Hotel Review: Grand Hyatt Bali

I stayed at the Grand Hyatt Bali in Indonesia for three nights in late February 2023, as part of a longer trip to Southeast Asia. Even though it rained for a significant portion of my visit, I enjoyed my stay at the resort.

Overview of Grand Hyatt Bali

The Grand Hyatt Bali is a large beachfront resort with 636 rooms, suites and villas. It’s on a sprawling property, with low-rise buildings and lush vegetation and water features everywhere. The property contains many amenities including multiple pools and food and beverage outlets, a spa, a fitness center, other sports amenities, meeting space and retail outlets.

The amenities and features offered by this resort are a good fit for solo travelers, couples, groups and families. I noticed each type of traveler during my stay and think the hotel would work for anyone seeking a resort experience.
I don’t think this property is the best option for people seeking city-style nightlife, since it’s located in Nusa Dua, which is an upscale resort area. While there are multiple bars and restaurants at the hotel and in the immediate area, I didn’t sense a party vibe.

This isn’t intended to be an exact comparison, but a friend and I agreed that the Nusa Dua area reminded us of the Wailea area on Maui in Hawaii, even though, of course, Bali overall is less expensive than Hawaii.

How I Booked Grand Hyatt Bali

At the time I booked and stayed at the Grand Hyatt Bali, the hotel was a Category 1 Hyatt property, but in late March 2023, the property was moved to Category 2. The number of World of Hyatt points required per night for selected room types are:

Hyatt’s website has a calendar view that shows which dates are considered off-peak, standard and peak. To see this, search for the hotel name and dates, then click the “Points Calendar” link. The example below is for standard rooms in May 2024, a month with dates designated as off-peak, standard and peak. Since Bali has its rainy season during February and March, most dates during these months are off-peak or standard.

This calendar view doesn’t indicate actual availability. It just notes how many points are needed if award space is available.

Regarding money, I’m mostly noting U.S. dollar amounts, but Indonesian Rupiah (symbol: RP; currency code: IDR) is the currency used in Indonesia. Its value fluctuates against the U.S. dollar. At the time of writing, the conversion rate was around 15,500 RP per $1 U.S.

I booked a king bed standard room using points for my stay. One night was at the off-peak Category 1 rate of 3,500 World of Hyatt points per night, and two nights were at the standard rate of 5,000 points per night. I used a total of 13,500 points for three nights. I booked about 8.5 months in advance. Although cash rates fluctuate, the decision to book with points instead of cash was easy with cash rates of about $180 per night, resulting in a redemption rate of about 4 cents per point.

With the hotel currently at Category 2, booking with World of Hyatt points still is the best value in many cases, but depending on dates and cash prices, results might vary.

Here are a couple of comparisons at the time of writing:

• Example 1 – February 26, 2024: This night requires 8,000 points for a standard room, and at the time of writing, the standard rate was $165 plus 21% taxes and fees for a total of about $198. With a temporary Hyatt promotion offering up to 20% off standard rates, it was possible for World of Hyatt members to book for about $150 including taxes and fees. While using 8,000 Hyatt points instead of $150 falls slightly below my target of redeeming points for at least 2 cents each, people who value Hyatt points at 1.5 cents each likely would use points in this scenario.
• Example 2 – May 6, 2024: This date has peak pricing, but standard rooms for 9,500 points weren’t available at the time of writing. There were rooms with Grand Club access available for 13,500 points per night. Some people may find club access valuable, since it provides breakfast and evening happy hour with complimentary drinks and a buffet that could substitute for a light dinner. For comparison purposes, the cash rate for the same club access room is $235 + 21% taxes and fees for a total of about $284. Personally, I would look at other hotels or dates since this seems expensive for Bali, but the redemption value using points in this case is about 2.1 cents each.

World of Hyatt points are pretty easy to obtain. They can be earned through the following Chase co-branded credit cards:

• The World of Hyatt Credit Card
• The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

Chase Ultimate Rewards can also be earned through several other Chase credit cards, and Bilt Rewards points can be earned through the Bilt Rewards card issued by Wells Fargo. Both Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards points can be transferred to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.

While you could use Hyatt free night certificates, it’s usually better to use certificates for a higher category hotel. The exception would be a situation where a certificate is expiring and you won’t have an occasion to use it for better value somewhere else.

