Starwood Preferred Guest - Westin Nusa Dua, Bali 2006 onward [Master Thread]




FrankFlyer
Jan 8, 06, 6:18 pm
Have a wonderful trip and say hello to Mr Jan, the general manager from me.

Diana,

I had the pleasure to say Hi to Mr. Jan for you. He's a wonderful man and went out of his way to show me the new suites and make sure my needs were met. The hotel service was excellent from every aspect. I Would definately go back there when in Bali.


JMR
Jan 8, 06, 7:29 pm
Diana,

I had the pleasure to say Hi to Mr. Jan for you. He's a wonderful man and went out of his way to show me the new suites and make sure my needs were met. The hotel service was excellent from every aspect. I Would definately go back there when in Bali.

I know you previously advised no advance upgrade without $$, but what happened once you showed up? Any recognition of Gold?

FrankFlyer
Jan 9, 06, 4:06 am
Nope nothing. What I received was a Garden View room. Though I will say that after meeting with Mr. Jan on the 2nd day he asked if my room was ok and if I wanted to change rooms. At that point I was already settled and knew I was not staying in the hotel for the 4th and 5th night of my stay ( still paid as it was a priceline rate ) as I was going with friends to Ubud.


diana
Jan 9, 06, 10:16 pm
after meeting with Mr. Jan on the 2nd day he asked if my room was ok and if I wanted to change rooms.

FrankFlyer, you should have accepted Mr Jan's invitation to change rooms. You might have been switched to one of those empty new suites. ;)

I am glad that you were happy with the Westin. I am just waiting for the weather to get better so that I can go back home.

Joelle
May 17, 06, 5:25 am
We decided to use some Starpoints for a three night award stay at this resort and selected a specialty room (Pool view). At the time we made the booking, husband was Gold, but he got “downgraded” in the meantime to Preferred.

We had booked for an airport transfer and found the driver outside the customs exit waiting for us (we were not entitled to the Mercedes car… ;) ), and he took us for a smooth 15 mn trip to the hotel.

Upon check-in, the room we had booked was confirmed (how nice! :rolleyes: ), but the lady “offered” a change to a Royal Beach Club room for 60 USD a day, including breakfast, drinks, lunch and free internet connection.
We selected this option and found it very useful. ^

Note: we were also “offered” another paying upgrade to a suite for 150 USD a day…

When taken to our room, we discovered that the king size bed was there, but no bath tub…. It was a shower. This is the first time it ever happens to us in such a hotel category. Unless you specify your choice for a shower, standard equipment is bathtub, or both…

They moved us to the room next door with a bath tub, but with twin beds… Apparently this 355 room resort has no room with King size bed and bathtub… :eek:

I checked the web site and there is no way of knowing the difference in bathroom equipment depending on the room type chosen.

Room was nicely decorated, with a small balcony and an adequate but small bathroom. We were not convinced by the advertised room size (409 sq ft or 38 sq meters)… :confused:

We had a very good dinner by the sea at the Ikan restaurant. ^

The room was quiet and we had a good night. However the next morning we discovered that the bath tub plug was blocked and would not open. Later in the day we were told that the bath tub problem could not be fixed (don’t ask me why!), and the reception offered to move us to a similar room.
No upgrade offer again, unless we were willing to pay the requested price…
Since it was late already, we declined the “offer”.

On the second morning, another problem came up… the A/C went down… They managed however to solve this problem and offered this time to move us to a Club Terrace room (same type of room but on the ground level with a terrace) which we did not find adequate in terms of privacy. Again the request for a suite upgrade was not accepted. Although the RBC supervisor said she would check it with her Manager the next day. Apparently she did not have the ability to decide by herself.

On the third day we went out for the whole day to visit the island. We had informed the Supervisor that we would be out all day long…
Upon our return around 6 PM, we got an anxious phone call from the RBC office saying they had been trying to contact us all day… and let us know that we would be moved (for the last remaining night) to a RBC Suite. Apparently the exchange of information between the teams had not been made…

I have to say that the thought of packing/unpacking/re-packing again for one night made us refuse this Suite, although we had been longing for this for the last three days.

It became very clear that the staff did not have much power of decision on upgrades, but their Manager, when consulted, gave approval right away… It would have been great if they had asked their boss when we made our first request… but they did not… :td:

Upon check-out, while I was paying for the bill, my husband was approached in the lobby by the Hotel Manager who was a bit anxious to know if our stay went OK… I wonder why… :D and he apologized for the problems encountered during our stay.

This resort is a nice one, extensive grounds, very well maintained. Very cheerful and eager to please staff. Good food (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Enjoyable Royal Beach Club. But we had the feeling the staff was really under pressure to generate more revenue for the hotel, than actually trying to answer a request (since the hotel was not full…). But we all know that the situation in terms of business is not easy in Bali at the moment...

However we can recommend the place to family/friends/relatives/business partners, as the resort is a nice one, and we were able to relax. I just loved the squirrels there ! ^
And their beach is a fine one, even if it may not be a “nature-made” beach.

On departure day we requested a "late" check-out (2.30 PM) and got it without any problems, as the other hotel we were staying at in Ubud had sent a car to pick us up in the afternoon.

Joelle
May 17, 06, 7:11 am
As a final note, you may have to keep in mind that the resort was only half full when we stayed there, making the pool accessible, no lounge chair problems, etc...

It is also true that it looks very convenient for families. There were only a few families (and kids) in May. I don't know how crowded it may get during the high season. However grounds are extensive.

Buckhead Flyer
May 17, 06, 12:05 pm
"but the lady “offered” a change to a Royal Beach Club room for 60 USD a day, including breakfast, drinks, lunch and free internet connection.
We selected this option and found it very useful. "

I stayed here in March and was offered the same deal. I, too, took it and enjoyed the club though, as an SPG Gold, I was disappointed in not being offered some sort of deal on the upgrade. The $60 difference between the rate I booked and the RBC rate I was offered was the same rate difference offered on the website.

The hotel was less than 40% full. The RBC wing was virtually empty (over two nights I saw the same three couples in the lounge and no one else). While I enjoyed my stay, my room, too, had some minor issues and the hotel was undergoing some renovation... all of which could have been smoothed over by a complimentary or discounted upgrade.

I understand the need to maximize revenue, but, in my case, all the Westin did was insure I'll stay next door at the Sheraton (or the Intercon, which was really nice) next time.

diana
May 17, 06, 5:19 pm
Joelle, I am sorry that you encountered all of those problems during your stay. I am glad that you posted them, however, I wished you would have mentioned something about any problems when you made your post from the RBC. The hotel manager is very aware of Flyertalk and would have dealt with your problems directly instead of going through the RBC staff.

I want to mention one thing about the RBC staff. Last year the manager became pregnant and she moved over to the convention center. Since that time, it has been co-managed by Ms S and Mr G, but they really don't have the status of manager, as you said in your post. I have found them both to be quite helpful, but more like a position of a concierge.

If any of those situations would have occurred to me, I would have told them, "That's not good enough" and you better believe they would do all in their power and more to have corrected the situation ASAP! I would have told them that I was going down to the RBC and have a drink and that they have an hour to get a king size bed in my room.

