ANANTARA ULUWATU Bali, Indonesia 🇮🇩【4K Resort Tour & Review】Honestly, I'm Torn...
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- Опубліковано 29 чер 2024
- What's the Anantara Uluwatu Resort in Bali, Indonesia like? Check out this full resort tour and honest unsponsored review to find out what makes the five-star Anantara property worth (or not) your hard earned vacation dollars.
🎥 In This Video:
-Hotel Exterior & History
-Lobby & Resort Grounds
-Hotel Location & Setting
-Botol Biru Bar & Restaurant
-Beautiful Cliff views
-Full Ocean View King Suite Tour
-Full Breakfast Buffet Tour
-Seminyak Beach
-On Site Pools
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💸 Nightly Rate
Rate Paid: $379.91 USD
Category: Ocean View Suite
Inclusions: Breakfast + 20% off Food (once)
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↪ Video Chapters ↩
0:00 Intro
00:28 Resort Info
00:58 Dreaming of Shag
01:18 Arrival at Resort & Exterior
02:05 Lobby
02:56 Grounds of Resort
04:57 Resort Overview View
05:22 Location & Map Graphic
06:13 On Site Chappel
06:51 Ocean View Suite Full Tour
12:38 Need to Know FAQs
12:58 Primary Pools & Sunset Views
15:37 Botol Biru Bar & Restaurant
16:05 Sunset & Dinner Buffet
17:08 Breakfast Buffet
17:30 Final Thoughts
18:50 The Flip Flop Score
Music featured in this video is licensed under an Artlist Unlimited License.
This is NOT a promotional video. I pay for all of my flights and hotels (and I always tell you how much!) so I can be as honest and impartial as possible. I do not receive any special treatment that wouldn’t otherwise be publicly accessible, in fact, the hotels and airlines have no idea about my visit and that's the way I like it!
#anantara #uluwatu #hotelreview
Great review as always Kevin. And funny as all hell with the quips. Thank you!
Thanks very much 🙏🏻
I love the quality of the cinematography as much as the review itself. Makes for great viewing😊
Appreciate that! Thanks very much 🙏🏻
Enjoyable video as usual. Love your vocal inflections in describing the facility. Love your sarcastic comment about ‘blue shag dash’. Set the tone for video. Thanks
It was a fitting car to bring me to this property haha. Thanks for watching 🩴
Thanks for the info + video!
Thanks very much 🙏🏻
I went to this place last May and I stayed in a suite with a private pool. I loved it. The restaurant and the Japanese one were opened when I was there. Indeed the staff was lovely and the service to notch. The breakfast buffet was excellent and had many options for every taste. I do agree about the resort conception and the many stairs. There was a staircase where you could access the beach with many steps on the far right of the resort with a security guard but it's not obvious. I went down for a bit but I wasn't bothered by him. I booked a massage at the spa which was gorgeous with a Zen vibe. Perhaps you were unlucky or it was a bad timing when you went. It was my second in stay in an Anantara resort. My first time was in Koh Phangan in Thailand last year and I fell in love with that location & its beach, despite the slow service at the beach restaurant there. You should review this one you'll be more satisfied.
Thanks for sharing ✈️
Cheers for the reviews on Bali I was going here before Convid came along,,,was going to stay at the Aman,,chedi club then Capella,,,on watching your channel Kevin there looks like many beautiful hotels to stay in,,,ie l liked the Belmond,,looking forward to the next video great channel to watch,,,peace and happiness on your travels 😊😊😊😊❤❤❤
More Bali coming up next year! Thanks for watching 🩴
Kevin, I have watch many of your videos, and this is another great comprehensive review. I have decided to subscribe and sign up to the Paton. You are one of the best out there and deserve to be supported. Keep up the great work. Cheers Greg.
Thanks very much Greg, assuming it's the same Greg, I sent you a message over on Patreon a few minutes ago. Thanks very much for the support!
Alhmdulilah bisa berkunjung ke antara Uluwatu tmpatnya nyaman skali apalagi liaat pemandangan dirumah kaca langsung tembus ke laut
Thanks for watching 🩴
Good review.
Enjoyed the drive, which gave me some new insights on the area.
Still a bit worried about those Uluwatu beaches. The shoreline here would have caused me to pass on this one.
Best gag? The one about the therapist.
Yah Uluwatu is 100% not the place to go for resort beaches, which may or may not be the reason why the water is some of the most beautiful on the island. Thanks for watching 🩴
yo kev, ur jokes r really on point in this video, i laughed like 3-4 times already..
Thanks very much 🙏🏻
Thanks for taking me on a Sunday drive thru Paris - loved it!
Hmmmmm.....
