TR: VA to DPS and Conrad Bali

[Cynicor]

I have never understood the appeal of flying to another Country, only to stay inside the hotel/resort......

Are you from a tropical location? If not, have you never desired a truly relaxing, do-nothing holiday?

I can do up to 4ish nights without leaving the resort except for a couple of walks. Pool and read all day long, maybe a spa, use the gym, and just generally chill out.

I doubt anyone uses all their holiday leave on it, but it's a great quick break.

 

[clazman]

A notice in the photos of the hotel it appeared empty or were you just being respectiveful to others?

 

[Daver6]

A notice in the photos of the hotel it appeared empty or were you just being respectiveful to others?

A bit of both actually. The suites pool was never busy. At most four other people, but generally no one was there. The EL again, was never crowded.

I'm really not sure how "full" the resort was actually, but it I never felt that it was "busy" or "crowded", which was quite nice.

We had breakfast in Suku restaurant one morning instead of taking the EL option at Rin. This was certainly quite busy but by no means bursting.

 

[shane2603]

Sadly a change of management at Conrad has meant that Diamonds seem to not be upgraded to the suites anymore. We consistently used to get the suite wing when booking any room. After many visits and the changes to Diamond privileges we are trying the new Sofitel Nusa Dua next week. I will see how they treat their elites over there.

 

[smit0847]

I have never understood the appeal of flying to another Country, only to stay inside the hotel/resort......

Because it's significantly cheaper than doing the same thing back home

 

[Daver6]

Sadly a change of management at Conrad has meant that Diamonds seem to not be upgraded to the suites anymore. We consistently used to get the suite wing when booking any room. After many visits and the changes to Diamond privileges we are trying the new Sofitel Nusa Dua next week. I will see how they treat their elites over there.

Let me start by saying I don't know what the inside of a room in the suites wing looks like. However, as a diamond you get access to all the suites related benefits regardless.

If your room upgrade is to a Ocean View suite (not in the suites wing), if suggest you might be just as well off, if not better in terms of a view. I think the room size and layouts to a suite in the wings is pretty similar. Just right on the beach with ocean views, rather than looking out onto either the suites pool or garden view.

Either way, I wasn't disappointed (or just didn't know what I was missing out on )

 

[shane2603]

Lol,

Free laundry everyday, customised aromas settings, customised music settings, large balconies with day beds, private pool close to your suite, coffe machine with pods, seperate living are, dining area with 8 chairs, more luxurious bathroom and a butler of sorts.

 

[Daver6]

Lol,

Free laundry everyday, customised aromas settings, customised music settings, large balconies with day beds, private pool close to your suite, coffe machine with pods, seperate living are, dining area with 8 chairs, more luxurious bathroom and a butler of sorts.

Thanks for ruining it for me Just kidding.

I saw the balconies. What our room had was better I thought in terms of out door. Some chairs, table and two sun chairs. Day bed was inside. Coffee machine had pods. Living and dining areas were separated, but only 4 chairs.

Ahh...a butler

Thanks for the info though as I was wondering. I was going to ask to have a look, but decided that would be wasting eating and relaxing time

 

[shane2603]

Cant go past the Vanilla shakes hey! 2 or 3 pods in every one. Thats a $15 shake here in Perth hahah. Also noticed the water. wet hand towel and water spray missing around the pools last time I was up. They used to even offer fruit.

 

[Daver6]

Cant go past the Vanilla shakes hey! 2 or 3 pods in every one. Thats a $15 shake here in Perth hahah. Also noticed the water. wet hand towel and water spray missing around the pools last time I was up. They used to even offer fruit.

Damn...I only had banana shakes.

I can confirm water, spray and hand towels were there in abundance.

 

[Virgin Bart]

... what about the mushroom shakes...?

 

[Cynicor]

Lol,

Free laundry everyday, customised aromas settings, customised music settings, large balconies with day beds, private pool close to your suite, coffe machine with pods, seperate living are, dining area with 8 chairs, more luxurious bathroom and a butler of sorts.

The difference between a king suite upgrade in the resort and a suites section upgrade are the music and the dressing room/walk in robe and unlimited laundry vs private plunge pool that 4 (or 6) of the resort suites have.
The bathrooms are the same and they have pod machines too. Also no butler in the resort.

It's a close call- from a garden view room to the best suite in the resort or the lowest suite in suites.

