chongl

The Mrs. and I just came back from a trip celebrating our 10 years of marriage. The time has flown by, no pun intended. We head off to Bali for a week before continuing onwards to Japan without a return flight home, something that I last did when she was pregnant where we agreed this wouldn't happen again. We were able to snag something close-in, getting back 2 days later than anticipated while spending some enjoyable time in Tokyo. With new camera in tow and a hotel lineup I had been eagerly anticipating, I snapped away for this TR.



If you enjoy this report, here are some of my previous trips that I've posted:

A Rapid Lifestyle Downgrade - ANA The Suite to SQ J to Air Asia Y (and QR F and J)
A Ramen Run to Tokyo - JAL First Class and ANA "The Room"
Making Portuguese Egg Tarts a Reality - SQ J and Virgin Upper Class
Always Recycle - New York, Zagreb, and Frankfurt in SQ F
The COVID Contingency - Seychelles, Maldives, and DXB in EK First and QR QSuites
Chasing Cheap Michelin Stars in Tokyo - JAL Business and First Class
Good Things Come in 3s - Emirates, Qatar, and Singapore First Class
Czeching In and Jetting Out - LH F/J, FR Y, and BA F
Spring, Fall, and Hopefully Sakura in CX F, SQ NEW and Old Suites, CZ J, and OZ J/F
3 for the price of 2? RTW Babymoon to Japan, Maldives, UK (JL/EY/LH J/F/Apartment)
Slummin' it to Spain - BCN, PMI for some Park Hyatt, and MAD
Christmas in Vienna with a Splash of Porsche and FCT - LX/OS Y, OS J, LH F
The Journey is Half the Fun; RTW in SQ Suites/CX F/JL J/EK F/EY Apartment/AA F
Escaping to the Southern Hemisphere: A Bora Bora Getaway
Honeymoon In Europe (UK, France, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, etc.) - AA/LH/EK F

chongl

We arrived at LAX on a rainy night, and due to traffic, got there just about 2 hours before departure. The holidays were in full swing and getting off the 105 freeway to Tom Bradley International took at least a good 30 minutes. Unable to take the earlier, direct flight to SIN, we were on the 10PM departure







After getting bags checked, I took the opportunity to show my wife the "hidden" security checkpoint, only to find that it was closed. To make matters worse, I must have forgotten to add our pre-check numbers since we had to take the other line and walk through some patrolling dogs before getting carry-ons scanned. Once through, we made a beeline for the Star Alliance J Lounge









After finding a spot in the bustling lounge, we grabbed some food for ourselves and the boys. Yes, the mini-ChongLs came along













The soup for the noodle bar was utterly tasteless



As we head off to our gate, I took a look back at the outside, indoor (??) terrace to see that more space had started opening up as it got later into the night



Over to our gate for departure



My seat for the next 17 hours. I've posted picture of the seat controls, lighting, and IFE too many times already so I'll spare you the trouble





A nice touch during the holidays



Just departed



Tonight's menu. I jokingly asked for a Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee and was told there was none available on this flight























We had decided to do book the cook. Mini-ChongL #1 got the egg noodles which we liked quite a bit and I didn't really have to look after him most of the flight. The Mrs. had the chicken rice which was delicious as well. I didn't have much of an appetite and my BTC for later in the flight sounded more appealing to me at this point, so I asked for my congee instead.





The dessert was rather dry



Interesting flavor



We landed in T2 and head straight for the J lounge again to fill up. We had a very short layover but I still managed to down a bowl of laksa before heading off to the gate

























Next up: A short hop to DPS, the Umana Bali, and Mandapa

pjs

Look forward to the rest. I just booked that exact seat for me and the Mrs. on the nonstop late flight to SIN but hopeful for bulkhead at T-96. Did you try for that or just couldn't because of the young'uns in tow?

chongl

Thanks for reading. I didn't bother trying to snag bulkhead this time around.

injian

flew the same route back in April and i noticed the bulkseat window seat is shorter in length compared to the middle two bulkhead seats - not sure if other people felt the same or its just me

chongl

We made our way to the gate as they opened up for boarding. After folding up the stroller and stuffing it into the bag provided by SQ, we were through security and soon onboard



