Dekuta Hotel - Kuta, Bali

Jl Poppies Lane II No.8, Kuta, Bali, Indonesia

Website: www.dekuta.com

Date of stay: Overnight only, March 11-12, 2012
Cost: +/-  620,000 IDR or barely Php 3,000.00 w/ breakfast for 2

(I haven't converted my RAW photos yet so photos to follow , sorry!)

It reminded me a lot of Makati’s Picasso hotel, with its white exteriors and colorful accents.

The location was good because it was not along the main road, hence less noise.  The nearby surroundings could get dark in the evening though, so it made me a bit nervous (ah, but it was safe! It was just “new place” paranoia – and I can be paranoid anywhere else ;-) . It was along a dark alley of small souvenir shops, obviously the “road less traveled” since most of the activity were happening along the main road. It is about a 10-15 minute walk from the beachfront, the nearby Discovery Mall, a collection of bars and restos, and Hard Rock Café. 

The website Tripadvisor.com was our best friend throughout the trip. We consulted it whenever we booked something – nothing beats firsthand experience so we focused on checking out the consumer reviews. Aside from being recommended by our friend Nyla, Dekuta Hotel also had reasonable reviews on Tripadvisor!

We booked a twin room (with breakfast) for around 620,000 IDR (so that's 308,000 for each of us , about Php 1,466.67 .. not bad at all! ) and we were given one with a balcony and pool view. The room was larger than we thought and designed quite nicely. We had no problems with the room whatsoever .  All the amenities described on the website were there as promised: Airconditioned, LCD TV , WiFi, “Rainshower”.  

In some reviews, people mentioned funny smells coming from the bathroom drain. Sure enough, it was there  :p , it’s a low point, but I won’t consider it such a big deal or a vacation ruiner! It was gone after we used the shower, so I guess it was from the bathroom not being used for a while (used to happen in my Makati apartment before..) 

The breakfast buffet was so-so (my fault for doing this review so late that I can’t remember it exactly… so I guess it’s forgettable!). But still, with the price of the hotel, one shouldn’t expect a smorgasbord of choices! The restaurant, “DePalm” , offers a menu of different cuisines, tho most choices were unmistakably Italian. I ordered minestrone and bruschetta for lunch before we left for Ubud and I was satisfied. 

The Verdict:  the Dekuta Hotel is perfect for travelers who are looking for budget + comfort. It has all the basic amenities mixed with the quaint, artsy ambience. The location is good and they have really friendly staff!