Review: Andaz Bali – Overyhyped, a victim of its own success!

At a glance:

The Andaz Bali is a newish upscale and modern resort in Sanur. With 149 various room types, it is a popular spot for family vacations, and if you are not traveling with children, you will be in the minority of guests here. Some things are true to the Andaz brand and others are not. Spoiler: We are in the minority of people who give this resort a low score.

What is actually is: Too popular for it’s own good? The hotel seems to always be full occupancy and cannot cope with it.

What it is not: A serene Balinese beachside retreat. It is not a peaceful resort.

Time of year: Fall

Room Type: Andaz Deluxe Suite

Scores:

Hotel Design: 91 – What a traditional Balinese village looks like, re-imagined in the format of a modern low-rise resort complex surrounded by water features AKA pools and lush landscaping.

Location: 94 – A very central location in Sanur on the beach but also walkable to the main street.

Sleep: 94 – Comfortable bed and bedding, no noticeable noise. Room was very dark and it was hard to get the a/c to the right temperature for sleeping, as it always felt very cold.

Service: 60 – Service really fell short in general, surprising absent both in advance, on arrival and on departure. A general lack of caring overall. We did not get our room until 1.5 hours past check-in time and the whole meal voucher as compensation was complicated, so we declined it. It seemed many other guests at checkout also had the vouchers, which points to the problem of how this hotel cannot handle being at full capacity all the the time. It was even challenging to make a dinner reservation which is a no-no when there are so many places within walking distance.

Room Design: 87 – Spacious and well appointed with beautiful furniture. It felt like a high quality room with nice furnishings. Ground floor rooms can be dark and lack privacy.

Room Amenities: 95 – Plenty of space to relax, lots of storage, a large bathroom with shower and tub (and bath bombs). Our room had two mini fridges: one for the complimentary and paid items and one for our own things.

Hotel Amenities: 81 – Some nice on-site amenities when not overrun. They only have 12 bikes for a hotel that’s often fully booked and can accommodate about 650 people. The main pool is to be avoided during full occupancy. True to Andaz brand, all the food was exceptional, including the daily a-la-carte breakfast and the seafood restaurant for dinner.

Vibe: 68 – All-inclusive vibes meet a hip playground for families with young children, which feels unusual for this brand.

Cleanliness/Maintenance: 95 – No issues, great overall.

Value / Extras & Perks: 90 – Fantastic breakfast, suite upgrade in advance (using Hyatt status perks).

OVERALL: 85.5