Vouk Hotel & Suites

For the price, I had a pleasant stay at VOUK Hotel for two nights and three days. It costs a lot less than other five-star hotels around Nusa Dua, while still offering quite nice facilities. I liked the building’s beautiful traditional Balinese design, and the staff were friendly and helpful. There were some maintenance problems, though: the room phone didn’t work, so we couldn’t call reception directly, and one night an electrician had to come turn off the lights by hand because the switch wasn’t working properly. The shower also drained poorly. It’s the kind of Bali place with attractive design that could use a bit more upkeep. Still, it was good value, and worth considering if you want an affordable Nusa Dua option with nice facilities and kind staff.

Guests were leaving one by one, and by 9:30 p.m. the room was almost empty. The event was boring and badly organized, with a quiz about hotel rooms and facilities that felt completely out of place for New Year’s Eve. The whole thing was held indoors in a conference room, so it felt more like a corporate meeting than a celebration. Many people eventually went up to the rooftop with their own food and drinks because the official party had no atmosphere. The entertainment didn’t help: the band mostly played slow, sad songs, there were only two dancers who appeared now and then, and the program kept stopping after every couple of songs. The MC kept praising the food and reminding us it was a five-star hotel, which felt awkward given the actual experience. The food was extremely basic and poor. The only meat choice was fried chicken that was very hard and dry, like breakfast leftovers. Fruit had run out early in the evening, and the desserts were simple. Nothing felt festive or premium, which was unacceptable for a New Year’s Eve event at a five-star hotel. At IDR 750,000 per person, we expected much better. There was just one included drink, chosen from a very limited list. This dinner and party at Vouk Hotel was a major disappointment and not worth the money. I wouldn’t recommend it for New Year’s Eve. 😒

The staff are the main reason I rated this higher. From concierge and reception to room service, everyone was polite, friendly, accommodating, and welcoming, always greeting us with a smile. They were helpful without being too hands-on, responded quickly, and housekeeping has been trustworthy so far. The pool is great, breakfast decent, and the gym is clean and well kept, with showers. The games room and kids’ room are free, while KTV costs extra, and there’s also a spa on site. Outside, there’s a minimart, restaurants, and a market about a 10-minute drive away, plus plenty of spas along the way. As for the room, I apparently got upgraded to a deluxe. It was clean and roomy, with a high enough ceiling, a Xiaomi TV with Netflix and Prime, and a mini fridge that gets cold. Bring adapters. The workmanship is poor, and the wallpaper is peeling, though that’s less noticeable in the dim light. When it rains, the doorway floods. There’s an iron and ironing board in the closet, which has space for three carry-ons, and the bathrobes are colorful. Our spacious bathroom had a spa-like tub and a shower big enough for two large adults. The water stayed reliably warm without getting scalding hot. The air conditioning worked well and had a good control panel. We also had a balcony with outdoor seating, but the view was nothing, so we hardly used it. This doesn’t feel like a five-star stay to me. Maybe it did when it first opened, but not as of 2025.

The beach is beautiful and within walking distance, even for me at 73, and there’s a convenience store very close by. The hotel is much cheaper than some of the bigger places, and the pool was especially lovely. There’s a regular free shuttle to Bali Connect shopping centre, and both restaurants were nice with plenty of staff. Everyone was attentive to our needs. This was our first stay, but if we come back to Bali, it won’t be our last. Thank you all, we loved staying with you.