The Flora Hotel Kuta

Moving away from the Pullman at 1.7 million a night, I stayed in the Flora Hotel just up from the Ramayana hotel next to Kuta Sqaure. This is a small well run and looked after hotel tucked away from noise and for 300k a night well worth staying in.
For 300k you got breakfast ( I never ate there, we went to the beach but it looked OK) a welcome drink of somesort which was more than welcome, happy smiling staff. Very clean basic room, TV with dodgy Ariel but still could watch it, a view of the pool, nice bathroom with hot water.

The hotel itself is not nothing to look at but for a few nights to recover and hide away then for the price it is another great example of affordable and safe accommodation in Bali.

There were 2 small pools one for kids and one for adults. Each room had a shared balcony which could become annoying if the people next you wanted to shout at each other all night. The rooms were smoking I guess as there were ashtrays but there was hint of smoke in the room.

Checking in was very simple and even with me being early that was no problem. 10 minutes and I was in my room. Checking out just as simple.

Not much of a review but to be honest I was in the hotel for about 12 hours most of that asleep. But I would go back and stay there again as it was comfortable and relaxed.

If I was to grumble, it was 10 minutes to the beach. Oh the agony! and 15 minutes to Discovery Mall and so on....

The lobby looking into the street

From the lobby looking at the pool

For more information go here

Yulia Inn Bali

I stayed in the Yulia Inn for about 8 nights and stayed in two different rooms. The Yulia is next to the KFC, Kuta Square yet does not suffer from any noise or disturbance from the activity outside.

I choose the Yulia from Agoda as it had good reviews and the prices seemed reasonable for what you get.

I arrived into the Yulia around 9am much to their surprise and they did not seem prepared for that. I showed them my reservation slip which stated early check-in and also a large bed as I like large beds. It took about 10 minutes for them to magic up a room, despite me being happy if all I could do at that time was leave my bags so I could go and wander and get some breakfast, but eventually I got a room and was showed to it.

The was a bit flimsy with a simple lock and key but was ok There a big over hang from the roof and with the plants and huge buildings surrounding the hotel, made it all a bit gloomy and dark. It was fairly quiet though which was nice. 

The Bathroom was big and the shower room was very big. You had to wait a while for the hot water to arrive and the work out how to mix it with the cold tap as there was no mixer. However there was plenty of hot water. No where to place your shower gel though...
The sink area was nice. You got fresh towels every day and also 2 free bottles of water. I was charged 20k for a cracked glass which I deny breaking as it only ever held my toothbrush but there was so much argument and debate over this glass that I just paid. I had to deal with the maid, her boss, the chief receptionist amongst others. It was a huge deal to them. To me, well it just pissed me off.

The bed was nice and hard but there was only a sheet to sleep under which meant not having the AC on cold as the room would get freezing. The TV was old and the picture Yellow and the remote did not work. I never complained about it, perhaps I should have.

The room was cleaned daily and the maid did the best job but she came around 9am knocking on the door to clean the room. She seemed to be very busy all the time.

I also stayed in another room there which was 2 singles. The room had a bathtub, perfect TV reception, duvets but was slightly smaller and also a little further down from reception.

The trouble with both rooms was the sheer amount of mosquitoes that entered it everytime you went in or out of the room. I was bitten a lot. That was the worst thing about the stay.

The breakfast options were ok as normal with most Bali hotels, nothing special. The Jaffles were good though.

I paid $320 for the total stay which was not too bad. The service was good thats for sure and the staff seemed happy to help. The riddle of the broken glass annoyed me a lot and make the stay there a little less enjoyable as did the mosquitoes.

After staying in  Seminyak in the private villa for a couple of nights, I guess the hotel experience was not the same for me. I wont return to the Yulia.

The link is here  http://www.yuliainns.com/

Ramayana Bali

Actually I never stayed here, but I have visited it and my parents stayed here and they had a great time. The Ramayana is next to Kuta Square and 3 minutes to the beach. It is a large resort with 2 pools and lots of choices of rooms.
The staff are welcoming and friendly and it seemed that they could not do enough for my parents during the stay.

