*HighFlyah*
Aug 30, 00, 3:16 pm
***PART ONE***
Hey Everyone,
I'm back in Hong Kong from Bali, and BOY was it a great experience. For those of you who are thinking of a great romantic getaway, a honeymoon place, or a great place to have fun, CHOOSE BALI. Especially when the Indonesian Rupiah is in shambles. I'd go there again in a heartbeat, but I'd have to wait until my sunburn gets better and the skin on my back stops peeling off. *peel*
This won't be a traditional EXTREMELY detailed trip report, I'm afraid - I'm about to go to the States via Tokyo, San Francisco and Chicago on UA (suicide? maybe!) in a few hours, and thought I'd drop a line of thanks to those of you who bothered to give me so much useful information on Bali and tips before I left last week!
Anyway, the dates were August 25 to 29th, 5 days, 4 nights at the Grand Hyatt Bali, Nusa Dua Beach. I got rates of US169.00 including 21% taxes and service charge for a garden view double room which ended up being room 4442 in the extreme West Village. That rate is quite hard to beat, IMHO, considering the best I could find online was 160.00 plus 21%.
Back to the trip itself. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Flights and Inflight Service
The flights were on Singapore Airlines from Hong Kong to Denpasar via Singapore (100% accrual of flight miles on UA Mileage Plus - I ain't complaining, being a UA MP geek striving for the lofty "heights" of PremEx by year end 2000).
Flight details:
25 AUG HKG-SIN B747-400 SQ 001
25 AUG SIN-DPS A310-300 SQ 146
29 AUG DPS-SIN B777-300 SQ 143
29 AUG SIN-HKG B777-300 SQ 868
Let's just say that Singapore Airlines is *THE* airline to fly on... attentive service, attractive cabin decor, excellent KrisWorld entertainment system with PTVs in each economy seat (except A310-300), but the main attraction was the FOOD. Yes, AIRLINE FOOD. I thought was in airline food heaven - freshly prepared meals (Menus on the return segments for Carfield) offering regional specialities such as Chau Kway Teow and Indonesian Curry Fish with Rice. No complaints there. And they DO have "service that even other airlines talk about."
We didn't exactly get a steal on air+hotel package rates to Bali, and ended up having to get hotel and air separate. The tab came to HKD3600 (USD450) for HKG-SIN-DPS-SIN-HKG in Economy.
The 777-300 and B747-400 are always awesome to fly on though. More on the last 777-300 flight later. By the way, somehow all of the landings were horrible. Very rough. I caught an in-cabin video of the landing in SIN of the 777-300 on the DPS-SIN leg. Interesting stuff.
Singapore Changi International Airport
Singapore Changi International was AWESOME. I wish all airports took after SIN... indoor faunas, waterfalls, adequate facilities. My companion and I spent S$20 (about US$12) on video games and several fun games of air hockey at the TimeZone Australia at Terminal 2 and also spent tons of time at the Open-Air Smoking Area and garden also at Terminal 2 next to TimeZone. Great views of runway 20L and of arriving and departing traffic and SQ GALORE !!!
Arrival in Bali
We arrived in Bali on a Thursday afternoon, at 1630 amidst tons of holiday goers and even more Indonesia drivers and hired guides waiting with signs outside the arrivals area. We remembered to stay away from them and go TAXI all the way - cheapest way to travel, and that is an understatement.
The exchange rate for the duration of our stay ended up to be USD1 = IDR8310 and the rates at the airport were consistent with that figure. I got USD200 changed at the airport money changer at a rate of 8290.
Caught a cab to Grand Hyatt in Nusa Dua - a 15-20 minute ride through the slums and dolrums during which you swore that the driver was taking you someplace to be butchered and sold for cheap. Fare was not metered and we haggled our way from 50,000 30,000 Rupiah (USD 3.50). Not bad for a beginner, I thought http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif
Inside these Nusa Dua gates was a vast expanse of resort after resort - Sheraton, Hilton, Grand Hyatt... the list goes on. We pulled up to the lobby of the Grand Hyatt and noticed that the front of the property wasn't very impressive (the Hilton actually has a large water fountain in the front). A nice lady greeted us with flower "hoops" which smelled so nice. I was excited to start the exploration at one of the most highly talked about resorts in Bali, so I tipped the cab driver a whopping 5,000 Rupiah (USD 75 cents) and went to the check-in desks.
