Hilton has a total of 3 different properties in Bali with a 4th coming very soon after Jumana becomes fully incorporated under the portfolio with the LXR brand. I have shared previously that I hope to review and visit all 3 properties during my time in Bali and I found a rather decent rate to pull the trigger. Hilton Bali Resort is located in south Bali in the Nusa Dua area where a lot of resorts are located. Right beside the Hilton is the Kempinski and the Ritz Carlton which I will be back to check it out a week later. Nusa Dua is on the quiet side and you do need a ride if you are intending to travel out and eat outside. If not you will be usually reliant on the resort’s F&B options or delivery.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
I chance upon a rather good price for a day in end April and decided to come here for a one night stay and get the hang of things as well as to review the hotel. Otherwise, the rates are literally thru the roof especially when that week was a super peak period in Bali. I got the base level Garden room and my nightly rate was 92 SGD including taxes. That is a really decent price for Hilton Bali Resort. A couple of days out, I can see from the app that I have been upgraded to the Terrace Suite Ocean View. As far as I know, this is the standard upgrade here for Diamond members if available and also the entry level suite. The elite recognition is pretty well here. But with only 14 of them, odds are not on your side, especially during peak periods. Hilton Bali Resort features 420 guest rooms and suites spread across 14 categories. It is s sprawling property.
| Rooms | Executive Lounge Access | Bathtub | Room Size | No.of Rooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden | No | Yes | 48 Sqm | 86 |
| Cliff Tower Pool View | No | Yes | 50 Sqm | 47 |
| Deluxe Ocean View | No | Yes | 48 Sqm | 92 |
| Family | No | Yes | 48 Sqm | 34 |
| Cliff Tower Ocean View | No | Yes | 50 Sqm | 54 |
| Executive Ocean View | Yes | Yes | 50 Sqm | 44 |
| Executive Lagoon View | Yes | Yes | 53 Sqm | 16 |
| King Terrace Suite Ocean View | Yes | Yes | 73 Sqm | 14 |
| King One Bedroom Executive Suite Ocean View | Yes | Yes | 100 Sqm | 5 |
| King One Bedroom Villa | Yes | Yes | 298 Sqm | 17 |
| Two Bedroom Royal Suite Ocean View | Yes | Yes | 200 Sqm | 2 |
| Two Bedroom Pool Villa | Yes | Yes | 895 Sqm | 1 |
| Two Bedroom Presidential Suite Ocean View | Yes | Yes | 401 Sqm | 1 |
| Three Bedroom Presidential Pool Villa | Yes | Yes | 1080 Sqm | 1 |
Checking In
I took a ride from the HGI in Kuta and it cost me 72,000 IDR and the journey took around 30 mins depending on the traffic. Do ask your driver to take the toll road for a small charge, it is much faster. As we put up to the property, there is a strict security check and then the driveway leads into the lobby. The property seems super crowded with both the recovering international travel as well as the upcoming long local holiday that draws the domestic travel crowd. The arrival process was rather weak and I would have expected more. No one came to greet me upon arrival and help with my bags which is a very common thing at hotels and resorts in Bali.
The reception and the check-in counters are located to the right of the lobby and they are in a sit-down concept. I was offered a welcoming drink. Pandan infused water was a nice touch, especially in this heat. The design of the check in counters is actually pretty ingenious. Guests can be seated but the staff are standing behind a lower platform, this allows eye-level contact when we are going thru the process. I was given all the information and reminded about the monkeys that are around the area and to always lock the balcony door and not to leave food outside. My suite needs a little more time to be ready. The reception was airy and had an amazing view of the ocean. I was offered a late check out till 4pm the next day. It’s a huge property and I explored the grounds while waiting for my suite.
Terrace Suite Ocean View
The main lobby is on level 2 at the main wing but on level 15 at the cliff tower. I was assigned room 707 on the 7th floor in the cliff tower. I was ushered to the room by the bellboy and helped with my bags. It’s nice that they show guests to the room as the orientation could be hard to figure out. It’s a short walk away from the elevators and upon entering the lovely ocean view greeted me which is always a nice sight to have.