I generally recommend that Hyatt elite members don’t book through third party booking sites, such as credit card travel portals, because Hyatt typically doesn’t provide status benefits on third-party bookings. An exception is booking through Hyatt Privé travel advisors, since Hyatt Privé bookings are treated like direct bookings and include World of Hyatt benefits.

Grand Hyatt Bali Location

The hotel is about 15 to 20 minutes without traffic via the toll road from the Bali (DPS) airport. The Grand Hyatt is located towards the south end of the island on Bali’s eastern coast.

I didn’t do nearly as much advance planning for my Bali trip as I usually do, so I arranged transportation from the airport to the Grand Hyatt via email using the hotel’s car service. The cost was about $30. Most of the people I met there came from a different resort, not the airport, and used the Asian ride service, Grab, to get to the Grand Hyatt.

For transportation from the Grand Hyatt back to the airport, I used Grab, which was less than half the cost of transportation arranged through the hotel.

Nusa Dua didn’t seem like an area that would have public transportation, so other options probably involve taxis, an independent driver, or renting a car.

I usually prefer leaving hotels for some meals and activities. Since I was only at the Grand Hyatt for three nights and had planned the stay to catch up with friends who were staying there, I was content to stay onsite more than usual.

I went on a few walks outside the resort and had dinner outside the hotel one night. There were several areas within one mile:

• Beaches lined with resorts and some restaurants in both directions from the Grand Hyatt
• A complex called the Bali Collection, just across from the Hyatt’s entrance, with shops and restaurants
• A complex called The Bay Bali with restaurants, that can be accessed by a paved walkway along the beach or from the road (from the Hyatt, turn left on the beach path or right from the road entrance)
• An area about a 10-minute walk from the Hyatt’s entrance that has businesses catering to tourists mixed with businesses that serve the local population: This area has a distinctly different feel than the landscaped grounds of the gated Nusa Dua area.

My friends stayed at the Hyatt Regency Bali located in the Sanur area the previous week, and they found the Hyatt Regency’s location better from the perspective of providing better access to Bali experiences outside the resort.

Best Parts of Grand Hyatt Bali

Since it is adjacent to a lovely beach, the Grand Hyatt Bali property was beautiful, and the overall experience was relaxing. Extensive resort facilities made it a great place to spend a few days or longer. I don’t know the occupancy levels during my stay, but the restaurant and facilities weren’t crowded. My pictures don’t come close to capturing the beauty of the resort, which is filled with gardens, Balinese sculptures, many types of trees, waterfalls and lily ponds.

Given the ability to book the Grand Hyatt Bali at a significantly lower cost—using points or paying cash—compared to similar quality beach resorts in North America, I think this property provides strong value for people looking for a low-key resort stay.

The fitness center at the Grand Hyatt Bali was impressive. It had a good selection of equipment and was an attractive space. In addition, the facility had other fitness options and nice changing areas with showers and bathrooms. The lockers had locks, so I was able to leave my carry-on bag there after checking out of my room and retrieve my bag and change clothes before leaving for the airport.

Grand Hyatt Bali Drawbacks

I was a little disappointed with a few features of my room, as discussed below. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t quite what I expected.

Another drawback is that there were a few miscues with service. As discussed below, my check-in experience was below average even before I realized I had been given a room that didn’t have the bed type I booked.

Other service issues were minor. No one answered the phone when I called to request a late check out. A staff member at the Club Lounge couldn’t quite execute a “to go” coffee one morning and gave me a top that didn’t fit the cup. The Garden Café, where I had breakfast, had paper cups with tops that fit.

Getting to Grand Hyatt Bali

I flew to Bali, Indonesia from Penang, Malaysia with a connection in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on AirAsia.

Bali (DPS) has nonstop service on multiple airlines to and from many destinations within Asia and beyond including: Australia, China, other airports in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Indonesia requires that tourists obtain a visa to enter the country. You can either apply online in advance or get a visa on arrival at the airport. The cost for a visa for a visit of up to 30 days is approximately $35. My first attempt to apply online got stuck in their system, and no one responded to multiple website and email requests to resolve the situation. Other people I know had similar issues and advised me to just apply again with a different email address and password, and this worked.

Having the electronic visa before arriving allows you to bypass a line at the airport to get the visa and pay the fee. When I returned to Indonesia in 2024, I had even worse issues with the Indonesian immigration website and ended up getting the visa on arrival at the airport. The line wasn’t long, but I did have to go to a different station to pay the visa fee with a credit card.

