Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

[Markit]

We've now gotten to the joyful stage of possibly booking hotels and I guess my/our question is what do you recommend for getting the best prices and quality?

1) Go there and see what you like and haggle about the price? This is the usual method in the rest of Asia and Middle East - first demand (truculently!) to see the rooms. Inspect with the usual air of disapproval (even though it might be a palace). Then go back to the reception desk and head slowly, but with open ears, for the exit, disclaiming loudly about that other hotel you saw on the hill that looked so much newer/cleaner/better/cheaper/etc. Always hoping for that golden question: "How much you wanna pay?"

2) Book on the internet as the prices seem ridiculously cheap with the "online reduction" - in many cases this seems to be up to 75% cheaper than the "listed" prices - both on the hotels own website and on the raft of others like expedia, bali discovery, etc. As we are going in April/May I'm hoping there shouldn't be much competition with the occupancy rates as it's low season?!? The main drawback it that you don't see it first...

3) Skip Bali and go to Bognor Regis or one of the Spanish Costas you scumbag tourist?

I found this and just about pi**ed myself - sorry if you're not a sicko too. Sorry for you that is.

[Butch]

Sorry, no reply about hotel bargaining but I think this may be the driver of your van:

[Jimbo]

The choice is yours but I would book a couple of nights by the internet so that I at least had a place to stay after travelling for hours. Then you can look around to your hearts content for the bargins. I would however say that the best approach is always be polite, always smile. The people you will be dealing with will not always have the authority to make reductions and having an "attitude" will not work.

A polite refusal often works best.

Hope this helps.

[Adam]

Where are you intending to stay?

[Roy]

Where are you intending to stay?

NOT Ubud I hope!

Anyway Markit, I would love to be a tecko gecko on the wall of the hotel lobby, listening while you exercise your “skills” in bargaining. I’ll be the gecko you hear sounding off....“puck you, puck you, puck you...you...you.” You have NO idea what I mean now, but you will soon learn!

Poor guy. Now every time he hears a gecko sounding off, he's going to think it's me!

[Markit]

Ok, first off - thanks for all the replies.

Butch The "driver" got the hee-haw belly laugh it deserved.

Thanks for the advice Jimbo, it pretty much coincides with what we thought - the only question was; are the reductions that seem available on the net also available when you appear in person and just ask?

Guess what Roy? I am going to be the tecko gecko on your wall

[Roy]

Guess what Roy? I am going to be the tecko gecko on your wall

Well, that isn't advisable, as I keep a .177 air rifle handy specifically for that purpose!

[Roy]

As an afterthought, on this forum, there has never been what on other forums are called JBR’s which means, just back reports.

Maybe Markit can start something new here, as I would dearly love to read his JBR!

[Markit]

Well Roy, if you help me out with the advice I asked for instead of your usual humorless attempt at provocation I might just do it.

[Roy]

My “humorless attempt at provocation?” Are you serious?

Geez Louise! Anyone reading your past posts would assume you’ve already made your decisions, so what is the point?

Go with your plan 1, as you originally posted, and be sure to hire the driver that Butch recommended!

[Jimbo]

are the reductions that seem available on the net also available when you appear in person and just ask?

I would think so. I have had some great accommodation in hotels for about $25-30 per room per night. That included air con and all the usual facilities. Depends what you want really but at the end of the day wether it be the internet or in person prices are so much cheaper and frankly I do not want to spend my time haggling just to save a couple of dollars. Make the effort sure but the main thing is to enjoy Bali and in my opinion you normally get what you pay for.

Go to Ubud and annoy Roy or at least drink some martini's with him

[mileage]

Internet bookings all the way!

Yes, up to 75% off normal prices. Saves haggling, if that's not your thing.

If you are worried about your room being less than what you wanted, you can usually get an upgrade for a few dollars more when you are there.

Some of those websites that you mentioned have reviews on these hotels. I usually go by them.

Steer clear of the massive resorts if you want 'the personal touch', they cater to sheep.

Usually you cant go wrong with a hotel on a beach.

[Sanurian]

...they cater to sheep...

Sheep? They got sheep in Bali, apart from the two-legged kind? I love sheep kidneys for a special culinary dish of mine, but can't find them anywhere.

Negotiating (= "bargaining") for hotel prices in person is no big deal, most of the time. The potential "bummer", so to speak, is when you arrive at Hotel X and they're really full, don't like your bargaining style, or don't believe anything you tell them because they usually know better than you what's going on locally...

And then, you have to move on to another place and start all over again. Within the Kuta-Legian-Seminyak "axis", that can mean spending lots of time in traffic jams and wondering how much you've "saved" in the process, both monetarily and for your stress levels. If being jet-lagged is another factor, it'll just make your headache bigger.

Far better, IMHO, to book ahead, especially if you don't know exactly where you want to be, for at least one night and move on from there.

[mileage]

You guessed it Sanurian!

The two legged kind......... I'm sure you've spotted them herding into the Pariwisata cattle trucks.
Less than savory.....

Luv my lamb chops too.

[Markit]

Sanurian, Mileage, Jimbo and all the rest that have replied to my question with HELPFUL information - many thanks and may the fruit of you loins be blessed with intelligence enough to know their father.

Now as to the advice given - it will be taken, we will be booking something not too far from the airport for the first 3 nights to get acclimatized and because we will be landing at 21:30 from Singapore, it being too late to sightsee . After that we will be "playing it by ear" on where and how long so;

1)Any suggestions where to stay for the most enjoyable and "real" first experience?

2) Now how about suggestions ranging over the rest of the island for a further 2 weeks? We want to get the most out of it by doing and seeing as much as possible. We are not the lay on the beach and get skin cancer types although an hour a day is great for frolicking.

3) Would also like to see some of Lombok - what do you suggest?

No sheep stations please!

[Roy]

many thanks and may the fruit of you loins be blessed with intelligence enough to know their father.

With salutations like that, remind me to remain silent.

Phil, since you are the only willing Bali based source of information for Markit, do you remember the old Polish wedding song..."you can have her, I don't want her...she's too fat for me?"

He's all yours bro, and PLEASE be sure when you give him directions to Ubud, that in fact, he'll end up in Banyuwangi!