In the future if any of the Flyertalk community stays at the Westin Nusa Dua, please mention in your reservation that you are from Flyertalk. And also ask to meet the hotel manager as soon as you can. He likes to meet all of his guests at some point or another during your stay. At least you won't be just a name and if you have a problem you can deal with Mr Jan directly. This does not apply only to this hotel. I would try and meet the manager of any hotel where I was staying for my vacation.

Joelle
May 18, 06, 3:34 am
Don't worry Diana. We enjoyed our stay at the Westin.

We wanted to relax there for a few days after a long trip from Europe, and we managed to do so.

When I posted from the RBC computer, I was anyway leaving the hotel the next day.

mario33
Jun 15, 06, 8:22 am
Would Platinum members be upgraded to the Royal Beach Club on an award stay ? I have a late arrival and will be spending a night at the Westin, would be nice to be able to have breakfast in the lounge :)

Thanks.

LAXNRT
Jun 15, 06, 10:19 am
Would Platinum members be upgraded to the Royal Beach Club on an award stay ? I have a late arrival and will be spending a night at the Westin, would be nice to be able to have breakfast in the lounge :)

Thanks.

As a PLAT I was upgraded to a very nice suite. As far as I know they don't upgrade to the RBC. The suite was great though, very large with two toilets, shower, tub, very nice and large living room area and large balcony.

There was a happy hour from 5-7 every day at the bar for PLAT with free drinks (enjoyed this very much :) )

alect
Jun 15, 06, 11:18 pm
We stayed at the Sheraton next door in early June. Booked award specialty room Studio King. The room was wonderful - my wife was aghast actually. Both shower and hot tub. Not one single thing went wrong during the entire stay. the staff were cheery, friendly and helpful and never gave us the impression of trying to generate revenue. I was amazed at the low number of guests - it truly did feel like the staff/guest ratio was 2:1. The pools were wonderful. We dined at the Westin restaurants next door, but found them more expensive than the Sheraton ones (eg the Sheraton has a breakfast buffet, while Westin only has a la carte).

We would truly want to come back to this resort and would highly recommend it to others.

Joelle
Jun 20, 06, 4:16 am
In May, the Westin featured a huge buffet breakfast + another breakfast buffet at the RBC...

bigboofer
Jun 20, 06, 10:23 am
We stayed at the Sheraton next door in early June. Booked award specialty room Studio King. The room was wonderful - my wife was aghast actually. Both shower and hot tub. Not one single thing went wrong during the entire stay. the staff were cheery, friendly and helpful and never gave us the impression of trying to generate revenue. I was amazed at the low number of guests - it truly did feel like the staff/guest ratio was 2:1. The pools were wonderful. We dined at the Westin restaurants next door, but found them more expensive than the Sheraton ones (eg the Sheraton has a breakfast buffet, while Westin only has a la carte).

We would truly want to come back to this resort and would highly recommend it to others.

I have stayed at the Sheraton Laguna many times and have found each stay to be a real treat. I will be back in July for another visit.

If in Bali a trip to Jimbaran Beach or Bay for dinner is a must. Sun sets can be beautiful and the food is not expensive. Give "Sharkey's" a try. :D

guybaxy
Aug 5, 06, 5:22 am
I am a SPG PLat, and when I checked in at the Westin yesterday, was told there is "no executive club" and when asked for a bfast voucher, they said room only rate, I was on a spg award night, and they knew I was plat, complained on checkout, they comp the internet broadbank and phone charges. I was given amenity of 500 pts on check in.

ldsant
Aug 5, 06, 12:22 pm
I've stayed many times at Westins on paid stays and if they do not have a lounge they do not provide breakfast/drink benefits. This is totally up to the discretion of the hotel I believe and is not a published benefit for all of the Westins system-wide.

Sounds like getting broadband comped probably was the better "deal" anyway :)

Merlion
Aug 6, 06, 7:51 am
I've stayed many times at Westins on paid stays and if they do not have a lounge they do not provide breakfast/drink benefits. This is totally up to the discretion of the hotel I believe and is not a published benefit for all of the Westins system-wide.


Those guys have a lounge, so that's why a lot of Plats feel bad at this property.

UALkid1
Jan 19, 07, 8:49 am
I just wanted to see if any platinums have stayed here recently and what was your experience with benefit.. from what I have read via seaches it seems that you do not get access to the royal beach club but you do get free breakfast and a free happy hour? Is this right?

Also would any plats recommend staying at the Laguna Nusa instead?

I am planning a 5 day trip in March..

Any info is appreciated!!

THANKS!

mario33
Jan 19, 07, 9:22 am
it seems that you do not get access to the royal beach club but you do get free breakfast and a free happy hour? Is this right?

Yes, that is correct.

And the free breakfast was a full breakfast which they usually charge approx USD18 per person. I cant imagine the Royal Beach Club offering a better breakfast, so I am not complaining. Late check-out was also offered but I didnt take it up.

I have only stayed at the Laguna as Gold, so cant compare the Platinum benefits. However, of the two resorts I do find the Laguna to be nicer.

Captain Canuck
Jan 19, 07, 12:52 pm
UALkid1, Please post your comments on the resort after your stay. I am in a similar boat as you. I will be spending 7 days in Bali in July and was wondering whether to stay at the "Luxury Collection" or the Westin. It sounds like the Westin has better perks for Plats, but I can't believe that as a PLat that you don't also have access to the RBC - doesn't make sense ??

Enjoy your trip ! :)

Buckhead Flyer
Jan 19, 07, 1:20 pm
It sounds like the Westin has better perks for Plats, but I can't believe that as a PLat that you don't also have access to the RBC - doesn't make sense ??

IIRC from my visit last year (and I may not) the RBC is marketed as a hotel w/i the hotel (or some such nonsense) and is not considered a Plat perk. There is lounge for Plats near the Japanese restaurant. It was closed when I stayed at the Westin -- there was a lot of construction going on at the time. :td:

Buckhead Flyer
Jan 19, 07, 4:30 pm
I was pretty unimpressed with the Westin: I'd stay at the Sheraton (again) if I go back.

I got a pretty hard sell at check-in to spend the $60 for the RBC upgrade. I made clear my Gold status and sort of got a blank look. A nice blank look, but a blank look nonethelss. I looked at the room I was initially offered and the RBC room I could have for the $60 upgrade. I could not see much difference. I elected to spend the $60 and, in hindsight, it was not worth the money. The RBC breakfast was good, though not as good as what I recall from the Sheraton's buffet. The afternoon drinks defined "free flowing:" no complaints there. The food on offer was good one night: soggy tempura from the Japanese restaurant the next. The staff was truly delightful, friendly and very helpful. But, excluding the breakfast (which I think I could have replicated at the Sheraton for $10 or so) I did not feel like the RBC was worth the $50 I, essentially, spent on red wine and appetizers in the evening. For that I could have taken a taxi to Sanur or Jimbaran and had a nice dinner on the beach.