Another great comprehensive review Kevin. However the one thing I was waiting for was the review of the "beach", which from what I could see, was a massive rocky tidal flat....is there a beach at this resort or is it what I could see from your video ? Thanks again for the hard work and great production !
As I mentioned there's a small strip of it, but it's apparently nothing to write home about. Thanks for watching 🩴
Agreed, stayed here during Covid with high expectations by its name Anantara and had the same experience. It made us to think twice to try Anantara Seminyak.
Same here, in my case, I crossed around 12 Anantara's off my list lol. Thanks for watching 🩴
First! I'm so proud of myself! 🤣🤣
Congratulations 🎉😅 and thanks for watching 🩴
"You hate this content but your therapist told you to be nicer." I LOL'ed at that.
Sometimes I feel like comment sections should have a required 2 therapy session minimum haha. Thanks for watching 🩴
Nice one Kev 👍🏻
Thanks very much 🙏🏻
Here's a 👍🏻just for you Kevin.
Good review son!
Thanks for watching 🩴
@@tfft I live to give Kevin. I thumbed up 👍🏻 your reply as well, as a gentleman does. 🥾 (positive engagement)
Appreciate the honest and unbiased review. Too bad it's a miss opportunity for them.
Thanks for watching 🩴
Another great report Kevin. Not sure if you have followed Bali fares lately but they are at least 50% up so the Anantara at those prices will be cheap.
Yeah I goto Bali annually so I've seen the prices, but on a whole- I wouldn't say 2024 is looking much more than 2023... at least the places I've looked. Booking well in advance I have a few places booked for the lowest prices I've ever seen for them. Thanks for watching 🩴
7:33 confirms it looks like 70’s set-up. I did 3 Anantaras here in SEA was 3 times disappointed vs it’s value - price offering. I so agree this complex ain’t a stunner !
Safer to go to ones that originally opened as Anantara. Avoid the rebranded ones because Anantara is not big on renovations.
Thanks for watching 🩴
Good fair review, totally agree with you re 2023 shortfalls being unacceptable, but sadly seem common place still. Didn’t think the resort was aesthetically pleasing or flowed well which is a shame when the staff work so hard. Thanks for the info.
It’s a very strange setup indeed, especially for Bali. Thanks for watching 🩴
Thank You✈️
Thanks for watching 🩴
Love your dry New York (?) humor 😂
New York-ish, yes haha. Thanks for watching 🩴
I stayed here with my partner and two teenage kids last year and we had the same reaction. The place feels a bit worn out. With regard to the restaurants you mentioned, you weren't missing much - the Teppanyaki left a lot to be desired. W stayed in a two bedroom pool villa, which was beautiful and madde up for the resorts other shortcomings. However, for the price we paid, it wasn't worth the money. Thank goodness for beautiful sunsets! And thank you for all of your amazing reviews. We've just booked Regent Phu Quoc, based on your recent video :)
Enjoy your trip 🗺️
For almost USd 400 per night this would be slammed in my review if I was their guest. No matter how nice the staff had been.. So, I think your score is really too kind! The place looks tired and apparently lacks upkeep.
Understood well, but such good service is so hard to find… I had to let it come through some how. Thanks for watching 🩴
It's absolutely ridiculous. This hotel gave away very low rates during the Pandemic, and I think everybody took those rates as normal for such hotel. It seems, as usual in Bali lately, it seems all is back to normal... in regards to price. However, product is not and seems to not getting there anytime soon. Owners are pressuring to recover their loss and there is zero interest in investing, with the idea that there is sufficient demand and, if not, there will be.
Anantara Uluwatu has always felt like a 30 year old resort anywhere else in the world, or a 20 year old one in Bali, where all these design trends seem to take longer to arrive.
Great review as usual, and thanks for pointing out the efforts by the staff.
Agree with your assessment. The industry has realized that more profit can come from cutting costs that were once unimaginable and customers can't do a damn thing about it- so, welcome to the new normal. Thanks for watching 🩴
I’m with you, we stayed post COVID, everything was open, all restaurants. We had an ocean view pool suite, the room was enormous, but the ocean view…..not so great…we were in the far right room(looking at the water) and the view was pretty well blocked by the other buildings in front and the wall of trees dividing one resort form the other, you really had to stand up to see anything. Anantara has always been a brand that I expected greatness from, I must say my overall feeling was a little underwhelming, a confusing 4 star vibe in a 5 star location. It could have been so much more…..
Thanks for watching 🩴
The Anantara is one of the first luxury hotel chain in the Bukit area. The resort looks dated, even with the recent facelift it doesn't warrant the price tag. Accomodation prices in the area has gone up by 2-3 time from the pre-pandemic days due to the high demand and increasing popularity of the surf coast. At least you can still count on the breath taking ocean views and friendly Balinese service with a smile.