Check-In

I arrived at the Grand Hyatt Bali just before 9 p.m. and was greeted by a hotel employee who approached the car I had taken from the airport, offered to help with my luggage and escorted me to the check-in area in the lobby. The lobby is open air but covered, and at night with heavy rain, I didn’t realize it was as beautiful as I would discover in the daylight and with better weather.

The check-in experience was disappointing. The personnel working that evening weren’t knowledgeable and provided incorrect information about benefits. Upon welcoming me and thanking me for being a Hyatt Globalist, the employee mentioned that my room had been upgraded, although it seemed like the extent of the upgrade was that the room was in part of the resort that was closer to the Grand Club lounge. He failed to mention that the room had two twin beds, not the king bed I had booked. He mentioned that as a Globalist member, breakfast at the Grand Club was complimentary and told me the hours for breakfast. He didn’t mention any other Globalist benefits.

Since my friends—who had been staying at the resort for a few days and had Globalist status— messaged me about meeting for breakfast at the Garden Café restaurant, I asked the check-in agent if that would be complementary. It was hard to get an answer from him or his colleague, but eventually they said that eating breakfast at the restaurant instead of the lounge would cost about $33, which is expensive for Bali. I later checked with my friends who said that they were told that breakfast at the restaurant or lounge was included for Globalists, and I confirmed that information the next morning with a different front desk employee, who apologized for her colleagues providing incorrect information.

After completing check-in formalities, an employee escorted me to my room. Since I have a wheeled suitcase, I usually prefer to go to my room without assistance, but I quickly realized why I needed to be shown to my room, as we went through a maze in the dark and rain to reach my room. The walk was longer than usual since the bell staff took a different path to get there only using covered walkways.

On my last morning at the hotel, I requested a late checkout and was given a 4 p.m. checkout time due to Globalist status. I initially tried calling Guest Services from my room, but no one answered the phone, so I just stopped at the front desk when I went to breakfast. Since my flight wasn’t leaving until almost 10 p.m., I also confirmed that I could store my luggage after checking out of my room.

The Room at Grand Hyatt Bali

My room was on the second floor in the North Village building, which is located near the Grand Club. The hotel seemed to assign rooms in this building to World of Hyatt Globalist members, who automatically have access to the club.

I had somewhat mixed feelings about the room. While I appreciated that the room had some design elements intended to make it feel Balinese, some things felt a little dated or basic for a Grand Hyatt. While there was sufficient lighting, the décor and overall vibe of the room wasn’t my preferred style. The bathroom was large and luxurious in a more classic style and well-appointed.

It’s important to note that there seems to be significant variation among rooms at the Grand Hyatt. While my room had a bathroom and closet area that weren’t visible from the main part of the room, other rooms had bathrooms with a window between the bathroom and sleeping area. My room also didn’t have separate areas in the main room, but other rooms had more separation between sleeping and living areas. As expected, suites had some upgraded amenities that weren’t in regular rooms.

Other rooms also have different décor and furniture. The resort’s website shows photos of several categories of king or twin bed rooms with different furniture than my room.

The layout of my room was functional. The main part of the room was a rectangle shape. It contained: two twin beds pushed together with nightstands on both sides; a sitting area with two chairs, an ottoman and a coffee table; a desk and chair; and a credenza with a television on top.

Amenities in the room were average. Two bags of snacks, water in glass bottles and a bowl of fruit were on the coffee table when I arrived. There wasn’t a welcome note, so I’m not sure if these items were provided to all guests or were a Globalist welcome amenity. One friend who was staying longer told me snacks in her room were replenished during the stay. Credenza drawers contained service items including an electric kettle, small ceramic teapot, basic coffee and tea supplies, mugs and glassware. A mini refrigerator was inside the cabinet.

The room had a balcony with a view of the lush property. The covered balcony was furnished with two chairs and a small table.

The room generally was comfortable and quiet. I didn’t have any issues adjusting the temperature of the room, nor did I encounter much noise. The bed was very comfortable with good quality linens.