You might be better off at the Sheraton which has an equally friendly staff and a terrific pool.

derpelikan
Jan 19, 07, 6:54 pm
I was pretty unimpressed with the Westin: I'd stay at the Sheraton (again) if I go back.

I got a pretty hard sell at check-in to spend the $60 for the RBC upgrade. I made clear my Gold status and sort of got a blank look. A nice blank look, but a blank look nonethelss. I looked at the room I was initially offered and the RBC room I could have for the $60 upgrade. I could not see much difference. I elected to spend the $60 and, in hindsight, it was not worth the money. The RBC breakfast was good, though not as good as what I recall from the Sheraton's buffet. The afternoon drinks defined "free flowing:" no complaints there. The food on offer was good one night: soggy tempura from the Japanese restaurant the next. The staff was truly delightful, friendly and very helpful. But, excluding the breakfast (which I think I could have replicated at the Sheraton for $10 or so) I did not feel like the RBC was worth the $50 I, essentially, spent on red wine and appetizers in the evening. For that I could have taken a taxi to Sanur or Jimbaran and had a nice dinner on the beach.

You might be better off at the Sheraton which has an equally friendly staff and a terrific pool.


you have to reserach on FT better.

the trick is to book the first night as a RBC room night.
the best is to use a SPG50 for that to bring the rate down to something around 150USD.
for the rest of the nights you just use points and book your stay.

than you can just pm one of us people who have stayed there, and who know who to pm :) than your whole stay would have been with RBC acess for free.
you get airport transfers for free etc. etc. :)

dp

mario33
Jan 19, 07, 8:16 pm
I made clear my Gold status and sort of got a blank look. A nice blank look, but a blank look nonethelss.

Not sure what you expect as Gold but when I was Gold I have never had any significant upgrade or lounge access in any SPG hotel.

Gold : Laguna gave me a 1 category upgrade (I enquired about a further category upgrade but was denied eventhough occupancy was only 15% then) and Westin didnt offer me any upgrade (manager eventually gave me 1 category upgrade after much discussion)

Buffet Breakfast : unless things have changed, the buffet breakfast at the Westin was far more extensive than the Laguna. However, the restaurant at the Westin was very crowded the few times I stayed there; while the Laguna was much quiteter, has a nicer ambiance and very personalised service (for a buffet).

UALkid1
Jan 22, 07, 9:22 am
you have to reserach on FT better.

the trick is to book the first night as a RBC room night.
the best is to use a SPG50 for that to bring the rate down to something around 150USD.
for the rest of the nights you just use points and book your stay.

than you can just pm one of us people who have stayed there, and who know who to pm :) than your whole stay would have been with RBC acess for free.
you get airport transfers for free etc. etc. :)

dp

I guess I am trying to figure out what RBC access give you that being platinum does not besides the airport transfer.. We still get free breakfast and a free happy hour? So in other words is it worth paying $150 the first night and then using points for the next four to get RBC access? Also anyone know how much an airport transfer is in general?

thanks in advance for any advice!!

lovtofly3
Jan 22, 07, 11:50 am
Curious as it will be my 1ST time in Bali.
Have 4 nites booked in March.Hoping for some type of upgrade??
Do I really need to pay extra for the RBC as a Plat.??
How much is a taxi from the airport to the hotel??
Thanks for any Info.

Buckhead Flyer
Jan 22, 07, 3:19 pm
you have to reserach on FT better.

the trick is to book the first night as a RBC room night.
the best is to use a SPG50 for that to bring the rate down to something around 150USD.
for the rest of the nights you just use points and book your stay.

dp

My room rate was less than $100 U.S. so, even after spending the money to upgrade to the RBC, the rate was lower than I would have received using the SPG50. And, utimately, the rate I paid for the RBC room was exactly what I would have paid had I booked at RBC room from the start.

Buckhead Flyer
Jan 22, 07, 3:33 pm
Not sure what you expect as Gold but when I was Gold I have never had any significant upgrade or lounge access in any SPG hotel.

Gold : Laguna gave me a 1 category upgrade (I enquired about a further category upgrade but was denied eventhough occupancy was only 15% then) and Westin didnt offer me any upgrade (manager eventually gave me 1 category upgrade after much discussion)

Buffet Breakfast : unless things have changed, the buffet breakfast at the Westin was far more extensive than the Laguna. However, the restaurant at the Westin was very crowded the few times I stayed there; while the Laguna was much quiteter, has a nicer ambiance and very personalised service (for a buffet).

As a Gold I expect little more than a gold-colored envelope for my room key.

That you had to undertake "much discussion" to get an upgrade at this hotel plays to my point. The Westin was less than 30% occupied during my stay. The RBC wing was empty. The floors were being chiseled up all day long. What incremental cost would the Westin have incurred upgrading me to the RBC gratis or at a discount. I can afford the $120 it cost me to upgrade: it's not about the cash, but more about the manner in which it was handled. To be offered the upgrade at, essentially, the full-fare was, I dunno, cheesy.

The fact that I did it anyway can be interpreted any number of ways.

derpelikan
Jan 22, 07, 9:26 pm
I guess I am trying to figure out what RBC access give you that being platinum does not besides the airport transfer.. We still get free breakfast and a free happy hour? So in other words is it worth paying $150 the first night and then using points for the next four to get RBC access? Also anyone know how much an airport transfer is in general?

thanks in advance for any advice!!

well, the RBC acess is worth it.
the time i have stayed there , there was not platinum lounge.the RBC is 24Hours open.

you have a great breakfast menu.
if you book your initial night as a RBC You get return airport transfer.
the airport transfer is with a normal limosine at least 35USD oneway.
taxi is around 15USD if i remember correctly.

what i did was, i booked the RBC for the first 3 nights with SPG50.
i addet 5 nights as award. and asked the hotel if they will extend the same suite and RBC benefit for the awards.

they did agree, after i got more points i changed the SPG50 to one night and reseverd the other two nights with points too.
after asking the hotel, they said it is ok, and i can use RBC and the same suite even i only pay one night.

i wouldnt pay 60USD night for the RBC, but if you can get it free of charge its worth it.


dp

cxn
Feb 27, 07, 3:13 am
Arrived in Bali yesterday, staying at the Westin for work!

1) Arranged Airport transportation, $11 USD one way. A friend took a taxi, 85000 which is about $9.00. Personally, I like the one way price of $11 with someone waiting for me with a sign.

2) Upgraded to a executive suite, they said there are 8 in the hotel. It is basicly 3 rooms, Bedroom, Dining room, living room. I am Plat. Welcome Drink.

3) Free Breakfast at the Cafe Everyday!

4) Free Drinks during 'Happy Hour' 6 - 7pm as a Plat.

Nice Hotel, too bad I am in meetings all day :(.