The polite but obviously not extremely bright male reservationist was feverishly trying to figure out why he couldn't pull up our reservation for 20 minutes. I had thought that we may have double-booked despite having cancelled 4 days prior to arrival my online booking at www.hyatt.com (http://www.hyatt.com) in favor of better rates at a Malaysia-based online travel agency www.asiatravelmart.com (http://www.asiatravelmart.com) which was referred to me by another FTer. Thanks whoever it was! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
He finally dug up our reservation, imprinted my credit card, and presented a welcome package with our room cards, two coupons for welcome drinks at the La Cita Fun Pub, pool towel exchange cards, a handy fold-up credit card sized map of the resort (you need one - it's really confusing there) and upon my mention of my new Gold Passport membership, an envelope with invitations to the gym and sports center, discounts for dinner shows, etc. and free rental of bicycles. Not bad, I thought!
We trekked what seemed like 10 miles to our room - 4442 in the extreme end of the West Village (there was West Village, South Village, East Village, and the center facilities). Our room was on the 4th floor, and the porter carried our luggage to our room while we fumbled around for small change.
Our room was, while not lavish, well-equipped. It was slightly larger than a standard double room, with a corner sitting area with couch and coffee table with a dish of welcome fruits. The floor was white tile, and the bathroom area had a shower and a bathtub. The toilet and safe/luggage storage/closet was adjoined and one sliding wooden door was the door to either one.
A similar wooden window and blinds stood between the bathtub and the beds, such that one taking a bubble bath also had a good view of the television. The small terrace ended up being the place where we spent most early mornings and late nights smoking and chatting, and was small but adequate with an ashtray which I *so* wanted to take as a souvenir - which of course I did not. I now think about that ashtray after not being able to find a similar one in town :-) *chuckles*
Part TWO to follow when I return to the States later this week
[This message has been edited by *HighFlyah* (edited 08-30-2000).]
[This message has been edited by *HighFlyah* (edited 08-30-2000).]
[This message has been edited by *HighFlyah* (edited 08-30-2000).]
Hey Everyone,
I'm back in Hong Kong from Bali, and BOY was it a great experience. For those of you who are thinking of a great romantic getaway, a honeymoon place, or a great place to have fun, CHOOSE BALI. Especially when the Indonesian Rupiah is in shambles. I'd go there again in a heartbeat, but I'd have to wait until my sunburn gets better and the skin on my back stops peeling off. *peel*
This won't be a traditional EXTREMELY detailed trip report, I'm afraid - I'm about to go to the States via Tokyo, San Francisco and Chicago on UA (suicide? maybe!) in a few hours, and thought I'd drop a line of thanks to those of you who bothered to give me so much useful information on Bali and tips before I left last week!
Anyway, the dates were August 25 to 29th, 5 days, 4 nights at the Grand Hyatt Bali, Nusa Dua Beach. I got rates of US169.00 including 21% taxes and service charge for a garden view double room which ended up being room 4442 in the extreme West Village. That rate is quite hard to beat, IMHO, considering the best I could find online was 160.00 plus 21%.
Back to the trip itself. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Flights and Inflight Service
The flights were on Singapore Airlines from Hong Kong to Denpasar via Singapore (100% accrual of flight miles on UA Mileage Plus - I ain't complaining, being a UA MP geek striving for the lofty "heights" of PremEx by year end 2000).
Flight details:
25 AUG HKG-SIN B747-400 SQ 001
25 AUG SIN-DPS A310-300 SQ 146
29 AUG DPS-SIN B777-300 SQ 143
29 AUG SIN-HKG B777-300 SQ 868
Let's just say that Singapore Airlines is *THE* airline to fly on... attentive service, attractive cabin decor, excellent KrisWorld entertainment system with PTVs in each economy seat (except A310-300), but the main attraction was the FOOD. Yes, AIRLINE FOOD. I thought was in airline food heaven - freshly prepared meals (Menus on the return segments for Carfield) offering regional specialities such as Chau Kway Teow and Indonesian Curry Fish with Rice. No complaints there. And they DO have "service that even other airlines talk about."
