InterContinental Hotels: Priority Club & Inter-Continental Ambassador - BALI

Going to Bali in 2 weeks and am thinking of using combo of points and free nites promo at both the IC and HIE.

Read the reviews, but cannot really tell difference in hotels. It appears HIE may be as good as IC. What do you think?

Also, does PLT get any good upgardes at either?

Going to Bali in 2 weeks and am thinking of using combo of points and free nites promo at both the IC and HIE.

Read the reviews, but cannot really tell difference in hotels. It appears HIE may be as good as IC. What do you think?

Also, does PLT get any good upgardes at either?

There is no comparison between the Holiday Inn Baruna Bali and the IC. The IC is a substantially better property. Rooms are better, service is much better.

A plus for the HI is that it is right in the thick of things whereas the IC resort really isn't in terms of things to do off-property.

Baruna Bali is nice enough in its own right, but definitely not of IC caliber.

EDITED to add: I got exactly the room I had booked at the HI, as a Platinum (RA). They were nowhere near full, either.

pm me, if you need a contact at the hotel.

dp

The BeerHunter has summed it up pretty right.

No comparison IMHO. However, the IC is not in the middle of nowhere. There are a series of shops / stalls on the street outside the resort and all very safe to stroll / browse. Few people on the beach at the IC trying to sell you anything, whereas they are lurking at the fringes of the HIE.

The IC also has convenient Jimbaran seafood kiosks just outside the resort perimeter and its a nice stroll along the sand to the Four Seasons.

If you have points to burn just go to the IC, be sure to report back iwth a trip report.

IC is great but I like the Nusa Dua area better.

pm me, if you need a contact at the hotel.

dp

You got connection everywhere ehh :D Good stuff ;)

IC is great but I like the Nusa Dua area better.

You mean the IC is closer to Nusa Dua beaches which you prefer? The hotel itself is in Jimbaran and there is a significant difference to Nusa Dua (incl. a 15-20min cab ride).

Overall I agree that the IC is of superior calibre and more quiet and relaxing with better grounds and facilities. It also costs 40K points a night for a classic room which is ridiclous when you consider off peak season rooms starting at around 150 USD

The HI Baruna Bali is by itself a nice enough Holiday Inn resort. It has been newly refurbished and repopened in April of this year. It only costs 15K points a night and is in a more lively area with good access to lots of eating places around and the Seminyak area with great restaurants nearby. The grounds are well kept too but you will find more families here. The beach is soso but other then clean up the area there is not much the hotel can do about the ocean water pollution.

As a Plat you receive a one category upgrade to a garden View room from the lowest superior room category, at least thats what I got initially. Some rooms - even though new - smell damp so be aware and if you are a larger party of more then 2 hoping to stay in one room then you ar eout of luck as they are quite small.

Weigh your options. I usually pay at IC (if rates are low) and use points at the HI.

Thanks for all the input. Decided to stay at the IC using free nights (not points) and paying for one night.

We are also staying a few nights off the beaten path in UBUD. No name brand hotels there.

Thanks for all the input. Decided to stay at the IC using free nights (not points) and paying for one night.

We are also staying a few nights off the beaten path in UBUD. No name brand hotels there.

For free nights the IC is good value and you would be wasting it otherwise if staying at the HI. For points redemptions I personally chose the HI as I got 8 nights for the same points then 3 nights cost at the IC.

for the record, while the beach is nice. I far prefer staying in Ubud on Bali. It's much more fun

for the record, while the beach is nice. I far prefer staying in Ubud on Bali. It's much more fun

Unfortunately, there's a complete lack of ICHG properties there ;)

Unfortunately, there's a complete lack of ICHG properties there ;)

But it's good to go off-line occasionally - and if we didn't, we'd miss some great travel experiences.

I'm one of the very, very few who are not in the IC Bali fan-club. Probably because it is a resort-type property, and can feel a bit like Disney does Bali. The area (land-side) is not at all attractive. But for a couple of nights cosseting it's great - and the beach "huts" are a more affordable dinner option than eating in the hotel.

