Asia on a Whim: The Grand Hyatt Bali

My god - how sad. You go to a Bali, place filled with art, music, culture, and you spend time at a resort - a sterile place without any of that, complaining about the welcome gift and the club lounge.

What an absolute waste. Toast another diet coke to total lack of imagination. I feel sorry for you.

In terms of sad, how does it compare to waking up early on a Saturday morning to go read a blog that you obviously don't like, just in order to ridicule the author?

gba, Don't blame Super80...it's not entirely his fault he didn't learn manners. His parents have some role in this!

Hey Ben-
Thanks for sharing the pics and glad that you got to experience the GHBali- it's a favorite. I'm surprised they didn't give you a suite in their Regency Club building, which is adjacent to the club, but maybe they were full. Although open air, their RC is a great place to lounge over cold drinks during the day, catching up on emails and watching the birds and lizards in the ponds. Lots to see in Bali, but one of my favorite things is horse riding along the beach in Nusa Dua. Have fun! -s

What? No props for eating outside the hotel lounge?

Looking at the photos made me hungry 😀

One thing I don't like about an open area lounge is that, apart from lack of air conditioning, you often have to share the lounge with a lot of mosquitoes & exotic insects, especially after sunset.

I think I'd rather share the lounge with a lot of mosquitoes & exotic insects than Super80.

Remember, this hotel is one of the bargains on the Hyatt point redemption list - cat 1 - 5,000 Gold Passport points per night.

Super80, trolling again. As usual, DFFT. Especially uber-important chairs of research departments or something who have nothing better to do.

@Lucky - seems like they messed up and completely forgot your welcome amenity. You are supposed to get food and beverage, and at grand Hyatts it is always "delivered" at a time of your choosing during your stay (Andaz is totally different in this regard) , never "left in the room before arrival". You should have called the front desk to inquire - otherwise the diamond line. This is typical Hyatt service and after trying some IC properties I see Hyatt has a long way to go in making their service consistent. If you stay on top of Hyatt and use the diamond line when needed, you will get your benefits though.

regarding your comment about "regular rooms" at the intercon being your preference, it should be noted that only club rooms and above at the IC have been rennovated and there are a TON of complaints online about how the IC standard rooms are in abysmal shape and that after complaining some people recieved an upgrade to club rooms that were totally beautiful.

(I realize I'm a couple years late to the party here, but I only today discovered your blog!)

I was on a singing gig in Bali 14 years ago and stayed at the old Bali Hyatt on Sanur. Yes, it's a bit run down, but it was infinitely more connected to the rest of the island than the Grand Hyatt, which at the time was brand new and felt, just as you said, like a sterile Hawaiian resort. I went there one afternoon for the pool and couldn't believe how cheap and inauthentic everything felt. I was grateful when the shuttle bus came to take me back to my lowly $60 room across the island!

Having recently stayed in Bali at the Grand Hyatt, and in Ubud, the cultural heart of Bali, the Grand Hyatt is a bit sterile. For less money and a far superior private villa with its own pool, I would recommend The Samaya in Ubud, or the nearby Kayumanis. They are close to many cultural sites, have shuttles to the nearby town, and are set in a spectacular jungle setting by Bali's largest river. Other than the very personable Balinese staff, the Grand Hyatt could have been a resort in Cancun. If you are visiting Bali, do yourself a favor and prioritize a visit to Ubud, 24 miles inland from the airport, and you will get a much greater sense for the unique culture that is Bali.