BALI TROPIC RESORT & SPA

So seemingly everyone I know is crazy about Ubud. “Ya .gotta go to Ubud!” “It’s awesome!” “You’ll love it!!”

Hey now, I’ve seen the pictures. Ubud is indeed a beautiful part of Bali and there are some very nice and affordable hotels up there. But here’s the thing –

I grew up in Colorado. I live in the Interior of Alaska. In both cases I was and am hundreds of miles from the ocean. For this trip, I wanted a place on the ocean. I wanted a beach. I wanted palm trees. I wanted ocean breezes. I didn’t want a big, sprawling 300 room resort. I also didn’t want some cute little boutique place. I was looking for a happy medium out there somewhere. But above all, it had to be on the beach.

Over on Booking.com, I spent an hour or two perusing the possibilities and bookmarking the ones I thought were worthy of further inspection. But it never came to that. I knew I’d found my place the moment I started flipping through pictures of the resort…



Bali Tropic Resort – Nusa Dua, Bali
Photo courtesy Bali Tropic Resort


A suite at the Bali Tropic Resort
Photo courtesy Bali Tropic Resort


More than any others, the above two pictures sold me on the Bali Tropic Resort. The size, location and ambiance – albeit from above – looked perfect. And that suite – I knew I had to have it!

And so it was that I booked twelve days at this wonderful place. I don’t usually book the most expensive rooms in any given hotel, but again, I saw that picture, the lighting, the space – that was gonna be my room. And so it was…



My suite at the Bali Tropic Resort
After I’d moved in… There’s a whole separate living room behind me


The location was great, too. I was in Building 14 – the Sawa Suite Bungalow – home to just two suites. A fountain provided pleasing background sounds just 35 feet off my porch. What turned out to be my favorite restaurant – Ratna’s – was just across the big open lawn, just a one minute walk away. The pool was two minutes to my right. The beach was two minutes away.



Resort Map – I’m Building 14


The view out the window off my porch


My building – Sawa Suite – from outside


Just 150 yards away was Ratna’s – the smallest and most open of the three available restaurants at the resort. I loved the ambiance of the tables, the bar, the view – and of course the food and staff were top notch.



Ratna’s Restaurant – out on the patio


Ratna’s Restaurant Bar


The view from the bar


My favorite luncheon spot


Of course, what is a restaurant without food and service? The guys and gals working not only at Ratna’s but at all the restaurants were exceptionally friendly and service oriented. There wasn’t a slacker amongst them. With visitors from all over Europe, Australia and Asia – and the odd American thrown in – me – English is of course the official business language and all the staff were generally pretty proficient. The food was good, but certainly not Michelin star standard. I was generally happy with everything I was served, with the only occasional issue being that I wish the food were spicier. But I get it – a significant percentage of the clientele don’t do spicy very well, certainly not to the extent that I do. That said, over time the cooks began to better appreciate my tastes and now when I ask for spicy, they do a much better job of complying.



Part of Ratna’s menu


Seafood Laksa Soup – My Favorite


Chicken Tostada Masala


Kung Pao Chicken


The swimming pool is a lively center of activity throughout the day. As an added bonus, it’s got a great swim up bar. There are plenty of chaise lounges around the pool but if – like me – you find direct tropical sunlight a bit too much, there’s a great spot with loungers in the forest, just off the beach. I found it a great place to enjoy a book and a beer in the afternoons, especially when the light ocean breezes kicked in.



The Pool


The Pool Bar


Loungers under the trees


Books, Beer and Relaxin’ – the Good Life


Each Friday night the hotel puts on a full Balinese buffet out on the lawn. Afterward, guests are treated to about 45 minutes of Balinese dance and music.



As seen from my patio – tables set up for the Friday buffet


Balinese Dancers
Alas, my action shots in the dark came out a bit off


In all, I had a wonderful time over my twelve day stay here at the Bali Tropic Resort & Spa. While it’s definitely not quite as high end as some of you Starwood, Hilton and Four Seasons folks might prefer, for my tastes this place fit like a comfortable old pair of jeans. I loved every minute of it, I met a lot of nice people and I’ve no doubt I’ll be making more visits here in the future.