Jan 22, 2015, 2:10 am
Last edit by: lcpteck
Beach Information
Please note that the area in front of the resort is a public beach. There is a strong current and we discourage guests from swimming in the ocean as there are no lifeguards on duty. Should you choose to swim in the ocean, you do so at your own risk. Please contact the resort for further information.
Seclusion Day Information: March 9, 2016
Nyepi is an important religious event in Bali and marks the beginning of the New Year in the Balinese Hindu calendar. In 2016, Nyepi falls on March 9. On Nyepi Day, from 6am to 6am the following day, all daily activities throughout Bali will stop. Shops and offices will be closed and people are not allowed to go out into the streets, engage in entertainment activities, turn on lights or make noise which may disturb others. Ngurah Rai International Airport will be closed for Nyepi Day. Neither departures nor arrivals are permitted on March 9, 2016.
There will be changes in hours of operation for our venues. There will be very little outside lighting during the night and there will be no transportation services to and from the resort. WET® (pool) is available for your enjoyment until 4pm; however, we request that you do not use the beach area or swim in the sea on Nyepi Day.
In addition, as per a new regulation of the Government of Bali, all television providers, including cable channels, will not broadcast during Nyepi Day. A collection of books is available at WIRED, and DVD movies and some table games are available upon request at Whatever/Whenever®. Starfish Bloo & Woobar will be closed on March 9, 2016; however, our fabulous In-Retreat Dining is open 24 hours, and FIRE is open until 10pm.
Please contact the resort directly for further information.
Please note that the area in front of the resort is a public beach. There is a strong current and we discourage guests from swimming in the ocean as there are no lifeguards on duty. Should you choose to swim in the ocean, you do so at your own risk. Please contact the resort for further information.
Seclusion Day Information: March 9, 2016
Nyepi is an important religious event in Bali and marks the beginning of the New Year in the Balinese Hindu calendar. In 2016, Nyepi falls on March 9. On Nyepi Day, from 6am to 6am the following day, all daily activities throughout Bali will stop. Shops and offices will be closed and people are not allowed to go out into the streets, engage in entertainment activities, turn on lights or make noise which may disturb others. Ngurah Rai International Airport will be closed for Nyepi Day. Neither departures nor arrivals are permitted on March 9, 2016.
There will be changes in hours of operation for our venues. There will be very little outside lighting during the night and there will be no transportation services to and from the resort. WET® (pool) is available for your enjoyment until 4pm; however, we request that you do not use the beach area or swim in the sea on Nyepi Day.
In addition, as per a new regulation of the Government of Bali, all television providers, including cable channels, will not broadcast during Nyepi Day. A collection of books is available at WIRED, and DVD movies and some table games are available upon request at Whatever/Whenever®. Starfish Bloo & Woobar will be closed on March 9, 2016; however, our fabulous In-Retreat Dining is open 24 hours, and FIRE is open until 10pm.
Please contact the resort directly for further information.
W Retreat & Spa Bali, Indonesia - Seminyak [Master Thread]
Sep 9, 2011, 7:46 am
#136
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Manchester, England
Programs: Bonvoy LT Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, BMI Gold (RIP)
Posts: 8,021
Normally I would take a comment like that from the hotel with a pinch of salt, but as it came from one of the hotel management who I talked to a few times during our stay, I actually did believe them when they said it.
Sep 9, 2011, 8:43 am
#137
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Join Date: Nov 2002
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They arrange a cocktail party for villa and Platinum guests every Friday from 6P to 7PM. Had some cocktails/wine and hours devours.
Also, spoke with the operations manager. They have FOUR select standard suites (Marvelous) and one Wow and one Extreme Wow. Throw in 70 or so villas + less than 200 hotel rooms.
IMHO it is quite obvious that they need to move people to these villas if hotel is filling up and people are not booking them.
Sep 9, 2011, 9:23 am
#138
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Manchester, England
Programs: Bonvoy LT Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, BMI Gold (RIP)
Posts: 8,021
Indeed, that's the point I was told by the GM and mentioned earlier in the thread. They are making use of the villas for upgrades during the peak / busy periods, (weekends especially) but not when they have availability in the main hotel building. The GM was anticipating making use of the villas a bit more regularly for upgrades as they are now in to the peak period and are expecting to be full in the main buillding a bit more often.