The room my parents in had a problem with the phone and the workmen visited the room several times to repair it. They were left in the room unattended and nothing (as you would expect was taken). The AC was super cold, the TV super big and the bed very high.

The loungers around the pools filled up quickly and so there was always a race to get a good spot but my parents only really stayed by the pool for a short period of time.

I arranged free of charge for my parents to be taken and picked up from the airport and they were met with signs and welcomes which was great and a relief seeing as my parents were in there 70s.

Finally the price. The hotel is expensive but if you go there you will see why. However I consider it good value for money and the location, service and standards are all excellent. My parents booked through Agoda and so they managed to get a far more expensive room for less than half price.

The hotel link is here  http://www.ramayanahotel.com/

RamadaResort Benoa Bali

I stayed here 2 nights as I was attending a work conference and to be honest I have been in better resorts and places in Bali but still it was nice and quite upmarket.
Benoa is the otherside of the airport and almost directly opposite to Kuta on another coast facing east.
The resort is a long line of hotels on one side of the road with access to the beach the other. Benoa is about about 45 minutes from Kuta/Legion from my experience, mainly due to traffic and roadworks and to Kuta Square it costs about 85,000 rupiah one way.
You can take a taxi directly there from the airport for a flat rate of around 100k.

The hotel itself has a big reception at the top of a lot of steps and the main dining area is underneath that. There are lot of steps and stairs there but the welcome and atmosphere was welcoming and friendly.

The room I was in was a twin and it was spacious with all the usual stuff in it, tv,m beds, table etc. The shower had a double shower head and the water was a good pressure and plenty hot. Towels were changed daily and the beds were made.

There was a sign on the balcony doors not to leave the doors open as mosquitoes would come it, not a reassuring notice. Although the view from the balcony was just backs of houses and some tall bamboo.

The pool was kidney shaped with a bar inside it, but it seemed that is was not open until 9am and shut at 7. There was also a volley ball area on sand, table tennis table, seats around the pool. Also a hindu temple and a travel agent.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. Taxis that were called arrived quite quickly, there was also cars and drivers who could ferry you to where you needed to go.

The resort has lovely gardens throughout that are well manintained and lots of things to look at. Across the road there seemed to be another swimming pool that belonged to the resort and then the beach itself.

It is not a swimming beach as fishing boats are moored there but the view was pleasant enough. The downside was that the resort is under the flight path of everything arriving from Java and so there was often noise from planes through the day.

Food was ok and there was plenty of it. The breakfast was huge with plenty of choice from western to the usual rice and porridge. The evening meals were not part of the weekend so I cant comment.

All in all it looked and felt like an expensive place to stay with no real benefit to being there. Benoa on the other hand looks great and a nice place to explore so I would consider going back to stay somewhere else to have a good look around.

If I am scoring it I would give it 7 out of 10.

The resort website http://www.ramadaresortbenoa.com/

I have cut and paste this straight off their website, no offence meant or intended and I take no responsibility for changes in prices or rates at any notice, but rather I have done this to help you know the prices.

Internet Rates

Rate Period	Room Type	Single or Double Room per Night
6 Jan - 14 Jul 2011	Village View Room	USD 90.00	Book Now
	Garden View Room	USD 95.00
	Pool View Room	USD 100.00
	1 Bedroom Villa	USD 180.00
	2 Bedroom Villa	USD 280.00
	1 Bedroom Villa with pool	USD 230.00
	2 Bedroom Villa with pool	USD 330.00
	Two Bedrooms Family Duplex with pool	USD 330.00
15 Jul - 15 Sept 2011	Village View Room	USD 100.00	Book Now
	Garden View Room	USD 115.00
	Pool View Room	USD 120.00
	1 Bedroom Villa	USD 200.00
	2 Bedroom Villa	USD 300.00
	1 Bedroom Villa with pool	USD 250.00
	2 Bedroom Villa with pool	USD 350.00
	Two Bedrooms Family Duplex with pool	USD 350.00
16 Sept - 22 Dec 2011	Village View Room	USD 95.00	Book Now
	Garden View Room	USD 105.00
	Pool View Room	USD 115.00
	1 Bedroom Villa	USD 200.00
	2 Bedroom Villa	USD 300.00
	1 Bedroom Villa with pool	USD 250.00
	2 Bedroom Villa with pool	USD 350.00
	Two Bedrooms Family Duplex with pool	USD 350.00
23 Dec 2011 - 5 Jan 2012	Village View Room	USD 120.00	Book Now
	Garden View Room	USD 130.00
	Pool View Room	USD 140.00
	1 Bedroom Villa	USD 225.00
	2 Bedroom Villa	USD 325.00
	1 Bedroom Villa with pool	USD 275.00
	2 Bedroom Villa with pool	USD 375.00
	Two Bedrooms Family Duplex with pool	USD 375.00
6 Jan - 31 March 2012	Village View Room	USD 95.00	Book Now
	Garden View Room	USD 105.00
	Pool View Room	USD 115.00
	1 Bedroom Villa	USD 200.00
	2 Bedroom Villa	USD 300.00
	1 Bedroom Villa with pool	USD 250.00
	2 Bedroom Villa with pool	USD 350.00
	Two Bedrooms Family Duplex with pool	USD 350.00

