Travel
The amazing temples of Tanah Lot and Uluwatu can also be seen in a one afternoon trip. Now it is true that here we cheated a bit, and we just couldn't leave Bali without going on a couple of day trips around the island to see the above mentioned temples and Besakih Temple further North. It is a little detail that for us made a big difference between vacationing and traveling.
I know some people consider the all-inclusive resorts to be something else but traveling. I don't entirely agree, because at Grand Mirage Resort we met local people ready to help you tap into the culture of the place, tasted delicious local dishes, sampled shows inspired from the culture of the island and so on. Plus, English-speaking, Balinese drivers with fancy cars were waiting just by the entrance of the hotel, ready to take the guests on fantastic, taylor-made day trips. So there were options. All-inclusive doesn't mean you can't chose to do something different one day and go explore the surroundings.
And the sunrises we enjoyed from the privacy of our room were beyond amazing.
The garden, the pool, the beach and the spa
- Video: Travel Memories From Bali
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Travel
Grand Mirage Resort, Bali. An All-inclusive Heaven
As we arrived at Grand Mirage Resort in Bali, we were welcomed with two ice-cold orange juices. It was extremely hot and the humidity levels were off the charts (at least that's how it felt to us) and sipping the refreshing drinks certainly was a God sent.
We stayed in many luxury hotels before, but this was our first all-inclusive resort and we were hardly waiting to enjoy the experience. All you can eat buffets, endless activities and shows to enjoy, and absolutely gorgeous surroundings... tempting, huh? The thought that our biggest decision of the day would be 'beach' or 'pool', was alluring.
I would describe our traveling style as active. We are active travelers, we usually like to explore all that a place has to offer, but in Bali we just felt an exception was in place. We wanted to take it slow, enjoy the moment and relax. We wanted to experience the Island of Gods differently, allow ourselves to be lazy, over-sleep, over-eat, sip a cocktail in the middle of the day, stay late at night on the beach and watch the stars from a sunbed while listening to the music of the waves and never worry for a split second about our safety.
As soon as we arrived we were given two wristbands. We were new to this and they totally took as by surprise. While we understood the necessity of a highly visible, non-transferable 'ticket' to all the goodies included in the all-inclusive package, we must admit we didn't enjoy showcasing it all over the place, especially when we got outside the resort. Other than that, it wasn't all that bad, we could take showers and swim with it on without damaging it, plus I kind of liked the fact that the band had a nice golden color.
Grand Mirage Resort is built following the rules of Balinese architecture and design, with huge open spaces where guests can feel the breeze and admire the gorgeous palm trees in the resort's gardens. It is also a place where you can easily forget the passing of time. In fact, the only reminder of it is the flower arrangement with the current date when you enter the elevator.
Location
To a certain extent, Grand Mirage Resort is Bali in a nutshell. Located by the pristine beaches of Tanjung Benoa, and pretty close to Nusa Dua, it features spectacular artwork, an incredible flora, interesting evening shows, smiling faces and local cuisine. The resort is half an hour by car from Denpasar Airport and only minutes from Nusa Dua Theater where they run the spectacular Devdan Show. Just outside the resort, there is a great array of Balinese restaurants, gift shops and supermarkets. As the hotel offers both all-inclusive packages and accommodation only, these can come in handy.
The amazing temples of Tanah Lot and Uluwatu can also be seen in a one afternoon trip. Now it is true that here we cheated a bit, and we just couldn't leave Bali without going on a couple of day trips around the island to see the above mentioned temples and Besakih Temple further North. It is a little detail that for us made a big difference between vacationing and traveling.
I know some people consider the all-inclusive resorts to be something else but traveling. I don't entirely agree, because at Grand Mirage Resort we met local people ready to help you tap into the culture of the place, tasted delicious local dishes, sampled shows inspired from the culture of the island and so on. Plus, English-speaking, Balinese drivers with fancy cars were waiting just by the entrance of the hotel, ready to take the guests on fantastic, taylor-made day trips. So there were options. All-inclusive doesn't mean you can't chose to do something different one day and go explore the surroundings.
