There are a few reasons why people travel to Bali, Indonesia. Some come for relaxation at the sheltered resorts in Nusa Dua. Some come to find inner peace by practicing yoga in Ubud. Some just come to have a good time. And, if that is the goal for your Bali holiday, then the most fun hotel in Legian, Bali, is THE place to be!
Legian Beach in Bali
There are several main beach areas in Bali, and Legian might require a bit of an explanation. When arriving at the Bali airport in Denpasar, people usually head either east, south, or north. To the east lies Sanur, one of the more laid back beach areas of southern Bali, which offers a chill beach area, with no surfing waves in site. To the south of the airport lies The Bukit, a nubbin that sticks out of the tip of Bali. On the west coast of The Bukit are stunning cliffs, and rocky beaches. On the east coast of The Bukit lies Nusa Dua, the family friendly, resort area of Bali.
Heading north of the airport in Denpasar, well, that is where the fun is to be had! From Kuta, closest to the airport, north to Canggu, the relaxed hippy beach community. In between are 2 main beach areas: Legian and Seminyak. Each offers amazing sunsets and great surfing waves. Generally, people are drawn to Kuta to party and Seminyak to dine and shop. But, Legian is sandwiched in between. And, it is the perfect combination of the two.
Cocktails at The Stones Hotel
The Stones Hotel in Legian is right on the main road of Kuta, which can get a bit crazy. But, the hotel, and most important, the pool area, is sheltered. The hotel acts almost as an oasis in the craze of Kuta, but still has to be considered the most fun hotel in Legian. The bright blue pool, with hammocks and swim-up pool bar provides this shelter, but in a hip and fun fashion. They offer daily happy hour specials, with a funky female DJ who spin tunes on the roof top.
And, they are making some truly unique cocktails. The mixologist (Yudhya, as in “You da’ man”) actually tested out some new drinks on us, and this is one time I don’t care if I’m the guinea pig. Especially, when we got to enjoy them while sitting in a little cabana overlooking the clear blue pool. After testing out the cocktails, we moved to the swim-up bar to enjoy some 2-for-1 deals. Then, we moved just outside of the hotel, back into Legian to enjoy the world famous Bali sunset. It was the perfect way to spend a day in Bali.
Check out our YouTube Videos of Some Fun Cocktails at The Stones Hotel
Dining at The Stones Hotel
We also enjoyed some amazing food at The Stones. We grabbed lunch a few times at the pool bar, where I quickly became addicted to their spicy popcorn chicken as well as their chicken schnitzel sandwich. I am not sure why schnitzel is so popular in Bali – perhaps for the European tourists. But, we used to eat schnitzel about once a week while living in Bali. The version at The Stones Kitchen was perfect, slathered in cheese on fresh toasted bread.
We also enjoyed a top notch steak dinner, very similar to the one we experienced at the Courtyard in Seminyak. Well, that’s because both hotels source their Stockyard Angus from the same butcher. I didn’t mind at all. Both steaks were tender, and perfectly cooked! At The Stones, we selected 2 side dishes, along with a sauce. We both pretty much skipped the sauce the meat was so good!
But, the most fun we had dining at The Stones was at The Long Rice Table, their Indonesian restaurant. It was somewhat “off season” when we were in Bali, and a little quiet. So, Instead of dining inside at The Long Rice Table, they closed the restaurant itself, allowing people to order the same menu, while sitting outside listening to the traditional Balinese music, the gamalan.
I was glad they still served the Indonesian menu because it gave us the chance to have something we hadn’t eaten in years: Indonesian rijsttafel, which translates roughly to rice table. Yes, the same name as the restaurant.
Rijsttafel is a hybrid of Indonesian flavors, with a Dutch name, and dates back the Dutch colonial days. Practically, it is almost like Indonesian tapas, where about a dozen or more small dishes are placed on the table. It allowed us the chance to eat so many of the foods we ate while we lived in Bali. Most important was the beef rendang, one of our favorites! I also practically licked the bowl of Balinese shredded chicken, and lawar, a mix of vegetables and coconut.
The Most Fun in Legian … in a Bathtub
What I liked most about The Stones Hotel is their dedication to ensuring unique experiences for their guests, experiences exactly like nothing else. First, they upgraded us to the penthouse honeymoon suite. I guess we were pretty fortunate that there was no one there actually enjoying their honeymoon. The enormous suite was topped with our own roof top pool! A traditional Balinese bale offered shade over a corner of the pool. It reminded me so much of our time living in Bali.
But what was that about a bathtub? Most of the rooms at the hotel offer huge soaking tubs on the balcony. And, one of the hotel’s signature services is breakfast in a bathtub. So, one morning, two servers arranged a giant tray loaded with breakfast specialties, lattes, and champagne, for us to enjoy on the balcony, yes in the tub! Don’t worry, I wore my bathing suit for the experience!
The Stones Hotel Legian – The Details
The Stones Hotel Legian is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, which offers a boutique hotel experience under the Marriott marquis. Their tagline is “exactly like nothing else.” Rooms start at around $108. They are located on the Kuta beach road, just across from the beach itself.
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We were hosted by The Stones Hotel, but, as always, all opinions are my own. I mean, how could someone NOT enjoy breakfast in a bathtub?
Amber Hoffman, food and travel writer behind With Husband In Tow, is a recovering attorney and professional eater, with a passion for finding new Food and Drink Destinations. She lives with her husband, Eric, in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Together over the last 20 years, they have traveled to over 70 countries. Amber is the author of the Food Traveler’s Guide to Emilia Romagna.