It was the first time we took our two kids, ages 5 and 2 on a proper family holiday abroad without any help to speak of, so when when it came down to choosing the best hotel in Bali, the Westin Nusa Dua seemed like the perfect choice. Not just because it looked pretty, clean, and was in a safe neighborhood, but because of its Kids Club and the reasonably priced “Family Package” (from US$135 ++) which promised my husband and I the chance of some ” R & R” in our two-week holiday.
Upon arrival at hotel, the kids were given paper bags, each containing a sippy cup (refillable at any of the resort’s f & b outlets), which upon receiving they promptly started filling with the bowls of boiled sweets on the tables. I was also given a handy info sheet which said that all kids meals and laundry were 20% off, that we could ring “service express” for any needs of the kids (like a step stool for the sink, which I did), and that the Kids Club was free. Oh, and we also got 2 free tickets to the Bom Bom Water park. Super!
We settled into our ground-floor room, which although was the cheapest category, was perfectly lovely and spacious, with a large bathroom and private veranda which looked out into the garden and sea. After a delicious room service dinner (the kids meals had large portions!) and a bit of Disney channel, we all slept soundly in the “heavenlly beds” the Westin is famous for.
After a sumptous breakfast of absolutely everything (the kids loved going from station to station filling their plates with waffles, cheese, sausages, eggs etc..), we headed for the Kids Club. First there was a small shop with sleeping area behind it (great bunks, toys, tv and kid sized bath tub and loos), and behind it was a arched entrance with 2 super playgrounds, trampoline, sand area, outdoor musical instruments area and even a large hutch with rabbits and iguanas! To the side was an enclosed glassed area with tables, chairs, tv area, and enough toys, and activities to rival a small pre-school. And, two separate video game/computer rooms. My kids were thrilled!
Karmini and the other ladies in charge were very helpful and upon registering the children, told us that there were activities throughout the day which changed daily. That day there was arts and crafts followed by kite making. I could order lunch for them there too. The only hitch was that children under 4 could not be left unaccompanied, and so I had to call for a babysitter ($5 an hour) for my 2 year-old boy. Her name was Darmi, and although my 5-year-old didnt like her much (glasses and funny teeth), my boy didnt seem to mind, so she stayed our babysitter for the entire holiday.
All in all, I have to say that we couldnt have had a better time at the Westin, or asked for a better family-friendly hotel for all of us. Most days, the children stayed at the Kids Club after breakfast while I went to the spa, did a spot of shopping or simply sunbathed. We then had lunch together at the pool, then my husband took them swimming in one of the 3 pools (complete with slide and swim-to- bar for ice cream stops!). We also took a glass-bottomed boat out to Turtle Island (not what you’d expect, but the kids still enjoyed it), bought and flew lovely kites on the beach, explored a bit of the island, but most of the time just relaxed around the resort, having a perfectly lovely time. The food was excellent in all the restaurants, there were several cultural shows in the evenings (which entranced the children), and daily sunset rituals near the beach, which my daughter and I would dash to watch and enjoy with a cocktail.
Considering we ate most meals at the resort, and did most of our activities there, the whole holiday didnt cost too much, in fact it was one of most reasonable we ever had. A place definitely to return to!