Our Room
We stayed in one of the deluxe seaview rooms, which was spacious, and had a beautiful Balinese inspired design. Our room was a haven from the outside heat while we certainly made use of the air con while indoors.
The minibar was replenished every day as part of the all-inclusive, however, what we loved best were the views of the swimming pool and the sea we had from the balcony.
And the sunrises we enjoyed from the privacy of our room were beyond amazing.
The bathroom was decorated with plumeria flowers and superb Balinese statues. We actually liked the statues so much that we couldn't resist buying one as a souvenir from the hotel's gift shop.
The garden, the pool, the beach and the spa
The pool area was surrounded by amazing flora, pathways and traditional statues. Bali truly is a blessed place where trees are in bloom year round. As I'm a sucker for pretty flowers, I was naturally thrilled to walk around, explore and discover this heaven. Not to mention that all flowers looked AMAZING! The resort's gardens are incredibly well cared for, with perfectly manicured lawns and colorful flowers.
The pool seemed to be everyone's favorite and a very family friendly place. From the relaxing pool bar, to the water gymnastics and other organized activities, there seemed to be plenty of options to choose from. Though, I have to admit what we enjoyed best was reading a book in one of the many sun-lounges sprinkled in the shadow of the palm trees all over the estate.
The beach is another great alternative. It is clean, pretty much hidden from the outsider's eyes, and it offers some amazing views.
Also the Thalasso Spa, located at the very heart of the resort, offers a great array of treatments. I went for a 1-hour full-body massage and it was absolute bliss. Definitely something to experience while staying at Grand Mirage Resort.
Shows and activities included in the all-inclusive package
Apart from the motorized and non-motorized water sports, complimentary airport transfer, unlimited meals, room service, etc. the all-inclusive package includes some tasty dinners accompanied by cultural shows. Every evening we attended a different play, including a kecak dance show, a fire dancer performance and a legong dance show. It was truly wonderful sampling traditional Balinese dishes in the company of Balinese music, and the beautifully dressed actors, with the sea breeze in our hair.
Meals
Grand Mirage Resort has a number of restaurants, serving anything from Balinese dished, to Japanese, and International. Breakfast is served in the open space of Grand Cafe, overlooking the pool. The buffet breakfast was awesome, with a huge spread, with Asian and European, cold and warm dishes. But Grand Cafe is open 24/7 and guests can have a meal any time they feel like. The staff was very professional, efficient and friendly and the dishes were tasty and fresh.
However, after the Balinese dishes served at Grand Mirage, our favorite restaurant was the air conditioned La Cascata. Serving Mediterranean dished, this is a beautiful restaurant, classy and elegant.
Grand Mirage Resort in Bali was certainly a beautiful and relaxing experience. We felt spoiled the whole time we were there, and the only part of us happy to leave was our waistline.
We were guests at Grand Mirage Resort in Bali. All opinions expressed here are our own.
- Video: Travel Memories From Bali
It's been exactly one year since my husband and I visited Bali, and this video by Stephan Kot reminds me of all the beautiful and relaxing moments we lived there, the lush green of the rice fields, all the pretty flowers, the traditional dances...
- Kamandalu Resort, Bali. The Enchanted Village
It's not every day you hear 'You have been upgraded!'. We arrived a bit after midnight at Kamandalu Resort in Bali, and as the person at the reception uttered the four magical words, we couldn't believe our ears. Location Nested...
- A Day Trip In Bali. Besakih Temple, Orchids And Countryside
I came to the Bali bandwagon pretty late. Basically only after reading 'Eat, Pray, Love'. And my, oh my, was I curious about this island with pretenses of paradise! But once there, it came as a surprise that the public transportation...
- Devdan Show, Bali. An Incredible Journey Through Indonesia's Culture
As the sun was setting over Bali, we got in one of the cars from Grand Mirage Resort and headed to Nusa Dua Theater. We were extremely excited about the show we were about to see. And though we had previously been to a dinner with show on the hotel's...
- Riu Hotels Will Open The Luxury Hotel In Aruba
September 3rd, 2014- Coinciding with the start of high season in the Caribbean, on the 11th of October RIU Hotels & Resorts will open its second hotel on the stunning island of Aruba: the luxury Riu Palace Antillas. This new resort, located next to...