The suite has a short entryway and immediately after entering you can find the wardrobe on the right. It’s on the smaller side but comes with everything that you need from bathrobes, a safe, plenty of hangers as well as an ironing kit. You can find a hairdryer inside as well and I love that it’s the quality kind. Those fix on the wall kind is ridiculous.
Right next to the wardrobe is the luggage storage rack and it fits my cabin carry on nicely. A bigger suitcase might be an issue. Below you can find some beach slippers. It is really a nice touch that they provide these rather than those usual bath slippers. These are much more useful for the beach and the pool.
The suite is in a rectangular configuration and can be seen mostly in a look. Calling this a suite might be a far stretch. A spacious room or a junior suite with a terrace might be more fitting. It felt smaller than advertised and definitely doesn’t look 70 sqm as most of it was taken up by the terrace. The mini bar area was next to the luggage storage area and you have some packed tea and coffee as well as a mini-fridge which was left empty. A kettle can be found too. Sadly, a proper coffee machine isn’t found in the room. It is especially bad when the actual lounge isn’t in operation. Instant coffee sachets? That’s one reason for Italians to stay away. The indoor area is mainly taken up by the bed and the king size bed was plush and comfortable. I had an amazing rest. Back support was great and the pillows offers firmness.
Flanking the bed are nightstands on both sides where controls for the lighting can be easily found as well as power sockets and even USB outlets. This is something that they aced on. I would wish that the blinds and sheers were electronically controlled as well too. A care kit is left here.
Opposite the bed, you can find a high-quality flat-screen Smart TV mounted on the wall. It came with a good collection of channels. The partition below the TV offers an extra storage area. I do have to commend their design as on the side you can find power outlets and HDMI ports, this makes it easy for you to connect your laptop to the TV.
Nearer to the terrace you can find the living area which consists of both a coffee table and a mini couch. It’s nice to have a separate seating area. The area also acts as a working desk if you need to get some work done. It is not like you should work when in Bali. The Wifi was easy to connect but it does get spotty at times. This could be an issue as sometimes I could not get a mobile network in the area too. On the other side, you have an armchair.
The highlight of the room definitely has to be the terrace and the view. It was really huge and spacious. The terrace comes with both a couch as well as two sunbeds. It is perfect for lazing and that view. Nothing more is needed to describe it, pictures is all it takes. I was lucky to be here when the weather is good.
Do wake up early for the sunrise if you can make it.
The bathroom is located on the left near the entrance. It comes with a single sink and all sorts of toiletries are provided. You can find the usual Crabtree and Evelyn amenities. The bathroom come with a separate standing shower and bathtub set up which I love.
The tub was spacious and the design of the room allow you to have a view of the ocean even when soaking in the tub. The standing shower was pretty spacious and have both a rainforest showering head as well as a handheld one. The rainforest shower head had good water pressure and temperature control.
Observation Deck
While I was waiting for my suite to be ready and exploring the grounds, I chance upon the observation deck and would recommend all of you to visit it! The observation deck is located on the top of the cliff tower and to get there simply get to level 15 of the cliff tower and head up the stairs. There are signs available and you will definitely not miss it. It boasts a great view of the entire property and the Nusa Dua area. Check it out!
Fitness Centre
The gym is located on level 1 by the cliff tower and you can make reservations for your preferred time slot and get 1-hour slots. It was fairly empty when I visited, as such, I would feel that the policy is loosely enforced. Staff is on hand to tidy things up and wipe down the equipment after use. It is quite a comfortable space and has a little view of the pool. You can find some gym equipment, bikes and dumbbells.
Pool
The resort has a couple of pool including a lagoon-style one to which some rooms have direct access. There is also the main pool and one by the side with a slide. It is really fun. Service was lacking which was excavated by how huge the place is as well. You collect your towel at the entrance and head in. There are plenty of sunbeds and seats by the pool, all on a first come first serve basis. I was surprised that they do not serve water by the pool and the beach. This was kind of unexpected for a 5-star hotel. Check out some of the pictures here.
The resort has direct beach access which is just right in front of the pool making it very convenient. There are a couple of sunbeds on the beach. The beach is well maintained and clean.