Captain Canuck
Feb 27, 07, 8:22 pm
Based on cxn's current experience (suite upgrade as a Plat), and what others have said about spending the money (and SPG50 coupon) for the first night in a RBC room, the natural question that follow is, as a Plat who pays for a room in the highly touted RBC wing, will you be upgraded to a RBC suite ??:confused:

Has anyone had this happen to them ? If not, it may be better to settle for the Plat Suite upgrade with free breakfast & happy hour.;)

cxn
Mar 1, 07, 6:57 am
Based on cxn's current experience (suite upgrade as a Plat), and what others have said about spending the money (and SPG50 coupon) for the first night in a RBC room, the natural question that follow is, as a Plat who pays for a room in the highly touted RBC wing, will you be upgraded to a RBC suite ??:confused:

Has anyone had this happen to them ? If not, it may be better to settle for the Plat Suite upgrade with free breakfast & happy hour.;)

My friends reservation shows that he was upgraded to a RBC Suite. It is the exact same as mine.

Captain Canuck
Mar 2, 07, 11:56 am
The RBC Suite is exactly the same, but he has access to the RBC lounge and you do not ? Is that correct ?

mario33
Mar 2, 07, 12:01 pm
The RBC Suite is exactly the same, but he has access to the RBC lounge and you do not ? Is that correct ?

From my observation, they have converted the end suites (next to the beach/ocean) to RBC suites. The other suites are garden or pool view , and Platinums are usually upgraded to these suites.

IndiaFlyer
Mar 3, 07, 1:38 am
We stayed there a week ago and I had an interesting situation. We booked two room on points and asked for interconnecting rooms since we have two kids below 8 years old. On check in I was told they do not have an interconnecting room in the hotel, in the hotel. Not that they were not available but that the hotel did not have this option. Found that weird. We were offered the "family suite" which is basically two room with a small enclosure allowing both rooms to be connected for $ 50 a night. This was an absolute rip off from a value perspective for me but we had no option but to take it. Later on of course we had a lot of construction noise so they offered to waive this charge.

Has anyone else had this problem. In my mind interconnecting rooms not being built in a resort sounded like a tall story.

The hotel of course was very nice and we enjoyed our four day holiday immensely.

DFW DL
Apr 8, 07, 9:56 pm
As IndiaFlyer surmised, there are in fact interconnecting rooms at the Nusa Dua. We were just there for Spring Break and were given an Executive Suite (PLT upgrade) plus an interconnecting double room.

Very nice stay at a very nice property. Airport transfer was arranged via e-mail (minivan for $11 one-way) and went off without a hitch. Check-in was smooth and PLT upgrade and amenities offered without argument. Received a spacious Executive Suite (non-RBC, in the main building) with a large balcony overlooking the pool (but far enough away so that pool noise was not a problem).

Nice freshwater pool area with a water slide, toddler pool, shallow end for the younger kids, and a deep end for the adults. Good mix of sun and shade seating options around the pool. Also had a saltwater pool used mostly by adults; as we were traveling with DL, Jr. we spent most of the time at the water slide. Standard Westin Kids Club, where DL, Jr. happily spent one morning of our stay.

Evening happy hour for PLTs was in the Kites Lounge in the lobby; great service and basically anything we wanted drink-wise. Had booked a rate with breakfast which was provided in the Capsicum Cafe; nothing special but good service. Also got excellent service at the pool bar; eating lunch there was much better than taking chances with the restuarants.

Enjoyed a birthday dinner for our niece at the Hamabe Japanese restuarant; was the best food and service that we had at any of the meals we had at the resort. Dinner at Ikan (beach-side restaurant) and lunch at Verandah (pool-side) were both disappointments; tasteless food and poorly timed service.

This was our first trip to Bali and probably our last. Someone in the local government needs to wake up to the fact that the first and most lasting impression that their island will make on most visitors is the absolute scrum that is the arrivals area at DPS. The arrivals process (notably the visa) took almost two hours of shoving and sweating. While the resort was very nice and the island was indeed beautiful, we would prefer Thailand as a destination as it is both easier to get to and more welcoming when one arrives.

alect
Apr 8, 07, 10:00 pm
Enjoyed a birthday dinner for our niece at the Hamabe Japanese restuarant; was the best food and service that we had at any of the meals we had at the resort. Dinner at Ikan (beach-side restaurant) and lunch at Verandah (pool-side) were both disappointments; tasteless food and poorly timed service.

Agree on the service, though I think the food was way overpriced - it wsa OK sushi but not worth what they were charging - especially for Bali.


This was our first trip to Bali and probably our last. Someone in the local government needs to wake up to the fact that the first and most lasting impression that their island will make on most visitors is the absolute scrum that is the arrivals area at DPS. The arrivals process (notably the visa) took almost two hours of shoving and sweating. While the resort was very nice and the island was indeed beautiful, we would prefer Thailand as a destination as it is both easier to get to and more welcoming when one arrives.

Couldn't agree more - that arrival process and the two step immigation process with the long lines is an absolute joke!!

AX9465
Jul 29, 07, 4:54 pm
well, the RBC acess is worth it.
the time i have stayed there , there was not platinum lounge.the RBC is 24Hours open.

they did agree, after i got more points i changed the SPG50 to one night and reseverd the other two nights with points too.
after asking the hotel, they said it is ok, and i can use RBC and the same suite even i only pay one night.

i wouldnt pay 60USD night for the RBC, but if you can get it free of charge its worth it.


dp


2 questions:
1) Current RBC rate for the dates I need is $215/night under "Best available rate". Does anybody know what the rate will be using SPG50?

2) for some countries in SE asia access to club lounge might be a great benefit due to high taxes on alcohol - for the comparizon sake can anybody provide information on (approximate) cost of beer/wine in hotel's restaurants?

AX

lovtofly3
Jul 29, 07, 7:41 pm
2 questions:
1) Current RBC rate for the dates I need is $215/night under "Best available rate". Does anybody know what the rate will be using SPG50?

2) for some countries in SE asia access to club lounge might be a great benefit due to high taxes on alcohol - for the comparizon sake can anybody provide information on (approximate) cost of beer/wine in hotel's restaurants?

AX

From what I saw beer and alcohol prices were quite normal within the hotel when compared to other hotels in SE Asia.
There were shops not far from the hotel that sold beer and sodas at local prices (cheap).
Anyway your Platinum,there is a complimntry happy Hour that has a great selection of drinks and small canapes.

Captain Canuck
Jul 31, 07, 7:00 am
In addition to the free drinks at Happy Hour, they also let you order as many snacks from their lounge menu as you wish (chicken wings, spring rolls, etc...) - a very nice perk. They also provide free breakfast in their restaurant, although IMHO the food there was not very good.

We stayed here last week for 3 days and it was pretty full. I was not given a complimentary upgrade, in fact they tried to give me a standard room with two double beds :mad: (my wife and I were on our 10th anniversary trip). There were no regular (Executive ?) suites available the first night, so they offered me one of the larger suites by the water for 12,000 points extra per night :eek: The GM was not available to speak with, so I spoke with his assistant who reduced the hit slightly to 10,500 points per night, which I took (even though an executive suite became available our 3rd night). This gave us all the RBC benefits which helped to lessen the shock.

