Having such great experiences at the Holiday Inn Resort Bali Benoa and the Holiday Inn Resort Penang, I decided to try out another Holiday Inn Resort property. The Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali, though one of the older resorts in the area, turned out to be a pleasant surprise with its fresh rooms, its fun activities for the family, and friendly service from its staff.
Taking an Uber from the airport in Bali, I was surprised that the resort was a few kilometers or maybe only 10 minutes away. Its proximity to the airport, apparently, makes it choice accommodations for airlines’ flight crew. Technically speaking, however, Holiday Inn Baruna Bali is already in Kuta, making it close to the tourist haunts in Kuta and Legian.
Upon arriving at the resort, I was welcomed into its breezy lobby and assisted shortly thereafter. Despite being an international chain resort, I noticed local and modern the place felt at the same time, owing to the décor and the touches of Balinese aesthetic incorporated into the resort’s architecture.
The front desk associate kindly offered to upgrade me to a higher room type, but I told her—since I was so groggy from my flight at the time—that I’d take whatever was ready that morning, which was ahead of the standard check-in time. And so, I got an Oceanview Deluxe Room, the original room assigned to me.
The room was surely stylish and contemporary. I liked how refreshing the room seemed, thanks to the large windows that let copious amounts of light in. The windows also led to the veranda, which offered a view of the pool and garden below, and the ocean beyond.
As expected for a Holiday Inn Resort, all holidaymaker needs were present in the room—from the comfortable bed with soft and firm pillows to a beach bag and flip-flops. The bathroom, though somewhat on the small side, was spotless and had a fantastic shower.
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I had breakfast at the resort’s all-day Palms Restaurant, which offers a mix of Western, Asian, and Indonesian fare. Interesting to find at the buffet was a dedicated kids’ section with colorfully-presented food.
Although I spent most of my days in Bali going around, I was still able to spend time in the resort and enjoy it. First, I took a walk along the and the beach, which admittedly, isn’t as nice Bali’s other beaches. The resort, however, makes up for it by having enormous swimming pools, which have activities in them. Fronting the pools, on the other hand, is a perfectly-manicured lawn that can host activities and events.
Another interesting feature of the hotel is the Resort Hub, “an innovative and open space environment where guests can easily fill up, unwind and have a little fun, all while connecting with each other.” In it are a kids’ club, a billiards table, a game corner with Wii and Xbox games, a mini library, a mini-mart with fairly priced goods, and coffee and ice cream kiosk.
Aside from these, the hotel likewise offers a gym, a spa, a business center, and a deck not only for sightseeing but also special events.
I checked out the resort’s activity board and saw what was on offer. There are free-of-charge activities like beach volleyball, croquet, boogie board lessons, water polo, and bicycle tours, and there are paid activities like yoga lessons, t-shirt painting, and kite making. The resort can also arrange cooking and surfing lessons, fishing trips, and island excursions, among others.
IN A NUTSHELL: WHY STAY THERE
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The location is ideally close to both the airport and the touristy area of Kuta and Legian.
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The rooms are fresh and modern, and they offer all traveler needs.
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The staff are warm and friendly.
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With the many activities the resort offers, the whole family will not run out of things to do.
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Rates are affordable, making it a great choice as a base while touring Bali.
HOLIDAY INN RESORT BARUNA BALI
Jalan Wana Segara, Tuban, Kuta, Bali, Indonesia
Telephone: +62 361 755 577
Email: holidayinnresortbarunabali@ihg.com
Website: barunabali.holidayinnresorts.com
Social Media: Facebook and Instagram