Sep 9, 2011, 11:42 am
#139
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,644
I've just re-read the thread, but I can only see two reports of upgrades to the villas. (Mine and honflyer) Every other upgrade comment has mentioned the main building. Feel free to correct me if I've missed the others though.
Normally I would take a comment like that from the hotel with a pinch of salt, but as it came from one of the hotel management who I talked to a few times during our stay, I actually did believe them when they said it.
Normally I would take a comment like that from the hotel with a pinch of salt, but as it came from one of the hotel management who I talked to a few times during our stay, I actually did believe them when they said it.
Mike
Sep 9, 2011, 1:24 pm
#140
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Manchester, England
Programs: Bonvoy LT Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, BMI Gold (RIP)
Posts: 8,021
What are your impressions so far holtju2?
Sep 9, 2011, 10:48 pm
#141
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CA
Programs: AA PLT / MR LTPP 1/1/19 / Hilton Diamond
Posts: 540
Don't believe that either. I am here this weekend and got preupgraded to one of the villas yesterday.
They arrange a cocktail party for villa and Platinum guests every Friday from 6P to 7PM. Had some cocktails/wine and hours devours.
Also, spoke with the operations manager. They have FOUR select standard suites (Marvelous) and one Wow and one Extreme Wow. Throw in 70 or so villas + less than 200 hotel rooms.
IMHO it is quite obvious that they need to move people to these villas if hotel is filling up and people are not booking them.
They arrange a cocktail party for villa and Platinum guests every Friday from 6P to 7PM. Had some cocktails/wine and hours devours.
Also, spoke with the operations manager. They have FOUR select standard suites (Marvelous) and one Wow and one Extreme Wow. Throw in 70 or so villas + less than 200 hotel rooms.
IMHO it is quite obvious that they need to move people to these villas if hotel is filling up and people are not booking them.
Sep 11, 2011, 8:35 am
#142
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,689
Used a couple of FRN's here recently. Nice hotel, but could just as easy be anywhere on the planet. Nothing Bali about it.
Upgraded to ocean facing room - was our anniversary....but they thought it was our honeymoon so they had the 'honeymoon package' arranged. This amounted to a Karma Sutra pamplet and a love heart / W lips arrangement on the bed.
Big bugbear was Woo bar. On midweek night, they were pumping out music until 4am even though the bar was empty. Not really a problem until after 2am but they keep cranking up the volume until you eventually can hear it in the room. (the noise of the waves breaking on the beach drown out the music initially).
I could understand if the place was busy and you need to increase the volume as the night goes on and people get drunk - but what is the point on a midweek night with an empty bar?
I suppose that is why they provide ear plugs in the room. Would be needed if the hotel was busy as due to the design there are lots of hard surfaces which allow sounds to carry from the hallways into the room.
Overall though the hotel was fine albeit expensive. Was my first time to stay at a W and to be honest I would not really be a fan of the concept. Think I will stick to the more traditional brands.
For anyone who likes the W concept, I am sure this will be a winner.
Upgraded to ocean facing room - was our anniversary....but they thought it was our honeymoon so they had the 'honeymoon package' arranged. This amounted to a Karma Sutra pamplet and a love heart / W lips arrangement on the bed.
Big bugbear was Woo bar. On midweek night, they were pumping out music until 4am even though the bar was empty. Not really a problem until after 2am but they keep cranking up the volume until you eventually can hear it in the room. (the noise of the waves breaking on the beach drown out the music initially).
I could understand if the place was busy and you need to increase the volume as the night goes on and people get drunk - but what is the point on a midweek night with an empty bar?
I suppose that is why they provide ear plugs in the room. Would be needed if the hotel was busy as due to the design there are lots of hard surfaces which allow sounds to carry from the hallways into the room.
Overall though the hotel was fine albeit expensive. Was my first time to stay at a W and to be honest I would not really be a fan of the concept. Think I will stick to the more traditional brands.
