Holiday tips to Bali

[Barry13169]

Just went to Bali for holiday with my friends. Some tips to share:

• Take care of your belongings at all times - there are a lot of gang pickpockets in the bar area near the bomb memorial junction. I saw an Australian lady, with a friend, being surrounded and almost stopped by a group of locals who were trying to sell her some white stuff. I don't know if that's cocaine or what. She turned down with a smile but seemed to enjoy all the hands all over her body. One of the guys behind her reached his hand around her waist into her bag and grabbed her camera without her noticing it.
• Set your expectations of food. There are no good and cheap wines on the island. Local wines tend to be very sour. We tried some at Trattoria in Seminyak. Local (really local) restaurants and street food was surprisingly very delicious. We've tried the more touristy restaurants. Kudeta has a stunning sunset view. However, drinks and food were really expensive. For drinks and a full meal will cost on average US$100-150 per person depending on your consumption. Pina Colada at Poppies is served in a fresh coconut with elaborate carving.
• Save Rp15,000 for airport service charge required by the authority for each passenger when you fly out.

Lastly, on accommodation:

My property friend said choosing a holiday villa in Bali is all about location, location, location. If you want spa, you stay at Ubud, if you want beach, you stay close to Kuta or any other beach at a villa with a seaview. It's most unwise to stay in the middle of nowhere just for the 'quiet' location. He reminded me that traffic in Bali can be really bad. No one wants to spend 1/4 of your holiday in a van, however, luxurious it is.

We stayed in Villa Les Rizieres for 5 days. It’s 5-10 minutes from Tanal Lot. The house is over 2,500 square meter with 7 rooms, 2 swimming pools, a clay tennis court and many hectares of garden.

Villa Les Rizieres is close to Tanal Lot, which is good for a one time visit of 1-2 hours. At rush hours, we spent 1.5 hours going to Poppies at Kuta for dinner. Seminyak would be ok with spas and nice shops.

Villa Les Rizieres sells its quiet location away from the hustle bustle of the island. However, it is surrounded by walls with no view. Worse still, ‘quiet’ meaning it’s to-be-developed. I was woken up by noisy hammering early morning from the other side of the wall. A convenient location is prime.

The actual nightmare in fact started when the owner offered a discount (US$1,000 instead of 1,350 a night). We didn't ask for it. We guess the owner wanted our business badly and made that offer. Once we’ve committed, he wanted to squeeze additional $$$ from us and save on the expenses.

We knew we would arrive late. So, we ordered dinner for the first night. The owner quoted us US$110 total. We let them work out the menu but remarked that it needed to be enough for 13 persons.

We were still impressed by the décor of the living room and the master bedroom. However, below were the highlights of our suffering:

Dinner portion turned out not enough. We asked why/complained (however you want to put it). The owner said we were only willing to pay US$110. Hence, that’s all we could get. He gave us a quote and never asked for more. We went to Trattoria, Poppies and Kudeta for dinner afterwards and enjoyed big time.

Air conditioners in the living room were not working. We demanded the owner fix them every day. He first ignored us. Then said because we didn’t pay enough and electricity was expensive. He also claimed that no villa in Bali had air conditioned living rooms; his was the only one. Then in following correspondence, he sometimes said he just installed them and had that fixed the second half of our stay. In another message, he said the air conditioners were in fact working and we were lying complaining that they weren’t.

We were sweating all nights and needed to stay outdoor for some wind because the living room was poorly ventilated. There were only doors on both sides which didn’t allow any wind in to blow away the heat even at night.

We played tennis on the clay tennis court. We asked the housekeepers to open the cover for us. Some of us wore tennis shoes and some wore running shoes. The owner suddenly came and said we should know that we could only wear tennis shoes used for clay tennis courts and demanded for a damage of US$50 even though there was no sign or official reminder on that. We said we should have been told, e.g. on the website, via email when we booked or on a sheet given when we checked in. He insisted that he's right and it's just about some basic education that we don't have. An the housekeepers also accused us of opening the cover ourselves. We left for shopping and said we would discuss when we returned at night. He called the driver and threatened to lock the door and call the police if we didn’t pay the driver immediately. We did.