Note:

• The above rates are NET (included 21% Government Tax and Service Charge)

Hotel Angsoka, Lovina Bali

This is my 3rd stay at this hotel and it is for me a nice laid back, well presented quiet hotel, in the middle of the strip called Lovina in the village of Kalibukbuk.
Lovina is 3.5 hours drive north of Kuta and not too far from Singaraja. It is well the worth the trip to Lovina as the Git Git waterfall and the temple on the lake near Bedugul.

Lovina is famous for its Dolphins although they are only seen in the early morning and on a boat in the sea close to the land.

The hotel is just around the corner from the Dolphin Statue and also a short walk to the main street and the small bars and restaurants and coffee shops that are there.

The hotel does a range of rooms from the 90,000 IDR a night no AC, fan only room to the luxury villa for 4 people and all sorts in between. We stayed in super standard which was a chalet with big bed, mosquito nets (cos they are big there) shower and bath tub.
Price of the room was 275,000IDR which whilst a little pricey was again ok and I don't mind paying the extra as the place and gardens are wonderful and the pool is big and deep. At night there are frogs and crabs running about as well as huge spiders but dont let that scare you, they are not in the rooms just outside them. I hate spiders but it does not put me off going there.

The rooms are fairly old and the bedding could be newer but the beds and pillows are comfortable, the towels sadly have seen better days but that was not the end of the world.

Out of 10 I would give it a 7 but a high 7 and when I return to Lovina I am sure to check in there again.

The hotels website can be accessed here

or you can call 62-362-41130

They take Credit Cards or cash.

Pesona Beach Inn Kuta revisited

I did stay here again for 3 nights bed and breakfast although again I never ate there instead I had big breakfasts at Swell or Kedin cafe.
The price was the same as January. for a room with 2 double beds which was nice and the room was situated again right by the pool. The AC was cold, the water was hot but the pressure was very low. The TV worked fine but the remote was broken. The room was very clean and it was amazingly quiet despite being fully booked.

The staff here are more than helpful even though there is only a handful of them and they either seem to be doing nothing or everything. It is a great place to stay for a few nights and well worth the money.

Tucked away behind a mini mart and opposite SWELL bar restaurant, Pesona Beach Inn is a comfortable relaxed hide away in Poppies 1, Kuta.
I stayed 2 nights and was charged 140,000idr per person for an A/C room with Cable TV a very hot shower and breakfast. With the option of keeping the room until 6pm on day of checkout for half the price of a night which was fairly reasonable.
Check out was at 12 noon and there was not really much fuss about anything while I was there. It was relaxed and very quiet and the staff were low key and accepting.
The rooms were immaculately cleaned and the beds felt new. The decor was fading and both rooms had issues with damp and peeling paint but the AC worked exceptionally well, the TV signal was weak but still clear.

The pool was less that a metre from my room and the water was clean and clear and warm and deep enough to dive in (depth 1.85cm) although it was not really very big.

The beach is 5 minutes walk and there are plenty of good restaurants to choose in walking distance as well. I would consider staying there again.

