Champlung Mas Hotel

Champlung Mas Hotel is a mostly modern tourist hotel housed in a four-floor building on tropically landscaped grounds. The lobby is filled with natural light and features wood furnishings and Balinese art, and the two on-site restaurants have a similar look. The hotel isn't exactly remarkable from a design perspective, but the rates here can be a real bargain for the area, and the lively vibe keeps most guests happy. The highlight is a courtyard with trees, shrubs, and hanging vines where the main pool is located, plus an additional rooftop space with a second pool that has lovely sea views. These can both be busy with guests, and DJs at the rooftop pool keep things moving. Overall, the simple style is fine for travelers who don't need much in the way of decor and design, and instead want a reasonably priced option near the heart of southern Bali's action. Guests are almost here exclusively on vacation, and as its one of the larger properties in the area, it can feel crowded. 

Champlung Mas Hotel is located toward the southern end of Legian near Kuta, in an area full of hotels, art galleries, shops, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. The hotel is on a small road just south of Jalan Melasti shopping street and a five-minute walk from Jalan Padma, known for its bead shops. Jalan Legian, the major north-south road running through Legian, is also just a five-minute walk from the hotel, as is the surfer-friendly Legian Beach. The Ground Zero Monument to the victims of the 2002 Sari Club bombing is a five-minute drive or a little over a 10-minute walk, while the two-centuries-old Vihara Dharmayana Buddhist temple is a three-minute drive or an eight-minute walk from the hotel. Sky Garden Bali entertainment complex is about a five-minute drive and Beachwalk Mall and Kuta Art Market are both within 10 minutes away by car. Expect a 20-minute drive to Ngurah Rai International Airport, south of Kuta.

At 377 square feet (35 square meters), rooms at the Champlung Mas are spacious and have a simple look, with white walls and wood furnishings. The color palette is white, tan, and brown, with brighter pops like royal-blue throw cushions on all-white bedding. Upon first glance, rooms are in decent shape -- if mostly spartan -- but on closer inspection things are showing their age. We spotted plenty of wear on the furniture, and there have been complaints of dirt or stains on bedding, non-functioning air-conditioning, and broken fixtures. All rooms have balconies or terraces, and some open to the hotel's courtyard swimming pool, though rooms overlooking the courtyard pool and pool bar may experience noise issues. All rooms come with desks, safes, minibars, air-conditioning, and flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, including English-language options. Many also have electric kettles. Bathrooms are bright and spacious, with separate tubs and walk-in showers. During our visit we saw old linoleum, chipped surfaces, and lots of stained grout, making many bathrooms fairly unpleasant. 

Champlung Mas Hotel's central feature is its large courtyard swimming pool with a swim-up bar. A second pool is situated on the roof, and features good views of the surrounding area and ocean. The poolside bar serves tropical cocktails, beers, and juices, and hosts Friday barbecue nights and occasional caviar nights. There are DJs on occasion that keep the atmosphere lively, and there have been complaints that the hotel doesn't have enough seating to handle pool guests at capacity.

The two restaurants get mostly positive marks from previous guests. One serves international and local cuisine in a traditional pavilion with a thatched-roof, while the other emphasizes fresh seafood, seasonal produce, and Indonesian herbs and spices. There's also a breakfast buffet featuring cooked-to-order eggs, bacon, and pancakes, plus a cold spread of cereals, pastries, and fruit. It's not included in room rates. Room service is available. 

Other features include a small on-site spa with three treatment rooms and a good range of massages, scrubs, facials, reflexology, and mani/pedis. There's no fitness center, but there are health clubs open to the public in the area. The hotel also offers bicycle and scooter rentals, tour bookings, wedding hosting services, a meeting room, and free parking. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.