My husband and I are taking his 10 year old daughter on her first trip outside Australia to Bali in early July. We have Marriott points and can stay for free with them in Nusa Dua. However, it seems that Nusa Dua is not good. We really want to make this fun for his daughter. We are on a budget and the free hotel would be a huge help. But, if it is really not going to be good, we would like to stay elsewhere. Can anyone recommend kid friendly hotels to stay at? Or should we just stay at the Marriott for best value? Thanks in advance for your help.

Free is pretty hard to beat. The problem with Nusa Dua is that it is a tourist enclave, so you don't get any real feel for Bali. But you can drive to see other parts of the island, though places like Ubud are a long drive from Nusa Dua.

A moderately priced hotel with fabulous facilities for children is the Bali Hyatt at Sanur (not to be confused with the Grand Hyatt at Nusa Dua).

Bali, in general, is kid friendly and you'd have a hard time finding a place where your daughter wouldn't be welcome. I'm not entirely negative on Nusa Dua as it provides a good swimming beach in an international resort environment. Perhaps you could stay there for a portion of your trip -- and enjoy the ocean, the pool and the touristy part of Bali -- then head to Ubud for a few days of nature and culture.

In the Ubud area (but outside of the town) I'd look at the Alam Sari. It's moderately priced, but charming and they offer a range of programs that are great for families in a low key village setting.

Thank you for the quick responses. If we stayed half the time in Nusa Dua, would you recommend the other half be near Ubud or Samanyak? The Alam Sari looks lovely. Thank you for that reco.
Also, what foods should we stay away from to avoid getting Bali belly?

Also, a friend recommended Orchid Villa near Ubud. Any thoughts on that hotel vs. Alam Sari? Which location is better? thanks!!!!!

i would stay at the marriott to help your budget, but i would make sure i spent plenty of time outside this "enclave"... tour the island with a private guide... about $50 per day inclusive

If you opt to divide your time between Nusa Dua and another location, choose Ubud as it will be entirely different from Nusa Dua.

I would definitely choose Ubud for the other half of your trip. I like Seminyak a lot, but I think Nusa Dua would cover the beach/ocean half of Bali and Ubud the nature/culture.

Nusa Dua IS an enclave -- that was the whole purpose -- but while you're there, enjoy the beach, the pool, the spa, the resort environment. All of the southern beaches (Nusa Dua, Sanur, Jimbaran, Seminyak) have something good to offer, but getting from place to place can be stressful and trafficky. Once you're there, I'd stay put. Do your sightseeing when you're in Ubud.

I don't know Orchid Villa, but their website looks nice. The location is the same general area as the Alam Sari. There are just so many choices in Bali and the fact that visitors are usually wildly enthusiastic about their resorts is a testament, I think, to Balinese hospitality.

Follow common sense in eating: peel your fruit and drink only bottled water. It's hard to entirely avoid some encounter with digestive bugs, but they are usually mild. I think overexposure to sun, sand and salt, dehydration and holiday exhaustion are bigger problems, though, especially for a 10 year old. Plan plenty of down time.

One of the most child-friendly hotels in Bali is the Bali Hyatt in Sanur, not to be confused with the HUGE Grand Hyatt in Nusa Dua!
The Hyatt in Sanur is an older hotel, a grande-dame of sorts, with utterly beautiful gardens and a lovely location. The kids club keeps the little ones busy and out of the way while the grown-ups can make the most of several romantic opportunities!
And, it is extremely affordable.