Some views of the hotel outside in Poppies. Would I stay there again?
Probably.

More information can be found here: http://pesonabeachinn.blogspot.com/
or you can call them 62-361-765778

AP Inn Kuta Bali

This is possibly one of the nicest places I have stayed in Indonesia and through my travels in Malaysia and Thailand. It is located 5 mins walk from the Kuta Beach, surrounded by bars, massage places, Tourist Trap Shops, Travel Agents and random men asking if you want transport and other things.
24 hour access and all room are spacious and cool.
There is a limited range of food at the Inn and the breakfast I try to avoid as I find it very bland (considering you can get a full breakfast metres from the place for not much) and the welcome drink it promises either arrives or it does not. In fact of the 6 times I have stayed there I have received it once, but again it does not really matter.
There is a great feel to the place and there are always lots of different people staying there, from the surfers from across the world to the local Indonesian family. It caters for all.
The prices keep changing and they always add tax to everything. High season this year was 316,000 rupiah for a double room without AC.
The rooms are big and beds are huge. There is plenty of space to leave your stuff and a wardrobe that can hold a lot of clothes. Each rooms has a large ceiling fan which looks quite new and the AC if purchased is more than adequate.
The charm of the room is balanced by the dodgy shower which whilst effective is not powerful but does the job. The towels are changed daily and they are clean.
Checkout is 12 noon although a little late and they dont seem to mind. For 5000 a bag you can leave it with them all day. In low season you can normally rent a room for a day at half the cost which is good.
The pool area is great and there are lots of beds. Directly next to the pool is a massage place and you can drink beer and have a massage and then fall in the pool.
If you need motorbikes or cars the staff are happy to help or you can just walk out and someone will help you there and then.

For a comfortable and good place to stay which is close enough to the beach and the nightlife and easy enough on the pocket then I cant think of a better place to be.

Tune Hotel Kuta Bali

I stayed in Tune Hotel Kuta as a request really from my girlfriend and that the general opinion for booking a hotel in Kuta around christmas was that all were full. Duped yet again. The place was empty.
Still, After flight delays I arrived at the hotel which is not far from Hard Rock Cafe and Starbucks about 1am.
The room was prebooked as you cant simply walk in and ask for a room.
The building was very clean and bright, however the first thing that annoyed me was the greeting from the staff who appeared dis-interested and rude. No greeting. They just asked me to fill in paperwork and then leave a deposit of 60,000 rupiah for the towels which you have to rent and also 50,000 for the room key. This was not in the online information. The towel information was.
So carrying bags and towels we were told to take the lift and follow the signs.
The room had a huge door with lots of security functions. Tune is high on security and low on service.
Inside the room which was no more than a box. I would say it was about 2.25m x 3m. In this room was a small double bed, a fold down desk and 3 coat hangers for hanging 3 things. A big mirror across the bed and nothing else.
The bathroom was nice though. The power shower was good and there pressure was great. I liked the bathroom.
With the towel (there was no where to hang these towels) there was a sachet of soap and shampoo.

Sleeping there was nice as the bed however short (I am 189cm in height and my feet stuck out) was comfy and the blackout curtains were great. But there was no natural light.

The best thing about the hotel was the fact that the room was so restrictive that I spent all my time in Kuta, Bali and that was great.

I stayed 2 nights and this was frankly enough. With no where to sort clothes or hang them it was frustrating. Breakfast was extra and had to be booked on line so that was not something I wanted to do either.

The morning of checking out was early as I had a ferry to catch and so we were up early.The same night staff were on duty and they were just as unhappy and asked me to fill in a customer survey form in and so being honest I did.
I would have sat down to do this but the night guard was sleeping across the seats.
Then having to get the towels that I left in the room to return to the front desk kinda made up my mind, never to stay there again.

Now you must leave the room before 10am other wise the door automatically locks and then you are charged for another day.

I must also comment that I had booked and paid for a nights stay in the Tune hotel in Legion Bali but could not face it so I stayed elsewhere.

It was not that cheap either really with 1 night costing 236,000 rupiah after all the taxes and for the same money you can get better with AC (yes that was an optional luxury), breakfast, free towels, swimming pool huge beds.