Executive Lounge
The actual executive lounge is currently not in operation at the time of my visit despite the crowd. Colour me impressed! You do have to admit that some hotels still use the pandemic excuses to cut down on their offering and give diluted experiences. I don’t see how different it is from pre-pandemic times with the high occupancy. Eligible guests are given drinks vouchers for cocktails in the evening at The Breeze from 5 to 7pm. I still see value in a lounge where I can get some drinks and a place to sit by during the day. The lack of a proper coffee machine in the room would give more value in a lounge.
I went for the sunset cocktails at The Breeze and the setting is really beautiful. While in Nusa Dua, you don’t get a true sunset view, the hues of the skies as the sun is setting is still very pretty. The Breeze is like a little beach hut and right by the waters. I love the vibes, having cocktails with your feet in the sand and the sound of the waves crashing to keep you company. This is life.
I feel like since the replacement is at the bar and it opens all day they should just do it where guests can order all day long with their vouchers. If not do it unlimited between the two hours. Isn’t that a more measurable make-up for the closure of the lounge? The service was really bad and it took some time before a staff came over to me. And this is not due to a lack of staff but they are just not attentive enough. Check out the menu.
The drinks were good and I tried a couple of them including the espresso martini, margarita, lychee crush and the wonder mint. It came with a small platter of snacks which consists of some nigiri and vegan sliders. No refills are offered for the canapes.
Looking forward to being back one day and visit the actual lounge. Life is amazing when you have a cocktail on hand and the sea breeze for companionship.
The Shore Restaurant
The shore restaurant is located right in front of the beach and by the pool. The setting is amazing with soft music and the sounds of the waves crashing accompanying you. This is one of the most gorgeous settings to dine in. I got lunch here during my stay and ordered a burger. The price is decent and furthermore, there is currently a 25% discount for elite members. You can check out the menu here if you are keen.
The burger was super huge and I could not even finish it. I love the fries actually. The meal was perfect till I am settling the bill and there was a huge hiccup when they say that I could not charge it to the room. The staff then realised that they did not take a credit card deposit from me at the time of check in. This is where the staff really dissapoints because they are so rigid. Rather than admitting the lapse and allowing me to charge to the room and settle it during check out or when I am passing by the front desk the next time. Instead, the response was a big fat no and they ask if I could pay with other methods. This clearly doesn’t work for me because I have nothing on me when I am at the pool and beach. They have my card on folio for the room and there is so much at risk when I have my status too. Which they could simply ban me if I don’t pay the bill? I am not going to do that for a 10 USD burger. In the end, I had to get back to my room, unlock the safe, get my card and head back to the front desk to let them take a deposit. And this is far here in this property.
Breakfast at Grain Restaurant
Breakfast is served at the hotel restaurant, Grain from 7am to 10.30am. Breakfast would have cost 250,000 IDR if not included in your room rate. Hilton Gold and Diamond members get complimentary breakfast. The restaurant is located on the ground floor of the main tower. Breakfast was super packed and given the upcoming holiday. I was welcomed in and drinks orders were taken.
Breakfast was really good and check out this collection. I have not seen such a good amount of food and lineup for the past two years. It is a full buffet concept just like the good old days. Mask compliance is good at the buffet line. You can get everything that you might think of from asian to western items and even local Indonesian dishes.
What really impressed me was the huge selection of granolas and cereals.
I love the noodle station too.
I love that they feature and offer different types of local sea salt from the region.
The pastries are alright but this is still one breakfast that you should not skip! I will rate it at 70 points. 85 if the kombucha and champagne are included or at least for elite members. A welcome glass of champagne or kombucha is always a nice touch especially when you are on holiday.
Conclusion
I am actually not sure if I will ever come back to this hotel despite the good elite recognition and the breakfast. While this price point does make it attractive I can’t recommend this hotel. There was an issue with the deposit and then just when I was about to check out, a monkey broke into my room despite me locking the doors properly and not leaving food outside. I strongly believe that they gave me a faulty room. Some of my things are left trashed after the monkey business that is going on. Their compensation was the removal of the 10 USD burger at first before offering transportation as well to Kuta. While it is a property that is often overlooked by Conrad I do feel the vibes are different. It’s more family-oriented here. I will be reviewing the Conrad soon such that you can get a comparison of both properties.
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