Finally: The Andaz Bali Is Now Open

The pic for the outside of the pool and rooms looks like my college apartment. That's not a compliment

Bummer that Bali probably won't be opening to foreigners anytime soon. I had a flight to go in late September but just cancelled it as I doubt they will be open. I'm hearing March 2022 at the earliest. I can't wait to go. I was staying at all the Alila hotels there plus Viceroy and had 1 night booked here at the Andaz on the way out to Bangkok but will try to go in 2022.

Hyatt is going downhill. I agree with your recent post Lucky that they are not delivering benefits and not being good to loyal Globalists who have spent a lot with them over the years. They've handed out globalist like candy and its too bad. Hyatt was so great. These new globalist-lites are really affecting the experience they should be designated in the system as people who have not spent 60 nights in their beds. I think next year I will become a free agent and not go out of my way to stay loyal to Hyatt.

Sanur is a great place though Ben! It's not a hip area like Seminyak or Canggu, but it's very quaint. In fact the area was home for the first hotels in Bali (Tandjung Sari and the former InterContinental Bali Beach).

There area is also home to plenty of great restaurants and street food including:
- Massimo Sanur (an Italian Restaurant with great Gelato helmed by *surprise* an Italian guy who fell in love with the Island)
- The legendary age-old Restaurant Tandjung Sari
- Kayumanis Seaside Restaurant (Indonesian Fusion Restaurant)
- Many seafood restaurants on the beach (like Jimbaran but quieter, and arguably fresher)
- and on Saturday afternoons, a market of sorts with many food stalls by the beach serving local food.

Additionally, the Andaz was actually built on the land of the old Bali Hyatt which was subsequently divided into Andaz and Hyatt Regency when the old Hyatt closed in 2014.

I've been checking Hyatt properties in Bali. Was pleasantly surprised by the large number of choices, including several costing only 8,000 points per night. Would be interesting to see an updated comparison of the different properties.

I mean the Regency was a super delayed complete rehab of the old Hyatt, so consistent timelines. I think people who were in the third square at the Regency will be happy there is no longer Andaz construction noise. I 100% perferred Sanur to similar priced options in Canggu and surrounding on western side or Nusa Dua. Only Uluwatu would beat it. Between Andaz and HR, they have a massive uninterrupted stretch of beach real estate and much cleaner than Canggu/Seminyak. You won't get the same diversity of food options, but far more relaxing and less 'tourist'.

Given the size of the Regency the Spa area was really quiet when I stayed at the HR and there was at most 2-3 people at the 'relaxation pool' there at any one time and often to myself. Gym was really nice too.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/JG4K21BJwaJQJLHFA
https://photos.app.goo.gl/28uQjDprhqRY5kxu8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/c3VTqkgmdkoQ8guW6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/tMoaHCW7GWu8eqBB9

Maybe I'd stay in this "motel style" property if I lived in Jakarta and wanted a swimming pool and cheap easy restaurants for the weekend. But I wouldn't stay here if I was flying half way around the world looking for a more authentic Balinese experience.

@ Ben -- The HR Bali next door has a good Regency Club, good Globalist breakfast in the restaurant, and suite upgrades are easy on an 8,000 point reward night. I don't see how being adjacent with access to the same spa and the same beach could be a much better option. Given the current options, I would stick with the HR Bali over this property.

I disagree about your tepidness about the location. You mention having easy access to restaurants in Nusa Dua. Could you tell me where you stayed because Sanur where the Hyatt Regency and now the Andaz are located has places in easy walking distance while in lots of Nusa Dua it's a serious schlep to eat off property. Sure Nusa Dua is lovely, kind of like Coral Gables with manicured grass and more open spaces and higher prices but Nusa Dua is not at all more walkable than Sanur. As to Seminyak, it's a bit more of a hard partying area than Sanur. That works for some. You also mention Ubud but that's inland so a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison.

I stayed at the Hyatt Regency next to the Andaz in 2019 and have reservations to return late this year. With the nice and lovely club lounge and great Globalist benefits for 8,000 points a night, the Hyatt Regency is a no brainer for me.

