In Reply to: kumpul 2 posted by gcbrett on Wednesday, 24. June 2009 at 14:31 Bali Time:
Well where to start......We communicated by email over the net. Had a set price, we got a relative who was in Bali on holidays to pay our deposit in rupiahs cash 6 weeks before our arrival. All good so far. On our arrival, took for ever to find the place, no signage at all. Very skinny driveway, just fitted the transport van down with all our belongings in. Husband followed on bike. Turned into entrance, large tree at thr front of 3-4 losmen type rooms. A guy sweeping says "you Debbie?"...yes they were expecting us and by the sounds of it only us!
We are shown to our villa, to the left of the driveway is an entrance through a wall, through this is the pool surrounded by 2 x 1 bedroom villas and 1 x 3 bedroom/2 storey villa. Through a doorway into our own courtyard, the first one you come to. There is the open plan lounge/dining and full kitchen, huge fridge. Through the door is the large bedroom with attatched large ensuite. This room is airconditioned. It all looks wonderful and we think we've hit a winner.
It's hot so we decide to swim first, out to the pool, there's 4 chairs and a table, 2 loungers, they are all well worn and look like they are falling to bits. No easy way to get into the pool, bathers get pulled on the scratchy pool edge, we then see we are in the kids pool, water up to my chest mind you, about 4 foot by 3 foot tear shaped. Get over the edge of this into the adult pool, I can't touch the bottom, there are 3 steps to get out of the pool, so easier to get in and out than the kids side. BUT the steps are so deep, the pool is crystal clear but the mould growing around the sides and pool edge is slippery and off putting. We don't care as we are so hot. Lucky we bought our own towels as there is no pool towels. Back to the room to unpack and closer inspection.
The lounge/dining/kitchen area only has a fan and is open to the elements even though there is a roof. There is an indoor garden by the kitchen. The crockery/plates etc. are on a draining rack by the sink. Cupboards reveal pots and pans. Fridge is clean and empty. I'd have to wash anything before using, lucky we have our own teatowel too! The bedroom has a curtained off cubicle for a wardrobe, plenty of coathangers, a desk, a large table, a table with a TV on and a dvd player. 2 bedside tables, poor lighting beside bed. Room safe doesn't work, call the guy, he gets it to work. Aircondtioner is noisy, Dave gets the tape out and fixes the rattles with tape. The bathroom is very basic, but clean, 1 roll of loo paper which isn't replaced. The towels are small and threadbare and aren't changed the next day. No floor towels. The hot water is intermitent, comes and goes. We get used to how to work it so it works well.
The aircondtioner starts to leak the 2nd day, thats what that bucket is for, but it drips continuosly and keeps us awake, back out with the tape and we have a strip of tape from the a/c to the bucket for the water to run down. The sun comes in the bedroom window as soon as the sun is up, we block the window with black plastic bags and more tape! I am on holidays and like to sleep in! There is no restaurant and no breakfast included.
We finally meet the owner or maybe the manager on the third day we tell him of our concerns and pay him the rest of the money. The next day and everyday after we get clean towels and are given 2 extra for the pool. The cleaning girls don't speak any English and give us a funny look now, they may have been told off. We still leave the Caramello Koalas on the pillow for them each day. We still don't get toilet paper so buy our own.
Would we return, probably but at a lower rate by bargaining, and because we know the villa and it's needs we would be prepared. The part of the street (Legian street, Seminyak end) it is on is empty, a bike ride away to the left is the Bintang Supermarket. Across the road is a smaller locals supermarket. Besides the 3 villas already spoke of there were 2 other 2 bedroom villas on the oposite of the entrance parkplace and a number of 1 bedroom villas down a small laneway(gang) away from the pool out of the complex. This is probably more of a longterm rental place at discounted rates. Hope this helps.