Next trip I think we will try the Luxury Collection beside the Westin...

paullevi
Oct 18, 07, 11:54 am
Other than the general reservations email on the website, does anyone have an email address to send special requests in advance for this property? Have an anniversary trip planned.

paullevi
Oct 18, 07, 11:57 am
We stayed here last week for 3 days and it was pretty full. I was not given a complimentary upgrade, in fact they tried to give me a standard room with two double beds :mad: (my wife and I were on our 10th anniversary trip). There were no regular (Executive ?) suites available the first night, so they offered me one of the larger suites by the water for 12,000 points extra per night :eek: The GM was not available to speak with, so I spoke with his assistant who reduced the hit slightly to 10,500 points per night, which I took (even though an executive suite became available our 3rd night). This gave us all the RBC benefits which helped to lessen the shock.




Seems pretty stinky to do this to Platinum guest, especially considering your booked room type (1 King) wasnt available when you arrived. I'd march over to the Laguna and pay Rack/use points rather than get extorted out of a (otherwise unsold) room that you should be allowed to have gratis.

Captain Canuck
Oct 19, 07, 7:37 am
I looked at switching to the Laguna, but it was equally full :(

In the end, we paid the extra points for the suite and enjoyed the stay at the property. Staff in the RBC lounge were great, and they delivered a nice bottle of Bubbly (comp) for our 10th Anniversary ^

I would not hesitate to stay here again - just watch them on points redemption, as I noticed a few extra deductions from my account which were not authorized. SPG was good enough to get it all sorted out.

CC

Babu
Nov 19, 07, 8:14 am
Can anyone tell me how much the breakfast buffet costs per person in the restaurant, for those of us that don't have RBC access?

edited to add: I am SPG Gold, not Plat.

mario33
Nov 19, 07, 8:29 am
Can anyone tell me how much the breakfast buffet costs per person in the restaurant, for those of us that don't have RBC access?

Breakfast in the restaurant is comp if you are SPG Platinum.

When I was Gold I paid around USD15, but that was a few years back. You can also use the restaurant at The Laguna which has nicer ambiance but cant remember the cost.

tinypsu
Sep 27, 08, 3:24 am
So, taking the folks over to Bali from 11/25 to 11/30...

Any feedback on the Westin? Is this a good place to stay in?

Near by shopping?

In addition, I got a $160/night rate, no breakfast, no airport pick up... I am SPG gold - not sure even if an upgrade is possible :mad:

LarryU
Sep 28, 08, 2:35 pm
So, taking the folks over to Bali from 11/25 to 11/30...

Any feedback on the Westin? Is this a good place to stay in?

Near by shopping?

In addition, I got a $160/night rate, no breakfast, no airport pick up... I am SPG gold - not sure even if an upgrade is possible :mad:

I stayed there last winter using a combination of paid and award nights. As a platinum, I was given a very nice suite, free use of the business center, a great breakfast in their restaurant and cocktail hour in their lobby lounge, accompanied by some very limited munchies. I am not sure what benefits, if any, are extended to gold members.

Regarding transportation, upon arrival in DPS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngurah_Rai_Airport) I hitched a ride with a seat mate who had a hired a private car service so I cannot comment about the cost of taxis from the airport. However, I used a taxi to return to the airport from the Conrad (which is further than the Westin) and I did not feel that the fare was egregiously expensive.

There is a shopping center nearby that provides a free shuttle to get there but I cannot vouch for it personally because shopping is not one of my hobbies. A number of restaurants in the area will provide free transportation but taxis are not inordinately expensive in any case.

Overall I felt that I was treated quite nicely while I was there but I did actually spend much time at the hotel. I had arranged for a private driver to pick me up each morning and drop me off each evening.

For some more details about this property along with photos, feel free to look at this post (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9478566&postcount=7) in my trip report (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=805634).

diana
Sep 28, 08, 6:35 pm
I was there in July (2008).
There is a new General Manager there who has done nothing but raise prices. He could care less about the customers and there is low morale among the employees. :td:

adamak
Dec 2, 08, 2:13 pm
Any recent updates? I've booked 2 nights RBC room and 1 nite award stay. I don't see any offer on their website re: airport transfer. Is this still being offered?

Can someone PM me the new GM's address (and does s/he know FT)?

lovtofly3
Dec 2, 08, 8:06 pm
Any recent updates? I've booked 2 nights RBC room and 1 nite award stay. I don't see any offer on their website re: airport transfer. Is this still being offered?

Can someone PM me the new GM's address (and does s/he know FT)?
Not sure about the GM address


Taxi from the airport was around $8usd

RBC access is now included as a Plat. benefit.

From what I saw and had for my breif stay last month offerings in the RBC have been trimmed down.

Free wi-fi in the club was included as was a choice of breakfast in the lounge or at the buffet.

VanMan
Dec 20, 08, 11:45 pm
The fact that RBC access is now a Plat benefit can provide really good value. does the poster above know whether it is always offered, or is it based on availability; after all the RBC lounge is only so big. I am staying at the hotel now, and paid for an RBC room. However we were upgraded into a suite over the lobby area, not in the RBC wing.

The RBC offers an a la carte hot breakfast, plus cold items, a light buffet lunch with hot items (today: pasta and coq au vin), beer, scotch, gin, rum and vodka plus soft drinks available from 6:30am to 7:00pm, plus a two hour period 5pm till 7pm when wine is also offered. hot and cold snacks are also offered between 5pm and 7pm.

lovtofly3
Dec 21, 08, 5:56 am
When I checked out I was told it was a Plat. benefit.

I booked the cheapest room availiable and was originally given a pool veiw room.
Not till I complained I was given a RBC room(no suite) but always was told RBC benfits were included in my stay even in a pool veiw room.

New since my stay the previous year.

Sweet Willie
Dec 21, 08, 8:32 am
Within walking distance of the Westin Nusa Dua, are there any beachside (non-hotel) seafood restaurants like there are on Jimbaran beach ?

--

VanMan
Dec 21, 08, 4:42 pm
No restaurants, just other hotels in the immdiate vicinity. However, if you walk towards the beach and turn tight on the jogging trail you will eventually reach a police checkpoint and a public beach. I haven't been there later in the day, but it does look like there are stands for vendors to set up. Worth a look...it's a nice walk anyway.

LarryU
Dec 21, 08, 6:05 pm
Within walking distance of the Westin Nusa Dua, are there any beachside (non-hotel) seafood restaurants like there are on Jimbaran beach ?

--

There are a couple of restaurants that are within walking distance from the Westin. Last March, I visited one, whose name I cannot recall, by turning left from the Westin and then walking along the beach for about 10 minutes or so. That being said, many of the restaurants in the area offer free transportation. Just have the concierge give them a call for a pickup and they'll drop you back at the hotel when you are finished with your meal.

couscous
May 3, 09, 6:45 am
Any recent platinum experiences at this property ?

crimson2k6
May 3, 09, 8:41 am
a friend of mine was staying at the property last week and said that he got upgraded from a basic king room to a "room with a view". I'm not sure what that means at this Westin, but he said it was a nice room and he is only SPG Gold, not even platinum.

jchand
May 3, 09, 9:55 am
Any recent platinum experiences at this property ?

I am Platinum and was there for 9 days over easter, on cash and points.

I stayed the Laguna last time in Bali several years ago ( Also Platinum at the time).

I can not say enough good things about the Westin. Fantastic value and Platinum treatment.

