Bali Hotel Reviews

Melia Hotel is situated in Nusa Dua. You can find restaurants and shops outside the complex of Nusa Dua but these are limited. To travel elsewhere means taking a taxi. We booked a car and guide (via the hotel - Bali Taksu) and visited the Volcano Batur as well as the Barong Dance, Celuk village , Batuan painters, and Sebatu rice terraces. The guide - Made - was really a great source of info but allowed us to do change the itinerary if we wanted. This is a great way to see Bali if you do not know where to go or what to see. It can be more expensive than hiring your own car but was good for us as we had not been to Bali before.

We strongly recommend Gado Gado restaurant on Seminyak beach. Wonderful food, very friendly and helpful staff and a dramatic view of high seas at night.

For beautiful sunset, go to Tanah Lot, see the sunset from Le Meridien Nirwana lounge. For a nice restaurant of local food, you can go to Bumbu Bali in Benoa. To go around you can rent a car with a driver, it''s easier if you know which places to go although your driver can recommend you also. And don''t forget to take the Bali Hai dinner cruise, it''s unforgettable.

I would definitely advise you to eat at a Jazz restaurant across the road from the hotel. The food is absolutely fantastic, the drinks are great and they also have a band who come on at 10pm every night and they rock. We loved this place so much that we went back twice. The food and drink are excellent value. I would definitely recommend this place - quite the little gem that we stumbled across.

The hotel location is strategic as there are many shops around the hotel. It is just few minutes walk to reach the shops and Legian Beach. There are many taxi just outside the hotel. You can easily get taxi to the place you like. At night, you can have dinner at Joni Restaurant, just 5 minutes walk from Balisani Padma Hotel. It is a pool side restaurant and they have a life band. Therefore, you are having dinner and enjoying the performance of life band at the same time. It is very nice!!!! Tanah Lot Temple and Uluwatu Temple are 2 temples must go to visit. Dreamland beach is nice for surfers. Kintamani Volcano scenery is really really GREAT! Do not forget to try Crispy Duck and Babi Guling (pork). For people who likes to shop, Denpasar and Ubud pasar are a must! Things there are really cheap (don''t forget to bargain)!!! The shops along the road on the way to Kintamani have lots of nice and cheap stuff.

Bali is a nice place for leisure. When we were in Bali we visited Turtle Island, went fishing at Tanjung Benoa Nusa Dua. We also visited Ubud, saw the Barongs one of the Balinese dances, to the Monkey Forest, go shopping. There are many restaurants around where we stayed and a newly shopping mall called Discovery Mall with lots of shops, play game for the children, and from there you can visit Celcius Cafe/Starbucks with its delicious coffee or go direct to Kuta beach, just at the back from Discovery Shopping Mall. You can also go surfing by the beach if you like surfing at Kuta Beach or Sanur Beach. Or just relax at Kuta Beach. Or take photos in front of the Monuments to commemorate the Bali bombings. Sometimes there are Balinese dancers standing in front of this Monument. Not far from Kartika Plaza street you can also visit Matahari Dept. Store, McDonalds, Hard Rock Cafe, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and lots of cafes, shops which surrounds the area. Along the Kartika Plaza street you can find Pizza Hut, the Sling shot for excitement, Jumping Play, Waterboom, Go Kart, Mexican Restaurant, 24 hours K Mart, small shops which sells CDs, DVDs, clothes, surfing boards, jeans, souvenirs or eating out at the well known Warung Made Restaurant, Kuta Chinese Restaurant, Wet Cafe, and many other cafes or restaurants. There are lots of tourists now coming from Australia as well as from other parts of the world. You can choose any tours you like including city tour or sailing which suits your budget and there are some that you can bargain too. But when you want a more quiet place you can also visit Lombok. Lombok is also a nice place to visit for your next trip to Indonesia besides Bali, Jakarta or any other places in Indonesia. In Lombok you can take a tour to 3 islends, Gili Island, Gili Meno and Gili Air. Or you can walk along the beach as there are small shops too or take a tour to visit the water fountain in Lombok.

Must have a meal at either of the Made Warungs as well as Bambu Bali restaurant in Nusa Dua. Jimbaran is a must visit for atmosphere ambience and food - in that order.

Bali is getting westernized little by little with all of the bad habits. Recommend that newbies only use Blue Bird cabs and learn the real price before negotiating with street cabs. Also go to Matahari or Hardy''s and check the max price for art goods then you are prepared for the markets like Sukawati.

