Just back from 17 days in Bali.Self amd wife in our 60's and third visit to Bali. First 1n 1987 at Bali Hyatt Sanur, second at poor Baleka as part of a deal in 2002 and this time at Santika Beach Seminyak for 7 days, Komaneka Monkey Forest Resort Ubud for 5 days and Sofitel Seminyak for 5 days.
Opinion. SANTIKA BEACH.
We were close to the pool and close to front entrance so a short walk to exit the property and do obligatory shopping. The room was spacious and good, the room boys were very good, breakfast was very good and the breakfast staff were exceptional.We were upgraded to a Premium room and our friends were in a Deluxe room which was very tired.
Good safe Kodak money changer just to left of property when exiting and reasonable cafe type food to the left of Santika on other side of road. Went by cab to eat at Macaroni in city centre but on arrival looked very heavily booked and so walked down the road past Macaroni on that side of road keeping Macaroni on right shoulder side and entered cafe displaying live lobsters and fish etc at the entrance. Wife ordered a dry white and I a Bintang. Wine was a mixture of stale p... , cloudy ammonia and vinegar. We paid for the Bintang and departed showing our displeasure.Then went back to Macaroni and was able to get a table. Johnny the waiter was a delight, we had good neighbours at close by table. Marcia had Salmon and I had Swordfish. Wow, I am a lover of good fish eg. King George Whiting, Red Emperor, Sweetlip, Flathead etc.The Swordfish was exceptional and was so good that we went back two days later and both ordered it. The food and service here is good. We highly recommmend it.We also ate at Gumps which was an experience and class it as satisfactory. Generally we stuck to Bluebird cabs but twice made a mistake in the dark picking another taxi Company and both times had to deal with a shifty driver.Enjoyed our stay there and would stay there again.
KOMANEKA MONKEY FOREST RESORT.
Luckily we received an upgrade to a Villa unit with it's own private plunge pool. We paid $200 per night and the villas usualy cost $300 per night.The unit was made up of a huge bathroom with an in floor sunken bath all in highly polished marble, a huge shower and a toilet with a water squirting rectum washer.The room was 18 X 18 feet. The bedroom was similar size with a king size bed and there was an al fresco area of the same size with a table and chairs, 2 lounges, a fridge etc etc. A lovely place. One complaint was no tea/coffee making facilities. If you are prepared to spend the money, I would recommend. The location for Ubud was good. It is right in the centre of the main street and a five minute walk uphill to the markets. No taxis there and so you had to negotiate a price with one of the multitude of drivers with vans parked all along the street. I much prefer a metered cab. The jazz cafe came recommended in Travel agents notes. Draught Bintant there had a strange taste and I could not drink it.Smokers everywhere and food just so so. Next door to the Komaneka is Cinta restaurant. We ate lunch and dinner there on several occasions. We were very happy with the food at moderate prices, the staff were attentive and friendly. Recommended.
We ate the honeymooners Special Duck dinner at the Komaneka. The server, a pregnant lady named Sukari, was delightful, the entree of spring rolls was fair, the duck soup NBG and the duck itself was a greasy affair not pleasant to either eye or mouth.
The breakfasts were not the usual smorgesbord type, but were A La Carte. They were OK but nothing to write home about.
I you wish to stay in a superb place in Ubud then I would whole heartedly recommend this place.
SOFITEL SEMINYAK.
We received an upgrade to room number 326. The whole place was very run down and the bathroom toilet an utter disgrace. The bath and toilet has been painted or sprayed with some type of porcelaine or paint and it was flaking off. When you used the toilet some of your droppings become stuck in the flaking paint work and as there was no toilet brush one had to use paper to clean out the bowl.The marble flooring was stained and lacked maintenance. The operators ahould visit the Komaneka Resort to learn how to housekeep. When we arived I checked the bar fridge and it was short of content and the thing was half full of ice needing defrosting. Service by room staff was fair and there was only a very meagre bed fold down in the evening. The breakfasts were exceptionally good and were comprehensive. Next to the breakfast room is a large pond containing large numbers of fish, resident wading type birds and some giant lizard monitor type reptiles, one of which must be around 5 feet long. They crawl up the wall to the side of the open part of the restaurant and when they attempt to enter the restaurant they are despatched by a man with a 4 feet long stiff cudgel.
The swimming pool was a days march away.
The Sofitel is down a long uninteresting road and too far from anything. On booking out an attempt was made to charge us for drinks supposedly replaced in the bar fridge before we had arrived there.I definitely would not return there and do strongly not recommend.
On the way to the airport for the return journey we were stopped at a traffic light, I think, waiting to make a right hand turn when there was a knock on the drivers side rear window next to Marcia's seat and there was a woman with a babe in arms pointing to the baby. Marcia screamed to me "Give her some money so she can take the child home to bed." Our driver flipped her a few coins, it all happened so fast and there was no time to think or reasonably evaluate. I grabbed a 50,000 Rupiah note and Marcia handed it to her and said "Take the baby home to bed dear." It was very sobering.
Oh, how lucky to be Australian.
Stan