On a side note you mention an adults-only pool. The Hyatt has a few of these and as with every other hotel I've seen or heard of in Bali children are not kept out, which can make reading a book with lots of sound and splashing an interesting experience.

How big is 710 square feet? I’m in the 95% of the world’s population that uses the metric system.

@ Numbers man -- See Google.

Bali I think is for the most part not such a great deal for points redemptions since most hotels even luxury ones have cash rates that are relatively low.

@numbers man Divide by 10, and then further reduce by about 10%. This works well unless you're in the 95% of the population that finds math difficult.

If you want to see more Balinese culture, skip the Hyatts which felt not much different than being in Hawaii and head to Ubud in the interior instead. Amazing spread out bungalows with your own private pools, close to temples, the Monkey Forest Sanctuary, and eco tours. Flying from the US, staying at Hyatt Regency was a sanitized tourism experience and I should have spent all of my time in the much more culturally interesting Ubud.

DPS. What a horrible airport. Long queues for immigration and don’t even get me started on the “ lounges “. A pity really as some of Bali is stunning

@Jamie, well I mean you don't visit Bali to go to the airport. The contract lounges are indeed very underwhelming (like much the rest of Indonesia and a lot of SEA countries). But I don't see how immigration queues are much worse compared to BKK, MNL, and KUL (during rush hour). A lot of South America also has horrible queues.

I mean have you seen JFK Terminal 4 during the Latin America arrivals in the morning? I'm not American, and had to queue for 3 hours to clear immigration back in 2019. 3 hours.

@Rhys

I'd say neither the Hyatt Regency or the Andaz is too bad in terms of how Balinese it looks. In fact, if the Andaz pictures are to be believed, I'd say it incorporates a substantial amount of Indonesian design. And outside of Ubud, Sanur is a bit of a cultural hub in itself.

I'd say the worse hotels in Bali (in terms of sense of place and design) would definitely be the ones like Le Meridien, Sheraton, the W Seminyak, Laguna Luxury Collection, Westin Ubud, and pretty much the rest of the Marriotts (apart from Mandapa, and the St Regis perhaps). Even the Hiltons does a much much better job.

Outside points, I'd say COMO Shambala, the Four Seasons's, the Amans, and the Capella in Ubud are really great picks in Bali (most being outside the gated sanitised area of Nusa Dua).

I live most of every year in Sanur. I am a long time traveler to Bali. Sanur is very unique in the fact that it is off the tourist map and really found by word of mouth. Once there it’s the only place you will spend your time on Bali. Quiet and upscale which makes it the destination of choice for those that can appreciate the “unflashy” genuine Balinese culture. I have stayed at the remodel Hyatt regency once and was not impressed but I was there eating at the old HR which was much nicer. I will be on Bali in 22 days and I plan on eating at the andaz at least once.

Lucky-

Last time I checked Singapore was in Asia and they have had a Andaz for a few years......

I'd rather spring for 30,000/night point redemptions at Alila Villas Uluwatu. I had a magical week there pre-pandemic.

@jamie wrote "What a horrible airport. Long queues for immigration". You must be very sheltered. lol... there are many way way worse airports. As far as long queues for immigration is concerned, have you ever been to the US? Their immigration lines are worse than Bali and the immigration officers are not friendly. When I travel overseas, the worst part of coming home is having to go through US immigration. Before Global Entry, it was always the most unpleasant part of my trip.

I stay in Bali once or twice a year. I have never liked Sanur because the beaches and views there are lousy. Jimbaran is way better. Nusa Dua is too sterile for me and doesn't feel very Balinese to me. When I go to Bali I want to stay at a place that feels Balinese, not a place that feels like Cancun or Miami.
It's the same reason why I don't care for Canggu because it feels like you are in Australia. There are so many westerners that it doesn't feel like Bali. At virtually every restaurant and beach club in Canggu, 90% of the people are caucasian. To me, Canggu feels like it is some kind of hip western tropical resort.