Holiday Villages, Lot 6, Nusa Dua, Indonesia
Beachside location near Kuta
Most rooms have large balconies and marble bathrooms
Suites have separate living areas and huge bathrooms
All-inclusive food and drink packages
Facilities for badminton, soccer, beach volleyball, and tennis
Golf and trapeze lessons included in all-inclusive rates
Main pool plus adult-only pool and kids' pool
Beautiful spa with variety of treatments and private pool
Clubs and activities for babies, children, and teens
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Rooms and suites are cramped and lack natural light
Some beers, wines, and spirits not included in all-inclusive rates
Baby and toddler club access not included in rates
The 393-room Club Med Bali is an enormous, upscale all-inclusive chain resort. Rooms and suites are small and nothing spectacular, though they do have large marble bathrooms and most have balconies. It's the multitude of activities -- for all ages -- that attract visitors to this beachside resort. Along with multiple pools and sports courts, there are golf classes and water sports, even trapeze lessons. Families make up the majority of guests here, and there are activity clubs for babies, children, and teens. For adults, there's an excellent spa with its own pool and a couple of bars (though certain premium liquors and wines aren't included in the room rates). But couples without kids might feel out of place -- they might want to check out the Ayodya Resort Bali instead, though it's not all-inclusive.
Scene
Family-friendly all-inclusive resort with traditional architectural design
The Club Med is an enormous all-inclusive resort set in a series of Balinese-inspired buildings on a large, grassy landscaped plot. The lobby is a semi-open space with a high roof supported by dark-wood beams and columns, featuring a mix of stone and tile floors and plush lavender booth and banquette seating. The space looks particularly spectacular at night, when it's illuminated by large paper lanterns. Just beyond the lobby is a series of fountains with traditional statuary and illuminated lanterns that add to the overall mystical effect. The resort's buildings are connected by roof-covered walkways that perch above large lotus ponds. The majority of guests are families with kids and teens, and couples, solo travelers, and business travelers might feel out of place here.
Location
Beachside location in South Bali, not far from Kuta
Club Med Bali is light on the beach on Bali's southeastern coast, in an area dominated by other high-end hotels, without much else within walking distance. It's a 20-minute drive to the town of Kuta, and getting to Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park takes about the same amount of time. The Uluwatu Temple is within a 35-minute drive. It's a 20-minute drive to Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, and Ubud is slightly more than an hour away.
Rooms
Small rooms and suites with large bathrooms, most with balconies
There are 393 rooms at the Club Med Bali spread over five buildings -- Flores, Sumba, Java, Lombok, and Madura. Although rooms come in a range of configurations, all follow the theme of blond-wood furniture, red accent walls with matching Balinese print cushions and bed throws, and cool marble floors in beige or gray. All units have large balconies or terraces, but the small windows and semi-enclosed construction don't contribute much natural light to the spaces. Bathrooms are a bit more modern than the rooms but feel equally dark, with a mix of beige and dark-brown marble. Suites are similarly lacking in natural light but have track lighting and multi-shade marble walls with bas-reliefs that add a bit of texture to the spaces. Living rooms are compact but have a few soft chairs and coffee tables, along with writing desks. The bathrooms in the Suites are standouts, with large black-granite vanities with double vessel basins, huge soaking tubs, and separate marble walk-in showers with ceiling-mounted rainfall showerheads. All units are air-conditioned, and have safes, kettles, and flat-screen TVs.
Features
Huge array of amenities, including sports, trapeeze, spa, bars and restaurants, pools, and beach
The Club Med chain is known for its abundance of on-site activities, and the Club Med Bali is no exception. Activities include trapeze school, golf lessons, yoga classes, snorkeling, archery, windsurfing, and guided walks. The resort also has badminton, basketball, soccer, squash, and tennis facilities, along with equipment for playing beach soccer and volleyball. Guests who prefer something more low-key can hang out in the lounge, which has a few red-felt pool tables and a large projection screen for watching sports and movies. Other features include free WI-Fi, an enormous shop with resortwear and a huge selection of souvenirs, and a large, semi-open theater with a stage for performances.
The property is located right by the beach and has lots of cushioned lounge chairs on the sand, along with some thatched parasols for shade. Additional sunbeds are located in a golf-course-green patch of grass with plenty of palm trees. There's also a swimming pool surrounded by shaded lounge chairs with tarp-covered areas for avoiding the sun. A kids' pool and an adult-only Zen Pool set in a quiet garden area round out the picture.
A variety of local and international treatments are offered at the Club Med Spa by Mandera, which has lots of red accent walls and dark-wood trim. The spa also has its own private courtyard surrounded by greenery, complete with a small pool and a whirlpool hot tub. There's also a separate wooden patio for relaxing after treatments.
The Club Med has two bars. The Kintamani -- at the swimming pool -- has a pavilion-style indoor section with a large round bar at its pinnacle and a small stage for live music performances off to one side. It offers cocktails, beer, wine, and juices as part of the all-inclusive rate plus premium drinks such as wine, Champagne, and select spirits. The seaside Tupai Tupai Beach Bar has a similar menu. The Deck Bar and Restaurant features indoor and outdoor seating in nautically inspired hues of blue and whites, with blue tile and light-blue LED backlighting. The more elegant option is the Agung Restaurant, housed in a traditional Balinese structure with high ceilings supported by dark-wood beams. There's also an outdoor section for alfresco dining.
Family
Clubs for babies, children, and teens, but the Baby Club costs extra
There's a Baby Club with lots of toys for children under two -- parents can can simply drop their little ones off. Two- and three-year-olds can hang out at the Petit Club Med, which offers arts and crafts, dress-up games, and lunch. Both the Baby Club and Petit Club Med come with extra fees, and need to be booked in advance. The Mini Club Med (included in rates) is for kids between four and 10 years old, and offers arts and crafts and sports activities. Pre-teens and teens up to age 18 can hang out at the Juniors Club Med (also included and split into two age groups), with a range of organized activities, but it's open only during school vacations.