Originally Posted by BR787

I really enjoyed this property and would highly recommend it to other Ambassadors. I paid around $1k / night USD and found the price worthwhile.

Food quality was at least in the top five if not top three Marriott properties I've stayed at; breakfast truly is exceptional and miles above the St. Regis Bali. I did not find the service too stuffy, and I really dislike stuffy service. Reserving a cocoon for dinner at Kubu for at least one night is a must to experience. The St. Regis Bali felt like a massive factory beach resort where as Mandapa felt quite intimate and personal. I very much enjoyed the Strand Beachfront Villa at the St. Regis but found the quality of the villa here to be a step above that. I really like how Mandapa tries to give you a very local (albeit luxurious -- but that's a good thing) experience, both in the way they interact with you and with the rice patty and villas built like a small Balinese village. The snacks (welcome, nightly, and in the cars) were all local snacks/desserts. In comparison the St. Regis felt like a resort that could almost be anywhere if not for the small hints of Balinese architecture here and there.

The St. Regis is a hotel one should try at least once and then maybe explore other options; however, I would like to go to Mandapa again. The most compelling reason to stay at the St. Regis again is for the beach access via the Strand Beachfront Villa. Both are resorts where I'd go in with the expectation of relaxing on the property for most of the stay. I think it would be a waste of money to book them and then spend most of the day exploring the surrounding areas. There are much cheaper hotels, including Marriott hotels for those loyal to Bonvoy, in Bali for that. Having said that, I recommend the vintage VW tour that Mandapa offers.

I am also not a fan of most regular Ritz Carltons, esp. the US ones. RC Kyoto, where I spent five nights with a view of the river, comes to mind as a superb exception. However, Mandapa is a Ritz Carlton Reserve and my first Reserve property, and it makes me eager to try out the other four Reserve properties.