Ubud was awesome. Great resort staffed by wonderful people who took care of all of our needs. The town and it's attractions, of which I did not get to everything on our list, exceeded expectations. I appreciated the kindness of the locals and their dedications to their Gods (this coming from an agnostic).

The last few days of this trip were the last pieces of the puzzle I filled in when in my planning faze. I had decided to spend our last night closer to the airport so as to not have to stress the morning of our flight out of Bali. When researching the Conrad and Hilton on Bali I had also heard a person or two saying they actually preferred the Hilton Garden Inn, ideally located across the road from the airport. I know it might have been hyperbole but I saw that it fit our needs perfectly. At the rock bottom cost of 5,000 points it was a slam dunk.

I directly hired the same driver that had taken us from the airport to Ubud for the same price, $24. It was a bargain. He arrived at 11:00am, as scheduled and off we headed back into civilization.

We arrived at the HGI at around 12:15pm and our car was scanned my security with mirrors for explosives. Our bags were x-ray'd and we passed through the mags beeping away but unfrisked. All this was the lingering result of the horrific bombings in Bali in the early 2000s.



Security Check Point


HGI Lobby

We were able to check in early and given a requested "quiet" room. Although it faced the large pool the room WAS quiet as well as having the best blackout curtains of any hotel I've stayed.




Qibla In Our Room

We went back to the lobby for lunch and my wife enjoyed a free mocktail courtesy of my Hilton Diamond status.



BLT With Cucumbers?


Mocktail

We plead guilty for hitting the room for a sissy nap. It had been a long trip and we only needed to be on the top of our game for one more night.

Following the nap, I grabbed a ride via the Grab app and requested to be dropped off at the Beachwalk in Kuta. While I had no interest in staying in Kuta I certainly wasn't opposed to seeing what all the fuss was about. Kuta is the beach/party/shopping hub of Bali. We immediately crossed the street and headed to the beach to dip our toes in the Indian Ocean (a must-do on my trip list). We enjoyed the day's waning beach activity. I could only imagine how crazy it must get on a warm day.



Indian Ocean, Kuta Beach

A wall was built between the beach and the main drag several years ago. I've read that it was to prevent sand from blowing across the road and into the restaurants that line the street. Might be a folk tale but sounds good enough for me.



Beachwalk

We walked down the main strip then headed through alley after alley looking for more swag to take home as souvenirs. It's amazing how many side streets and alleys there are loaded with all sorts of shops, spas, clubs, restaurants, hotels and tattoo parlors. I feel we just scratched the surface in our meanderings. The one natural talent I do possess is a killer sense of direction. It did not fail me here. After shopping way too much, and finally getting my Man City 2019-20 "official" kit ($12), it was off to find dinner.



Trying To Make Art While Wife Fondles Clothing


Easily finding our way back to the Beachwalk we honed in on a place we saw while in the backseat of our Grab. We wanted comfort food and, sure enough, these guys had it.



Flapjaks (Kuta Beach Wall In Background)


His


Hers

After that little party in our mouths it was time to head back to the Hilton Garden Inn before the youngins flooded the area in their party moods. We hailed an official Bluebird taxi (what a concept) and headed back to retire for the evening.

Our flight the following day wasn't until 12:00pm so we were able to get a good nights sleep. After primping and packing we landed in the lobby for the wonderful breakfast buffet, which was included with our stay as part of the Diamond benefits. We then checked out and loaded luggage and bodies into the free shuttle to the airport, a mere five minutes away.

The Hilton Garden Inn isn't nestled in a neighborhood with lots to do but it was an exceptional bargain and delivered a comfortable stay with outstanding amenities (there was also a spa under construction). We would not hesitate to stay again if it suited our needs.

Nexupt: The Final Countdown- Back To SIN With Garuda Indonesia And Westward With Finair