We grabbed 2 rows of middle seats, with mini-ChongL #1 sitting next to me. As you can see, row 12 allowed me to walk over to help if he needed anything. The row behind had the 2 seats next to each other for less separation, which suited the younger one’s need to be next to mom perfectly







Today’s menu…but I did book the cook again instead







Short flight to DPS



Some roti



And the always enjoyable nasi lemak for myself



After landing, we head towards immigration. We had the e-Visa on arrival completed and paid for prior to departure so we were able to head straight to the counters while others were confused and turned back. We had our own confusion when we tried to go into the family line and got directed to the regular line, only to get redirected back to the much faster family line. We grabbed our bags and walked outside to the hundreds of signs with names on them. After not spotting our name at all, we contacted the hotel and were put in touch with the driver. A small hiccup, but we just so happened to miss each other while walking out of the airport. A 45-ish minute drive awaited us to get to Umana Bali







Narrow, winding roads



And finally arriving at our first hotel to get some rest







A welcome drink and snack were provided while check-in details were processed. Then we hopped onto a buggy for a short tour of the resort before we were shown villa 108, a small upgrade to a partial ocean view



























Abysmally slow internet



The bedroom has doors that open up directly to the private pool. With our short stay, we never actually ended up using it, but we did hop in the pool with the minis to get some swim lessons in. By the time we were done, It was well past lunch time, and almost dinner time so we ordered in room dining. Starting with the penne carbonara which was quite good



Fried chicken burger which was ok



Nasi goreng



Dessert



We went to bed rather early afterwards. But with jet lag in full swing, we were up by 4AM, which was still better than I had expected. Sunrise hit by around 5:30 which gave amazing views each morning



Breakfast started at 7AM at Commune





A selection of buffet and a la carte menu items were available

























Menu items which were tasty as well. I thoroughly enjoyed all the sambals they had here which was infused with lots of locally inspired flavors







The boys went to the kid's club and had a blast playing on the slide and having a ball fight with the staff. They also had board games and arts and crafts for those who preferred less active activities. It is very well equipped and the staff are great with the children. We went back to our room during the lunch hour to eat again before returning to the kid’s club. For the first time, we were even able to leave them behind while the Mrs. and I went to the spa for a massage









We had made reservations at Commune for dinner but mini-ChongL #2 had missed his nap being too busy playing and fallen asleep, so he was quite grumpy when we woke him up. We decided to head back to the room and the staff graciously made arrangements to deliver the food to our room





Unfortunately, the laksa was quite terrible



We had a transfer arranged to Mandapa. Given that we expected the Ritz Carlton Reserve to be the highlight of our stay, we asked to depart around 10:30 in the morning since it would take roughly 1.5 to 2 hours to get to Ubud due to traffic. After unsuccessfully vying for the close-in seats that opened up for the JL flight home, I wallowed in self-pity while we checked out and head on our way







As we turned into a nondescript alleyway, it sloped downward to the gates of Mandapa. A quick verification of guest names and we were waved through to the dropoff area. Upon getting out of the car, we were greeted by staff who took our bags and led us to the “lobby”. I say lobby loosely since it is an open area with gorgeous views into the valley where the rest of the resort resides. We are offered welcome drinks and eventually meet our patih, or butler, who guides us on a tour through the resort on a buggy







In our base room, we are greeted by a spacious area with a rollaway bed already set up for us. Niti, our patih, confirms some other details and provides her contact information for booking restaurant reservations or excursions. She notes our special occasion and says she will try to get us an upgrade to a villa for the last 2 nights of our stay. It’s a fantastic beginning to our 5 nights and we look forward to the rest of our time here













Slightly improved internet speeds



Next up: More nasi goreng, a Christmas Eve dinner, and an excursion

Carq

Which camera? You always take suberb photos, no matter the hardware. Can you estimate the % of photos here with your regular camera and your phone camera?
And just a final question: how many points for the LXR hotel?

chongl

Thank you for the kind words. I had my Sony A7RIII since 2018 and I found a good price on the latest body, so I stepped up to the A7RV.

