Is villa safe staying in Bali?

[chongpeiwen]

Apparently we just visited, VILLA DAMAI in Seminyak and we would like to go back to the beautiful island again BUT the experience we had in there was terrible.

1) none welcome us upon arrival (0030 hours) and they accused us for not waiting for them to register with the police (next day AFTERNOON) and is it a must to register with the police when we arrive in Bali?
2) dirty & dusty floors/toilet/kitchen, oily kitchen ware, cobwebs cupboard
3) power trips when the villa's overloaded, 4 bedroom aircondition/lighting, kitchen & hall lighting, 4 toilets water tap on for shower.
4) stolen cash, bags being ransacked and they accused us for blaming them (we did not even mention who stole the cash and ransack our bags)
5) no villa driver and ad-hoc driver collected twice the transportation fees from us and even called us stupid fools when we refused to tip him (150k/trip)


How should i trust the island again?

[matsaleh]

Chongpiewen, I see you have posted this on Lonely Planet, Bali Travel Forum, Trip Advisor and now here. Are you perhaps, a competitor of this villa?

[Markit]

Which villa should they be competing with? All in Seminyuk!

Since they don't mention one in this letter I assume they do in one of the other sources you mention?

If not then I would answer them; By all means come back to the island it's a lovely place but forget Seminyuk and Kunta.

Would you go to Miami Beach if you wanted to experience Florida or Costa del Sol for Spain? If your answer is yes then you will always be able to go back again in the future and really visit if you go somewhere else.

[matsaleh]

Markit, yes, the poster mentioned the name of the villa on the other forums and I must say I didn't notice it wasn't named here.

The wording has been copied/pasted verbatim, so I just wonder if there is a hidden agenda.

[chongpeiwen]

Chongpiewen, I see you have posted this on Lonely Planet, Bali Travel Forum, Trip Advisor and now here. Are you perhaps, a competitor of this villa?

I'm utterly sad with their service. Thanks for seeing my post on all your mentioned forums.
It's an ultimate experience for us indeed for our loses
BTW, i'm not a competitor, i stayed in Villa Damai last Thursday 12 May 2011.

[spicyayam]

Did you make a police report? Why didn't you keep your valuables in the safety deposit box? Hotels are required to report foreign guests within 24 hours to the police. I can't imagine a hotel or villa asking you to report to the police yourself?

[chongpeiwen]

Did you make a police report? Why didn't you keep your valuables in the safety deposit box? Hotels are required to report foreign guests within 24 hours to the police. I can't imagine a hotel or villa asking you to report to the police yourself?

They did initiate lodging the report for us, but ended up they lodge a different report from what we expected (the lost).
They insist that we did not have the cash so they did not register us with the police (in our email, we stated we will pay before hand by credit but they say they can register us when we were there) but we see no sign on any management.
They have a safe box, but there was no instructions on and noone was there to teach us or tell us the code.
We went to the police, they insist that we were "bullshitting".
Nevertheless, it's a heart wrenching stay with them

[Fred2]

My suggestion would be to stay in one of the large local hotels on your first visit to Bali. Tour the island check out places you would like to stay on your next visit & then pick some were you like that is in your comfit level.
Its not only the driver that is calling you stupid fools, I can't believe you stayed some were that you need a driver??????

[Markit]

My suggestion would be to stay in one of the large local hotels on your first visit to Bali. Tour the island check out places you would like to stay on your next visit & then pick some were you like that is in your comfit level.
Its not only the driver that is calling you stupid fools, I can't believe you stayed some were that you need a driver??????

This thread contains some of the most offensive and devious bullshit I've read on this forum, and that is saying something!

First chongpeiwen let me extend an apology for the forum treatment you have received so far, can't do anything about the villa or police action but such is life. It would seem that you have had a very bad handling by quite a lot of people. And I would probably spread the shite around too if I was in your place.

Fred 2, what ever happened to Fred 1? Died of brain fever or something like that - you are usually quite reasoned in your arguments but in this case I reckon you've been in the arak again - frankly, your advice is crap!

I think that one of the nicest parts of visiting Bali is just that; being able to afford to have a friendly, knowledgeable driver to show you all around the island for less than $50 a day! Taken a taxi in London, New York or Berlin lately? $50 will get you about a half hour of miserable complaining foreign gibberish and you won't get where you want to go. And to call someone a stupid fool for doing this warrants an apology in my books!

Would also like to know what's wrong with a new tourist to Bali staying in a villa to start off with? Staying in a villa, particularly with a large group, is by far more economical and generally lots more comfortable than similar hotel accommodations.

The rest of the world isn't trying to live on a shoe-string just because many of us are!

chongpeiwen, again sorry

[Dick Rector]

I do fully agree with Markit on this.
Bali is a heck of a lot safer (let alone cheaper) than London, New York or Berlin. A bad experience and bad service from a hotel or holiday-villa one can have ANYWHERE in the world.
Luckily there is not so much crime here but there sure is.
Staff, cleaners etc. in the hotels, also in the expensive places have a VERY low income as most working people do. Just don't give a change to get to your valuable stuff or money. The temptation can be too much.