Comments on the Legian Suites
 

I am having a conference in Kuta area and have 1 free night before the conference starts. Am trying to find an excellent hotel nearby. So far, the Legian Suites look good on the web page but can't find much comments about the property. Would appreciate any advice on this property or any other recommendation.

If you want to stay in the Legian area, you should consider the Oberoi. A wonderful hotel, take a look at Leading Hotels of the World (lhw.com), Small Luxury Hotels (slh.com) or http://www.oberoihotels.com/oberoi/I...Bali/Index.htm.

Are you referring to The Legian Hotel? If so, this hotel is also a member of Leading (asis the Oberoi) , which is usually an indication of quality. I don't know anything about the hotel. I am not familiar with anything called the Legian Suites and only found references to The Legian on lhw.com.

Bali is quite small, and if you really want an excellent hotel, take a look at the various Amans, esp the Amanpuri and the Amankila. Go to amanresorts.com They are more than worth the trip, and you will see other parts of the island if you stay at one or both of them.

Bear in mind that Bali is a small island so u can conceivably go to Ubud for a night or anywhere else. Airport - Ubud is about 45 mins. In Ubud you can take a look at Aman or Four Seasons or for the ultimate stay in experience (bit isolated) Begawan Giri (www.begawan.com). I have been to Legian - it is gorgeous; the Club rooms are nicest. In bali the conv of kitchenette and all is really not reqd.

Yeah, I really had a hard time choosing b/w Oberoi and the Legian and only decided to pick the Legian because it is newer. But when I saw Conde Nast Traveler's Best Hotels in Bali and saw the Four Seasons, Oberoi, Ritz Carlton, Sheraton Laguna, etc., but not the Legian, I started to worry about my choice.

Four Seasons and the Aman resorts all look extremely nice but too pricey, given my price range which is about US$250.

Take a look at Puri Wulandari (www.puriwulandari.com) in Ubud. Is similar in concept to what u have mentioned. U can ask them for a rate. Else u can also consider the Waka chain (www.wakaresorts.com). Are u getting a Club room at the Legian?

The Legian is a wonderful hotel. We live in Jakarta and go to Bali several times a year and always stay there. There are two sections, the regular hotel (the rooms all have little kitchenettes so they're called suites) and the Legian Villas which are not on the ocean. You probably want the regular hotel not the villas.

The rooms are well designed, the pool is beautiful, the food is quite good, and the service is impeccable. You always get a lively, stylish group of fellow guests and the management is really on top of things. Make sure you ask for a room on the 3rd or 4th floor as the views are wonderful.

The beach is one of the nicest in Bali, (far, far better than Nusa Dua) but the surf is a bit on the rough side. You can swim (we do) but only if you're hearty. You can walk for miles.

The area around the Legian is becoming quite trendy. Two of Bali's best restaurants -- La Lucciola and KuDeTa --are within a few minutes walk.

I would definitely choose the Legian over the Oberoi. The Oberoi used to be one of the best in Bali. The service is still top notch but the property has really aged. Definitely time to re-develop. Your inclination to go with new in Indonesia is correct.

The Amans are also fine hotels but neither the Amanpuri nor the Amankila has much of a beach. They are quite isolated and no where near as much fun as the Legian. I don't know why the Legian doesn't get as much press as the Four Seasons, Ritz, Aman etc. It's a great hotel; maybe not as exclusive as the others, but beautiful and well managed.

I'm also very fond of the Ubud area (suggest the Alila) but not for one night.

I am absoltely amazed by the number of nice hotels in Bali and I think I can never really find the best hotel as each of them as something different to offer.

I'll definitely go back again and again to see them all.

Is snorkeling good in Bali? Where is the best spot?

In my experience, the best snorkelling and scuba diving are off the central east coast of Bali in the Candidasa/Manggis area, and further north at Menjangan Island which has excellent snorkelling and diving, probably the best in Bali. The surf around Legian/Kuta is too rough and there is not a lot of coral. Same with the Sanur area, however the islands offshore of Sanur have pretty good snorkelling. There is some OK snorkelling in the Nusa Dua area.

If you go up to Candidasa/Mangggis/Ovina, there are black sand beaches and some great protected bays for snorkelling. I love the Amankila, and disagree with Marmot about the beach there which I think is lovely. The Alia group has a hotel in Mangiss which looks beautiful, and has gotten some good reviews here, take a look at www.alilahotels.com.

(As for Marmot's comment on the Amanpuri not "having much of a beach", there is actually no beach at all, as that hotel is in the inland mountain area outside Ubud, and is not on the beach. I was a little confused by Marmot's comment. Amanpuri is not isolated, it just isn't in the middle of Ubud, which is a plus, IMO. Amankila is more isolated, but that is because the entire east coast area is not heavily touristed and there is no large town like Kuta. Again, a plus IMO. )

If you are going to Bali for the nightlife, then you have to be in Kuta/Legian, because there is not a lot of it anywhere else. Also, so you are not disappointed, the beaches are nice, but there are not the gorgeous powdery white sand and turquoise water you will find in other parts of SE Asia like Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines etc. The prettiest beaches are along the central and upper east coast, but Bali is not about beaches, and I would not go there if you primary interest is beautiful beaches.

I'm afraid we have our Amans mixed up. AmanPURI is in Thailand. AmanDARI is outside of Ubud. The one I was thinking of was AmaNUSA in Nusa Dua. I think both are fine hotels, but I, personally, like the beach at the Legian (same beach as the Oberoi by the way) best. And I also agree that Bali the beach is only one aspect of Bali.

Another vote for the Legian.

My husband and I and live in Jakarta and travel to Bali very often. We have stayed at several hotels, most recently at the Legian- great rooms, good food, good service, good beach, walking distance to many nice restuarants in the seminyak area.. i definitely recommend this property!

have a safe trip!

Sorry, the Amandari is the one outside Ubud.

As I mention above, don't forget the third Aman on Bali, the Amankila, which is on the north east coast and does have a lovely beach.

I agree with the comment on the beach at the Amannusa, I would only stay there if I were a golfer, as they have access to the course next door and can get privileges at other courses on the island.