Aloft by Marriott Bali Kuta at Beachwalk

The twin room is perfect for families traveling together. The hotel's location is excellent, making it very convenient for getting around, and Kuta Beach is right across the street. Even though the hotel is situated in the middle of a shopping mall, the room was still very quiet. What really deserves praise is the bedding – it was fantastic! Finally, no more damp and yellow sheets; everything was clean and fresh, and I had the best night's sleep of the whole trip! I didn't take any photos of the hotel itself, so the pictures are of the nearby mall and restaurant area.

The room is conveniently located in Kuta Mall, right above Melisa, which offers a great selection of styles and sizes. The supermarket was visited many times, and there's a pharmacy next to it where you can buy sunscreens and skincare products as souvenirs – very convenient. There's also a Watsons nearby. We love durian, so we bought some and ate it right outside the hotel before going in. The hotel pool is quite small, and the pool view room we booked was significantly more expensive, making the value for money feel a bit low. Breakfast was just average. Perhaps because it's a central location, the service was quite good overall, and Indonesian service in general is excellent. We stayed for four days and visited Ubud and Jimbaran on two of those days. The traffic was terrible, and since we didn't want to wake up early, we usually left by taxi around 11 AM. It took us over 2 hours to cover the 30-something kilometers to Ubud! Coming back, a taxi from Ubud cost almost double. It was about 100 [currency] to get there and over 200 [currency] for the return trip.

The room was very clean, and the breakfast was quite good, even having ice cream! It's very close to Kuta Beach, which is great for surfing. The airport is only 35 minutes away. The hotel's location right in a shopping mall is perfect for shopping, browsing, and dining.

Pros: Close to the mall and the beach, and the twin beds are quite large. Maybe quick check-in is a plus, but it might feel a bit unsafe? Cons: Hygiene issues – the tabletops and towels weren't clean. The hallway was very noisy, and someone was doing repairs on a neighboring balcony in the morning. The room was small, like a budget hotel.

The hotel is right next to a shopping mall, with all sorts of shops and restaurants, which is super convenient. Just outside the hotel is the main street, very close to the beach! The room was comfortable, and opening the balcony door led straight to the swimming pool. The price was reasonable, making it a great choice!

The hotel's location is excellent, right next to Beachwalk shopping center, and Kuta Beach is just across the street. The room isn't huge, but it's perfectly adequate. We even received a Disney Stitch lunchbox upon check-in, which was a nice touch! The breakfast spread wasn't extensive, but it was certainly enough to fill you up. Every staff member we encountered was incredibly warm and attentive.

First, the good points: The hotel is right by Kuta Beach, surrounded by plenty of dining options, though the roads are incredibly congested. The beach near the hotel is where all the surf schools are located, which is precisely why I booked it. Now for the downsides: The hotel service is absolutely terrible. When booking, they require a credit card deposit upfront, and then you have to pay the full room rate immediately upon arrival. I paid with Alipay, but the hotel insisted they hadn't received the payment and that it had failed, even after I showed them proof of deduction from my bank and Alipay. They simply refused to let me check in until I paid again with my VISA card. After returning home, I've been in ongoing negotiations for a week and still haven't received a refund. During this ordeal, Trip.com was incredibly helpful; their 24-hour customer service is a lifesaver for overseas travel. From now on, Trip.com will be my go-to for all international trips. Also, the hotel bedding was filthy – stains, bloodstains, guest hair, you name it. Just look at the photos.