The Alea Hotel Seminyak

I left four nights early because the stay was so disappointing. The lift wasn’t working, which caused a serious access problem for my friend who uses a wheelchair. He had to move to a more expensive room, through no fault of his own. There was no hot water at the taps, and the toilet wouldn’t flush properly. Cleanliness was another major problem. The sheets and towels kept the same marks day after day, so they clearly weren’t being changed properly. They only changed them after I asked, because I kept getting bitten by mosquitoes. At checkout, two different reception staff said we’d get the cost of all unused nights back due to these issues. After we left, the hotel only agreed to refund two of the four unused nights through Agoda. I try to be fair in reviews, but this was nowhere near what we expected.

I found a bed bug, and staff came to deal with it within minutes. The next day I didn’t see any more. The service was very good, and hot water was available around the clock. I’d stay here again. Thank you.

The hotel is being renovated, and there’s no elevator. Staff carried my luggage, but I felt bad watching them struggle and get out of breath. I hope management takes that into account for their sake. The lobby also needs more light. I saw young couples sitting in dark corners and couldn’t tell whether they were guests. More lighting around the lobby would make it feel more comfortable. The price is very affordable, and the location puts you close to the beach and the action. Just keep your expectations in line with what you’re paying.

There’s no elevator, and the hotel feels old. My room smelled of cigarettes, including the linens and curtains. I booked through the hotel website, then found out at check-in that payment had to be in cash because they don’t take cards.