The owner came in to swim in our pool one early morning. A friend woke up early and saw that. He was then walking around the living room just wrapped with a towel giving instructions to the housekeepers. I call that intrusion.

I really don't think that the owner was entitled to treat us badly with the discount that we had never asked for. It's not about the location, or the air conditioner or requiring clay tennis shoes, or paying more for dinner, or the old fashion decor in the rooms, or the hammering...it's the rude owner that has ruined our holiday mood and the fact that he didn't admit there's a problem, didn't apologize and only replied by saying that we lied.

Small things here and there can totally ruin your trip. Hopefully the above tips can help you plan a more enjoyable trip to Bali.

[Ericfieldhuose]

Wow, it has been a "hell week" for you. We have been on bali 6 times ranging up to 6 months and have never experienced what you have gone through.... Next time go to places like Bvilla in Seminyak.
We rented 5 bungalows on a private plot at the full price of 580,-- USD per night for all 5 bungalows included and had the best time and experience....

Regards,
Eric.

[tooney]

Hi Barry

Very sorry to hear about your bad experience and i am sure theres more out there.


We commented not to advertise but to comment that when some body like your self has a bad story to tell it affects the reputation of Bali but more so sends the wrong message to visitors that Guests beware which sadly in part is very true in some instances which you have experienced on your trip.
The Majority of Businesses in Bali are reputable and professional like our selves we give exactly what it says on the can and always try to give that extra centimeter.

Pricing also some Businesses it's true only think about Money Money and Money and inflate their rates for foreigners while most like ourselves think only about the welfare of our Guests knowing that the income will come.

I am not the Hotel Guest House commission or commissioner for Bali but feel and understand your experience as a Human being and also as a Business Owner in the Accomodation industry....................So on behalf of all the reputable Business owners in Bali I and my wife sincerely apologise for your bad experience that you experienced and hope that you will come back to Bali in the future and have a stella moment.

James and Ivon

[tooney]

Your Quite right Homerent
Any country it is possible because its a Criminal thing not the country, vigilance and common sense usually prefails, look at Florida with the rent a car Hi jackers, robberies and violent acts, Europe the U.K. we can give a story for any country and continent either way it's bad news and only beneficial to the crooks in this world but on the brighter side Luckily the chances of it happening to you or I are very slim but never say never.

Have a Good One !!

[niki88]

Hi Barry

Very sorry to hear about your bad experience ...

Thanks for sharing... hope others can be more aware..

[frendyhoras]

Originally Posted by Barry13169

Just went to Bali for holiday with my friends. Some tips to share:

• Take care of your belongings at all times - there are a lot of gang pickpockets in the bar area near the bomb memorial junction. I saw an Australian lady, with a friend, being surrounded and almost stopped by a group of locals who were trying to sell her some white stuff. I don't know if that's cocaine or what. She turned down with a smile but seemed to enjoy all the hands all over her body. One of the guys behind her reached his hand around her waist into her bag and grabbed her camera without her noticing it.
• Set your expectations of food. There are no good and cheap wines on the island. Local wines tend to be very sour. We tried some at Trattoria in Seminyak. Local (really local) restaurants and street food was surprisingly very delicious. We've tried the more touristy restaurants. Kudeta has a stunning sunset view. However, drinks and food were really expensive. For drinks and a full meal will cost on average US$100-150 per person depending on your consumption. Pina Colada at Poppies is served in a fresh coconut with elaborate carving.
• Save Rp15,000 for airport service charge required by the authority for each passenger when you fly out.

Lastly, on accommodation:

My property friend said choosing a holiday villa in Bali is all about location, location, location. If you want spa, you stay at Ubud, if you want beach, you stay close to Kuta or any other beach at a villa with a seaview. It's most unwise to stay in the middle of nowhere just for the 'quiet' location. He reminded me that traffic in Bali can be really bad. No one wants to spend 1/4 of your holiday in a van, however, luxurious it is.

We stayed in Villa Les Rizieres for 5 days. It’s 5-10 minutes from Tanal Lot. The house is over 2,500 square meter with 7 rooms, 2 swimming pools, a clay tennis court and many hectares of garden.

