Penguinmoon

I just left yesterday, in Cliff tower 1 br ocean view suite (Room 1116). Loved it, very nice room. Can confirm vouchers and no lounge. I have an Indonesian address attached to my honors account (live in Jakarta), no confirming prior to arrival emails for me.

The only negative was since it was CNY long weekend, the hotel was fairly crowded. They had the breakfast buffet up and running, suppose to have employee get item for you. So crowded, didn't work that way. That, coupled with the amount of guests not wearing a mask as they were at the buffet, frustrated me. The employees should have refused to serve them until they went back to their table and put their mask on.

Also, only 2 elevators running. The wait could be a bit at times if you observe social distancing and trying to avoid elevators with guests not wearing masks.

I've stayed at both the Conrad and Hilton often the past year, Conrad is all around much better experience.

Gertjaars

I stayed here pre-covid and remember my stay being pretty barebones as a Diamond. Front desk was very hard on any complimentary suite/better view upgrades, and always pushed to upsell when the suite was clearly available in the app. They would even argue with me whenever I brought up the Hilton Diamond terms conditions regarding upgrades.. Service around the resort was non-existent unless at breakfast which was huge. Only good takeaways about this property was the breakfast and the views. Navigating around this resort was like a maze - even with a map you would still end up in the wrong building. Always had to keep the windows/doors closed to prevent any monkeys from coming in. Saw several guests getting their dry clothes and phones stolen by monkeys - walk of shame back to their rooms.

Staff here need to get off their pedestals. It leaves a really bad taste in the mouths of the guests: poor personalities and poor hospitality.

Delectatio

Thanks for the review.
I thought the same after we stayed pre-covid,
We found the breakfast also excellent (actually better than the Conrad).
We found the hotel restaurants completely overpriced (and you have basically no choice then to eat in the hotel as it is so remotely located).
When we were there the hotel was only 20% full and we only received a ocean view room upgrade.
Was the executive lounge open again (we liked the private pool there and the self service drinks were ok, canapés were pathetic though when we were there...)? Did they offer you anything instead...?
We would return if the price was right though and the executive lounge would be open again...

Gertjaars

Executive lounge was closed during my stay. I did book a pretty low rate ($65 USD/night) here.

They did not make it up for the areas they missed in service. Agreed the F&B was overpriced here. It was this property that made me realize the Nusa Dua area was way overhyped.

Ffwdorguk

I booked a Tower Ocean Room at Hilton Bali Resort for total of 7 nights (cash not points) at a cancellable advance rate.
I was upgraded to a Tower Ocean Suite as a Diamond.

I have upgraded (using cash) to a Villa for 5 nights and have been charged more than the difference between the Villa and the Suite . (Maybe it's the difference between the original room & the Villa?)

Does this seem right and if not who should I try to complain to?

craigthemif

A complimentary upgrade isn't something you can "bank" and then use to discount a further upgrade.

You almost certainly paid the difference between the room you booked and the villa you decided you wanted upon arrival to the hotel.

:D!

Well you had the option to decline to pay the price they wanted, or bargain it down.

Schwann

Actually I have found that if a hotel upgrades you and you then do OLCI which offers paid upgrades the difference is less, or be more specific, the difference between the upgraded room and the would-be paid upgrade room. So in effect you can bank.

Although I appreciate not applicable in OPs situation.

Freetotravel

Yes I had this experience - funnily enough in Bali too (but at the Conrad). I had been upgraded to a Conrad Suite before arriving and was then offered a suite with steps down to the hotel pool for an additional fee, which was very small. It was definitely the difference between the “Suite” price and the “Pool-Suite” price. I took the upgrade and paid cash at the front desk in advance.

However, having read this blog over the years and my own experience being that a suite upgrade is very unusual I would not bank on this sort of thing happening in the future. Other than this one time I don’t recall ever paying for an upgrade at a Hilton property.

purr9

how was the upgrade for this property as a diamond recently?

IAN-UK

I think maybe you should negotiate rather than complain.

If the stay is over and you have been charged more than the rate you agreed, then of course you should complain first to the hotel; then, if you get no satisfaction, to Hilton Towers.

If you accepted the villa upgrade without agreeing the rate you'd be charged then maybe you've learned a lesson. It's probably down to the goodwill of the hotel to give you a retrospective diamond-based rebate on what you've paid.

Freetotravel

Relatively recent short stay. Overall I loved it but with an important caveat (the Executive lounge).

Upgraded from basic room to terrace suite on the 7th floor. Absolutely terrific room. Really comfortable seating area, nice bathroom, huge TV, fridge, both slippers and flip flops provided, amenity of Bali fruit bowl. The terrace itself has a small seating area with 2 chairs and a table, which is covered by the overhang from the floor above, plus 2 pool style loungers down a few shallow steps and further outside. There is a large glass screen at the edge of the terrace to prevent accidents!! There isn’t a separate sitting room. One of my absolute favorite Hilton rooms ever.

I also truly loved the hotel. Such a lot of space, beautiful landscaping, several pool areas (with more or less kids), direct access to beach with loungers, towels, etc, and dozens of places for amazing selfies!! We saw plenty of monkeys in the evening.

It would be very hard to overstate how outstanding the breakfast is. Like a supercharged Asian-Hilton-breakfast. Even a full dessert station including 4 types of ice cream and a cold stone creamery type setup.

When we arrived we said we would go to the Nusa Dua lounge (the EL) and were taken by golf buggy (a first for me!!). Service is fab, space itself is nice, Illy coffee and Dilmah tea, Coke products, several juices (including strawberry juice), a few snacks during the day in jars, all of which was good. Breakfast is also available.

But there is no afternoon tea of any description. And in the evening the deficiency of the lounge was exposed. It is far, far, far too small for the number of exec rooms, suites, villas, diamonds, etc in this huge resort. The food is nice enough but brought out on very small serving platters so they ran out constantly. A couple of salads, a soup, antipasti, cheese, and a chocolate dessert (but no Asian food). Guests were offered drinks and many people ordered cocktails (I don’t drink alcohol so can’t really comment). A big number of eligible guests came, saw there was no room, looked at the empty serving plates and simply left again.

There is a big refurb in the lobby and elsewhere which was managed very well and didn’t cause me any issues.

I decided after I checked out that I preferred the Hilton over the Conrad by some way, based on ambience, scale, architecture, gardens, room, view, and especially the breakfast. Very generous upgrade and everyone we met there was friendly and attentive. I thing a new EL is coming so hopefully the issues there will be solved. I’ll definitely be back.

pure12345

Do they plan to open the swimming pool in the former executive lounge?

purr9

Anyone stayed at both the conrad and hilton ? which property do you prefer ?

bamboola

Hands down, Conrad. However, if you stay in the villas at Hilton, it is awesome - at least pre-Covid.