The primary issues I had with the room were:

• It had two twin beds pushed together and made up separately: While this wasn’t a big deal for me as a solo traveler, it wasn’t the king bed room I had reserved. I didn’t say anything, since I wasn’t sure when I first saw the room if I had reserved a room with two beds or one and had no desire to navigate back to the front desk to get my room changed.
• It had rattan chairs with cushions on the seat and pillows on the back: These chairs weren’t comfortable. I would have preferred upholstered chairs or a small sofa. Photos showed other rooms with daybeds or sofas for seating.

The spacious bathroom and closet were integrated with each other. There was a separate room with a door containing the toilet. A large vanity with two sinks was on one wall, with the closet opposite it. The closet contained a safe, iron, ironing board and two robes. A separate shower with waterfall and handheld shower heads and a spa tub were on the other side of the room. There was a glass door providing access to this wet room.

Water pressure and water temperature were good, and the bathroom generally was well-maintained.

Toiletries included toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, body lotion, body wash, conditioner and shampoo. The individual-sized bath products weren’t branded and had a rosemary and mint scent.

Comparing this room to my expectations for a Grand Hyatt, I feel like it fell within expectations overall, with the main room falling a little below expectations and the bathroom slightly exceeding expectations.

Food and Drink

The Grand Hyatt Bali has multiple food and beverage outlets, and menus are available online for most restaurants and bars. At the time of writing, venues include:

• Salsa Verde, which is described as an Italian Beach Grill: This venue was closed for renovation during my stay, but the website indicates that Salsa Verde is open for lunch and dinner.
• Watercourt, an Indonesian restaurant that serves lunch and dinner.
• Nampu, a Japanese restaurant that serves dinner.
• Garden Café, an all-day dining venue that features western foods with an Asian influence: In addition to the breakfast buffet, the Garden Café has an a la carte breakfast menu and an all-day menu.
• Pasar Senggol, a Balinese night market style dining and entertainment experience available on selected nights only. At the time of my trip, it was Saturday nights, but the website notes Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night availability.
• Veranda Lounge & Bar, an all-day venue that also serves afternoon high tea.
• Poolside Bar, an outdoor option for beverages, snacks, salads, sandwiches and desserts from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• In-room dining, available anytime with different menus for breakfast, day and early evening, and night timeframes.

World of Hyatt Globalist members could eat breakfast at the Garden Café restaurant or the Grand Club at no charge. Both served breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The Garden Café had more choices of food. The other big difference between the two options is that the Grand Club is entirely open air, while the Garden Café has an indoor air-conditioned section as well as open air seating. At both locations, open air seating includes covered and completely outdoor areas.

Garden Café

I had breakfast at the Garden Café each day. This was a buffet breakfast with a large variety of choices and multiple types of cuisine, as is typical in upscale hotel restaurants in Asia. The buffet included something for pretty much everyone, with made to order eggs, a variety of Asian and western hot food options, cheese, meats, juices, breads and pastries, pancakes, waffles, cereal, granola, fruit, yogurt and salad items. There were many more items than pictured below.

Overall, I thought food and service at the Garden Café were good. I went to breakfast around 10 a.m. and didn’t feel rushed or that food choices were limited towards the end of breakfast hours. While no food items really stood out as exceptional, I appreciated the excellent espresso-based drinks with coffee art.

Grand Club

Although I didn’t eat breakfast at the Grand Club, I stopped by one morning and took a few photos while waiting for a takeaway coffee. My friends who tried both options for breakfast indicated that the quality and taste of food was the same at the restaurant and the club.

Compared to the Garden Café, less options, especially hot foods, were available at the Grand Club breakfast. Some items were individually plated at the club, and other items were kept in refrigerators (not photographed). In addition to made-to-order eggs, buffet selections included a few hot food options, breads, pastries, fruit, meats, cheese, yogurt and cereal.

The Grand Club has a happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. It’s complimentary for Globalist members or guests who book a room with club access. Staff members served beverages, which included a wide range of alcohol, and food was available on a buffet. Some food options varied by day but generally included vegetable and fruit trays, cheese, rolls, a few hot appetizers, and small desserts. There was enough food for a light dinner.

Nampu

One night, two friends and I had dinner at Nampu. We ate shortly after the Grand Club happy hour ended and weren’t too hungry. We ordered sushi and thought the quality was good. My plate of six special rolls topped with ahi tuna was under $13 including mandatory taxes and service fees and an additional tip. My friends ordered eel rolls and a sushi platter. At the time of writing, Nampu has a different menu online.