For me Seminyak is one of the best beach "close-in" resort areas. A handful of smart hotels, and lots of interesting places to shop and eat. Its further out than the honky-tonk and rowdiness of Kuta, but close enough if you want to go see how well beer and tourists mix.

Ubud is a class act - I'm sure you'll enjoy it, even more for being off-chain!

But it's good to go off-line occasionally - and if we didn't, we'd miss some great travel experiences.


Oh, I definitely agree. It's just that this is the ICHG forum ;)


I'm one of the very, very few who are not in the IC Bali fan-club. Probably because it is a resort-type property, and can feel a bit like Disney does Bali. The area (land-side) is not at all attractive. But for a couple of nights cosseting it's great - and the beach "huts" are a more affordable dinner option than eating in the hotel.

I'm not a "resort-y" type person myself usually, but personally found the full-on club experience here was really extraordinary. Tip: if you get a club room there's enough nibbles and drinks during cocktail hour that you likely won't need to eat at the hotel OR at the shacks!



Ubud is a class act - I'm sure you'll enjoy it, even more for being off-chain!

We actually found Ubud a bit off-putting at first (and not due to the lack of ICHG properties! ;) )...felt like it was just a shopping mecca trying to pass itself off as a cultural center. After a few nights, we did mostly change our opinion -- although still felt like the center it was way too filled with shops and taxi touts, but I guess you get that most everywhere these days. However, it did have a slower pace about it that was refreshing compared to the rest of the island that we visited.

You mean the IC is closer to Nusa Dua beaches which you prefer? The hotel itself is in Jimbaran and there is a significant difference to Nusa Dua (incl. a 15-20min cab ride).

Overall I agree that the IC is of superior calibre and more quiet and relaxing with better grounds and facilities. It also costs 40K points a night for a classic room which is ridiclous when you consider off peak season rooms starting at around 150 USD

The HI Baruna Bali is by itself a nice enough Holiday Inn resort. It has been newly refurbished and repopened in April of this year. It only costs 15K points a night and is in a more lively area with good access to lots of eating places around and the Seminyak area with great restaurants nearby. The grounds are well kept too but you will find more families here. The beach is soso but other then clean up the area there is not much the hotel can do about the ocean water pollution.

As a Plat you receive a one category upgrade to a garden View room from the lowest superior room category, at least thats what I got initially. Some rooms - even though new - smell damp so be aware and if you are a larger party of more then 2 hoping to stay in one room then you ar eout of luck as they are quite small.

Weigh your options. I usually pay at IC (if rates are low) and use points at the HI.

I'm just saying I prefer the Nusa Dua area more then Jimbaran. IC is great hotel. If I were paying for a hotel I would book the Laguna or the Grand Hyatt. I even enjoyed the Nikko. You can't go wrong with most hotels in Bali, they all are great in there own way. It's a difficult decision which hotel to book when I travel there. Just don't book the Ritz. I would stay in the Bali Hilton over the Ritz. Sure I'll stay at the IC for free why complain.

Thanks for all the input. Decided to stay at the IC using free nights (not points) and paying for one night.

We are also staying a few nights off the beaten path in UBUD. No name brand hotels there.

no name brand hotels??? There is a FS in Ubud (Sayan) as well as the Alila. Wasn't there talk somewhere about a 2nd IC property in Bali?

no name brand hotels??? There is a FS in Ubud (Sayan) as well as the Alila. Wasn't there talk somewhere about a 2nd IC property in Bali?

Both are nice for sure. I had a look at the Alila Ubud in Sep on my last trip. Nice but prices are in a somewhat different league ;).

The other IC is supposedly planned for Sanur but there are no official news on it. Not sure it will still go ahead. Let's see.

OT - Similar that there was supposed to be an IC on Koh Samui in Thailand and nothing is happening there either. My next wish would be an IC resort in Langkawi - long overdue.

@ demue

An IC in Sanur? You kidding right. There is nothing over there.

They should open another IC in Ubud or Seminyak area instead of Sanur.

a fan of IC Bali.