In Reply to: Lovina / Seminyak posted by Brant on Wednesday, 14. May 2008 at 05:49 Bali Time:
We booked this hotel for a 2 night stay beginning of August 2006. I hesitated between Damai and Puri Bagus, but thought it would be nicer to stay right at the sea, so PB it was.
After reading positive reviews, I expected a nice experience but let me guarantee you : this fantastic little resort exceeded my expectations !
Setting and layout of this property is just perfect : right at the sea in well kept gardens and very idyllic. The hotel is about 600 meters from the main road which runs parallel to the sea. True, there is a mosque at the main road and light sleepers might wake up around sunrise because of it. In our group of 4, nobody found that really disturbing since praying time is only 5 to 10 minutes and can only be heard remotely. Don't let this be a factor to choose another place. Really, only unhappy guests make a point out of this in my opinion.
Bungalows are really great. True, the level of luxury and furnishing is not of a 5 star level, but rooms were large, functional and even cozy in our opinion. And very important : equipped with a low noise, well functioning airco system.
The nights before we stayed in 5 star properties like Sheraton Nusa Dua and Meridien Tanah Lot, but Puri Bagus rooms did not displease us at all. The outdoor showers are really nice too : if you are not too prude (why should you feel uncomfortable when really nobody can see you using it), you will certainly enjoy them !
The terrace with two chairs and a table was also great : we had our Gin and tonic there every evening, looking at the sunset.
When you intend to book a room, you will notice you will have to choose between a 'deluxe ocean view' and a ' superior garden view' villa. We booked the latter and are happy we did : interior of all villas is exactly the same and of the 40 villas, I think around 35 have an ocean view. The chance of having a villa without an ocean view is rather low and is not really a drama neither : pool and beachside area is so nice that you don't really need an ocean view from your room.
Since other guests complained about the dinner experience, we didn't even try their restaurant in the evening. First evening we went to Kubu Lalang, a seaside restaurant around 2 kms towards Kalibukbuk. This restaurant, managed / owned by an Austrian woman, is AMAZING ! Fantastic food at great prices (seafood platter for two with a bottle of wine : around 25 euro) in a wonderful location. A must in Lovina !
Second night, we had dinner in the nearby Warung (around 100m from hotel) and had a great 'rijsttafel'. Easy, because you can just walk to the restaurant, good food, crowded and guests are almost all from Puri Bagus I think (while restaurant at PB was almost empty). Note that almost on the opposite side of the road is another restaurant. Don't know the name anymore.
There were some touts on the beach, but a firm 'No thanks' made them leave quickly. In fact I did book a dophin watching tour with one of them (much less expensive when you book directly with them and not via hotel). We saw many dolphins. In fact, just having the boat trip and enjoying sunrise was worth it already. 0ne of our nicest memories ! Our driver said that in June - July - August - September the chance of seeing dolphins is close 100 %. I don't know about other months, but I suggest you to ask the hotel if you are interested.
PB is around 4 to 5 kms from central Lovina /Kalibukbuk. Note however, that there is very little to do in Kalibukbuk... some shops, some restaurants, some bars... and that's about it. When we went there, we were immediately approached by people who wanted to sell us stuff (from a dolphin trip to t-shirts). So staying at PB will give you a bit more peace. Only inconvenience is that you are limited in restaurant choice in walking distance : there is the restaurant at the hotel + the 2 other I mentioned some 100 meters from hotel. Kubu Lalang, which is halfway on your way to Kalibukbuk, did pick us up at the hotel and brought us back. No problem at all !
In Kalibukbuk (central Lovina) there is a good Thai that we wanted to try but since we were only staying two nights, we gave it a miss. At that time, there was also Kwizien restaurant, which was owned by Rudy Kerremans, who also owns the fantastic Café des Artistes in Ubud. I noticed that restaurant was taken over by a Dutch couple and that quality of food is questionable. Should you be a food lover and should your budget allow, you should definitely try the restaurant at Damai Lovina, which is a very nice hotel up the hill (around 10 minutes drive). Count on 30 to 40 euros per person (all in) for a fantastic meal in a beautiful romantic setting.
Hope this all helps Brant !