Grand Inna Kuta

A lovely turtle fountain adorns the entrance to this expansive hotel. The open, modern lobby is run through with hardwood and marble, with low-slung bench-style seating arranged symmetrically underneath a decorative paneled ceiling at the center of the room. The open-air Headquarters Restaurant and Lounge has an industrial style. It's the most popular venue on site and draws a crowd from across Kuta to a stylish space lined with concrete floors, light wood furnishings, and green mod-style couches. Green padded lounge chairs as well as beautiful fountains adorn the adjacent pool. The open-air Putri Duyung Cafe has wood chairs and light tile floors, while Breeze Resto has red chairs and modern light fixtures. Although Breeze Resto, where the included breakfast is served, has superb ocean views, guests -- mostly families and couples on holiday -- complain that the area can be crowded. At Kelapa Pool Bar, a magnificent koi pond with fountains along with a ping-pong table and bar area fill out the space. This isn't the most tranquil resort to be found in Bali, though by Kuta standards it's not the noisiest either.

The Grand Inna Kuta is on a one-way road that leads to Kuta Beach, and while the hotel is adjacent to the beach guests should know that it's not a private slice of sand. Thankfully, the resort doesn't suffer from the kind of noise that plagues many of the centrally located hotels throughout Kuta. There are plenty of restaurants and shops just outside the hotel's entrance, as are Kuta Art Market and Kuta Square. The Hard Rock Cafe is right around the corner, a two-minute walk, while Discovery Shopping Mall, Waterbom Park, and Paradiso Bowling and Billiards Center are all within a 15-minute walk of the hotel. Ngurah Rai International Airport is a 25-minute drive from the hotel, while the more tranquil Nusa Dua Beach takes about 30 minutes to reach by road. 

Traditional rooms and Suites are divided between two wings, the Beach Wing and Bali Wing, and quality varies wildly depending on where the room is located in the hotel. Rooms in the older wing (the Bali Wing), like the Room with Superior Pool View that we visited, are pretty drab, with tiled floors, sagging and outdated furniture, and heavy red drapes. Modern rooms in the Beach Wing have more interesting design features, though are still fairly plain, with newer tiled floors, built-in light wood desks and wall units, and gray couches. These rooms also have a greater attention to detail and feature silk bed runners on beds with stylish padded headboards. Older rooms in the Bali wing have red-toned wood furniture and large wood headboards, though wall art across the board is kept to a minimum. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, safes, minibars, electric kettles, air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. Some rooms also have balconies with excellent ocean views, sofa beds, and direct pool access. Bathrooms, of course, are more modern in the Beach Wing, with contemporary marble floors and vanities with modern fixtures. Things are more dated in Bali Wing bathrooms, and toiletries are included along with walk-in showers or bathtub/shower combos. More money buys more style here, and Executive Suites are polished, sharp, and luxurious, with deep soaking tubs and contemporary design elements throughout.

The star of the show here is, of course, the beach. The hotel has one of the longer beachfronts in Kuta, though it isn't private. For other aquatic opportunities, the hotel offers two outdoor pools. Potted plants and shrubs surround the free form, blue tile Sunken pool, which offers a circular children’s pool and the swim-up Sunken Bar. Flat-screen TVs, beers, and cocktails are provided at the bar. The Kelapa Pool is surrounded by stone fountains and flowers plus a terrace with lounge chairs, and there are several islands throughout. Kelapa Pool Bar offers a variety of drinks as well, plus a ping-pong table.

Restaurants and bars on-site serve a mix of Indonesian and Western cuisines. Headquarters is popular with hotel guests and tourists from around Kuta alike and is often crowded. A breakfast buffet is included in room rates and receives decent reviews, though it can be extremely crowded, and room service is available around the clock. The hotel's modest spa has simple treatment rooms and offers an array of traditional services. There is also a surf school, tennis courts, and bike rentals available. The hotel's front desk is staffed 24 hours a day and concierge services are available. Airport transfers can be arranged and there is free limited parking on site. The hotel can arrange babysitting and laundry services, and cribs are free for guests with small children.