Thursday, October 20, 2011

Courtyard Marriott-Nusa Dua

We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel in Nusa Dua.  It was a lovely place to spend a week in Bali.  For being in Nusa Dua, the price per night was quite competitive.  Including breakfast and taxes, we paid less than US $200 per night.

The Courtyard Marriott is new, opening just this year.
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Marriott

The lobby was spacious with lots of room to sit and lounge.
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The rooms were modern and clean.  We opted for a room overlooking the pool.  I spent lots of time sitting on the terrace reading books.
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The pool spans the length of the hotel.  I think it’s the largest pool I’ve ever seen.  There was plenty of room to swim and no shortage of loungers.
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There is a bar in the center of the pool and sandy areas for the kids to play. There is also live entertainment each evening.
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There is a Kids’ Club that has video games, a ball pit playground, books, drawing easels, toys, movie room, etc.  You can drop your kids off for 3 hours without a charge.   There are additional scheduled activities that the kids can participate in for a small fee.  My kids were happy just playing in the Kids’ Center.  Hence we did not pay for any other activities.
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I highly recommend the Courtyard Marriott if you are staying in the Nusa Dua area. The staff was super friendly.  I thought the buffet breakfast had a nice variety of foods ranging from Asian to pastries and even cold cereal.  The street next to the hotel has a variety of small shops and convenience stores as well as restaurants and spas.  There is also a free shuttle service that runs from the hotel to Bali Collection (a little mall-type area with shops and restaurants).  We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott on the recommendation of a friend who travels frequently to Bali on business.  This hotel  was a nice place to spend a quiet, relaxing week.  We made day trips to other areas like Kuta, Jimbaran, and Ubud. 
My only complaint would be that the walls seem to be a little thin so you can hear people in the corridors or phones ringing in adjacent rooms. Despite the thin walls, we didn’t have an issue with noise.  It was always very quiet and peaceful.  Also, there is no direct beach access from this hotel.  Nusa Dua beach is about a 10 minute walk from the hotel.  I did not mind the walk to the beach.  My family loved staying at the Courtyard Marriott.   I would definitely consider staying here again the next time we are in Bali.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Week in Bali

Dreamland Beach in Bali


We just got back from spending a week in Bali.  DH was gone on business for most of the month of September. He just got home at the beginning of October.  Towards the end of September, I think I was just really tired from juggling 3 kids on my own and was feeling like I really needed a vacation.  The kids had a week off from school for Fall Break so we decided to go with some friends to Bali this last week.  I must admit that I didn't have high expectations for Bali.  I figured it was probably super commercialized and crowded and that I would be ready to come back in just a few days.  Well, we ended up staying an entire week!  We all enjoyed our trip very much.  In fact, my son started crying as we packed to leave for home.  He said he loved Bali so much and was sad to leave.  The next few posts will be about our adventures in Bali.