Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 03:26 am
The Hyatt Globalist status is revered by many. Because it is considered to be the best hotel loyalty program out there. And we can see why! Yet, usually the only way to get to this level is to spend a minimum of 60 nights in one of the Hyatt properties. This can be time consuming and costly. However, maintaining our Hyatt Globalist status in Bali was a true pleasure and was very inexpensive. Read on to find out which properties we went to and which ones we enjoyed the most.
Why have Hyatt Globalist Status?
- Room upgrades, up to standard suites
- Club lounge access, including breakfast
- 4 p.m. late checkout, upon availability
- Earn free nights faster with 30% Bonus Points on qualifying purchases
We have top status with 4 hotel chains. Namely Hilton, IHG, Marriott and Hyatt. By far, we value our Hyatt Globalist status above the rest due to their consistent focus on the customer and our overall satisfaction. We have been upgraded to suites on most of our stays. And overall have been treated very well. In summary, we decided to keep our Globalist status. But where can you stay for 60 nights and not break the bank? Bali of course! So, we decided to maintain our Hyatt Globalist status on the lovely island of Bali.
Grand Hyatt Bali
The Grand Hyatt Bali is a very large property located in the Nusa Dua region of the island (South East). The property was originally built in 1991 and has been renovated in 2015. It has 636 rooms, suites and villas combined and features 5 outdoor pools. For us, the Club Lounge pool was the quietest and best option. Also there are fun pools for children, some with large (adult size) slides.
I also really enjoyed walking through the properties’ many feature ponds with their lily gardens, birds and temples.
We received a large suite (141 sq m) on the second floor (of 3 floors) with a peekaboo view of the ocean (room 2222). The huge en suite behind the bedroom had a double rain shower (which was to die for), a bathtub and a toilet. In addition there was a large open plan living room with a dining room, a bar area, 2 balconies and a second bathroom. The TVs were on the smaller side and the wifi was decent enough to stream YouTube and to work. I thought it was fabulous, while Rob would have appreciated a more updated decor.
This property sits on a very nice and deep sandy beach which is perfect to swim in. There was quite a bit of rain during the nights bringing in some garbage. I did quite a bit of beach cleaning. And the staff did as well. Ultimately, the Hyatt’s piece of beach was the cleanest on this coast.
What’s more there is a 5 km boardwalk situated between the beach and the resort. Obviously, I had to run it daily!
Furthermore, one of our favorite parts of this property was the access to the Lounge. It is surrounded by a pond filled with fish, lizards, butterflies and birds. Subsequently we had so much fun watching the birds “fishing”. The Lounge serves a buffet breakfast and a 5 pm-7 pm beer, wine and appetizer buffet. The staff were incredibly generous and friendly. They would make me delicious vegan dishes morning and night. In addition, there would be nightly musicians playing Balinese instruments.
The Grand Hyatt is located across the street from the Bali Collections Mall. Hence, there are a lot of options for dining and shopping outside of the hotel.
Summary Grand Hyatt Bali
In summary, we really enjoyed the Grand Hyatt. First of all, it was a Category 1 property and only cost us 5,000 points per night. Now it is a Category 2 property but still worth it (during shoulder season – in our opinion). Second, the potential for getting a suite upgrade is quite good (the property has a lot of them). Third, the beach is fantastic. Fourth, the Lounge is an insane value. And lastly, there are amenities close by. Therefore, this Bali Hyatt will definitely be on top of our list for maintaining our Globalist status.
PRO TIP: There are 2 well priced spas that we enjoyed nearby. They transport 2 people to and from the hotel for free. The first is called Nusa Dua Spa by Lily Treatment and the second is Zahra Spa.
Alila Ubud
We traveled from the enormous property of the Grand Hyatt to the tiny one of Alila Ubud. The hotel is set in the middle of the jungle and has breathtaking views of the valley below. There is only one pool which overlooks the jungle, rice terraces and all the frolicking monkeys.
Alila Ubud is quite isolated. As it is a 30 – 45 minute drive into the town of Ubud. Thankfully, there are free shuttles throughout the day. Most of the time Grab drivers are not very interested in coming all the way out. It is easier to find a Grab or cab from town though.
At first we were given a room which was quite small. There was a lot of rain that day that knocked out the wifi and the TV cable. Our thoughts were oh oh! However, on the second day we were upgraded to the most delightful villa suite. The Forest Villa is a separate building sitting on the edge of the rain forest valley. It oozed luxury, was massive and had all the modern amenities we hoped for.