For anyone who likes the W concept, I am sure this will be a winner.
Sep 20, 2011, 5:34 am
#143
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: All over
Programs: Most
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Completely understood your view on it, I'd be the same had I not had the context of a 30 minute conversation with the person in question and even then you could be correct. Anyway, apologies for sidetracking this thread, so let's get back to the useful stuff.
What are your impressions so far holtju2?
What are your impressions so far holtju2?
BTW there was absolutely no noise from the Woobar this past weekend. I had the corner suite that was directly in front of the bar on the highest floor. To my understanding they are no longer playing music outside late in the night.
The Friday reception should be a weekly event. You probably should ask the SPG coordinator if you are not invited as PLT member.
Overall this feels bit more "grown" up W than some of the others that are, IMHO, bit too over the top.
Last edited by holtju2; Sep 20, 2011 at 5:44 am
Sep 20, 2011, 1:42 pm
#144
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: HH Diamond, SPG Plat; no plans for chasing any more airline status.
Posts: 880
Was the last weekend as well. Got a Marvelous suite as an upgrade this time. I have quite a few photos of the villa and the suite I had. I also had an opportunity to have a look at the Extreme Wow suite as well as the Ocean View room. I will try to get my pictures together and post something later this week
BTW there was absolutely no noise from the Woobar this past weekend. I had the corner suite that was directly in front of the bar on the highest floor. To my understanding they are no longer playing music outside late in the night.
The Friday reception should be a weekly event. You probably should ask the SPG coordinator if you are not invited as PLT member.
Overall this feels bit more "grown" up W than some of the others that are, IMHO, bit too over the top.
BTW there was absolutely no noise from the Woobar this past weekend. I had the corner suite that was directly in front of the bar on the highest floor. To my understanding they are no longer playing music outside late in the night.
The Friday reception should be a weekly event. You probably should ask the SPG coordinator if you are not invited as PLT member.
Overall this feels bit more "grown" up W than some of the others that are, IMHO, bit too over the top.
Re: the pictures... PLEASE POST! My wife and I are honeymooning for four nights there (mid-November) and would love to see some suite/villa pix.
Also, you say you got to see the E-Wow as well? How'd you do that... Just by asking the GM to see it?
Also - was it very crowded when you were there? Is that why you got the upgrade, or was it just luck (or maybe an advance email)?
Sep 21, 2011, 11:55 pm
#145
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Singapore
Programs: SQ *G, BA Gold, Bonvoy Ambassador Elite LFT Titanium , Hyatt Discoverist, ALL Diamond
Posts: 666
Keith009 posted quite a few pictures of the villa in page 1/2/3 on this thread. I visited the suite on a subsequent stay and contributed my Suite pictures from post 64. You might want to take a look there.
Sep 23, 2011, 10:00 am
#147
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,536
It had a dock for an iPod. I would think if you have a cable, you might be able to disconnect the iPod dock cable though I didn't notice if it was USB. I'd swing into a Bose store at your local if that's an option.
Sep 23, 2011, 7:36 pm
#148
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
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I am currently there staying at a Marvelous Suite and I am confident that this was the right decision (if this hotel was the right decision at all). The villa area looks all grey and made of concrete - not a bit of a Bali feeling. The walks from the villas to the main area appears to be quite long. The villas might be nice from the interior, however, it does not attract the eye at all.
Friday night cocktail hour was nice. Free drinks from the menu of the Icebar, nice tapas and talks.
Friday night cocktail hour was nice. Free drinks from the menu of the Icebar, nice tapas and talks.
Sep 23, 2011, 8:46 pm
#149
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: All over
Programs: Most
Posts: 10,839
I am currently there staying at a Marvelous Suite and I am confident that this was the right decision (if this hotel was the right decision at all). The villa area looks all grey and made of concrete - not a bit of a Bali feeling. The walks from the villas to the main area appears to be quite long. The villas might be nice from the interior, however, it does not attract the eye at all.
I really liked being able to just hang around by the own pool and do whatever you felt like.
Sep 24, 2011, 6:32 am
#150
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,167