Just Back Report - July, 2010
Intro - 5 girl group. Stayed at Melasti Beach Resort, Legian. Three girls first trip to Bali. Weather was fabulous apart from the last day when the rain fell - I have never had rain on any of my previous 6 trips to Bali so was a bit of a novelty. Exchange rate for interested Kiwis was around Rp6,340/NZ$.
Melasti Beach Hotel - Had room 160 great room ground floor close to one of two lovely clean pools. Kids pool at end and swim up bar at other. Pool lounges always available. Floating tubes also available for those "height restricted" who could not touch bottom of pool at 1.5m depth. Hotel is very "tired" and could really do with some serious renovations but from what I understand hotel has a continuous high occupancy rate and therefore owners not prepared to close to enable this. Shower in room not flash with poor water pressure or blocked shower head but shower over bath great. Air Con - excellent. Staff were friendly and helpful. Buffet breakfast ok with normal breakfast fare of tropical fruit, rice, noodles, pancakes, bacon etc with egg man doing eggs whichever way.
The only downside was one of the drivers who works out of the hotel "Mr B_ll", who made me so angry I feel compelled to say something. We paid him Rp500,000 for day trip to Ubud and Kintemani. He drove like the clappers dispite been asked to slow down so those in the back could view the scenery, asked for us to pay for all car parking fees, (never ever been asked for this in the past 6 visits as included in day fee.) One of the girls very interested in cremation coffins and asked to stop more than once to be ignored. Taken to "Batur Sari" restaurant over looking volcano which was literally disgusting, cigarette burns on table cloth, fly crap windows almost too dirty to see out of, toilets ....leave that to the imagination, no outside balcony. Was told on hiring his services that we had him until we had seen everything we wanted but at 5pm with one last brief stop on way back to hotel to be told it would be a further 80,000/hr. My blood was boiling at this stage and could not wait to leave his company asap otherwise I would have said things I would reget later. His vehicle was great but he is not a good advertisement for hotel and we would not recommend him to anyone.
Melasti Spa - The girls used spa on a number of occasions and loved all the treatments they had. They tried a few spas outside the hotel but preferred the hotel for the ambience dispite the slightly higher prices compered with the others they experienced.
Shopping - Shopped mainly around Legian with a trip to Matahari, Discovery and Diannes set price shop in Kuta who was not quite settled into her new shop and was getting air-con fixed or installed. I only bought shorts here Fox checked type for Rp55,000. T-shirts 30,000. Other shopping prices from memory were Sunglasses 25-30,000. Wallets Mens Rp25,000 Girls white Roxy/Billabong longer wallet Rp50,000. TShirts 30-40,000.
Found a lovely shop "Bali Black Orchid Boutique" who had a beautiful range of clothing for women with amazing colours, well made and would make to measure for those bigger than the norm. Address Jl Legaian Kaja 456 Kuta. Phone 762330. Highly recommend a look.
Restaurants - Ate at beach front restaurants favourites being Seaside and Nikosama, slightly more up there in price but service fantastic and all meals beautiful, also two for price of one cocktails a bit of a pull!!! Discovered Tommys cafe having walked passed on previous trips and its all people say it is just lovely - great iced coffee, caramel slice and toasted sandwiches etc.
Yayasan Bumi Shehat Birthing Clinic Ubud - This was our main reason for our visit to Ubud to drop off donations bought from home - being 4 nurses in our party of 5 we were all so impressed with what we saw and the limited resources they work within, it was a highlight of our trip with our imaginations pricked as to how we can fundraise for them before our next trip. They have a web site with a wish list for anyone interested.
Prada Lounge Airport - Bumped into two great girls returning home to Melbourne who let me tag along at airport as travel party all leaving on different airlines. This was great Rp100,000 for access to Garuda Business class lounge - much nicer way to while away time waiting for flight with beverages, food, computer, shower available all inclusive of entry fee. Thanks Kaz.
Any info forgotten will add later.