Bali Ballin’ at Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana

Full of magnificent beaches, breathtaking sceneries, interesting culture and rooftop bars, Bali is ideal for people wanting to escape from the hectic city life. This time, my trip to Bali was made even better with a 5D4N stay at Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana.

Our pickup from the airport to our hotel was pretty interesting, thanks to our ever comedic driver from Pullman Hotel. In our spacious transport vehicle, wet towels and chilled water were provided or us to freshen up. When we arrived at Pullman, we were greeted by hospitable and accommodating staff, who were all smiles. One thing that I truly appreciated was the smooth check-in process as I was feeling lethargic after a plane ride.

Room                                                                                                               

The room we had is a Deluxe Ocean View Room, facing the picturesque Kuta Beach. Besides the strategic location of our room, I also love the spacious toilet that came with a bathtub, separate showering facilities, separate lavatory facilities and a huge wardrobe in it. If you’re on a honeymoon, you will also appreciate the fully transparent glass that connects the room to the toilet *winks*.

Unlike most other hotels which I’ve stayed in, this room has multiple electricity ports for international plugs. So you can save the hassle of bringing along an international adapter if you’re residing at Pullman, which is a huge plus point for me since I tend to exclude that item from my packing list. Pullman also uses a smart TV, which allows guests to check their bills on their dining and accommodation expenses. You can also order your food or call for room service using the TV.

Facilities aside, I was really pleased by the efficacy of the service staff. Even past midnight (at 2am), the housekeeping department was responsive to our requests, and delivered the requested items to our room in less than five minutes.

Dining      

Our stay came with full board meals, so I got to try out Pullman’s breakfast, lunch and dinner at their Deli Restaurant.

The restaurant has a sophisticated atmosphere to it, in the midst of Balinese tranquility, with the indoor and outdoor overlooking one of the relaxing pools and lush gardens.

Breakfast is buffet-styled, with a huge spread of dishes catered to international taste buds. There is a mix of local Indonesian dishes, cold meats, pastries, porridge, omelette and eggs chef stations, as well as my favourite “make-your-own-yoghurt” station. Along with breakfast is Deli Restaurant homemade drinks. Their cappuccino and freshly squeezed orange juice deserve 10 thumbs-up!

Lunch is the only meal that is served a la carte. Nevertheless, there is a more-than-satisfying range of food to choose from. For our first lunch, we went for local dishes, specifically the Crispy Duck (we were told that this is a must-try in Bali) and Indonesian Fried Rice.

The duck meat lived up to our expectations – it retained the juices and easily fell off the bone. To end the meal on a high note, we had Hazlenut Capuccino ice cream served in a wine glass. Unlike most other desserts I had in Bali, this ice cream was not as sweet, and was just nice for my liking!

For the following day, we decided to go Western, and were recommended to try The Deli’s Crispy Chicken Burger for the mains. Coating chicken breast with cornflakes doesn’t sound exactly ingenious but the taste turned out to be absolutely amazing! I was blown away by the first bite of the chicken dipped in Paprika sauce.

As a hearty eater, I always look forward to dinner because of the huge buffet spread offered – and yes, you heard me right, dinner is buffet-styled too! The buffet range varies on a daily basis and here’s a list of the range I tried during my stay at Pullman.

Wednesday: Italian buffet
Thursday: International buffet
Friday: Australian BBQ buffet
Saturday: Fresh seafood buffet
Sunday: Local Indonesian BBQ buffet

(Price range varies on a daily basis based on the type of food served.)

The most memorable spread I had was the Australian BBQ as there was a huge variation in dessert range, in comparison to the Italian and International buffet. The spread of barbecued meat was just nice, complemented with Grilled Tomato Couscous, Roasted Potatoes, Fried Rice and a selection of baguette for the guests to make their own grilled meat burger. The atmosphere on Friday night was the liveliest as well, with a huge crowd of Australian guests and live fire performances.

Amenities

To add icing to the cake, Pullman’s amenities are brilliant for a relaxing getaway as well. On our last day of the trip, we felt really lazy to head out, so we decided to explore Pullman’s Infinity Pool. However, the best time for a swim (and photo taking, of course) is in the day, as the infinity pool overlooks the Indian Ocean. The IP Bar which is located next to the infinity pool is also a perfect place to chill, with live bands performing from 5 to 7pm daily.

Besides the infinity pool located on level three, the hotel provides a regular pool and kids pool too. Strategically located next to these swimming pools is the G-Bar, where I had my fair share of concocted drinks. On top of the usual cocktails, the G-Bar serves handmade smoothies, juice, mocktails, a wide range of hot tea and blended iced tea.

What I love most about Pullman is their in-house spa and massage facilities – the Tjakra 7 Spa. After a hectic day of hiking up Mt. Batur, I needed a full body massage desperately. I was really glad that there was a massage facility right at my doorstep. Unlike other massage parlours, Tjakra 7 is equipped with high-tech facilities such as hydro pools and saunas. There are numerous packages and massages available, but we decided to go for a full body Balinese massage for 90 minutes (Rp 450.000).

Pullman’s gym is also open 24/7, with towels and water provided. Although slightly small, it has all the basic equipments and free weights. There is also a separate room where yoga, zumba, and other lessons are conducted.

My trip to Bali has been nothing short of wonderful. The hospitality was warm; the staff at Pullman make a great effort to recognise their guests and greet us every single time without fail. If I ever visit Bali again, Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana will definitely be the first accommodation choice on my list.

Pullman Legian Nirwana
Jl. Melasti No.1 Legian
Kabupaten Badung Bali
80361, Indonesia