Was upgraded to a suite with pool / sea view on floor 3 . All platinum members regardless of available upgrade receive breakfast in the main restaurant , and Royal beach club access. So you can take breakfast at either location.

Royal beach club is 24 hrs. Soft drinks cofee etc 24hrs. Beer and basic alchole fro 6am till 7pm. Cocktails wine etc between 5 - 7pm. along with snacks. ( Spring rolls satay etc). A light lunch is also served 12.00 - 2.00 pm)

The hotel itself is great. Nice pool and grounds. Staff very friendly.

Next time I am in Bali ( as loog as I am still Platinum,) it will be the Westin For Me.

Have a great time.


One other thing. You can buy diner vouchers for $25 that get you ANY starter main and desert in ANY any restaurant at the Westin . Great Value. ( Includes Lobster Wagu beef etc that can cost 40 $ Plus alone)

EWR ATC Hold
May 3, 09, 11:33 am
One other thing. You can buy diner vouchers for $25 that get you ANY starter main and desert in ANY any restaurant at the Westin . Great Value. ( Includes Lobster Wagu beef etc that can cost 40 $ Plus alone)

I have a stay booked at the Westin in mid June coming up. We booked the RBC room because I am now gold (I know I have to update my profile) and wasn't sure if I would get any sort of upgrade so I didn't want to chance it.

I have a question for you regarding the dinner vouchers--how do you go about getting them? Can I just ask for them when I get there? Is there a minimum value I have to buy? We haven't decided yet on whether we'd stay on resort to eat or get out a little, but I am sure we'll eat at the hotel a few times so if there's a chance at saving a few dollars, I'm always up for it.

Thanks for posting your experience--we were torn between the Westin and Laguna and went with the Westin for the RBC benefits.

jchand
May 3, 09, 11:44 am
I have a stay booked at the Westin in mid June coming up. We booked the RBC room because I am now gold (I know I have to update my profile) and wasn't sure if I would get any sort of upgrade so I didn't want to chance it.

I have a question for you regarding the dinner vouchers--how do you go about getting them? Can I just ask for them when I get there? Is there a minimum value I have to buy? We haven't decided yet on whether we'd stay on resort to eat or get out a little, but I am sure we'll eat at the hotel a few times so if there's a chance at saving a few dollars, I'm always up for it.

Thanks for posting your experience--we were torn between the Westin and Laguna and went with the Westin for the RBC benefits.

THe meal vouchers can be purchased from reception. You can purchase them whenever you wish but I think the you have to purchase at least 4. they are $25 each but if you purchase 10 you get 2 free so 12 for $250.

AS I say they are good for any restaurant and anythig off the menu.

We only ate twice in the hotel as there are so meny options in Bali.

Only bad experiencew was Jimbaran Bay restaurants. Dont Go there . It is a Con for Tourists.

Have a great time.

EWR ATC Hold
May 4, 09, 3:49 am
THe meal vouchers can be purchased from reception. You can purchase them whenever you wish but I think the you have to purchase at least 4. they are $25 each but if you purchase 10 you get 2 free so 12 for $250.

AS I say they are good for any restaurant and anythig off the menu.

We only ate twice in the hotel as there are so meny options in Bali.

Only bad experiencew was Jimbaran Bay restaurants. Dont Go there . It is a Con for Tourists.

Have a great time.

Thanks for the quick response. Do you have any recommendations for good places to eat off the resort? Any other tourist traps to be aware of?

jchand
May 4, 09, 4:08 am
Thanks for the quick response. Do you have any recommendations for good places to eat off the resort? Any other tourist traps to be aware of?

About a 10 min walk down the Beach , or along the road is the bali colection. A sort shopping ctr for tourists. It has at least 20 restaurants of all varieties. You can walk there and take your pick It is OK and good value. You can also get there / back by free hotel shuttle of it is a few $ in a cab.


Restaurants that in my opinion are a must.

Bum Bu Bali. ( Indonesian ) ( Not far from the Westin). They offer free transport or it is a few $ in a cab. Very Very Good. Our meal for 3 ( Beer not wine) was around $60.

Ku De Ta. Trendy modern international food. Great place. about 45 min a cab but only about 15 $ in a cab. Check out there web site. Meal for 3 Beer and cocktails about $180 . Well worth it.

La Lucciola. Modern international. Near Ku De Ta. about the same price.


If you get a chance to go Ubud check out Mosaic. The Chef is from the French Laundry. Did not make it there this time, but had a fantastic meal last time I was in Bali.

Most of the above have Web Sites. Check out their Menues.

If you need any more info let me know.

All the best.

jchand

TravellinHusker
May 4, 09, 4:27 am
No restaurants, just other hotels in the immdiate vicinity. However, if you walk towards the beach and turn tight on the jogging trail you will eventually reach a police checkpoint and a public beach. I haven't been there later in the day, but it does look like there are stands for vendors to set up. Worth a look...it's a nice walk anyway.

The best restaurant in Bali is located about 5 minutes away from the Westin. It is called Bumbu Bali and offers excellent seafood as well as chicken and beef dishes. On Wednesdays and Fridays they also offer excellent traditional Balinese dancing shows and live Balinese music during dinner. They offer free hotel pick up and drop off after dinner. Excellent service, impeccable food, great atmosphere.

Also, if you walk 5 minutes to Bali Collection, there are perhaps 20 restaurants serving everything from Brazilian Churrascaria to Japanese sushi to Balinese Seafood. They also offer free transportation, but it is just a 5 minute walk from your hotel.

EWR ATC Hold
Jun 24, 09, 10:18 am
Just returned from 10 nights at the Westin Nusa Dua in Bali and thought I'd share our feedback.

I am SPG Gold (I know, I need to update my profile) and having read the reviews of the hotel, we elected to pay for Royal Beach Club access, which, for our reservation, was approximately $40 more than a standard room. I was using my Company's SET code, which we can use for leisure travel, so I am not sure what the premium is generally.

We arrived at the hotel around 2:30 PM and were transferred to the hotel via a pre-arranged car set-up by the hotel (we asked for it and it cost about $12.00). We were very quickly escorted to the RBC where they proceeded to check us into the hotel. Our room was ready and our vacation began.

There are very few (if any?) rooms at this property with any sort of a beach view. Our room was on the second floor, with a garden view. The room was nice enough--nothing too fancy, but at the same time plenty spacious, a proper heavenly bed and a small balcony.

The property itself is very nice, although having walked through some of the other resorts, it is much smaller. Someone else noted (previous FT review) that it had a convention center feel and while there is a convention center on the property, I disagree with that feeling. The pool was very nice, complete with a sports area and water slide.

For most of our food and beverages, we used the RBC, which served complimentary, cooked to order breakfast every day from 6:30AM to 10:30 AM, complimentary buffet "smart lunch" from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and complimentary buffet "canapes and cocktails" from 5:00 PM to 7:00PM. We found the RBC to work out really well for us. Even ala carte, you wouldn't be able to do breakfast in the hotel for less than $15.00 per person, and the cheapest lunches ran about $10.00 per person, so the RBC quickly paid for itself. Breakfast was a full breakfast, the smart lunch was generally a noodle dish or rice dish, a veggie dish and a small meat dish, which served us just fine (granted, its not a full lunch, but it was enough) and the canapes were a nice treat before going out to dinner. In addition to the cocktails and wine served (complimentary) during the canapes, you could get unlimited beers, soft drinks, coffea/tea and water all day until 7:00PM. The service in the RBC was top notch and after ten days there, they got to know us pretty well.

