Views of the ocean from the balcony. Photo / Supplied
Views of the ocean from the balcony. Photo / Supplied
Katie Shepherd finds a clifftop resort away from the hustle and bustle of Kuta.
Getting there: About a 30-minute drive from Denpasar Airport, providing there's no traffic. If you can, organise a driver to pick you up from the airport or take a taxi. If you grab a cab make sure its meter is running so you don't get sucked into paying a "special"price.
Check-in experience: We arrived at the resort about 1am so didn't check-in in the traditional sense. We were greeted politely by the staff and shown to our rooms.
Room: We stayed in Villa Gajah, on the second of two storeys. Our room had a king-size bed with a spacious living space and bathroom plus a mezzanine with a double bed. We also had a deck with a cosy day bed, and air con.
Price: High season rates for a Villa Gajah room start at IDR1,350,000 ($139) including breakfast. Bungalows start at IDR1,440,000 and also include breakfast.
What's so good about this place? Two pools, beautiful grounds and it's on the clifftop above Balangan Beach - a great surf spot. It's also away from the hustle and bustle of Kuta, allowing for true relaxation.
And the bad? Some of the pool tiles were loose or missing and I heard someone complain of a cut foot.
What's in the neighbourhood? Seminyak and Kuta are close by if you want to test your haggling skills at the markets, and Uluwatu Temple is not far if you want a bit of culture. Ubud and the Monkey Forest are an achievable and exciting day trip.
Toiletries: Bottled water for teeth brushing and an unnamed but delicious-smelling soap in the shower dispenser, along with conditioner.
A private villa at La Joya resort. Photo / Supplied
Food and drink: Continental, American or Indonesian breakfast with tea, coffee and freshly made juice is included with the room. The lunch and dinner menu has a great selection of local and Western cuisine. Meals and drinks are well priced but tax and service fees are charged on top.
The bed: A comfortable double with a luxurious mosquito net that covered the whole bed.
A room with a view? From our deck we could see one of the pools and the beautiful gardens with plenty of bougainvillea in flower.
Bathroom: Semi-open air with a scallop shell sink and a monsoon shower head.
Noise: Roosters crowing, dogs barking late at night and early in the morning, but they are easy to ignore.
Room service: There was no information about it in the room but I did see staff taking meals away from the restaurant so I assume you could dine at your room.
Value for money: Without a doubt. Even in high season the rooms are a steal.
Exercise facilities: No gym but doing laps in the pool at 6am was good enough for me.
Perfect for: Families - two pools and plenty of other families so the young ones can make friends. Couples wouldn't be disappointed with a bungalow.
Would I return? Yes. I'd stay in a bungalow next time.