We didn't exactly get a steal on air+hotel package rates to Bali, and ended up having to get hotel and air separate. The tab came to HKD3600 (USD450) for HKG-SIN-DPS-SIN-HKG in Economy.
The 777-300 and B747-400 are always awesome to fly on though. More on the last 777-300 flight later. By the way, somehow all of the landings were horrible. Very rough. I caught an in-cabin video of the landing in SIN of the 777-300 on the DPS-SIN leg. Interesting stuff.
Singapore Changi International Airport
Singapore Changi International was AWESOME. I wish all airports took after SIN... indoor faunas, waterfalls, adequate facilities. My companion and I spent S$20 (about US$12) on video games and several fun games of air hockey at the TimeZone Australia at Terminal 2 and also spent tons of time at the Open-Air Smoking Area and garden also at Terminal 2 next to TimeZone. Great views of runway 20L and of arriving and departing traffic and SQ GALORE !!!
Arrival in Bali
We arrived in Bali on a Thursday afternoon, at 1630 amidst tons of holiday goers and even more Indonesia drivers and hired guides waiting with signs outside the arrivals area. We remembered to stay away from them and go TAXI all the way - cheapest way to travel, and that is an understatement.
The exchange rate for the duration of our stay ended up to be USD1 = IDR8310 and the rates at the airport were consistent with that figure. I got USD200 changed at the airport money changer at a rate of 8290.
Caught a cab to Grand Hyatt in Nusa Dua - a 15-20 minute ride through the slums and dolrums during which you swore that the driver was taking you someplace to be butchered and sold for cheap. Fare was not metered and we haggled our way from 50,000 30,000 Rupiah (USD 3.50). Not bad for a beginner, I thought http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif
Inside these Nusa Dua gates was a vast expanse of resort after resort - Sheraton, Hilton, Grand Hyatt... the list goes on. We pulled up to the lobby of the Grand Hyatt and noticed that the front of the property wasn't very impressive (the Hilton actually has a large water fountain in the front). A nice lady greeted us with flower "hoops" which smelled so nice. I was excited to start the exploration at one of the most highly talked about resorts in Bali, so I tipped the cab driver a whopping 5,000 Rupiah (USD 75 cents) and went to the check-in desks.
The polite but obviously not extremely bright male reservationist was feverishly trying to figure out why he couldn't pull up our reservation for 20 minutes. I had thought that we may have double-booked despite having cancelled 4 days prior to arrival my online booking at www.hyatt.com (http://www.hyatt.com) in favor of better rates at a Malaysia-based online travel agency www.asiatravelmart.com (http://www.asiatravelmart.com) which was referred to me by another FTer. Thanks whoever it was! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
He finally dug up our reservation, imprinted my credit card, and presented a welcome package with our room cards, two coupons for welcome drinks at the La Cita Fun Pub, pool towel exchange cards, a handy fold-up credit card sized map of the resort (you need one - it's really confusing there) and upon my mention of my new Gold Passport membership, an envelope with invitations to the gym and sports center, discounts for dinner shows, etc. and free rental of bicycles. Not bad, I thought!
We trekked what seemed like 10 miles to our room - 4442 in the extreme end of the West Village (there was West Village, South Village, East Village, and the center facilities). Our room was on the 4th floor, and the porter carried our luggage to our room while we fumbled around for small change.
Our room was, while not lavish, well-equipped. It was slightly larger than a standard double room, with a corner sitting area with couch and coffee table with a dish of welcome fruits. The floor was white tile, and the bathroom area had a shower and a bathtub. The toilet and safe/luggage storage/closet was adjoined and one sliding wooden door was the door to either one.
A similar wooden window and blinds stood between the bathtub and the beds, such that one taking a bubble bath also had a good view of the television. The small terrace ended up being the place where we spent most early mornings and late nights smoking and chatting, and was small but adequate with an ashtray which I *so* wanted to take as a souvenir - which of course I did not. I now think about that ashtray after not being able to find a similar one in town :-) *chuckles*
Part TWO to follow when I return to the States later this week
[This message has been edited by *HighFlyah* (edited 08-30-2000).]
[This message has been edited by *HighFlyah* (edited 08-30-2000).]
[This message has been edited by *HighFlyah* (edited 08-30-2000).]