Well, heading back to the real world sucks!
Just got used to sleeping in, buffet brekkys, sunsets on the beach and the odd Bintang or two and before you know it, its back to everyday life!
Went for a week with 2 friends and stayed at the Aston Kuta Hotel & Residence. The flight over was smooth and I think we got off the plane and through immigration and customs in record time - no delay at all! We checked in to our hotel then headed out for a beer. As usual, we dropped in to see Wayan and Made at Sunset Stubby (one of the numerous beach bars along Kuta Beach). After a few Bintangs (on top of the "travelers") it was time for an early night. We dedicated the next day to acquiring the numerous "list" items family members and others always seem to provide, before applying the total shopping ban! With the ban in place, we were left to sleep in, eat a late buffet brekky, wander down for a swim and the odd massage before settling in for a beer or 2 on the beach. The hardest decision each day was deciding where to have dinner! Being lovers of Indian and 1 of us being vegetarian (how the hell did he get place on the team????)we headed to Gateway of India. Have eaten there many times and always enjoyed it. This trip it was again good!
The hotel was good, comfortable and relatively new. As such the fixtures and fittings are in good condition and no mould or smell issues with the bathrooms. We had 3 rooms spread down a corridor and all were good. The hotel provides free wifi to the restaurant and bar. Our rooms were close enough for all of us to pick up wifi in our rooms! Pool was large with a swim up bar. Staff were friendly and attentive. My aircon started to drip 4 days in. I reported it to staff and maintenance had fixed it within an hour! Brekky consisted of a buffet. There was a good selection of western and asian foods. Only beef or chicken bacon but the egg and waffle station more than made up for the lack of bacon. The walk along the beach from the hotel to Kuta and Legian helped to offset a (small) part of the breakfast and Bintang excesses! The only hotel issue was a teenager who would stand outside my room and yell out to his family every morning. I asked him to stop (politely the first time, not so politely the second and third times). All I got for my trouble was abuse and threats from his father and wider family. Problem was solved by coming back to the hotel a couple of times in the early hours and setting up outside their room for a drink and chat! Petty and juvenile? Yes. Effective? Also yes! After what seemed like 5 minutes of r&r, we were on our way back to the airport with 1 friend commenting that it felt like we only arrived the day before! Next trip is already being planned with diaries being compared to identify available times..............