Most of my pictures are with the regular camera, but there is a saying the best camera is the one you have on you. Nowadays, unless it's low light or you do pixel peeping, a phone camera will probably look pretty close when zoomed out. There are some times where the sensor size advantage of the camera just can't be beaten though

LXR was at 95K a night, so probably a better deal if booked with free night certificates

mdtraveler

Great trip report. Looking forward to hearing about the rest of your trip.

chongl

The following morning we went back to Sawah Terrace which is where breakfast is served daily. A combination of buffet and a la carte items are available, with some variation in the hot dishes daily. We took our time to fill up, with few other guests around on Christmas morning



Also a congee and noodle station











Cheeses and cold cuts



Sashimi





Mrs. ChongL went ham on the mangosteen, which is by far her favorite fruit



Daily offering of juices and smoothies are available. They will even provide cold pressed apple juice (since the kids wanted apple juice and there was none on offer)

















A local style pancake and mud cake





A la carte menu









A slightly modified a la carte menu was presented on our final days with new dishes







We had a half day excursion booked and there was some flexibility and ability to tailor the experience without opting for the customized tour. Although the red VW shown below is the customary vehicle and the one most people take, our patih suggested we take the bigger car since it would be more comfortable with the kids



It worked out for the best since the kids actually preferred the white car below because it looked like an off-road vehicle to them!



Back to the lobby area and past this Christmas tree to sign a quick disclaimer form and we were on our way. Our guide and driver pointed out landmarks and interesting things along the drive, which was about 45 minutes until our first stop. It may have been longer than necessary since they actually went out of their way to find uneven or unpaved roads so the boys could go off-road as they frequently requested



Passing by numerous rice fields













We saw quite a few loads of pigs being transported, likely to be BBQ’d as it was an auspicious day on the Balinese calendar



More rice fields



Nearing Tegallalang Rice Terrace (also known as Ceking Rice Terrace), which was our first stop of the day



We were dropped off at the entrance where our guide handled the entrance fee and led us in. We were greeted by an “I Love Bali” sign and some yelling to the side where people were getting launched into the air on swings for their Instagram-shots. We made our way down the narrow dirt paths and descended a few levels to take in the beautiful views. Although early in the day, the sun and humidity were already taking a toll on us















After a bathroom break, we returned to the car where we were given cold towels and water to help us cool off. I started wondering if we would even make it through the half day with the heat and cargo. Yes, I said cargo since mini-ChongL #2 is too lazy to walk and demanded to be carried. At some times, it was for the better with the steep stairs and narrow pathways, but boy was it a workout. We continued to our 2nd point of interest, seeking out dirt roads for the minis’ enjoyment







Passing smaller rice patties on the way





After getting dropped off in the parking lot, we crossed the street and descended down a steep flight of stairs into a cool, damp area paved by large stones over water





Eventually, this led toward the soothing sound of a waterfall. We hung out here for a little bit and let the minis stretch their legs before deciding to return to the car



Now, the hike back up the stairs was not pleasant at all. My legs were burning, and the Mrs. and I had to trade off the cargo to get back up to the top. Once we got back to the car, another cold towel and water refreshed us, and we were off to the water temple





It was extra busy today as our guide reiterated it was a good day on the Balinese calendar. Many locals and tourists come to perform a cleansing ritual at the temple



Presidential palace in the background



A higher vantage point of all the people awaiting their turn





Water supplied by underground spring



In other areas of the temple, many are praying and making an offering to the gods



On the way out, we came across a koi pond where we made a quick stop to feed them. A light sprinkle had started at this point, quickly strengthening into an outright downpour. We made it back to the car before the heaviest rain had hit and the driver had already pulled down the clear side covering to keep the interior dry



From there we head off to our picnic lunch, which to our surprise was at a coffee plantation. At first we refused the umbrellas since we thought it would be a short walk, but it turned out to be a good minute or 2 away where we were shown how the beans were processed





Rain still coming down heavily



Toasting the beans



We went further to another covered area with benches where we had a simple, but satisfying lunch





Looking across the valley



Finally, we had a flight of coffees and teas to sample before heading back toward the hotel. Luckily both kiddos had fallen asleep by this point so we were able to avoid further off-roading





We came back to the room to a nice surprise. Knowing that the kids were very enthusiastic about cars, our patih left them a small, but thoughtful gift for them