I would say that there''s nothing much to shop and walk around there. It''s pretty secluded from the rest. But it''s still a walking distance to a small town for the pasar malam tingy. Liked the bargaining process though when negotiating with them for the price. Kuta Square is a more crowded and popular shopping attraction if you want to go out. But the transport is quite steep for the journey.

Best restaurants - Made''s Warung (reasonably priced local food), Kafe Warisan (great but dearer French food) and goto KuDeTa for the sunsets and make reservations for dinner (very expensive). Bebek Bengil (The Dirty Duck) in Ubud would also be a great place for food.

Surf the Oberoi break or Canggu in early am and late pm. Rent a car. Don''t ever talk to touts selling watches or belts,... belts on the beach? For that reason alone they should be shunned. If you''ve tried Malaysian food, Indo fare is rather poor. Best noodles in front of Hard Rock Hotel on the beach under the trees. Only 5000Rp and better than anything in a restaurant. Nasi Campur Special at Made''s Warung is great but any of the Nasi Gorengs is appalling. For Western; KuDeTa, Mykonos, Hard Rock, and many small warungs that will surprise you with a decent pizza. i thought the Living Room was overrated, but a nice setting. Mind the children when you drive!

Seminyak is an up-market area with trendy designers, and high quality retailers for lighting and housewares. It also has some excellent restaurants dotted around with Ku De Ta an experience that no-one should miss. The food was excellent, but the key is the lounge chairs overlooking the water and night sky. Highly recommended for those happy to pay USD 25-30 per head.

Beware of the beach vendors. They look for and target those who are on the beach for the first day. Before you buy anything on the beach check the prices on the main street. Took a snorkeling tour called Island Tours. It was a scam! There was nothing to see! Essentially we paid $55 USD per person for a boat ride and lunch! Was offered through the hotel. Next time I will look around more for a better tour.

Bali is a wonderful place. Its History, Culture and Religion are enchanting and the People infectiously warm. To do the island justice it needs at least a devoted 2 weeks of adventure. I would recommend basing any Vacation in Ubud. Although lacking the inevitable lure of a beach, Ubud is conveniently located in the centre of Bali and is therefore an excellent point from which to launch your adventures to every corner of the island.<br> <br> The People in Ubud are wonderful, the food and entertainment equally so. With prices here much cheaper than the coastal resorts. The restaurants are fantastic value, highlights being the terrific Casa Luna and Laka Lece. The music of the famed Ubud Jazz Cafe is also an evening not to be missed. Transport is in abundance, be assured you will not walk more than 15 metres without another local asking you if you need any, but they are not in any way harassing, merely looking to make an honest living. Organised tours, which will be private to you and your party, are available through many of the hotels. If you are willing to explore, and not be one of the passive masses, Bali is the perfect destination for any adventurous traveller. I can''t wait to go back.

A nice "Hard Rock cafe" type of a bistro called Bali Bistro serves great satay! The Nusa Dua complex makes you feel safe and secure.

Gado Gado Restaurant is on the Legian Beach and food is delicious. Kori''s Restaurant was also excellent. We mostly walked or took taxis. Beach Markets have the best deals. Nusa Dua is quieter and prettier than Kuta/Legian/Seminyak. Less people and less hectic. Would stay in Nusa Dua and taxi back to Kuta area when need arises.

Ubud is a must see for Bali traveler''s, though at the end of your trip makes more sense as this is a great place to shop and you don''t want to burden yourself with stuff. Cafe Wayan was our favorite restaurant... sort of like following the white rabbit into the warren. Great food, sharp, attentive service. Friendly staff.

I visited Tanah Lot, Kintamani, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua. I liked the Tanah Lot most, it has excellent view of sunset the best I have ever seen. Trip to Kintamani was full day with many places to cover starting with Balinese dance, which I found not that good and waste of money...rest was ok as scenary was good. The best around Bali was sea and water sports the water is really clean and beaches are well maintained and it has nice waves.

Putri Bali is located in Nusa Dua. In my opinion this is a better spot than Kuta. It is a quieter area and it would be ideal for relaxation. We visited Denpasar, Kuta and Uluwatu for the sunset, the temple on the edge of the cliff and the kachak dance. Nusa Dua village is a nice place with many small shops that have local arts and crafts.

Recommend getting the hotel to call for a metered taxi to avoid the hassle on the street but allow 5-10 minutes for them to arrive. Hotel was well placed to be able to walk to local restaurants and do souvenir shopping. Anita''s Warung on the beach just by the hotel serves good Indonesian food,satay and huge steaks of barracuda/tuna, all cooked there and then. Takes time but worth waiting for.