Grandmas Plus Hotel Seminyak

Grandmas Seminyak is popular with the party crowd who come to Seminyak to enjoy both the beach and the nightlife. As such, the vibe throughout the hotel is upbeat and can be a bit loud at times. Palms and tropical greenery surround the restaurant and line the walkway to the lobby, and the frontage of the hotel is covered in beautiful green vines that spill over from the roof of the hotel onto the street below. The ambience is polished in the pool area, the lobby, and walkways -- expect to see natural wood details plus stone, glazed concrete, and bursts of lime green throughout. The hub of activity during the day is centered around the tiny plunge pool that gets quite crowded during cocktail hour. Adjoining the pool is MIURA Pintxos Bar and Grill, which features eclectic and chic interiors with an industrial edge like exposed concrete features. There are numerous seating options in the two-story restaurant, with both tables and bar seating options -- street-side seating is a nice place to watch the world go by. For couples there is also more intimate seating found under the vertical green living wall, in addition there are comfy couches around the pool deck.

Grandmas Seminyak is an ideal base to explore Seminyak on foot. It's located downtown, just a five-minute walk from the beach and near many popular restaurants, bars, and shops. The beach here is more laid back than Kuta Beach, and is a great spot to swim, surf, or just lounge. Dotted along the beach there are many bohemian styled beach bars that face the surf and are popular during sunset. There are also trendier options on the beach with a few fine dining restaurants and nightclubs. Down the road from the hotel on Camplung Tanduk Road (also known as Dhyana Pura road) there are lots of shops and restaurants, but the area is most well known the late-night gay bars that line the street. Taxis are easily hailed outside of the hotel. It is generally less than a 10-minute drive to the upscale Petitenget area, a 15-minute drive into Kuta, and a 30-minute drive to the airport -- though traffic can be bad in this area and driving times may vary.

Rooms at Grandmas Seminyak are small and basic, but the affordable room rates make it a popular hotel for the budget conscious. The look is contemporary and minimalist -- walls are plain white with a simple wood grained melamine trim that is also used on the furniture. Rooms are styled with green accents featured on the doors, the bed runners, and chairs, there is also a small framed artwork above the bed. Inside it feels cramped even for a budget hotel and there is only a small rectangular window, so it can get a bit stuffy. 

On the plus side, the air-conditioned rooms are well-maintained, uncluttered, and contain 32-inch flat-screen TVs, safes, small working desks, and have free Wi-Fi and mineral water. Unfortunately, they lack mini-fridges and electric kettles for coffee or tea. There also isn't much space to store suitcases and unpacking is difficult, with little to no shelving shelving and only three hangers provided on the tiny hanging rack. 

There are two different room categories to choose from and the only difference is the bedding: a single double bed or two twins. The upper-floor rooms tend to be a bit quieter than those on the ground level, and noise from neighboring bars is audible. During our visit to the hotel, we noticed that the bathrooms were underwhelming -- we spotted brown spots on the tiles, mold issues, drainage smells, and a compact glass-stall shower.

Grandmas Seminyak serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the trendy MIURA Pintxos Bar and Grill. The menu has western and Indonesian classics but specializes in Spanish cuisine, especially pintxos, which are light bites that originate from Northern Spain and Basque Country. The restaurant and bar is also a popular evening cocktail venue that comes alive during weekly music events. Although a nice place for fancy signature cocktails and light bites by the pool, the menu prices are steep, especially for those on a budget -- a meal and and a cocktail will set you back almost as much as a night in the hotel. The plunge-pool is small and gets minimal sun, but with comfy couches set up around the deck it is a nice place to lounge that can get quite busy during cocktail hour. The De Nyuh Spa and Beauty Salon is a favorite feature of the hotel, with guests reporting that the massages and beauty treatments are excellent and the prices are reasonable. During our visit to the spa we were impressed by the clean and spacious treatment rooms that felt tranquil, offering a peaceful escape from the buzz of Seminyak.