bungalows in bali (one more time)

Hi, everybody,

I've been going through the pages of posts here and am impressed with the helpfulness, knowledge and engagement many of you show. I'm writing, myself, because I'm looking for a hotel in Bali for four days in late July of this year, and want the sort of information that can only come from those in the know.

My partner, Alexa, and I will be traveling around SEA for almost three weeks before arriving in Bali, so we would like to stay somewhere relaxing. When I was younger, my family lived in Balikpapan and K.L. for several years, and I've had the good fortune to visit Bali a number of times, and have almost always stayed in Kuta, Legian or Seminyak (and one year in Sanur, I believe). Originally, I thought to bring Alexa (who will be in SEA for the first time) to that area, since I'm familiar with it, and had settled on the Hotel Padma in Legian as somewhere that seemed semi-reasonable in price (for a beach hotel in the popular district) but also offered a standard of beauty and seemed soothing. Now, though, I'm having second thoughts.

We would like to be directly on the beach (with no access road in the way, like in part of Kuta/Legian), and we need somewhere beautiful and soothing, with a certain amount of character. Alexa would really like an open-style bungalow, maybe even just with mosquito netting around the beds, something that hearkens back to an earlier time (I've stayed in places like this in Sulawesi and Langkawi, but never in Bali), and I want to give her this sort of experience (not quite a losman, but just a sort of beach-bungalow). At the same time, I'd like to be somewhat close to the shopping district and to the kind of consistent, good surf (that's not too hardcore--so not so much Ulu Watu-style or reef surfing) available in Kuta and northwards. We are willing to pay up to $150-75 per night (USD), but would be equally happy to pay 20 or 30 if it was the right place--Oberoi-style luxury is less important than class, charm and beauty.

I realize this is a pretty intense list of desires, and may even contain some conflicting elements--this is exactly why I am asking your help. Since I am not on the ground, my only real weapons are internet and telephone, and the proliferation of bali-hotel-reservation web sites is neither terribly confidence-inspiring nor promising when it comes to the kind of place I know Alexa would like. So, any thoughts you might have would be greatly appreciated.

In addition, I remember eating sushi at a great place a couple years ago, kind of near Made's Warung--upstairs seating and an all wood interior. I know there are a ton of sushi places around, but this was described to me as one of the best (and not TOO expensive, for sushi). If this should ring a bill for anyone, I'd love to hear where you think it might be. My gratitude in advance for your thoughts and

Terima Kasih Banyak,

Ira

[matsaleh]

The Inna Kuta Beach is the only hotel I know that has bungalows and is directly on the beach. I haven't stayed there, so can't comment on the facilities.

http://www.innakutabeach.com/home.asp

Maybe you could try for a private villa in Seminyak or Kerobokan.

Thanks for the suggestion, Matsaleh.

Ira