The tour ended up being one of our favorite things we did on this trip. We were initially hesitant to do the waterfall or the water temple, but ended up thoroughly enjoying every minute of the experience. It makes sense as to why this was the resort’s most popular excursion since it exposes guests to a wide gamut of experiences. It allowed us to get outside of the resort, and while still touristy, gave us a different perspective on Bali, especially seeing the locals in the small shops and towns going about their day. Next time we return, we plan to go to some local markets to get a more genuine experience

Next up: An anniversary upgrade, and more dining

chongl

After returning from our excursion we did another evening of in-villa dining, starting with a nice amuse bouche



Spaghetti carbonara for the kids



Mrs. ChongL liked my nasi goreng from the previous day so much she ordered one for herself, whereas I opted to try the mie goreng



Finishing with a dessert



At turn down service, some nice sweets were brought that had a strong local influence. Most of the items consisted of some combination of coconut, pandan, or sticky rice



While I was still not adjusted to the time, I decided to sneak out at sunrise the following morning to get some more pictures of the resort. Stepping out of our building, a living wall spans the courtyard as a decorative centerpiece



Continuing down the hill (or the stairs if you choose), you come across Sawah Terrace and a small bar area





At the heart of the village is the pool area which provides scenic views of the rice terrace on site





Looking beyond the fields, you can see the covered area which houses the kids’ club











While we never made use of the public pool, we were fortunate enough to get an upgrade to a villa which had a private pool







The cows were on site that day and are available for feeding. They are named after the resort (Manda and Dapa) which I’m told translate to the word temple



Being city boys, the kids didn’t like the smell of the animals and were too busy playing



After entertaining them for a good amount of time, rather than dine in again, we opted for lunch at the pool. First, a refreshing round of coconuts



Some bread and olive oil



Delicious truffle fries



Four cheese pizza



Flew all the way to Bali for some nachos lol



That evening, it was back to dining in. Amuse bouche



Ikan bakar (char-grilled barramundi)



Iga babi bakar (char-grilled slow cooked pork ribs)



The next morning, I took some more pictures of the breakfast area. If opting to sit outside, there is a nice view of the Ayung River and you can hear the gentle sound of the rushing water







We decided to have a spa treatment in the morning. For the first time since the kids were born, we had a couple’s massage which required the services of a babysitter. The minis went off to the kids’ club with her and we had a splendid time relaxing at the spa. Once we were done, our patih informed us the new room was ready, so we opted to have everything moved over before grabbing the kids and ordering lunch























The private pool was put to great use since I was able to continue teaching the boys how to float and swim. However, while the entire area was incredibly spacious, the offset living area meant that the continuous area available for the kids to play was now split. The wife and I agreed that the villa was a fantastic upgrade, but the layout of the initial suite we had served our needs better. Throughout our remaining days, we had more in-villa dining since the menu was more or less identical to what was available at the restaurant. On one evening, I had what ended up being my favorite dish, nasi bakar ayam, which is described as char-grilled coconut rice and shredded chicken wrapped in banana leaf. Having first had this at dinner, the side of beef that accompanied the dish was sweet, but had a beef jerky like texture. Upon biting into it, it revealed a crispiness and intense flavor that had my wife and kids stealing off my plate. The appetizer of course came first



And the star: nasi bakar ayam



So of course, I had to order it again the next day



The kids tried a different pizza



With a smoothie



And finally, a dessert



With remaining days dwindling, we decided to try our hand at afternoon tea at Ambar, which is at the lobby level of the resort






This gives sprawling views of the valley below





Menu



Small bites





And the tower of food that was also accompanied by some yakitori



For our final dinner, on our actual anniversary, we dined at Kubu which has a tasting menu








The wife with a mangosteen cocktail, trying to cram in as much mangosteen as she could



We opted for the shorter menu (The Essential) in case the boys couldn’t stay seated for an extended period of time



Amuse bouche



Scallop crudo



Chicken off the kids’ menu. This looks rather dry but was actually quite tasty



Filet off the kids’ menu



Farmer toast



Risotto



Tuna tataki



We opted for the Kiwami beef ribeye instead of the short ribs…absolutely delicious



