The View: Rooms face directly over the gardens and swimming pool to the beach, or have angled views to the water.
Nikko Benoa Bali Hotel is among a cluster of hotels a short distance from the Nusa Dua hotel, shopping and restaurant enclave. There are a number of good local restaurants nearby, including Bambu Bali and Glaze. Ian Jarrett checks it out.
The View: Rooms face directly over the gardens and swimming pool to the beach, or have angled views to the water.
First impressions: Large Balinese style lobby offers plenty of space for the arrival of tour groups. As always in Bali, every contact with staff comes with a smile.
The Location: Benoa has yet to achieve the buzz of Seminyak, or the chic of Jimbaran, but there are plenty of bars and restaurants along the main street. The hotel is also handily placed for the international convention centres in Nusa Dua.
The beach in front of the resort is unremarkable, and as the management concedes in a TripAdvisor post, “Our beach, like other beaches in Indonesia, is not private and the swimming area depends on the tide that varies from day to day.”
The Room: Well appointed with a decent sized balcony. A separate shower and a spa bath for those who like a good soak after long flight.
The Service: An evening turndown service is offered to replenish towels etc. Overall, service is typically “we’ll do anything to please”, Balinese.
Memorable Moment: Sunrise over the water, capturing the silhouette of a local man in prayer the end of a small jetty.
Final Word: With three restaurants – including Giorgio Italian Cuisine and Wine Bar – a pool bar and cocktails on the beach, in-house guests have no shortage of dining and drinking options, and for those who want to work off extra kilos there’s a gym near the beach and a Biwana Spa for pampering. There’s also a 9am to 5pm kids club.