We first booked this hotel for a week through asia rooms, and then booked the remaining three weeks with the hotel as they gave us an even better discount.
ON ARRIVAL
When we arrived we were given welcome drinks and a porter took our bags to our room. On arriving we were given a room with two large single beds, on explaining we had booked a double bed they told us that we had actually been upgraded and they could push the two beds together. We decided to view another room with a double bed in anyway but it was quite a bit smaller, so opted for the larger room with the twin beds. Two staff pushed the beds together and I have to be honest the bed was huge. I have never slept so well. They beds were so comfortable and the sheets nice and soft.
BREAKFAST
During our month stay we had the free breakfast everyday and we never got bored, there is food for everyone. There is a salad/cheese and fruit bar, there is yogurt, an egg bar and they cook your eggs which ever way you want. They have toast (different types of bread), croissants, pastries. They have french toast, pancakes and waffles on different days. They have a hot food section which includes things such as potatoes, veggies, meats, fritters, tomatoes, mushrooms, patatoes etc. They have an Asian corner which has four different dishes everyday, such as fried rice, meats, noodles etc. They have three types of cereal. (oats, cornflakes, coco flakes, and a type of flake/muesli) They have four different types of fruit juice but we didn't like this at all, it was too sweet so we stuck to tea and coffee. They also have fresh cold milk. They also have another section which i didn't try which I think had soup or something. So quite a bit of choice and we were quite impressed by it. The earlier on in the morning you go the less busy it is though, and if you go after 10.00 it also gets more quiet. They have free diving in the pool twice a week during breakfast for those who want to try out diving.
ROOM SERVICE
Room service was fast, food was nice, but for what you get for you money it wasn't a lot so we always ate out. Good for when you want a lazy night in though.
FREE SHUTTLE
We used the free shuttle bus quite a few times, but found it as quick to walk to the mall via Gg. kingkong. We originally went the long way around past the bowling alley, but soon found an even shorter route (2nd road off king kong, on the best western map) which took us past a nice little restaurant on the left which we ended up eating at everyday because it was so cheap. Food in discovery at the food court on the top floor was about £1.00 per meal so quite cheap. We walked back every night down these short routes and felt safe and never needed a torch.
STAFF
The staff at the hotel were wonderful, they remembered our names the whole time we were there. They always greeted us with a smile and a good morning. During our stay one night we had a leaky air con and they came and fixed it straight away. We also got a dead animal in our loft which smelt quite bad, but they removed this straight away and apologized.
THE ROOM
Ok well for bali standards this hotel is modern and contemporary, we looked at other hotels during our stay and for what you get for you money this hotel was the best choice for us, this seemed the most modern out of this price range. The building work for the hotel wasn't up to back home standards but then the bali building work is known for not being so good. Our room was lovely and modern, there was some rust stains in the bathrooms, and plaster was coming off the wall in one place in our room, but I think this is bad building work and probably quite normal for bali. The rest of the hotel was lovely. It was a bit noisy the first few nights with scooters wizzing up and down the back lanes, but after a few nights we slept through it. Our sink was dirty on arriving, but you could only see the dirt when you were sat on the loo, so im not sure the cleaners ever saw it. ;(
Mini bar was really cheap too. Some items cheaper than the mini mart outside.
Two free complimentary bottles of water everyday, as well as free tea and coffee.
LOCATION
We never felt this hotel was too far from kuta, we didn't go out clubbing but we did go to a few bars on legian and caught a taxi back. The taxi's are so cheap here.
The hotel was quiet and relaxing, a few people with young families and mainly older couples, no youngsters being drunk or noisy, we liked it, even though we are young ourselves we came here to work and relax in the quiet.
The Kmart opposite is handy, cheap and open 24/7, but watch your change they short change you often. Also the taxi's also short change you so check every time.
You can book tours through the hotel but I found it cheaper to go to the companies direct. For instance the sobek white water rafting, the hotel quoted $60us and I couldn't find this cheaper in town, so this was a good rate, but on contacting sobek direct they did if for $55. The internet is really good, but on the evenings it can be a little slow. They also have two free computers in the lobby with internet if you don't bring your laptop with you.
They play two different movies every night in the lobby if you fancy a night in. We never used the spa at the hotel, it was always cheaper on legian.
The pool was clean, there was some green algi around the top of the edges, and the stains at the bottom of the pool wasn't algi, it was staining on the tiles. I inspected it myself :).
Overall great hotel and we would stay here again because its good value for your money and we loved the buffet breakfast.