FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa [Master Thread]
Old Feb 12, 2020, 7:02 am
  #60  
cmhsieh54
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: Marriott Platinum, IHG PA, Hilton Sucks, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 460
A couple "Pro Tips," and my overall review (which repeats some previous FTers)

SELECT "PRO TIPS":
- Get 50% off cost of food if you book on the "firsttable" app/webapp for 5pm at Roosterfish or 6pm at Double Ikat. If you book on firsttable and are also plat, you should expect to get 50% off food and 20% off alcohol. (You have to pay $7 each time you book on firsttable, but it works very well, and if you and your group are hungry, definitely worth it.)
- If your flight leaves in the evening after checkout, and you don't care for an airport lounge, try to ask the front desk to stay for a few hours (it's free) in the "Departure Lounge." Basically a room (or set of rooms) near the rear entry of Clay Craft, that have been converted from bedrooms to lounges. No bed, but a couple couches and a desk where you can rest, watch TV, or work in air-con peace. There's a private shower and bathroom there too. Not sure how the hotel manages these lounges when at capacity, but especially during low season, I imagine that some can be made available... Our lounge was easily big enough to hold a family of four just chilling out and working/relaxing.


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WHOLE REVIEW
Came during low season, for 3 nights during the 2nd week of February 2020. At 9:30am in the morning, we saw maybe about 20 people having breakfast during our stay.

Treatment for plats good (20% discount off food in the resort's restaurants), 4pm checkout, upgraded from garden room king to executive suite.

For what it is and what it tries to be, it easily gets 5 stars: a relaxing resort with satisfying views (esp. from the lobby and the infinity pool) where you aren't trying to go out to explore too much. Max for my wife and I would be 4 nights but it's an excellent / great stay. People who are disappointed didn't bother to see the pictures or read the reviews or see its location: if you want to explore nightlife, stay in the Seminyak area!

What my wife and I liked:
* Food good to great
- Breakfast buffet in clay craft has nice variety, asian/western/continental changing from day to day... wonderful fruit... hot foods a bit on the cool/cold side sometimes but I'm nit-picking.
- Soft shell crab buns and a cocktail are pretty amazing by the pool
- Room service food well-prepared, made from fresh ingredients, and reasonably priced (we had a crab salad, a garlic broccoli side, and an order of spring rolls).

* Roosterfish (their beach club) is free entry, but if you stay at the Renaissance, the hotel will also give you a 30% discount card for food/drinks. Music a bit loud (my wife was able to ask them to turn it down a bit but 30 minutes later it was loud again) but on a Monday afternoon during low season we were 2 of 7 guests in the whole club... Shuttle makes a return trip (i.e. back and forth) once every hour.

* Service was generally impeccable. From top to bottom, all staff is willing and ready to make your stay pretty special. We would be happy to come back again for the hospitality. (Plats apparently get a direct whatsapp line to the managerial staff; they contacted me shortly before my arrival on whatsapp, and I was able to ask any questions on there).

Pro tips:
- Get 50% off cost of food if you book on the firsttable app/webapp for 5pm at Roosterfish or 6pm at Double Ikat. If you book on firsttable and are also plat, you'll get 50% off food and 20% off alcohol.
- Executive suites have two thermostats (a hidden one by the bed; it took us a while to figure it out).
- If your flight leaves in the evening after checkout, try to ask the front desk to stay for a few hours (it's free) in the "Departure Lounge." Basically a room (or set of rooms) near the rear entry of Clay Craft, that have been converted from bedrooms to lounges. No bed, but a couple couches and a desk where you can rest, watch TV, or work in air-con peace. There's a private shower and bathroom there too. Not sure how the hotel manages these lounges when at capacity, but especially during low season, I imagine that some can be made available... Our lounge was easily big enough to hold a family of four just chilling out and working/relaxing.

Probably the only small detail that took some getting used to, was the bathroom layout in the suite. Open bathroom layout a bit too open; somebody making coffee will be able to directly see people showering or bathing, there are no partitions at all.

Overall, though, my wife and I were very happy to find this place. We hope that the prices can stay similarly low during low season! (Management: I hope you praise/reward your staff, the vast majority are very sweet people!)

Last edited by cmhsieh54; Feb 12, 2020 at 1:56 pm
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