Nampu prices seemed reasonable for an upscale resort restaurant, but they were more expensive than restaurants outside the resort. Another night, I had dinner at a beachfront outdoor restaurant near the Grand Hyatt, and my large platter of grilled fish, seafood, and vegetables served with rice was under $11.

Amenities

The Grand Hyatt Bali has a wide range of amenities including: clubs for children, an extensive fitness center, a full-service spa, multiple outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts and a water sports center. More details about Kriya Spa and the Kids and Toddlers Club are provided on the hotel’s website.

Fitness center

The Grand Hyatt Bali’s Bay Club Fitness Center includes a fitness room with cardio and strength training equipment, squash courts, a yoga studio, an adults-only swimming pool, sauna, steam room and plunge pools. Fitness classes are available.

The hotel’s well-equipped and attractive fitness room features Life Fitness cardio and strength training equipment. Cardio equipment includes multiple elliptical trainers, exercise bikes and treadmills. There also are individual and multi-station weight machines, dumbbells, exercise balls and other equipment.

Swimming pools

The hotel has five outdoor swimming pools, and some have jacuzzi tubs. The Grand Club pool is for the exclusive use of guests with club access, and the Bay Club pool is for adults only. The Main pool, River pool with slides, and Balinese Feature pool are available to all guests.

I didn’t have much of an opportunity to enjoy the pools during my stay, due to the rain. In addition, part of the Main pool was closed for renovation. During brief visits to the Grand Club and Main pools, I noticed QR codes on the tables to enable ordering food and drinks at the pool.

Service

Service overall was friendly and well-intentioned, but it wasn’t flawless. Restaurant service was excellent, and housekeeping service seemed good, based on room appearance when I arrived. I declined housekeeping during my stay.

I consider the Grand Hyatt to be an upscale but not luxury brand. In that context, a couple of the service issues I noted previously were disappointing, particularly the check-in experience where I was given incorrect information about Globalist benefits and assigned a room with twin beds instead of a king bed.

Grand Hyatt Bali Family Friendliness

The hotel seemed like a good option for families, given the overall vibe and resort amenities, including facilities and activities for children.

As discussed above, room and bathroom configurations vary. Given that regular rooms have one king or two twin beds and no real separation of sleeping and living areas, a suite might be a better option for families with children. My bathroom had a separate toilet area and a tub, both of which are useful features for families.

Final Thoughts on Grand Hyatt Bali

I enjoyed my stay at the Grand Hyatt Bali and thought it was a great value with Hyatt points. While the resort facilities and beach were nice, the amount of rain during my visit impacted my ability to fully enjoy these amenities. I would consider staying there again, but I’m looking forward to trying the Hyatt Regency Bali in Sanur on my next trip to Bali.

As an update, I visited Bali again in March 2024 and stayed at the Hyatt Regency Bali. Comparing the two resorts, there were similarities and differences, and there were things I preferred about each property. A few high-level comparisons follow.

• Location: I think the biggest differences between the two properties are location-related. The Hyatt Regency is in a busier area, with a lot more choices for activities, shopping and restaurants within walking distance. The contiguous beaches and boardwalk in Sanur are significantly longer. The sun rises over the water in Sanur, while the sun sets over the water in Nusa Dua. As someone who prefers white sand beaches, calm turquoise water, and sunset views, I liked the beach in Nusa Dua better. Considering everything, I preferred Sanur over Nusa Dua.
• Food and beverages: At both hotels, I primarily ate breakfast at the main restaurant or lounge and visited the lounge for happy hour. I had dinner once at each property. While I thought the food was good at both properties, I would give a slight edge to the Hyatt Regency.
• Resort size and amenities: The Hyatt Regency has about half the number of rooms as the Grand Hyatt, so it doesn’t have as many restaurants, and facilities generally are scaled to the resort size. There were a couple of times where I found the main restaurant for breakfast and the gym at the Hyatt Regency to be a little crowded. The Hyatt Regency gym and spa facilities also serve guests staying at the adjacent Andaz Bali property.
• Rooms, service and overall vibe: I found the two properties to be generally similar in these areas and had no overall preference for observed differences.

My bottom line is that both properties provide positive beach resort experiences and represent great value using World of Hyatt points. If I return to Bali and stay at least six nights, I would consider splitting time between the Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency.

This article is part of a larger Trip Report on Southeast Asia, where you can learn about flights, lounges and hotels within this route.