We only ate at the hotel twice--once at their seafood on the beach restaurant, which was pretty good and once at their hibachi steakhouse, also very good. The downside to the hotel restaurants (and any non-RBC food/beverages) was the cost. Dinner at the hotel at the full service restaurants would easily top $100 for dinner and a few drinks. Add wine and it was almost excessive. In the past two years, I've been to French Polynesia, Mauritius and now Bali (at SPG properties) and found Mauritius to be the most expensive, followed by Bali, followed by Bora Bora, to put in perspective the costs. Needless to say, the restaurants were empty. But, no big deal there. A short walk away is the Bali Collection, which has a bunch of mediocre to decent (nothing fancy) restaurants, that you could get wine or beer + 3 courses for about $60 for a couple, or if you were slightly more adventurous, you could walk out of the Nusa Dua resort area and there's a small collection of okay local restaurants (they also deliver) for about $30 a couple (3 courses, including wine/beer). And, if you are more adventurous (no reason not to be, the people are very friendly) a taxi is cheap and there's some great restaurants like KuDeTa (about $200/couple) or Kafe Warisan (about $180/couple), although both of those, we had 4+ courses, pre-dinner drinks and wine, so it could have been done for a much more reasonable amount of money.

The service at the hotel was excellent. Best I've seen at a resort and the staff very friendly. The other thing I liked about the hotel is, despite it being very expensive for drinks/food on premise, it did a number of small touches (for free) that made the whole stay more enjoyable. For example, every night in the lobby, they had their chefs do a complimentary appetizer that they demonstrated (e.g. sushi rolling, bruschettas, etc.) and they often had tastes of various drinks available.

On the whole, I was very impressed with the hotel and for its cost (room + RBC) thought it was great value for money, once you learned how you could easily eat off the property. The service was great and I would definitely consider staying there again. I also would recommend the RBC access (I think they give it to plats, but don't quote me on that and otherwise you have to pay for it), as long as the cost was reasonable. It was a nice quiet place to get a drink during the day, relax, eat, etc.

couscous
Jun 26, 09, 7:28 am
[QUOTE=EWR ATC Hold;11961104] I also would recommend the RBC access (I think they give it to plats, but don't quote me on that and otherwise you have to pay for it)QUOTE]

Can anyone confirm that access is given for free to Platinum members ?

kluau88
Jun 26, 09, 9:22 am
Can anyone confirm that access is given for free to Platinum members ?

Was there last week and this Platinum member was given RBC access ^

couscous
Jun 26, 09, 9:39 am
Was there last week and this Platinum member was given RBC access ^

Thanks Kevin !!! got upgraded to an ocean view suite with individual swimming pool thanks to my Ambassador !!
Any cheap but good restaurants recommendations ?

jjbc
Jul 6, 09, 1:05 pm
Recently returned from a 6 nite stay at the Westin.

As a plat, was upgraded to an executive suite on the third floor of the main complex -- just overlooking the lobby. The executive suite was nicely furnished and well laid out. As I was travelling with wife and 4 year old daughter, I am always happy to get upgraded to a suite. As stated the entire stay was booked using starwood points.

As a PLat, they advised me that they always try to upgrade to an executive suite, if available. You are granted access to the RBC lounge (which is pretty nice and quiet), and Plats are given breakfast in the main restaurant. I would actually recommend breakfast in the RBC lounge over the main restaurant as it is less crowded with a smaller buffet, but also made to order items (which are well prepared).

Overall, the level of service is very good. It is a very kid friendly hotel with an excellent Kid's Club. I would absolutely recommend this hotel if you have young children. I would also recommend this hotel overall. It is a solid 4 star hotel and good value for your money.

I actually preferred the Westin over the Laguna Hotel next door, where I spent an additional two nites. Though the Laguna was more quiet and had more private pool areas due to the number of lagoon pools.

rockyp
Jul 6, 09, 11:23 pm
I actually preferred the Westin over the Laguna Hotel next door, where I spent an additional two nites. Though the Laguna was more quiet and had more private pool areas due to the number of lagoon pools.

jjbc, glad you enjoyed your stay at the Westin My wife and I just returned from a 6-nite stay at the Laguna (also on points) for our 30th anniversary, and we were thrilled at the care and attention we received -- far beyond our expectations!

What's so nice about the Westin and the Laguna being right next door to each other is that you get to enjoy the best of each property. As a non-Plat I don't get the privilege of an upgrade, so we selected a lagoon-access room for only a few more points.

For the six nights we were there, with an occupancy rate of over 90%, it was like having the lagoon to ourselves! For anyone who's thinking of getting this type of room, try to book one that's facing away from the "inner-sanctum" where all the "action" is (unless you're under 50).

ailiton
Aug 10, 09, 7:13 pm
Have anyone asked for late-checkout at this property? Was it granted? I'll have a late night flight and would like to use the facilities until late afternoon.

Starwood Lurker II
Aug 11, 09, 1:26 am
Have anyone asked for late-checkout at this property? Was it granted? I'll have a late night flight and would like to use the facilities until late afternoon.

Hi ailiton,

As this is a resort property, late checkout is subjected to availability upon request.

Therefore, maybe you might get a late checkout in the end or maybe not.

apguest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Thyetus Lee | Online Forum Coordinator(AP)
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd

couscous
Aug 11, 09, 5:39 am
I have been here for a couple of weeks and I only have great things to say about this resort. As a Platinum I was upgraded to an Ocean View Suite. Welcomed by the hotel GM and his entire team, service has been truly impressive. Special mention to the RBC lounge staff, always going the extra mile to make our breakfast, lunch and evening drinks a great experience.
Pool is great, restaurants are good (not crazt about the seafood place though).
Beach at the hotel is a little lame with no waves. I advise to go to Jimbaran or Legian for more waves action.

EWR ATC Hold
Aug 11, 09, 5:52 am
Have anyone asked for late-checkout at this property? Was it granted? I'll have a late night flight and would like to use the facilities until late afternoon.

I actually didn't have to ask for a late check-out . . . the RBC staff, who had my flight information actually asked me if I needed one. That said, the hotel was empty when we were there but it was still a nice touch. I think one of the lurkers did warn that its a resort, so the late check-out is based on availability.

vrbaba
Aug 11, 09, 9:55 am
..

Only bad experiencew was Jimbaran Bay restaurants. Dont Go there . It is a Con for Tourists.

Have a great time.

Jimbaran bay restaurants on the beach offer one of the best grilled fish/seafood. Its relatively pricier than other places ~ $10 vs $5, but you get one of the best tasting fish. At $10 for one of their specialities, it is far, far from a "Con for Tourists". I would highly recommend going there. Restaurants offer free transportation to and from the hotel. Usually if you ask around, you will find a cab driver who is working in conjunction with the restaurant. They get a commission for bringing you there and just feed off the tip.

