Hyatt Regency Bali

As I mentioned on an earlier post, choosing Hyatt Regency Bali as a place to stay during this trip was a no-brainer. I tend to flock to a Hyatt hotel as a place to stay during a trip; this one was no exception.

In this series:

1. Introduction
2. Japan Airlines Business Class 787-8 Seattle to Tokyo-Narita
3. Japan Airlines Business Class 767-300 Tokyo-Narita to Jakarta
4. AirAsia Economy Class A320-200 Jakarta to Denpasar, Denpasar to Jakarta, Jakarta to Singapore
5. Beaches and Temples: What we did in Bali
6. Hyatt Regency Bali
7. Andaz Singapore
8. 48 hours in Singapore
9. Cathay Pacific Business Class A330-300 Singapore to Hong Kong
10. Cathay Pacific Business Class A350-900 Hong Kong to Seattle

Around the time of booking, several Alila properties joined the World of Hyatt portfolio as well with, a few of which offered lucrative rates. In the end, I decided to stay at the Hyatt Regency. If nothing else, the property’s location in Sanur Beach is a winner, as I would prefer to avoid areas such as Kuta, Seminyak (due to crowding) or Uluwatu (due to the distance).

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The Hyatt Regency had been under renovation for several years, and they underwent a rebranding from Hyatt Bali to Hyatt Regency Bali. Of note, there’s also an Andaz Bali being constructed next door to the Hyatt Regency — I’d be curious to see how the property turns out — it is slated to open in the early 2020.

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We came to Sanur from Ubud. The journey took just a little over an hour sans traffic as we left in a midst of lunch time. The Ubud Dedari Villas graciously offered us a complimentary hotel transfer, and the hotel manager himself drove us down personally. We stopped by at a small Nasi Campur shack in Bali, apparently one of the manager’s favorites.

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Upon arrival to the hotel property, we were swiftly greeted by the bellmen, who officially welcomed us by hitting the gong at the entrance. Traditional Balinese music, played on a gamelan, was also played live in the background.

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Check-In

The lobby is an open-air style facing the beach, similar to the one at Grand Hyatt Kauai, which allowed nice breeze to aerate the lobby. Check-in was swift and welcome beverage along with cold towels were offered.

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Unfortunately, the mood was somewhat tarnished by unruly and impolite Chinese tourists. There were this couple queueing to check-in, but instead of lining up in an orderly manner, they stood literally behind my back. They also interrupted the host multiple times while trying to explain the amenities that the resort has to offer.

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The Suite

We were escorted to the room by one of the associates. The hotel consists of three adjoining buildings, aptly named Hibiscus, Frangipani and Bougainvillea — based on the flora planted surrounding the hotel landscapes.

Our suite was located on the fourth floor on the Hibiscus building. The suite consisted of a small foyer, a powder room, dining area, a separate bedroom, an ensuite bathroom with separate powder room and shower room, and a massive balcony off of the dining area.

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Waiting on the dining table was a welcome letter from the General Manager as well as a bowl of fresh fruits that are replenished daily.

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The Club Lounge

My Globalist membership in the World of Hyatt program afforded us access to the Regency Club Lounge, which is located within the Hibiscus building, for breakfast and hors d’oeuvres daily.

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It is an open-air style lounge surrounded by fish ponds, giving a serene and relaxing vibe every time we visited the lounge.

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There are multiple swimming pools and a hot tub, all located toward the beach, adjacent to the Omang Omang Restaurant. Oddly, most people have to walk through the restaurant to access the swimming pools and the beach. Pool boys are at the ready to take your food and beverage orders should you require one.

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Activities

The hotel also offers an array of activities for guests to participate in, such as coffee tasting class, create-your-own pizza class, and canang-making class. Be reminded that one must call the front desk and reserve a spot 24 hours in advance.

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On one afternoon, we participated in the pizza-making class in the Pizzeria. We were the only guests participating and the chef, very nicely, let us design our own personal pizza with any ingredients of our choosing.

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On another afternoon, we participated in the canang-making class, in which we were the only participants as well. The class was held in a small gazebo in the middle of the garden, led by a very nice lady from the Front Desk team, Yuli. She went over the history, cultural and religious influences behind the canang making routine. She hand-picked the ingredients including woven coconut leaves, shredded pandan leaves, flowers, fruits, rice and spices. Each of us created a few and with it being a private class we had an absolute great time.

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We also had a little conversation about how much she enjoys her job, as does many of her fellow co-workers, many of whom returned to work at the property once the property reopened after several years of renovation.

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On the check-out day, we had a very early morning flight to Jakarta. Yuli graciously offered to prepare a boxed light breakfast for us to take to the airport, to which we agreed. At 4AM sharp as requested, the front desk staff called our room to let us know that a staff from the restaurant is awaiting at the door with our breakfast and a jug of freshly made Balinese coffee.

We had an absolute great time staying at the Hyatt Regency Bali, and most definitely looking forward to returning in not-too-distant future.