Hello to all!
I have just returned from Bali, and this is my first time posting a message. I found this forum before I left, and it was very helpful for finding good places to go and knowing what to expect. thank you to everyone posted helpful information. I had a great time on my trip!
I stayed at the Padma Hotel in Legian. We had a regular "superior" room, and it was a nice room. I have heard the Delux rooms are nice, but the regular room was just fine with me. The Padma staff was very friendly and helpful, and the restaurants (we visited Posers, Joni restaurant and pool bar, and Legian Snacks) surrounding the hotel were nice. The Joni restaurant and pool bar had a special drink "happy hours" menu (11am-11pm) and the beers were really cheap. 7500 Rp for regular sized Bintang and 12,000 Rp for large. 10,000 Rp for a large Anker. The food at Legian Snacks was fantastic, and also the cheapest I saw the whole trip.
Along with our travel package we had a free shuttle to Ubud, but in the taxi on the way to catch the shuttle, our driver said he would take us to Ubud and show us a lot of different places on the way for only 200,000 Rp. This worked out great, and we got to see a lot of different places that we normally would not have gotten to see. Once we got to Ubud, our driver showed us where he would be sleeping, and we could come back and get him when we were ready. How interesting and what a great deal! He stayed with us the whole day and showed us good places to see and to shop. I would have gotten his name to pass along to everyone as a reference, but he actually spoke better Japanese than English. My girlfriend did most of the talking with him. He was really nice though and it was a nice day. In Ubud we ate at Warung Wardani just off of Monkey Forest road. It was set in a garden and it was a nice relaxing place. No toilet paper in the bathrooms though (not even a place to hang toilet paper!)
My final recommendation is something that I did not see on this site before I left, so maybe a new addition. Another friend of mine was also in Bali, and it was her birthday. She found a Moroccan restaurant called Khaima in a guidebook that she wanted to try. It is on Oberoi (aka Laksmana) St. in Kerobokan. I believe that is north of Seminyak. The food was delicious, the atmosphere is great, and they have belly dancing every Friday and Saturday night starting at 9pm. It was a great dinner with good food and beautiful belly dancing. They also serve a really sweet mint tea when you first sit down that is really good. I really enjoyed Khaima. Even though its not Indonesian food, definitely a high reccomend!
Guess thats all I know that has not been said too many times before (at least I hope not). Thank you all for helping me have a great trip to Bali!!