The wife is trying to talk me into taking her and the two kids to Bali. Haven't been there for 10yrs. Just wondering if much has changed and any thoughts for which hotel to stay at.
Mandira
www.balimandira.com/
Kids club, on the beach in Legian, close to Kuta but just far enough and good vibe.
Dont eat and drink to much at the hotel (any hotel that is) but do try there woodfired pizzas. Hotels charges double to triple on everything.
look good but a bit expensive! you can get a better deal doing a package with travel hotel and all at any travel agency!
hi, check the hard rock in kuta bali.hardrockhotels.net/ .
i have a 5 year old boy. we stayed there 3 times ( last visit 3 months ago ) and hopefully will be coming back . good hotel, good location. it's got a huge pool with water slides and sand island in the middle. they do some fun activities for kids ( and adults ) at the pool. plus their kids club is good too. just don't take ground floor rooms 'cause they are little bit damp.
been perfect family holidays so far. surfing reefs in kuta from 6 till 9 am. then chill out with my son at the pool whole day while my missus was doing whatever she wanted to do. shops, massages, etc. we love bali
Had a friend stay at the Hard Rock a few months back. She wasn't impressed with the toilet backing up and the constant smell of sewerage. Maybe it was a one off?
The wife is driving 'round the bend looking at eveything. Quite like Nusa Dua, Benoa and Seminyak just to keep away from the hustle and bustle.
Don't stay in Kuta. It's **** especially if you've got groms. Stayed at breezes in seminyak last trip. Was nice. Lots of families with kids there, two pools. Just ask for a room that's not on the 3rd floor but. Stairs suck.
Have also stayed at Pelangi and puri saron in seminyak. Both good, right on the beach. Puri Saron is starting to get a bit aged but.
I'd definitely recommend legion or seminyak these days. A lot more chilled out up there.
Anyone stayed at Grand Avenue, Densapar, 10 days there in November.
Do they have a windy season ? It can be the windiest month of the year in these parts !!
Last year, or maybe year before...?
Stayed at sheraton laguna in nusa dua for an integrity in journalism (cough cough) conference, was there three days in the room next to the presidential suite.
Only problem was bang bang was paying a visit, our was supposed to.
kompassas everywhere, essentially lovely young guys, joked around and posed for photos with their automatic rifles pointed at our heads (seemed funny at the time) and a massive war ship moored in the harbor just off the reef out front of the hotel.
But man it was expensive, large bintang cost me twelve bucks.
It was ice cold, served in an ice cold glass with this dude who stood ten feet away and interrupted me everytime I took a sip to refill my glass..
But it cost TWELVE BUCKS..!!!
That same trip spent a week at the novatel in tanjung benoa and a week at jankies hotel in sanur..
Novatel was awesome, Laguna was over the top but for me jankies place was the best, you should pm him and get him to send you info...
Thanks Doc. Missus is eyeing off the Novotel at this stage. 12 bucks for one beer?? You'd want a carton for that price over there!
Thing with the novotel, well it worked for us anyway...
Stay over the road, it's cheaper cause it's not ' on the water'
But it was deserted, the pool was e m p t y, if I had kids and didn't drown them at birth, that's the kind of place I'd want to take them on holidays... Totally quality pool and absolutely no one, they could run riot and you wouldn't be apologizing every five minutes for your obnoxious yet totally normal kids. walk over the road and the pool is nice butt packed with idiot russians and oiled up morons on deck chairs reading from their electronic books who tsk tsk everytime someone makes a splash
i agree that there are are good and much better places to stay in nusa dua or seminiyak or elsewhere. and i am pretty sure my wife would be more happier in nusa dua.
but "dad wants to go surfing" is a problem.
i couldn't be bothered catching the cabs every morning to get to the good surf and back. or else.
from the hard rock it is a short walk to the boat dudes to get to the kuta reef or the middles.
so. since we have to stay in kuta, we found a good balance for a whole family. the hard rock. keeps everybody happy.
only imho of course.
Not a bad spot that one,I've stayed next door at The Legion Beach Hotel a few times,just out of the rat race.Padma street bank is a wave in case you need to duck out for a quick one,beer tents on the beach
Thanks for the input guys. Much appriciated. Chosen to stay at a place in Sanur which has its own water slide to the pool (for the kids).
Cheers!!!
If you havent booked yet, look at the Breezes(Seminyak) stayed there w/sprogs really good, great big pool, kids club(average), babysitting(great).
Shopping aint that good anymore in Bali, decent quality stuff is only a bit cheaper.
The Safari park/Waterbom is worth a look with kids
If your kiting/surfing take a trip up Canngu/Seseh wind this time of year is good. Its quieter up there probably 1 hour from Sanur($12ish taxi). Villas up that way are a bit cheaper.
If you havent been to Bali for 10years you will have the shock of your life, be prepared(be patient) its madness now. Always fun, have a good one
Thanks Gibbo. The wife booked last night in Sanur. We actually got married in Bali in 2003. Prior to that went 7 times back in the 90's. From what I understand it'll be like going somewhere different now. This time around is for the wife (being an anniversary thing) and for the kids first time overseas. I'll have to be content drinking at the bar.
stay at breezes. it was the best so far. staff are all friendly at the pool bar and night club attached to the hotel. have been back there 3 times and each year they remember me
