If you are heading to North Bali and need somewhere to stay we recently discovered The Lovina Bali and would not think twice about recommending it. Booked on a Trip a Deal (available to book until June 2024) this was an amazing special and incentive to try a new part of Bali for us. Here are eight reason why you should consider The Lovina Bali Resort in North Bali. 1. An Authentic Bali Experience North Bali is an authentic Bali experience. There are no night clubs in Lovina, no fancy beach clubs or day spas - this is relaxed and back to basics. There are a few restaurants we discovered, but mostly Warungs and bean bags on the beach where you can enjoy a large bintang for AUD$4 or a fresh coconut for AUD$2. It is a simple, slow paced environment in the north and it is definitely somewhere you can go to relax. Most of the tourists were European - we bumped into a few fellow Australian travellers - but Lovina is certainly not an Aussie Bogan destination. A 2.5 hour drive from Denpasar airport (on a good traffic day) you have to be prepared to travel to get there - but we thought it was well worth it. 2. Beach Side Location The Lovina Bali is a beachside resort so if you like evening strolls on the sand, cocktails whilst watching the sunset over the water and a place to swim or kayak - The Lovina has it! The beaches in North Bali are calm and relatively clean, they offer good snorkelling and calm waters for SUPs and kayaks. And The Lovina provides all the equipment you need at no extra cost - including snorkel gear. 3. Morning Yoga If you like to start your day with a stretch and some meditation, The Lovina provides daily 8am yoga classes included in your stay. A great way to start the day - and to meet fellow travellers. The resort did also have a small gym room with a few weights and a treadmill if that's how you like to start your day - and there were also bicycles available to use free of charge. 4. Breakfast Buffet If you want to start your morning with a hearty meal, the breakfast buffet at The Lovina had something for everyone. Eggs made to order, fresh juices, asian and western dishes - there was no complaints from us here. And there were two options for dining - beach side or overlooking the rice fields - we alternated and enjoyed the varying views. The coffee was basic black American style - no almond half strength barista made coffees here to rival an Australian Cafe start to the day - but the surrounds and the staff certainly made up for that. 5. Free Shuttle The free shuttle service was invaluable for getting around in Lovina. At any time (up to 11pm at night) guests can walk into reception and request a shuttle service to local amenities. A trip to the supermarket, the money exchange or drop off at a restaurant. And once you are out you could simply WhatsApp the hotel and the shuttle would come and collect you if you had not pre arranged it. They were so attentive and responsive on one occasion we were planning a walk back but got caught in the rain, we messaged them and they were there in 5 minutes! The next time we went out for a walk we took our provided umbrellas - but of course it didn't rain. 6. Large Clean Rooms We stayed in a beachside one bedroom suite with the pool just steps from our door and loved it. The rooms are large and well maintained, they included a kitchen area with a full size fridge which was great for storing our supermarket Bintang purchases and the room included bottled water daily - essential for brushing your teeth! The king sized bed was comfy and the room had both air-conditioning and ceiling fans. 7. Onsite Spa When travelling to Bali I always indulge in massages and spa treatments and the onsite spa (Body Tonic) was excellent. The trip a deal accommodation package we booked included 2 x 60 minute Balinese Massages and the facility and service was professional, clean and relaxing. The prices in the spa were higher than massages in the street, however if you booked a day in advance a 20% discount was applied - although there was a 21% service charge. 8. See the Dolphins One of the attractions Lovina is known for is the dolphins that enjoy the waters off their coast. Each morning small boats head out to the deeper waters taking tourists out to the hot spots to view the dolphins in the wild at sunrise. As part of our package we had an included early morning tour to see the dolphins for ourselves. A 5:45am wake up followed a short walk along the beach to join one of the many small boats that head out each morning. Whilst it was great to see the dolphins (guests who went out the day before us also saw a whale) it is quite a touristy experience with in excess of 80 boats moving in packs in what felt close to chasing the dolphins. For European tourists that come from landlocked homes this would have been a highlight, for an Australian tourist I am not sure I would repeat the experience and rather leave the dolphins to enjoy their ocean. Penny
Itchy Feet Family
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