Thanks for watching 🩴
Loved the hostel comment. I have a friend 55+ that will stay in hostels and one of the restaurant pics he showed me was almost exactly like the restaurant in this video. I don’t need a $500 a night room but I don’t like to wait on line to go to the bathroom 🚽
I actually really love staying at cheaper properties- but... that bathroom better be in my room lol.
Agree, the room decor gives off some seriously dated 70’s/80’s vibes. Certainly not what you expect at that price point in Bali.
Thanks for watching 🩴
What a shame, and so much potential! I can ensure you, this is not the same “level” I experienced when staying at an Anantara property. Thnx for sharing your honest opinion, perhaps Anatara Chiang mai would be a better example
The Chiang Mai property has been on my list for a while! Thanks for watching 🩴
“Arriving as strangers and leaving as family…shout out to : my new bestie Clara, my long lost brother Luke” hahaha. So funny, those reviews 😂
I maintain there has never ever been a naturally occuring review with a name included in the history of the world. Names are given as a way to earn bonuses. If a review has a name, 98.7% of the time, I disregard it.
I mention staff names in my tripadvisor reviews sometimes because I have learnt that it helps with their performance evaluation. I only mention the ones that deserve to be mentioned though. Even at some places that I gave them only 3 stars, there were still some staff members who deserved praising.
@@peemaklangniam743 nothing wrong with that!
What a shame of such an amazing location….Haphazard, disjointed and random sums it up pretty well. A very weird layout and style (or lack off). But the people of Bali are so hospitable and accommodating in general, I can sympathise with your difficulties in scoring the resort… Thank you for another interesting review!
Totally agree! Thanks as always for your support 🙏🏻
hey Kevin! I feel for 380 usd it probably is slightly dated, not to mention the closure of the venues but i definitely would totally consider it for a lower prive haha! anyway look forward to you flight on china airlines!!
Thanks for watching 🩴
You MUST checkt the St Regis Bali. I want your honest opinion. I loved it...
I've been some years back before the channel. Thought it was very very nice, but it didn't blow me away. Thanks for watching 🩴
@@tfft really? its my favourite in bali, I really did not like the FourSeasons...
It makes you think who on earth is in charge of the interior design. It looks like they got odd bits of furtniture from the side of the street, or discarded furnishings, and thought they'd find a place for it all in a single hotel - and this is that hotel.
Agree! Thanks for watching 🩴
Hey Kev, we are trying to explore asia and i was wondering where was the best resort/trip you ever had? (When it comes to top notch service and beauty!) i appreciate it!
Asia is pretty big lol. Two of my top four favorite resorts are on the channel (L’alya Ninh Van Bay & Six Senses Samui)… the other two are coming up in new videos in the coming months. Thanks for watching 🩴
@@tfft i appreciate it! i live in okinawa rn and koh samui has been on my radar 😎
@@tfft you should visit okinawa! Theres a 5 star resort here called Halekulani Okinawa ive heard good things
Stylistically, i do like it for the most part. Clearly though needs some improvement. It would do better somewhere like the Caribbean or Mediterranean as a middle of the road resort.
Agree. Thanks for watching 🩴
Hmmm yeah, difficult to love the look of the hotel, it could be anywhere in the world.🤔
Thanks for watching 🩴
The Botol Biru menu shows 21% "service charge" plus government tax - in my experience it is normally 10% service charge plus 11% tax (or is it the other way round?) i.e. 21% in total.
It is surely both combined. Thanks for watching 🩴
well this is not Anantara standard at all... During last few years I stayed in several Anantara like peace heaven in Sri Lanka, Qasr al sarab in UAE, Banana Island in Qatar, Rasanada Villas in Koh Phangan and I can assure you that this is not Anantara standard indeed. All the resort I've mentioned are just great, especially Qasr al Sarab in the desert. If you have the occasion just go there, and reserve a Royal Pavillon! Thx for your reviews
Thanks for sharing ✈️
Kevin, what did you mean about “ refundable rate” forgive my ignorance but I don’t travel much. Just enjoy watching your shows 🇬🇧
A refundable rate means after you make the booking (sometimes pay in advance, sometimes pay at hotel) there is a certain window where you’ll be able to cancel the reservation without penalty. It varies from location to location but normally between 24 hours to 7 days in advance of arrival.
