StarwoodGuy: Around the World With Starwood Hotels in 30 Days Day 6

Jimbaran Bay or Nusa Dua? This was a huge toss up for me. Just as I had thought a little extra money might go a long way in Nusa Dua over the Sheraton’s Kuta beach location, here again I thought maybe I should go the thirty minutes to the other side of the island rather than stay in Jimbaran Bay. Since I had loved the Intercontinental and Four Seasons, both in Jimbaran Bay, on my previous visit a decade and a half ago I had to check out Le Meridien. I left the Sheraton by the hotel car at 4:00pm after my massage and facial thinking I could not be more relaxed. Well, I was wrong. I was upgraded to an Aqua Suite which I had seen before arriving on the SPG app, but I was amazed with the room itself. The blue and white tones were very soothing and flowed right from the inside of the room to the spacious balcony and out over the shaded pool. I opted to head to the rooftop bar to take in sunset and have dinner and a drink there. There were only two other people but the view over the bay was stunning and the service and club sandwich I had were both excellent. The only downside is that the hotel is not situated directly on the beach, there is a row of restaurants which have nighttime dinner seating on the beach and lounge chairs for day use in daytime. The smoke from the kitchens here was a little irritating as well. The beach at Jimbaran Bay is breathtaking, but again there is no direct access which was a bit of a let down. The pool area is very nice and secluded, not the best if you are a sun worshiper however. The breakfast was quite good but it, like the hotel in general, catered towards families with many options for children. The pool area was quite quiet by day and dead at nighttime. The gym was again small but adequate, also very unused.

I had a very late flight the night I was departing from Bali so after a long walk on the beach, my morning workout, and breakfast, I opted to get a car to take me across the island to Nusa Dua to take a look at the beach there and the Westin and the Luxury Collection Laguna Resort and Spa. The hotel car was unavailable so one of the staff offered to drive me himself to the other side of the island. It was a thirty minute drive for $7.00 US! We had a great chat and he told me about many of the changes in Bali and the difficulties following the terrorist attacks several years previous. It was quite a shock for me at all of the properties and shopping centers to see constant security. Metal detectors, inspections in the trunks of cars and examinations under the cars. Bali and its people were still wonderful, just as they had been on my last visit, but the reality of terrorism was sadly evident here. Once we reached Nusa Dua I realized this was the Wailea of Bali now. The roads became large and perfectly manicured and the shops changed from traditional to grandiose. I pulled up at the Laguna Resort and Spa and was instantly impressed. The lobby, the vast pools, grounds, and the restaurants on the beach are all very impressive. I had a drink at the beach bar here before proceeding right next door to the Westin. The pools and beachfront location were good here as well, but this was a more family focussed property. The prices for Bali were high at $7.00 US for a beer, but still inexpensive compared to Hawaii or other locales. The beach itself in Nusa Dua is beautiful, but unfortunately it is not hard sand as in Kuta or Jimbaran Bay, so it is quite difficult to walk on and virtually impossible to run on, though there is a handy path linking all of these four and five star hotels right along the beach in a shaded area. I jumped in a taxi after this and headed back to Le Meridien to shower and head to the airport in the hotel car.

Overall my Bali stay was amazing. For Starwood you have a large range of options on the island. If you want a family experience close to everything pick Le Meridien, or for a quieter one the Westin, if you want a younger party atmosphere the W is definitely for you, or if you are inclined towards pampering and luxury out of the way pick the Laguna. On my next visit I a, almost surprised to say I would pick the Sheraton, at least for two or three days. It had a central location with easy access to all areas and the airport, a wonderful staff and infinity pool, a great breakfast and afternoon tea, and wonderful rooms and suites.