I do like the private plunge pool on the 4th floor overlooking the beach, the pool and the rest of the resort. But the unlimited laundry is useful.
Bottom line- depends who I'm going with and why.

 

[Cynicor]

Damn...I only had banana shakes.

I can confirm water, spray and hand towels were there in abundance.

Sorbets and water spray every time on all my visits last year.

 

[Kolo]

We stayed in a lagoon access suite and it was wonderful. We had no privacy issues.

 

[Deleted member]

I have never understood the appeal of flying to another Country, only to stay inside the hotel/resort......

Me either, ........... Until I did it.
Sometimes a holiday is something different from travel.
I'm heading to DPS next Tuesday, staying at the Le Meridian. (Jimbaran bay)
I will be sans Mrs GPH. ( she is in Vietnam) so I have this amazing deal for two, and no one to share with.
I think I will get over it.
The plan is to chill out, and do the odd small excursion.
I may even have time for a TR!
However as this is my first ever trip to Bali, any suggestions as to dining out, shopping, ( I may want some shirts etc to blend in ) and general sightseeing.
I have heard ubud is worth the effort, so plan to make a trip to the mountains.
Staying from the 17th -25th in case anyone is about and wants to share a drink or whatever.
Flying JQ *Class from BNE. So another first for me on the Dreamliner.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

However as this is my first ever trip to Bali, any suggestions as to dining out, shopping, ( I may want some shirts etc to blend in .

Dining - Ku De Ta in Seminyak - DO NOT MISS IT! KU DE TA Bali | a great sunset venue and one of the best restaurant in Bali - Home

Shopping - no true Aussie would ever leave Bali without at least 3 or 4 BINTANG singlets - not only will you keep cool in Bali but they will add another bow to your potential wardrobe alternatives for QF F Lounge - with matching thongs of course!

 

[Deleted member]

Thanks for the data about Row 3 international as Mrs QF WP and I will be doing the same to AKL in a couple of months (the vast majority of my flying is Dom). Better check that we have selected 3A/C

Only been to Bali once and it was pre-Mrs QF WP (stayed at the Ritz Carlton) - but is there any other way to go than a hotel transfer . Would hope to try the Conrad at some stage in the future - HKG and DPS sound like they look after elite status and Suite guests well.

Looking forward to seeing the photos.

When are you off to AKL?

 

[Deleted member]

Dining - Ku De Ta in Seminyak - DO NOT MISS IT! KU DE TA Bali | a great sunset venue and one of the best restaurant in Bali - Home

Shopping - no true Aussie would ever leave Bali without at least 3 or 4 BINTANG singlets - not only will you keep cool in Bali but they will add another bow to your potential wardrobe alternatives for QF F Lounge - with matching thongs of course!

Thanks for the tip.
I'm probably more of the "Hawaiian" shirt type. Being old and all that
But you're right, bin tang is a must.
I have two grandchildren, Girl 7 and boy 81/2 , they will no doubt be the main recipient of my shopping largesse.
Is local currency better to bargain with? Or should I carry USD or AUD ?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

All transactions in local Rupiah - never try to use A$ or US$. Rough conversion A$1 = IDR (Indonesian Rupiah) 10,000.



Plenty reliable ATMs to withdraw as reqd - gazillions of currency exchange outlets but as always just be careful with them - TBH would never consider anything other than ATM - but YMMV.

 

[Daver6]

Me either, ........... Until I did it.
Sometimes a holiday is something different from travel.
I'm heading to DPS next Tuesday, staying at the Le Meridian. (Jimbaran bay)
I will be sans Mrs GPH. ( she is in Vietnam) so I have this amazing deal for two, and no one to share with. 
I think I will get over it.
The plan is to chill out, and do the odd small excursion.
I may even have time for a TR!
However as this is my first ever trip to Bali, any suggestions as to dining out, shopping, ( I may want some shirts etc to blend in ) and general sightseeing.
I have heard ubud is worth the effort, so plan to make a trip to the mountains.
Staying from the 17th -25th in case anyone is about and wants to share a drink or whatever.
Flying JQ *Class from BNE. So another first for me on the Dreamliner.

Sarong restaurant. Book ahead online. I didn't go, but was reocmmened Sardine too. Looked pretty good. I think lunch might be a nicer option there with the view. Google them