Sorbet



Tiramisu



And finally, petit fours



Thinking dinner was over, we were surprised by a chocolate cake. We were beyond stuffed at this point



After rolling back to our villa, we were surprised to see a nice message and farewell gift. Normally, this isn’t something that would surprise me, but it seems like I was so checked out that it never crossed my mind as a possibility. In our previous trips, and even at Umana Bali, seeing the anniversary message was a nice touch, but it was something you were prepared to see (whether it actually presented itself or not). So, it was odd that I was legitimately surprised after coming back from dinner to see this. Either I was extremely content and relaxed, thinking about leaving for Japan the next day, or most likely had such a great stay already that nothing else was expected anymore





And our last turn down snack before departing the next morning



We had high expectations after hearing first-hand from others who have stayed there, and even then, it exceeded our expectations. It has rocketed to the top of our list of most memorable stays, so I guess it’s no surprise we are already thinking of going back. Even at the WA Maldives, we would have to follow up sometimes on requests. From the get-go at Mandapa, everything was seamless and every individual we interacted with would go out of their way to assist. This ranged anywhere from seeing the Mrs. grabbing breakfast with a kid in tow and proactively offering to take the dish off her hands to take back to our table, to offering to make some cold pressed apple juice when no apple juice was available at breakfast. Nothing ever seemed rigid, as in “no you can’t do that” or “the policy won’t allow this” as the staff tried their best within reason to accommodate. Everything was fluid and dynamic where the small tidbits of information they gleamed from our regular interactions were used to further curate and tailor the stay. To say we enjoyed our time here would be an understatement

Next up: The wife still eating mangosteen, and flying SQ back through Singapore to Osaka

El_Chiflero

Great report. Having the littles ones in the front of the plane is a special, if expensive, feeling.

chongl

The next morning, we had our breakfast delivered early so we could eat in the room before departure. Mrs. ChongL took this opportunity to get her last filling of mangosteen, whereas the boys had the French toast and jackfruit











It was a long, but comfortable drive to the airport where we were dropped off curbside



We head towards the SQ counters to check-in before strolling through the duty free shops









An elevator ride up one floor had us in the very basic lounge







We found a seat in the back before grabbing a little bit of food at the buffet













At T-10, we left the lounge to head for the gate. Rule #1 of flight club….?



A short while later, boarding was announced



We were at the front of the cabin for the short ride back to Singapore







PDB was offered and I thought I heard them call it Balinese champagne. My wife told me I misheard and it was a bellini



Today’s menu



While we got the kids settled and hooked up to the IFE, I had the rare chance to take some shots from the window





Soy sauce chicken noodle went down easy for mini-ChongL #1



Whereas I had the Malay style curry prawns that was quite good



The wife opted for the braised beef cheeks



A short while later, we found ourselves on approach to SIN



With a short connection, there wasn’t time for the J lounge at SIN, which meant my bowl of laksa would have to wait until June. We head straight towards the gate for our 6.5 hour flight to Osaka, which would consume the rest of the day



Our Dreamliner parked and ready to go



Same cabin layout as in previous legs









And another Balinese champagne



In the air



Soon afterwards, meal service kicked off, starting with some satay



Menu for today’s flight





















Appetizer to start



With the last few flights in F or J going back to 2021 not having the lobster thermidor available as a BTC option, I was elated to see it was finally available ex-SIN for this flight. Always a nice meal when paired with the garlic bread I had already eaten



Winter pear cake for dessert



Upon arrival in Japan, we had all the necessary QR codes ready so getting through immigration and customs was a breeze. And since it was later in the evening, I knew I would be in no mood to take the metro to our hotel so an airport transfer was ready waiting. It turned out to be the right call because we did not have any data for some reason and could not connect to any networks to know which stations/metro lines to board. Some phone restarts and multiple tries through the next day yielded no success leading me to purchase an eSIM to help navigate us around. For some reason, we had no issues in Tokyo the following week? But back to Osaka, we took the elevator upstairs to a beautiful lobby to check in





Man was upset about something and seemed unreasonable, and the lady working the desk was getting visually flustered. It took a while before I was able to grab my keys



Upgraded to a spacious suite with spanning views of the city













Another Conrad duck to add to the collection



Another anniversary snack



Looking towards Osaka Station



And finally some reasonable internet speeds!



