There are a few areas where travelers reside in Bali: Kuta, Ubud, Seminyak, Sanur, Benoa are among the famous ones. I have to sync between people's blog and maps to know where these areas are before deciding where to station our stay.
Area to stay
I'm really interested in private villas because there are lots of them in Bali which i personally think very seldom available at other places unless you really want to splurge for your vacation. That's how I decided to choose Seminyak as an area to stay because it offers the most numbers of villas compared to other areas. Why not Kuta, it's the happening place, near to everything? Why not Ubud? My husband said there have been a number of conferences held in Bali some years back. So I thought there might be a possibility we might tag along if he attends future conferences. Usually the conferences are held in Kuta, the centre so why not we try other areas. My choice of Seminyak is also influenced by the activities we plan to do, how are we going to travel and kids.
So many things to think about before making decisions. That's just who I am.... I believe in doing some research and planning to avoid unnecessary stress, circumstances and waste.
Type
You'll be spoilt for choice in terms of price and type of accommodation. Budget hotels, hostel, homestays, hotels, villa etc. I decided to choose private villa because I think it's affordable. Compared to Malaysia's Grand Lexis in PD which has a private pool too, it costs about RM600++(promo price) for a one bedroom.
I limit maximum of RM500 per night but my choice should be prudent. I browsed 27 pages of Booking.com for villa in Seminyak area as well as Agoda. I shortlisted 4 villas:
Esmee vs Bali Swiss
I was really attracted to Esmee Villa (45 sqm) because architecture seems balinese and I could imagine walking to get some groceries while the kids having a swim in the afternoon. Though rating seems ok, -ve points about Esmee were rather elaborate.
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| Picture taken from Agoda. Esmee 2 bedroom villa |
Bali Nyuh Gading seems the most attractive offer because you won't get the Groupon price in Agoda or Booking.com. But it does not fit my proximity criteria and I was worried they may have hidden charges as I will be travelling with 4 children.
Gatra Villa is rather new but receive all the good reviews. Though, pool seems small and why should I pay higher price for a smaller space?
In the end, I chose Bali Swiss Villa (210 sqm all) It has more elaborate +ve reviews than Esmee and it takes 6 minutes walking to Murano Spa, spa I intend to go in the afternoon while the kids having a swim in the afternoon (see how the planned activity changes with the choice of accommodation..heh)
I choose to book on their website just to establish contacts with them since the price is only RM10 more than Booking.com.
So in the end, our choice shall depend on our judgement and rationale. Reviews is just one aspect to assist you in making decisions. Also, promotional pictures may not reflect true state of the accommodation and this is when TripAdvisor becomes handy because they have traveler pictures who have really gone there. To avoid disappointment. just lower your expectation.
I will update whether the accommodation is as nice as the pictures.
I felt one burden is off my shoulder now that I have decided. Next, finalizing the itinerary.....
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