Here's mine and why, anyone care to add theirs? Cloud 9

1) Tegal Sari Ubud - The unreal (low) price is only matched in the quality and views you get for your $ here. The staff are great and you can actually enjoy the open breezes of Ubud but still be within easy walking distance of everything.

2) Villa Agung Bali Nirwana - And it is not here because I played some part in its existence. There are very few beachfront properties in Bali where you do not get pestered by hawkers, where the sea is clean and where you can go snorkeling and actually see coral and fish! Knocks the rooms of any 5 star in Bali into the corner.

3) Puri Bambu Jimbaran - After along flight you do not want to travel far but you do want something great at a price that is nice, and I challenge anyone to beat Puri Bambu for quality and value in that neck of the woods.

Other favorites (based on quality and value Vs price);
Alam Indah Ubud, Puri Bagus Lovina, Rambutan Lovina, Ramayana Kuta, Taman Sari and Pondok Sari Pemuteran, Puri Santrian Sanur's Club Rooms, Hidden Paradise Amed's Beachfront Suites, Alam Anda Sambirenteng, Gubah Luxury Villas Ubud, Cahaya Dewata Ubud, Gerebig Bungalows Penestanan Ubud, Villa Kresna Seminyak, Ulun Ubud, sorry for any I missed.

Footnote: I actually believe Bali's so called 5 star hotels (Nusa Dua especially) so bad in comparison. Although I would gladly stay at any of the above named good hotels again, you would have to drag me screaming into some of the alleged luxury hotels in Bali! And I have said that from before I found out who owned those hotels! I can name many luxury hotels in Thailand I would love to stay at again, but the only one in Bali that ever rated IMHO was Le Meridien Nirwana who I would not stay at now for ethical reasons. I believe Bali's strength (accommodations wise) is in its smaller bespoke and less pretentious properties.

__________________
There are two categories of travellers, those that experience a country and those that take their home with them wherever they go.

Be warned, as with any forum, picking a fight with the admin guy is not recommended!

I am a Legian Lover so it's all about Legian for me:

1. Resort Tunjung Bali - smallish resort which I like, great location and and able to sleep six very comfortably. Pool a bit on the small side and not much shade during the middle of the day.

2. Sri Ratu - hotel section on one side of the lane and villa's on the other. Villa's are basic but with two air bedrooms large family room with TV and daybed and lounge, dining room table with chairs and a small kitchen, daily maid service, clean towels everyday, clean sheets every two days, use of hotel swimming pool and room service at AUS$32 a day great value for a long stay.

3. Use to stay at the Mandira but they priced us out in recent years.

What a wonderful place Puri Bambu is, we will definitely go back, in my opinion best value for money, spotlessly clean beautiful rooms, great pool and wonderful people.

Ramada Benoa, though quite a walk to anything, once inside the grounds it's heaven, great rooms incredible grounds and beautiful pool, again good value for money spent.

Tegal Sari, oh how Iwould love to be there now, sitting on the balcony looking out over the rice paddies, watching the ducks, frogs and lizards playing, ohhhhhhhhhh

Water Garden Candi Dasa. Not much of a town but beautiful accommodation and pool. The cottages are all individual and surrounded by water pools with the accompanying fish and water lillies. Very relaxing for a few days. Veg out by the pool or take a fishing boat out to the islands.

I really like a little hotel in Seminyak called Puri Wisata, the room is huge, the pool is steps from my door. I also like Kumala in Legian.
Tegal Sari is a favorite in Ubud. In Lovina I love Villa Pondok which is beachfront and there are no hawkers.

Ah, Island Girl, I knwo who you are now. Suggesting Vila Pondok is a red card though, as you own that property!

__________________
There are two categories of travellers, those that experience a country and those that take their home with them wherever they go.

Be warned, as with any forum, picking a fight with the admin guy is not recommended!

OK - Here are my three. Probably a little prejudiced by where we have stayed recently, but anyway:

1. Bali Ayu in Seminyak - love that we walked past rice paddies and corn fields when we left the hotel rather than stalls and hawkers. Lots of great places to eat close by and the rooms were really big and roomy.

2. Tunjung Resort in Legian - loved this place. Perfect for an extended family or one with kids. Small pool, but great everything else. If this place was in Seminyak it would be a gold mine!

3. Now this one is a dream...Kayana Villa in Seminyak. Didnt stay there but looked through on the day after it officially opened. Wow! I dream of staying there or somewhere like that. Absolutely beautiful villas, pool, restaurant, spa etc etc. Maybe when they finish their 2 bedroom villa we could stay there one night!!! (not cheap!!)

sorry about that...it won't happen again..

Hi, at the budget end of the spectrum we love Gerebig Bungalows in Penestanan, Ubud. We have been staying there a couple of times a year lately, our first stay there being in August 2002. We also have enjoyed Tegal Sari in Ubud and Taman Sari in Pemuteran and rate them highly. I would include Pondok Sari in Pemuteran in this list except that in the last few years they have continued building more accommodation units and for me the site is now too "cluttered".

Cheers,

David

__________________
Smile and the world you are travelling in will smile back at you

Yeh, Gerebig is right up there for sure and just a few rupiah a night has to be the "Best bargain accommodation in Bali" I reckon. Yeh two, Pondok Sari has slipped in many many ways; I think the former German owner sold out to some Javanese guy. Taman Sari would be my choice now too for Pemuteran and as I have always said since I first went there, I simply do not understand why people do not pick up their shopping just outside the airport, drive up there and forget about the likes of Legian, Kuta and Sanur (sorry Larry - but you really should try this place if you have not already - maybe do a split so the kids can do the Legian things they like - the local kids play on the beach all the time in Pemuteran and they would have a different kind of blast if they joined in).

__________________
There are two categories of travellers, those that experience a country and those that take their home with them wherever they go.

Be warned, as with any forum, picking a fight with the admin guy is not recommended!