In Reply to: Rip off or good recommendation? posted by Castlegar on Sunday, 15. January 2006 at 07:26 Bali Time:
I can't answer your question about the variations in prices of accomodation. Some sites give a better deal than others. Some throw in taxes & a cooked breakfast! Just remember that most hotels & resorts don't look as fantastic in reality as they do in photos, unless they are really expensive. The humidity in Bali ages buildings very quickly. The all have gorgeous gardens, as tropical plants are prolific with some wildlife thrown in - ghekos, squirrels, insects & bats at dusk. It is all part of the experience, and there is room for us all! You'll love it!
Ubud is half way to alot of attractions & it is a great place to start your introduction to Bali. It is much more laid back than Kuta & Legian & is quiter at night - perfect for relaxing. Some would say it is a good intro to the more cultural side of Bali. It is at the base of the mountains, so it is a couple of degrees cooler than the beach and surrounded by miles of terraced rice paddies. It takes about an hour to drive there from the airport. In the past 20 years it has grown from a quiet, sleepy village to a more tourist-orientated township packed with accomodation, restaurants, spas & shops. It still manages to retain its charm and I find it is a nice change from the busy-ness of Kuta.
If you find it is too quiet, you can always hire a driver & head to Kuta for a day of shopping or book a tour to Kintamani, Besakih, Mengwi, Tampaksering,Bedugal, Klungkung, Bangli or to the east coast around Candi Desa - all worth a looksee.
There are quite a few attractions nearby too - Ubud has it's own monkey forrest. There is Goa Gaja (the elephant cave), Gunung Kawi - the burial site of old kings (very picturesque), Sayan/Kadewatan (erched on the edge of a deep river gorge, with terraced rice paddies & palm trees aplenty).
Perhaps you could divide your holiday - spending a few days in Ubud, Legian, Sanur & Candi Desa. Then you would get a different perspective as each have alot to offer.
Personally, my first trip to Bali was in 1986 & I spent a week at the Hotel Tjampuhan (it was the only hotel with electricity in Ubud at the time, which was erratic at best) & a week at the Bali Intan (closed now I think) and visited all the places mentioned above on the back of a motorcycle driven by hotel staff! I was young, what can I say? It was even before bike helmuts were compulsory!
Sorry, I've rambled on....hopefully there might be something useful within all those words?
Good luck! ;-)