Non-refundable rates on the other hand will not allow for any flexibility, usually regardless of any circumstances. The benefit of non-refundable rates is they will always be cheaper, but they will always be a gamble as well… Thanks for watching 🩴
Another great review, Kevin. I agree with your comments re COVID excuses. Its over and done and time to move on to better service instead of blaiming COVID for high prices and poor facilities. If you can't get staff pay them a proper wage. Prices, especially for flights has gone insane. last March I paid just £4000 business class with KLM to fly MAN to MEL the BNE to MAN. Same flight now just 6 months later? almost £8000. I'm a pensioner on a fixed income that's worked hard for 53 years to enable me to the finer fruits of travel but dobling the air fare is just profiteering and a rip off. Rant over. Keep up the great works. Love your videos
I agree about wages, but the airlines are really on another level. I can tell you one thing, mark my words that a year from now, there will be a significant easing in airfares. A massive reason why airfares are still so high is becuase Chinese carriers are no where near the marketshare that they had pre-covid, especially to North America and Aus (they already have a decent comeback in Europe). So, once they start throwing capacity at these routes and undercutting the competition, the entire market will readjust to the same dynamic pre-covid. When that'll happen, I'm not sure, but I think a year out is a fair guess. Thanks for watching 🩴
Kevin is the most nit picking travel youtuber that I have seen.
I'm not sure if thats a compliment or an insult, but I'll just say, the only three choices on UA-cam are: Blind, Sponsored or Nitpicky (some might say...detailed lol)...
On your note of the strange name "Minor Group" the founder (William Heinecke) was just a US teenager in Thailand so he named his company Minor, like Branson did with "Virgin." I interviewed Mr. Heinecke for Jetgala Magazine and I would be happy to share the interview with you if you PM me. He is a fascinating, gregarious entrepreneur and his book, "The Entrepreneur" is a fun read. For clarity, I have no personal or financial relationship with Minor or Mr. Heinecke.
That's really interesting- and I think shows very clearly that he never consulted with a fluent English speaker before choosing (or growing with) the name haha. 'Virgin' can be playful in many contexts. 'Minor'... 1000% should not be a playful word in the same sense as Virgin lol.
@@tfft I may have given the wrong impression. Until he changed his passport as an adult, he was as American as can be. His very first income was from selling advertising space in the go-kart magazine that he cherished as a teenager growing up in Bangkok. If still looks and sounds 100% American. There are many interviews of him on UA-cam.
will you be doing the stones bali?
Nah, “collection” hotels (Autograph, Tribute, Luxury, etc) tend to perform poorly on UA-cam because of searching for multiple names. Never say never, but definitely not soon haha.
your voice reminds me of chef john lol
Thanks for watching 🩴
Anantara position themselves at a price point that has no clear winner, and a good amount of (potential) demand. However, ime, they're part of the problem, not a solution. We've always ended up having issues with their operational capability, in some way or another...some pretty laughable stuff. However, the biggest issue we've had is that their food has always extremely varied from barely okay, to incredibly bad. 'Everyone' swears that Kiravah is great, but I'm giving the brand a hard pass unless something substantial happens. Thanks for the review!
Thanks for sharing ✈️
It seems to me that sometimes hotel chains are desperate to have their presence in a certain location that they would just take on any property that would agree to let them manage.
Not with this one. Their expertise is to rebrand a previously managed resort, which I don't know if it's the case, but the motto is to never do anything that does not make money.
My guess is this property was much more about stopping a competitor from aquiring it rather than actually wanted to add it to the portfolio. Thanks for watching 🩴
@@gebe8978 rebranding already-famous hotels (e.g. former Four Seasons and Marriott Riverside in Bangkok) without any renovation. JW Phuket might be next target.
Anantara must have been running a good promo rate 😂
🤔
I had to check how much it costs for myself - this does not at all look anything like the prices being asked. Weird.
Agreed, disjointed in many ways. Thanks for watching 🩴
So much potential, too bad 😢. And that’s quite the hefty price tag to boot.
Thanks for watching 🩴
The hotel is in auction… the rumors…
Wouldn’t be surprised… Thanks for watching 🩴
1997 🤣
It is super dated for such a new property.
Agree! Thanks for watching 🩴
For some, it will never end. The fearful love their little face coverings…alone, outdoors. Aye-yai-yai 😂 And any underachievers in the hospitality industry have found (in their minds) a good reason to do less
It't not just the underachievers though- it's very much a trickle...up effect. The point of reckoning that happened to the (US) airlines beginning in 2008 is precisely what we're seeing with hotels globaly at the moment. "Oh wow, you mean, we could cut our costs in half, keep occupancy at 80% and raise profits by 300%? Cool!"
Based on video alone,i've found it very confusing hotel design..boring.
Thanks for watching 🩴
Anantara uluwatu is total confusion .almost like 3 Chinese interior designers fought for who lead the design .