The ONE Legian

The ONE Legian opened in 2011 as The 101, and added a few facilities plus another wing of rooms in 2016, renaming itself The ONE. Public interiors feature a chic urban look and atmosphere that's appropriate for the lively goings on at this central Legian hotel. The open-air lobby is an appealing space with striated wood ceilings, yellow-and-white and red-and-white striped sofas, and striped floors, an aesthetic that carries over to the restaurant, which incorporates the few Balinese accents you'll see at this hotel as well. This isn't the kind of place for those seeking quiet relaxation, and the action tends to happen around the fourth-floor Sky Pool, featuring great views of the surrounding area from its deck. Raucous parties with DJs are held several times a week, though those seeking a calmer place to cool off may want to head to the ground-level Romeo Pool instead. The ONE is very much targeted to a style-conscious, social demographic that's heavy on young Australians drawn to the rooftop pool, party-centric vibe, and relatively affordable rooms. With its location not far from the beach, the hotel also draws quite a few surfers.

The ONE Legian is located toward the southern end of Legian, directly adjacent to Kuta on one of the main roads through the area. While it's utterly central, that will translate to a lot of noise. The immediate area is full of hotels, shops, art galleries, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. Sky Garden Bali entertainment complex and the Ground Zero Monument to the victims of the 2002 Sari Club bombing are under a five-minute walk. Those needing a little retail therapy can head to Jalan Melasti shopping street, a little over five minutes away on foot, while the big Beachwalk Mall shopping complex is about a 10-minute stroll. Kuta Beach is the place for surfing, sunsets, and beach cafes -- it's a five-minute drive or 10-minute walk from the hotel. The Kuta Art Market and 200-year-old Vihara Dharmayana Buddhist temple are both within five minutes from the hotel by car. Expect a 15-minute drive to Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Rooms at The ONE are simple, but the colorful style has the same mostly modern finish as the rest of the hotel, with vivid color-block walls and light wood veneer furniture. It is worth noting that some rooms in the hotel's older wing aren't quite as fresh as those in the newer one, and may include worn furniture and tiling. The main drawback to these rooms is their small size: they range from 194 square feet (18 square meters) to 237 square feet (22 square meters), which is compact compared to many of the hotels in Legian. Many rooms also encounter noise issues from neighboring rooms because of thin walls, from loud and drunk guests in the hallway, and from the music and party atmosphere in the bars in the area and rooftop pool. All 301 rooms come with free bottled water, mini-fridges, electric kettles for instant coffee and tea, free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, and flat-screen TVs with international and English-language channels. Bathrooms are fairly stylish but a bit cramped. All have hairdryers and stall showers, and some lack shelving or vanity space for storage.

The ONE Legian's centerpiece is its rooftop outdoor Sky Pool, which has a spacious deck with good views of the surrounding area. The pool gets very good sun, but it can be hard to get a sunbed at peak times. Several afternoons and evenings a week the pool area is the setting for a lively party with barbecue, drinks, and a DJ. Sunset cabana dining is available, and there's a bar with light snacks. On select night, the space hosts a movie night with big-screen films and free popcorn. The ground-level Romeo Pool is about the same size as the Sky Pool, but the atmosphere is a bit more sedate and it's less crowded. It does tend to be a bit shaded, and there's a poolside bar is located at one end of the pool. 

The hotel serves an ample breakfast buffet (for a fee) on the rooftop. The spread features cooked-to-order eggs and Western items plus Asian dishes. For other meals, Italian and Indonesian cuisine is available along with a wide range of Asian and international dishes. Room service is available. The second restaurant specializes in local Balinese and urban street food, and has a DJ dance party. There's also a lobby bar, though it's worth noting that drinks are a bit pricey throughout the hotel. The on-site spa has a good range of massages, scrubs, therapies, nail care, and beauty treatments. The ONE also has a small fitness center, concierge, meeting rooms, lobby internet corner, and limited free parking. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.