Villa Les Rizieres is close to Tanal Lot, which is good for a one time visit of 1-2 hours. At rush hours, we spent 1.5 hours going to Poppies at Kuta for dinner. Seminyak would be ok with spas and nice shops.

Villa Les Rizieres sells its quiet location away from the hustle bustle of the island. However, it is surrounded by walls with no view. Worse still, ‘quiet’ meaning it’s to-be-developed. I was woken up by noisy hammering early morning from the other side of the wall. A convenient location is prime.

The actual nightmare in fact started when the owner offered a discount (US$1,000 instead of 1,350 a night). We didn't ask for it. We guess the owner wanted our business badly and made that offer. Once we’ve committed, he wanted to squeeze additional $$$ from us and save on the expenses.

We knew we would arrive late. So, we ordered dinner for the first night. The owner quoted us US$110 total. We let them work out the menu but remarked that it needed to be enough for 13 persons.

We were still impressed by the décor of the living room and the master bedroom. However, below were the highlights of our suffering:

Dinner portion turned out not enough. We asked why/complained (however you want to put it). The owner said we were only willing to pay US$110. Hence, that’s all we could get. He gave us a quote and never asked for more. We went to Trattoria, Poppies and Kudeta for dinner afterwards and enjoyed big time.

Air conditioners in the living room were not working. We demanded the owner fix them every day. He first ignored us. Then said because we didn’t pay enough and electricity was expensive. He also claimed that no villa in Bali had air conditioned living rooms; his was the only one. Then in following correspondence, he sometimes said he just installed them and had that fixed the second half of our stay. In another message, he said the air conditioners were in fact working and we were lying complaining that they weren’t.

We were sweating all nights and needed to stay outdoor for some wind because the living room was poorly ventilated. There were only doors on both sides which didn’t allow any wind in to blow away the heat even at night.

We played tennis on the clay tennis court. We asked the housekeepers to open the cover for us. Some of us wore tennis shoes and some wore running shoes. The owner suddenly came and said we should know that we could only wear tennis shoes used for clay tennis courts and demanded for a damage of US$50 even though there was no sign or official reminder on that. We said we should have been told, e.g. on the website, via email when we booked or on a sheet given when we checked in. He insisted that he's right and it's just about some basic education that we don't have. An the housekeepers also accused us of opening the cover ourselves. We left for shopping and said we would discuss when we returned at night. He called the driver and threatened to lock the door and call the police if we didn’t pay the driver immediately. We did.

The owner came in to swim in our pool one early morning. A friend woke up early and saw that. He was then walking around the living room just wrapped with a towel giving instructions to the housekeepers. I call that intrusion.

I really don't think that the owner was entitled to treat us badly with the discount that we had never asked for. It's not about the location, or the air conditioner or requiring clay tennis shoes, or paying more for dinner, or the old fashion decor in the rooms, or the hammering...it's the rude owner that has ruined our holiday mood and the fact that he didn't admit there's a problem, didn't apologize and only replied by saying that we lied.

Small things here and there can totally ruin your trip. Hopefully the above tips can help you plan a more enjoyable trip to Bali.

Heheheheh , but I belive that bali is the nicest island in the World

[Chris Patton]

I think someone should point out that $100-$150 per person for a meal with drinks is very high end. You might expect that at the most expensive resort hotels if you had got into their good wine, but an average lunch or dinner in Bali including a couple of drinks shouldn't cost more than about $20-$25, and often a lot less than that.

[adam8]

Thank you for sharing. I hope I can travel to Bali this year and make better preparation.

[herlin]

well, i think where ever you go you need to becareful..

Originally Posted by Barry13169

Just went to Bali for holiday with my friends. Some tips to share:

• Take care of your belongings at all times - there are a lot of gang pickpockets in the bar area near the bomb memorial junction. I saw an Australian lady, with a friend, being surrounded and almost stopped by a group of locals who were trying to sell her some white stuff. I don't know if that's cocaine or what. She turned down with a smile but seemed to enjoy all the hands all over her body. One of the guys behind her reached his hand around her waist into her bag and grabbed her camera without her noticing it.
• Set your expectations of food. There are no good and cheap wines on the island. Local wines tend to be very sour. We tried some at Trattoria in Seminyak. Local (really local) restaurants and street food was surprisingly very delicious. We've tried the more touristy restaurants. Kudeta has a stunning sunset view. However, drinks and food were really expensive. For drinks and a full meal will cost on average US$100-150 per person depending on your consumption. Pina Colada at Poppies is served in a fresh coconut with elaborate carving.
• Save Rp15,000 for airport service charge required by the authority for each passenger when you fly out.

