In Reply to: Melasti Beach or Rama Garden in June posted by garlar on Monday, 6. February 2012 at 08:35 Bali Time:
It really depends on what sort of place you're looking for because they are very very different hotels.
Melasti is a much larger property with grassed areas and garden-lined paths and various room styles, as well as 3 pools (2 of them with swim up bar). It's also a beach front property with a pedestrian only road that side. There's also parking etc.
Rama Garden is much more compact, no grassed areas at all, some gardens but the rooms are all surrounding the one central pool. No pool service as has already been mentioned below. There's basically no parking available though and it can be a hassle to get picked up and dropped off by a driver and even taxis - you pretty much need to hold up traffic to get out of a taxi with your shopping. Plus they kept taking my table and chairs from outside my room on football game days, for extra seating at the restaurant, even though I continually asked them to leave them be as I used them regularly. Pissed me off to no end to come back from a trip out and want to sit outside my room for a read or a cool drink and have nowhere to do it. They also took the umbrellas from the poolside lounges for the same reasons.
Buffet breaky at both places, though Melasti was more choice. Both were fine by me, but I usually don't even have breakfast at home, so anything's a bonus really :)
Pros and cons for both properties. I liked the location of Rama better as it's right near the corner of Garlic lane, but the traffic is horrendous at times and it can be difficult to even cross the road.
I think Melasti is a nicer property though, and all things being equal, would choose it over Rama Garden. In fact, that's exactly what I have done for my trip this October. :)