Our free breakfast included picking as many dishes from the menu as we desired. From cold pressed juices, to homemade breads and jams, soy (or regular) lattes, traditional breakfast dishes to Balinese ones. Wow! It was all amazing. Executive Chef Gusti surprised me with exotic and delicious vegan dishes daily. In addition, there was an afternoon tea/coffee provided with a sweet.
Daily activities of yoga or rice terrace walks were also offered.
Summary – Alila Ubud
In summary, this hotel was just a bit too isolated. Yet, the Forest Villa really did make up for the seclusion. And sometimes a bit of peace is what someone is looking for?! We are not sure if this Bali Hyatt will stay on our list for maintaining our Globalist status. However it is now a Category 2 and at the time we only paid 7,500 points (average during our stay) a night – the Villa was a steal!
PRO TIP: An Ubud SPA to check out is the Putri Bali Spa. They also provide free transport if you have at least 2 people going.
Alila Manggis
Alila Manggis is located on the east coast of the island and is set on a rocky shore between 2 small towns – Manggis and Candi Das. Neither of these towns impressed me. The property could be fabulous, yet it is pretty run down. There are renovations under way. However the most important deficiency will only be addressed in the future. And that is the doors. The doors have centimeter plus gaps around them. This lets in mosquitoes and errand cigarette fumes. Consequently it also wastes energy with the air conditioning having to struggle with warm air flowing in.
For the first 4 days we were given one of the 2 suites (room 225). Yes, there are only 2 suites on this property. They are not very large yet they have a massive outdoor area with a nice view of the ocean. Given my previous tirade about the doors, we were mercilessly attacked by mosquitoes on our first night there and got zero sleep. The following day the staff put in some mosquito netting which helped. On day 5 we were moved to room 224 which is a small room on the second floor with a nice view of the ocean.
The Alila Manggis staff are incredibly hard working and they try to help as much as they can. When the wifi wasn’t working they offered us a hotspot. After the mosquito attack we were treated to the spa (which is quite good). They are some of the friendliest staff we have encountered. However, most of these issues are out of their hands.
The breakfast options at this Alila were similar to the ones at the Alila Ubud. Likewise there was a delicious afternoon tea offered here as well.
Besides the lovely staff the best feature of this property is the pool. I met a number of folks who have been coming back for years mainly because of it. It is large, warm and usually empty!
Summary – Alila Manggis
In summary, this hotel is not for us. However, others keep coming back to it. And if the doors get fixed, it just may be a Bali Hyatt that we return to in order to maintain our Globalist status. Currently this is a Category 1 property and was 4,250 points per night for us on average.
Hyatt Regency Bali
Hyatt Regency Bali is another large property. There are 363 rooms/suites and 2 pools for adults with another one for children.
We were given a suite on the top floor of the 3rd building (room 3426). The space is well thought through and very functional. We even had 2 bathrooms each equipped with a rain shower and a bathtub. In addition, there is a limited view of the ocean from both balconies.
Similarly to the Grand Hyatt, this property also has a Club Lounge which operates comparably. The only difference is that in the evening, the offerings include hard liquor and not just wine and beer.
The beach in Sanur is not very deep. Yet it is quite clean. In addition there is a boardwalk which runs for 5.38 km and is an excellent safe path for walking, running or biking. The Hyatt Regency does offer bikes to it’s guests.
Summary – Hyatt Regency Bali
In Summary: we quite enjoyed the Hyatt Regency. Due to it’s size the potential for getting a suite upgrade is good. Second, the boardwalk is a lovely space for a stroll. Third, the Lounge is a tremendous value. Fourth, it was a Category 1 property and only cost us 5,000 points per night. Now it is a Category 2 property but still worth it (during shoulder season – in our opinion). And lastly, there are great amenities close by. Therefore, this Bali Hyatt will definitely be on our list for maintaining our Globalist status.
PRO TIP: The NEST Spa is next door to the Regency. It was my favorite spa in Bali. They book up 3-5 days in advance, so best to make a reservation early.
Wrap Up
We love our Hyatt Globalist status and these Bali properties made it easy and inexpensive to maintain it. Of the four that we visited, we will definitely return to the Grand Hyatt and the Hyatt Regency. We get our points from credit card sign ups. Check out our strategy here. For Hyatt we use Chase points. So any of the Chase sign ups would give you many nights at a Hyatt!
Have you been to any of these hotels in Bali? Which was your favorite? And is it just me, or does Bali remind you of Phuket as well? We would love to hear your thoughts.