Lastly, on accommodation:

My property friend said choosing a holiday villa in Bali is all about location, location, location. If you want spa, you stay at Ubud, if you want beach, you stay close to Kuta or any other beach at a villa with a seaview. It's most unwise to stay in the middle of nowhere just for the 'quiet' location. He reminded me that traffic in Bali can be really bad. No one wants to spend 1/4 of your holiday in a van, however, luxurious it is.

We stayed in Villa Les Rizieres for 5 days. It’s 5-10 minutes from Tanal Lot. The house is over 2,500 square meter with 7 rooms, 2 swimming pools, a clay tennis court and many hectares of garden.

Villa Les Rizieres is close to Tanal Lot, which is good for a one time visit of 1-2 hours. At rush hours, we spent 1.5 hours going to Poppies at Kuta for dinner. Seminyak would be ok with spas and nice shops.

Villa Les Rizieres sells its quiet location away from the hustle bustle of the island. However, it is surrounded by walls with no view. Worse still, ‘quiet’ meaning it’s to-be-developed. I was woken up by noisy hammering early morning from the other side of the wall. A convenient location is prime.

The actual nightmare in fact started when the owner offered a discount (US$1,000 instead of 1,350 a night). We didn't ask for it. We guess the owner wanted our business badly and made that offer. Once we’ve committed, he wanted to squeeze additional $$$ from us and save on the expenses.

We knew we would arrive late. So, we ordered dinner for the first night. The owner quoted us US$110 total. We let them work out the menu but remarked that it needed to be enough for 13 persons.

We were still impressed by the décor of the living room and the master bedroom. However, below were the highlights of our suffering:

Dinner portion turned out not enough. We asked why/complained (however you want to put it). The owner said we were only willing to pay US$110. Hence, that’s all we could get. He gave us a quote and never asked for more. We went to Trattoria, Poppies and Kudeta for dinner afterwards and enjoyed big time.

Air conditioners in the living room were not working. We demanded the owner fix them every day. He first ignored us. Then said because we didn’t pay enough and electricity was expensive. He also claimed that no villa in Bali had air conditioned living rooms; his was the only one. Then in following correspondence, he sometimes said he just installed them and had that fixed the second half of our stay. In another message, he said the air conditioners were in fact working and we were lying complaining that they weren’t.

We were sweating all nights and needed to stay outdoor for some wind because the living room was poorly ventilated. There were only doors on both sides which didn’t allow any wind in to blow away the heat even at night.

We played tennis on the clay tennis court. We asked the housekeepers to open the cover for us. Some of us wore tennis shoes and some wore running shoes. The owner suddenly came and said we should know that we could only wear tennis shoes used for clay tennis courts and demanded for a damage of US$50 even though there was no sign or official reminder on that. We said we should have been told, e.g. on the website, via email when we booked or on a sheet given when we checked in. He insisted that he's right and it's just about some basic education that we don't have. An the housekeepers also accused us of opening the cover ourselves. We left for shopping and said we would discuss when we returned at night. He called the driver and threatened to lock the door and call the police if we didn’t pay the driver immediately. We did.

The owner came in to swim in our pool one early morning. A friend woke up early and saw that. He was then walking around the living room just wrapped with a towel giving instructions to the housekeepers. I call that intrusion.

I really don't think that the owner was entitled to treat us badly with the discount that we had never asked for. It's not about the location, or the air conditioner or requiring clay tennis shoes, or paying more for dinner, or the old fashion decor in the rooms, or the hammering...it's the rude owner that has ruined our holiday mood and the fact that he didn't admit there's a problem, didn't apologize and only replied by saying that we lied.

Small things here and there can totally ruin your trip. Hopefully the above tips can help you plan a more enjoyable trip to Bali.