Next up: Exploring Osaka, Dotonbori and Universal Studios Japan (USJ)

jaro

Curious about USJ, my GF and I decided not to go after the Express Passes sold out...

chongl

The next morning, I was rather excited for breakfast. Having frequented the Conrad Tokyo many times, I was curious as to how Conrad Osaka would match up. The selection was very similar, with both having a la carte menu options and a full buffet with hot and cold options. The dining area had wonderful panoramic views of the city providing lots of natural light



A la carte menu



Buffet options





























This is the area where the buffet stood out: the carving station. Every morning there was a tasty, tender piece of beef ready to be served



Ordering from the signature menu, the okonomiyaki benedict



Later in the morning, we took a cab to Osaka Castle to do some short exploring







Not sure what brand that is, but it sure sounds like an adult entertainment company. I hope this lad is eternally excited when he wears this jacket



Closer views of the castle





We walked the grounds and ducked into a few small shops into the area before calling it a morning. We decided to find a quick bite to eat as it was almost lunch time



A convenience store allowed us to load up on cold sandwiches and some fried chicken for the kiddos



Taking the metro back for an afternoon nap



Come evening time, I wanted some more shots of the hotel lobby before we ventured out for dinner. As I mentioned earlier, the views from this hotel are breathtaking





Once my impromptu photoshoot was completed, we head towards Dotonbori for some street food, lively atmosphere, and ramen for dinner



Grabbing some wagyu to snack on while standing in line for Ichiran









The wait was surprisingly shorter than we had anticipated, given the large number of people in the area. Maybe people thought this to be a hotspot and would instead go to the branches just a few blocks away?



Omnomnom



Takoyaki vendor



Cheese coin time!







Glico man











Calling it a night



The next day, after a generous filling of beef at the morning buffet, we head out towards Universal Studios Japan



Given that it was New Year’s Eve, many people were lined up for the evening event. As we approached the entrance, the drizzle began to form into a more steady rain. We had taken a gamble by not bringing extra layers, and things looked more bleak as the holiday meant that the Super Mario World area of the park would be accessed by lottery since we hadn’t pre-booked. The last minute decision to go to the park wasn’t looking too good



As I went to get information for the lottery, my wife and the kids went shopping for some silly Mario and Goomba hats. The rain had begun to let up as well







Over to Hogwarts for the wife



Butterbeer here was much tastier than state-side







Meat pie for a snack



Also surprisingly tasty!



Having not been selected for the lottery, we broke the news to the kids who were a bit down. We did walk by the entrance so that they could see some of the decorations though



At this point, we head towards the main entrance of the park and noted people lining up for a parade about to start. Mini-ChongL #2 had just fallen asleep as the minions, cookie monster, Mario characters, and Pokémon came through













After having seen some version of Mario, even though it was just a parade, mini-ChongL #1 was in much better spirits. Over to see some minions



Then some ice cream…with pop rocks





As I was taking pictures of the Christmas tree, a lady somewhat aggressively asked if I could take a picture for her. Shrugging it off as a language barrier, I snapped a few photos for her and handed the phone back. As I go back to adjusting my exposure settings on my own camera and look through the viewfinder, I see the lady checking the phone trying to tell me the picture isn’t good, that she needs a certain pose, framing, and people out of the way. That’s the point where I chose to ignore her and just walk away. I frequently volunteer to help people take pictures with their companions or families, but the level of arrogance displayed by this lady was something else



A final snack



Walking towards the trains that would take us back to the hotel



One last stop at a gift shop where the wife couldn’t resist picking up this guy. We now pretend to light him and toss him around at home, but it also doubles as a hand warmer



Back to the Conrad we go



In the evening, we went to the executive lounge for dinner. There was a fantastic setup where there was a dedicated 1 hour time slot for families with children. This was a great idea and we were more than happy to blend into the crowd. A nice selection of hot and cold dishes was available, and I was surprised to even see salmon tartare









Alcohol



Tea and desserts





Next up: The fabled Ritz-Carlton Kyoto and the Pierre Hermes French toast