I give the Langon Bali Resort my highest rating with the understanding that it is not a “resort” in the usual sense of the word. Read on to find out what I mean.
The Langon Bali is a training hotel on the hilltop campus of Bali’s university for students in the hospitality and tourism industry.
It does not offer the usual destination resort amenities -- it has no restaurant, no room service, no bar, no daytime activities, no night time entertainment, no beach.
Instead, the Langon Bali is a beautiful and serene hotel, with enormous rooms, enjoyable balconies, gorgeous views of the airport and Kuta coastline in the distance, a sybaritic infinity pool, and a friendly and helpful young staff led by the hotel manager (and university faculty member) Mr. Ngurah Budiasa, who does a wonderful job of making one feel at home.
It is the ideal hotel to recover from the long flights at the beginning of your Bali vacation, or to unwind at the end of your vacation and prepare for the long flights home.
The Langon Bali is listed as being in Nusa Dua, but it is not within the beach resort enclave, which is a 20 minute drive by the hotel’s free shuttle service. It is not to be confused with the Laguna Bali hotel, which is also in the Nusa Dua area.
The Langon Bali is at the top of a hill in the center of the Bukit Peninsula (Bukit means “hill”), within the gate-guarded and beautifully landscaped university campus. The campus is quiet on week-days and almost deserted on week-ends, making it an ideal place for hassle-free walks. Just outside the university gate is a cluster of small shops, including a laundry, a mini-mart, and a warung.
Although there are two smaller rooms tucked behind the others, most hotel rooms and suites face the pool and have nice balconies. Although I had booked one of the smaller rooms, since it was low season and there were few guests I was given a free upgrade to an enormous suite, almost as large as my three bedroom home.
Rooms have efficient air-conditioning, mini-refrigerators, flat screen TV’s, marble bathrooms, and attractive Balinese bathrobes. My suite in addition had a huge living and dining room, with a wet bar and microwave, 4 channel sound system, DVD player, second TV, day bed, and more.
A nice a la carte breakfast is included with each room and is served in a dining room above the lobby, again with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.
Free wi-fi is available in the dining and lobby areas, and desktop computers with free internet access are next to the dining room.
To compensate for the relative isolation of the hotel, there is a reliable and free shuttle service to the Nusa Dua beach enclave, and there is also a free pick-up and drop-off service to the DPS international airport.
Airport arrivals and departures could not be easier -- after a long flight one feels like a VIP to be met by a Langon Bali driver in the arrivals area holding a placard with one’s name on it.
In addition, the hotel can arrange for a minivan and driver for day tours, the rates depending on the distance and time traveled. At well below 10 USD per hour, this is an excellent value for two or more passengers. Conveniently, this is payable by credit card at the hotel.
Keep in mind, however, that the drivers are safe and reliable but are not tour guides, and you will have to set the itinerary stops based on your own particular interests, within the time and distance allotted. One of my drivers was quite flexible in this regard, but the other was not.
I have saved the best news for last. The rates at the Langon Bali are incredibly low for what it offers. I booked online through Expedia and in low season paid less than 50 USD (non-refundable rate including all taxes) for a deluxe room that would have cost nearly many times that amount in the Nusa Dua Beach or Ubud tourist areas. Even if the rate is higher by the time you book, it will be a bargain.
If you want a relaxing hotel experience with luxury surroundings at a budget price, you could not do better than the Langon Bali. If you want the excitement, crowds, and extensive services of a self-contained destination resort, you should look elsewhere.
Would I return to the Langon Bali? Yes, in a heartbeat. It may not be the perfect hotel for everyone, but it certainly was for me.