By the time I am writing this, I have already stayed twice here. It is one of my newly found favourite spots in Bali. Time has flown and since 2019, this is already the 8th time I have been here in Bali. I decided to tag on a sector before my business class flight to Japan and to make a short trip here. It’s been about a year since my last trip and I miss this place so much. The Holiday Inn Express is a fairly new property that recently opened back in November 2024. I just wanted something simple since I will be out of the place most of the time. It is just to shower and rest up. I usually stay in the Hilton Garden Inn but figure that this is worth a try since it is newer and the location is nearer to the city. The pricing is more or less the same. I no longer hold any useful IHG status and am just a Gold member. This and voco are the two properties that I want to try. Seeing that I do not require any more Hilton nights, it will be a good opportunity to review another property.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
The rates were much more affordable on an OTA and I booked it through Trip.com. I even got the package that comes with an eSIM for my use in Bali. I paid a total of 93 SGD for my 2-night stay. This is pretty attractive. I reached out to get some information from the hotel staff to get some information and put in some room requests a couple of days out from the stay. I can also see from the app that they have nicely upgraded me one level to a Pool Access room. This is very nice and unexpected. Holiday Inn Express Bali Sunset Road comes with 72 guest rooms and suites spread across 3 categories. You can check out the breakdown below.
| Rooms | Bathtub | Room Size |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | No | 30 – 60 Sqm |
| Standard Pool Access | No | 30 – 60 Sqm |
| One Bedroom Suite | Yes | 57 Sqm |
Checking In
I got to Bali at around 6pm and it was rather fuss-free since I was only travelling with carry-ons. I also pre-arranged an airport transfer with trip.com. This is a necessity over here in Bali. The touts are ridiculous. You also won’t want to waste time waiting for a ride here. Weirdly it is also cheaper with an airport transfer. Traffic was rather smooth for Bali standard and I got in at around 6.30pm. I was impressed by the look and how clean the property is. This is a rebrand and it must have been quite a touch-up that they have done since. There is no bellboy on hand but that is alright.
Immediately, you can find the check-in counters to the left and the restaurant to the right. They have a little cafe booth here. There is also some seating by the side of the lobby. I was immediately helped by a friendly staff who quickly processed my stay and provided all the info for my stay. I was also thanked for being a Gold member and then he also very kindly ushered me over to my room. The staff here are a mixed bag. On my second stay, the service was very bad. The hotel looks so good with it only 6 months old.
Pool Access Room
This room measures a cosy 30 Sqm. The Pool Access room is located on the ground floor. This is the same floor as the lobby area and you can find the room right next to the pool which is glistering. It looks very well maintained. There are probably 10 or so in this room. It is convenient to find the pool right ahead. I love the deck area. You also have an exclusive deck chair right outside your room for your use. You can drag the chair out or leave some loose items while you enjoy the pool. If there is one bad aspect of these rooms is that they are not sheltered. If it is raining, it will be challenging to get in and out of your room.
The room is not overly big. You enter straight into the bedroom area. There is also a little window right next to the door and the bed. Privacy might be a concern over here. They do have pretty good blackout curtains.
In the corner, you can find the minibar set-up. It is a simple one with a kettle, some packaged tea and instant coffee. There is also a safe and a mini fridge that is left empty for your use. Drinking water is provided and more can be requested from the staff. These are also replenished during daily housekeeping. This can be handy for long-term stays as there is a supermarket next door.
The table stretches along the wall and under the television. It is a nice setup if you need to get some work done. It also comes with a chair that offers decent back support for short periods of work. The wifi connection is pretty good in the room. There are also power outlets easily within reach. The TV is a good size for this room. It comes with a good number of local and international channels.
On the other side, you can find a little sitting area. This is very nicely incorporated into the design of the place itself. I appreciate them and love this spot. It is super cosy for a single person. You can also use it for extra storage space.
The plush bed in the middle is the centrepiece of the room. The queen-size bed is firmer. The mattress is top-notch and high-quality. It provides great back support. Having this quality at a budget hotel is commendable. Flanking both sides of the bed, you can also find nightstands with controls for the lighting and power sockets.
Moving on to the inner parts of the room, you can find a little open-concept wardrobe with some hangers. There is also a luggage storage area that will fit a carry-on size nicely below. Bath slippers are provided.
I felt like the space here could be better utilised. There is this spot after the bathroom that is left empty. It could have fit a proper-sized wardrobe. Then, the current wardrobe area could be used for perhaps the mini bar counter. Let me share the bathroom. It is spacious. This spot is somehow slightly more dated and less well-maintained than the rest of the room. It felt like they had overlooked this area. It comes with a single sink and amenities are housebranded in large pump-size bottles. The drainage was bad in both the sink and the shower area. I wish that they could do something about the plumbing. Water pressure and temperature control in the shower is very good. I am not a fan of their toiletries so do bring your own.
Swimming Pool
This is one of my favourite spots in the hotel. It was glistering and immediately caught my eye when I entered the hotel. The pool is open from 10am to 6pm daily. It is 1.2m in depth. The pool is right in the middle of the property along both sides of the building. It is kind of the centrepiece itself. The place gets plenty of sun. It is a very nice area and very clean. They have a couple of day beds around the pool area. It looks so inviting. This will be so nice when the weather is lovely for both doing laps or just chilling. I do have to say that the privacy is not high here as everyone will be able to see you in the pool.
Fitness Centre
The fitness centre is in a small room just at the back of the pool. There are some exercise balls with yoga mats, treadmills and bikes. It is nothing much and that is about it.
Breakfast
Breakfast is served at the hotel express cafe and bar. What an applicable name. The environment was comfortable and cosy. Over here at Holiday Inn Express, breakfast is offered complimentary to all guests. This is offered from 6am to 10am daily.
Do not expect much from the breakfast and the food selection is pretty bare! It is after all free. The fact that barely anyone dines here should be a sign. You can find some juices, bakes, continental options, watermelon, white rice and some chicken dishes. It is nice to have but you should be skipping it for a much better breakfast outside. You are after all in Bali! The cafe island!
Conclusion
Suffice it to say, that as much as how much I love my Hilton Garden Inn, I love this property for the hardware. The room is new and fresh. It is better than the dated HGI. The location of the property is also much nearer to the centre of everything. I am very happy to choose this since I do not need any more Hilton nights this year. The pricing is more or less the same. It’s always lovely to be staying somewhere this new. I did wish that the bathroom was nicer. It seems that they have missed out on it while renovating. The plumbing needs some work. I will highly recommend this spot if you want a simple stay with a clean and nice room.
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