soft drinks are available all day, the delightful afternoon tea with pastries and a good selection of biscuits and cheeses, cocktail hour between with free drinks, delectable cocktails, hot and cold canapes, and check-out at 4pm. Not cheap, but well worth it in our opinion. As you would expect, the room was large, with a beautiful bathroom and enormous shower. There was a hairdryer, as well as some nice hotel toiletries. We were on the ground floor, with a small veranda.
Kumala Pantai. 7 nights. Off to a bad start on arrival due to an error (overbooking?) on their part. After being told that we did not have a booking and that they were fully booked, I insisted that they contact the wholesaler who had issued the voucher. Shades of our arrival at the Garden View some years ago when they too were overbooked. After their phone call they managed to find us a room - a Junior Suite - for the night, and the rest of our stay in a superior room in A (Arjuna) block which was very conveniently located between the beach and the hotel entrance. We choose this hotel for its location, only steps away from the beach and beach-side restaurants. The room was fine, but the airconditioning was not. A visit by the engineer and it was fixed very quickly. Then the safe did not work. Another visit by the engineer who supplied new batteries. By the end of our stay we got to know him very well. The breakfast was pleasant, served on the terrace, overlooking the beach. The service, however, was patchy at times. I guess we were spoiled having stayed at the Padma! This hotel is let down by its lack of attention, both in their administration (we were charged for an extra bed which in fact had been used in the adjoining room, a junior suite), and upkeep of the room facilities.
Ubud Village Hotel. 3 nights. We had stayed here a number of years ago and were pleased to see that the pool area has had a face-lift. It was a very pleasant place to relax and cool off after shopping and sightseeing. On advice from the BTF, we booked a standard room and were not disappointed. We had a little courtyard leading to a large, clean room with king bed, and a partially open bathroom. The shower did splash around a bit, but it was very pleasant to shower in the early morning sun. Breakfast in their restaurant facing Monkey Forest Road was the usual eggs-any-style, with a buffet where they served croissants and pastries, fruit, fruit juices, etc. The airconditioning worked fine, the room was usually cleaned by the time we returned from breakfast. The location is excellent. The only drawback we feel is the lack of lighting in the room and no in-room safe.
Niksoma. 4 nights. Having stayed here before, we were looking forward to be back at this beach front property. With two pools overlooking the beach, its comfortable sun lounges, and ever present smiling staff to take your orders for the bar or the restaurant it is a pleasure to lie around the pool. Arriving from Ubud at lunch time and our room not being ready yet, we had lunch at their restaurant. Very impressed with the quality and presentation of the food, and the service. Not cheap, but well worth it. Occupancy was 98% the day we checked in. They told us that Aussies account for 94% of their guests. Our De Luxe room, was located on the 2nd floor at the back of the property. Quite a few stairs, but there was a back entry which we used to get to the street, past the security post. Our room was lovely and decorated in the minimalist style. Good cupboard space. A balcony overlooking the hotel and the sea. Large bathroom. Shower over the bath.
Casa Padma. 2 nights in a Junior Suite. We booked direct with this hotel and got an excellent rate. Our room was downstairs next to the pool. The bathroom is getting a bit old, but there is a separate shower and a hairdryer. The dressing room is large and contains plenty of hanging space, as well as an in-room safe. Lighting is good. The TV swivels, so you can watch it from the settee or the bed. Location is great, right opposite Wayan and Friends, a few hundred metres to the beach. If you stay two nights, you get one free (which I didn't know!), they also provide free transport to the airport. Full breakfast (table service) was included. This hotel presents good value for money.
I'm sure I've left out some important details, but if anyone has a question regarding the above hotels, I'd be pleased to try and answer them.
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