Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel

This hotel is resort-sized with a lot of amenities making it popular for all types of vacationers, from couples to families with small children. A large fountain at the entrance and huge covered archways give the property a grand feeling right from the get-go. The lobby is massive and sets the scene well with its open-air configuration, high ceilings, marbles floors/pillars, ornamental figurines, and multiple reception/check-in areas. Souvenir shops and concierge services are also available.

In general, the resort is quiet, especially considering that it's located in a busy area. The grounds are green and tropical with stone pathways leading to the various buildings. Large amounts of open space allows for nice airflow and breezes throughout the complex. On occasion, however, when the wind is particularly strong and the waves are high, small amounts of ocean water can roll all the way through the seaside restaurant.

The hotel is directly on Kuta Beach and right next door to Discovery Mall in an area with plenty of minimarts and restaurants. Waterbom Park, a popular waterpark, and Kuta Theater, which has dance performances, are both within a five-minute walk. The airport is a 10-minute drive away.

The hotel has a variety of room types, from basic Standard Rooms clear up to enormous Villas with living areas, kitchenettes, and separate bedrooms. Standard Rooms feature Balinese dark-teak wood furnishings and the occasional piece of Indonesian art, as well as stocked minibars, flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, kettles, and free Wi-Fi. Villas have full-size refrigerators, microwaves, hot plates, and more luxurious touches such as canopy beds, silk throw pillows/coverlets, rich decorative rugs, and high ceilings. Marble bathrooms have modern fixtures and rainfall showers, and some also have tubs. Robes, sandals, hairdryers, and toiletries are available for guest use. Garden View Rooms in the right wing of the hotel tend to get noise from the neighboring nightclub, so if peace and quiet is your objective, request a room away from this area. 

The beach-facing swimming pool is large and looks a bit like a lagoon -- complete with giant fish fountains streaming into the water and the tiki-inspired Kul Kul Bar (which also has a billiards table). There are plentiful lounge chairs with umbrellas for sunning.

The hotel has plenty of facilities for children, including a kids' pool with a slide and a playground with Disney characters, swings, seesaws, and jungle gyms. The kids' club offers a variety of fun supervised activities for young guests.  

There is a spacious and well-stocked gym which includes multiple cardio machines, free weights, resistance machines, and exercise balls. Squash, racquetball, and tennis courts are also available, though the tennis courts could be better maintained. 

The full-service spa offers a nice variety of fairly reasonably priced massages and other services such as facials. There is also a salon which offers haircare and mani/pedis. 

There are three restaurants at the hotel. The Pond features a daily breakfast buffet for a fee as well as Indonesian or international buffets with entertainment at lunch and dinner. The al-fresco La Cucina Italian Restaurant overlooks the pool and out onto the sea, and has a nice selection of pizza, pasta, and seafood dishes. The beach-side Tepan Noodle Restaurant is a great choice for casual dining; there are even two private bales available on the beach for romantic dinners. 

Small kiosks of local artwork or souvenirs offer a nice shopping option right at the hotel. For those wishing to get out, there are motorbike rentals right on-site as well as free parking for guests with cars. The hotel also offers nine meeting and event spaces, including a spacious ballroom that can seat up to 400 people. There's also a business center and Wi-Fi is free throughout.