A rockin' stay at the Hard rock hotel, Bali
- Sara Gouthwaite
- Sep 21, 2017
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 22, 2021
Being our first visit to Bali, I felt a little anxious on arrival at the airport, cass had already managed to switch off the belt at baggage reclaim, it was hot, sticky, I felt filthy and stressed! Being greeted by several hundred taxi drivers it's a bit overwhelming even though we have visited many similar places. It makes good sense to research prior to arrival so I found out that it should cost no more than 80,000idr for the taxi journey.....drivers were offering 200,000+ we eventually agreed 100,000, a little over the odds but we just wanted to get settled and get into the lush pool!
We have stayed at a few hard rock hotels and visited a lot of the cafes! We enjoy the concept and love the iconic brand! So when we realised there was a Hard Rock hotel in Bali we were ecstatic! We booked directly via the hotel as it was a much better deal than any 2nd party agents, and had lots of extras thrown in, upon speaking to other guests, this was also the case.
Arrival was smooth and easy, we were greeted by kind and friendly faces, our room immaculate and had a great view...even though it wasn't pool view, I was still completely satisfied with the luscious clusters of palm trees and blue skies crowding my view! There are a few small elements that could do with a little updating, but I have been told there is a refurbishment due early next year to a large portion of the the hotel! Amazing!
Surrounded by beach and in the main strip, you are within walking distance to everything you need, a modern mall a few mins down the road, bustling street vendors, markets, exchange, mini marts, restaurants and cafes, everything you could think of on your doorstep. The pool is out of this world, separated into a few areas, there is something for everybody...slides for older kids, a 0.30m pool for younger children, jacuzzis, a sandy beach, a large area for swimming. Surrounded by palm trees and well kept scenery, it's eye catching to say the least. The cabanas couldn't be handier (is that even a word!?) A phone for service, a picnic basket delivered, a place to keep everything you need, somewhere to get shade when the hot sun is too much, or even an escape and the chance for privacy, we haven't used a cabana before now but have decided they are very useful for families. Prices from 500 idr you cannot go wrong, if you have a small baby it would be ideal, as you have somewhere secure and shaded all day! They also have an in house baby sitter service, so worry not.
Breakfast in the starz diner is great, curries, salads, fruit, veg, breads, pancakes, French toast, all great quality and plentiful! The same goes for the buffet dinner in the starz diner. You can order food at the pool restaurant or have it sent to your lounger or cabana, everything is reasonably priced, really really tasty pizzas! Kids meals, 2-4-1 cocktails between 3 and 5! Burgers, salads, fajitas, fries, snacks, great if you just want a relaxing day at the pool....you need not go to your room and get changed either, the waiters on roller blades will bright the food right over to you! Fantastic!
The foam party every Friday is 125IDR per person, high energy music and a shed load of tear-free foam! It is situated just off the pool centre and tickets can be purchased at the towel hut! Even if you want to send the kids in and watch them enjoy the madness! Next time we are in Bali we will definitely be visiting! We are keen to see the refurbishment, and would definitely stay longer as there is so much to do! Thankyou for a wonderful time guys!
We are lucky enough to have a Jamie's Italian in Brighton, and when we set eyes on Jamie’s Italian Kuta Beach at the Hard Rock Hotel Bali, we were very excited! Since the food is always of high quality and it's a great atmosphere! I absolutely loved the idea of a camera viewer for the kids to choose their meal, definitely a great distraction for younger children, and not something I've seen anywhere else, a great touch! Complete with crayons and balloons enough to keep little ones occupied until the tasty food arrives! There was also an awesome salad pot that comes with certain meals, you can add sauce to and shake for yourself! I had a Cesar salad, and win a steak, he said it was one of the best he'd ever had, and he IS a very fussy eater for a grown man! My salad had a perfect sauce/salad ratio the chicken was crispy and juicy! Reasonably priced and central, perfect service, extremely tasty food and a nice mix of quirky cocktails! We were also lucky enough to meet the great head chef Scott Solomon, a very friendly guy with world class culinary skills! Awesome visit, we will definitely pop in for a tasty meal on our next visit! If you are on the island, make sure you do too!
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