I have tried 'Jukung' while I was there.

couscous
Aug 12, 09, 6:34 pm
I recommend Cafe Roma on Jimbaran Beach

why fly
Aug 14, 09, 1:30 pm
OK I just read through this thread... WOW I guess this hotel was great then poor and now it looks like its GOOD again. Amazing how much management changes over the years.
Im trying to decide if we should stay here or the Intercontinental Bali. I just emailed them to see what upgrades we get there.

jjbc
Aug 14, 09, 2:17 pm
Just a note about management. I recall one evening while I was having a drink at the RBC lounge, the Austalian GM of the property was coming to all the guests and asking about the stay, etc. He introduced himself but I forgot his name. But I thought it was Dave Cuddon. I seem to recall that this was the name of the manager of the neighboring Laguna property. But I may be mistaken.

Like some Asian properties, the Westin asked to take photos of our family for their staff. The GM commented that he had seen our family photo that was circulated to the staff.

As a Plat, you will get RBC lounge access and upgrade to a suite if available.

my44
Aug 14, 09, 10:54 pm
Will be there in early Sept (under free weekend award). I'll judge the overall experience then.

mario33
Aug 15, 09, 9:56 am
Will be there in early Sept (under free weekend award). I'll judge the overall experience then.

Unless you are Platinum, you may be better off at the Laguna next door which is a much nicer property.

The Westin Bali is nothing more than an old Sheraton (Sheraton Nusa Indah) with a Heavenly Bed thrown in. However for Platinums, the additional perks (free breakfast and now RBC access) is hard to pass.

As for the current GM at the Westin, I thought he is Indian and came from the Sheraton Langkawi. Unless David is overseeing both properties now....

gorgi_flyer
Aug 15, 09, 10:47 am
The Westin Bali is nothing more than an old Sheraton (Sheraton Nusa Indah) with a Heavenly Bed thrown in. However for Platinums, the additional perks (free breakfast and now RBC access) is hard to pass.


I am aware of a few incidents of platinum members being denied access during 2005 to 2008 period. If there are any recent stories and reviews of this property i would interested to read them.

DLmow
Aug 16, 09, 3:38 am
Mrs Dlmow and me stayed at Westin Nusa Dua one week in July 2009. It was award stay using points. I ordered the cheapest garden view room and on check-in we were upgraded to Royal Beach Club Suite.
We had 24 hours access to Royal Beach Club. As Platinum SPG we were able to have breakfast in main restaurant or in RBC. Also we had light snacks in RBC during lunchtime.

During our stay at Westin we had visited Laguna and found that Westin is smaller but nicer.

mario33
Aug 16, 09, 6:16 am
During our stay at Westin we had visited Laguna and found that Westin is smaller but nicer.

Which resort is nicer is dependent on individual taste (and type of upgrade you score) but having stayed at both a few times (as Gold and Platinum), I found that in general the standard accomodation is much nicer (and newer) at the Laguna. The Laguna rooms had a full refurbishment (except for bathrooms) while at the Westin it was merely a change of fabrics and new beds.

The Westin is also slightly larger than the Laguna (350 rooms at the Westin compared to 270 at the Laguna) but it does feel very much larger with the large atrium in the lobby and less clustered swimming pool area.

couscous
Aug 16, 09, 6:24 am
As for the current GM at the Westin, I thought he is Indian and came from the Sheraton Langkawi.

That is correct

jjbc
Aug 16, 09, 7:54 pm
With respect to my comments about the GM, at least I got the part correct about the GM being Australian.

VanMan
Sep 6, 09, 4:35 am
Just a quick update to reflect the excellent Platinum benefits at this resort.

Here now for 9 nights: 4 free weekend nights and the rest on points (28,000).
Upgraded for the first night to a Royal Beach Club room (quite small) with all suites sold, but the friendly room division manager, Mr Lasta, called us on day 2 to let us know a suite was available. The Executive suites are quite large with a seating area, dining area and King bedroom; a large balcony overlooks the gardens and pool. Platinum status also grants use of the RBC lounge, which offers a full breakfast, lunch and evening snacks. Beer and spirits are complimentary all day from 6:30AM to 7pm, with wine from 5-7.

my44
Sep 6, 09, 9:33 pm
Interestingly I ve just returned from 'Nusa Indah' yesterday. Good resort atmosphere but the Classic Pool room needs serious upgrades.

My stay at Laguna, on the other hand, was lovely. Superb Deluxe Studio, beautiful manicured lawns, complimentary bale begong.

VanMan
Sep 14, 09, 4:29 am
I just received the following e-mail:

Dear Mr. VanMan

We hope you left The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, refreshed, renewed and restored.

We would greatly appreciate feedback on your stay with us by responding to the electronic Guest Satisfaction Survey organized by TNS a third party company appointed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Simply respond to the questionnaire and secure 500 Bonus Star points.

Our team of associates look forward to hearing from you.



This hasn't happened to me before.

I think it's a really nice gesture. :)

VanMan
Sep 14, 09, 5:10 am
I should have mentioned that the e-mail went on to say:

As a Platinum Cardholder, we would like to hear your feedback.

So, I assume this is for Plats only. :)

my44
Sep 14, 09, 5:16 am
Can I fill up the questionnaire on your behalf? I could use the 500 bonus pts :)

Junior SE
Oct 4, 09, 8:06 pm
I'm just completing a fabulous 7 night stay at the Westin Nusa Dua. I must say the platinum benefits and service I have received are better than anywhere else I have traveled in the world at SPG properties and I have an extensive assortment of properties I've stayed at.

Upon checkin we were upgraded to large suite overlooking the pool in the main building. It included a living room, dining room, powder room and then a large bedroom with a large bathroom which included a shower and bathtub plus 3 closets to store luggage, etc.

The RBC lounge is quite impressive and offers an extensive breakfast selection plus a la carte selections which are all very delicious. For lunch the RBC lounge offers selections of hot meat dishes and cold salads plus all you can drink domestic selections (bintang beer and spirits). For "social hour" the RBC lounge offers again complientary beverages and assorted snacks which are all prepared to a high gourmet quality!

I can't compare the competing SPG property to the Westin here in Nusa Dua but I must say I would come back in a second. The benefits and service I have received make this place a must stay for those that come to Bali for the resort experience.

The price we paid at $124USD/night was an incredible deal as well for the benefits we received

ailiton
Oct 11, 09, 9:01 pm
Two hotel managers came to shake hand with me and I am only SPG Gold. Late check-out benefit was also offered without prompting.

beta1607
Oct 21, 09, 11:04 am
I stayed at this hotel for a friends wedding in March 2008. The entire staff ranging from the managers to the front desk, to the bartenders were all amazing and did a wonderful job of accomodating the special requests made my our rather large group (about 100 people came for the wedding from across the world). Since the lobby and pool bar did not have grey goose they let us bring our own bottles down and just charged us a small corkage fee. The free breakfast was phenomenal. The room I stayed in was a huge ocean/resort view suite with two bathrooms.



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