Keraton Jimbaran Resort

Keraton Jimbaran Resort is housed in a series of traditional Balinese buildings with peaked red-tiled roofs. The tropical grounds are attractive, with teak and palm trees, shrubs, flowers, and topiary filling out the property. The Keraton is a fine option for travelers wanting traditional Balinese style, and its relatively small size helps keep the resort from feeling too impersonal. Guests enter a pillared pagoda-style entrance to a grand lobby with chandelier and striking colors of bronze and red. Wood and bamboo make frequent appearances throughout interiors, as do indigenous art and artifacts, statuary, figurings, wood and stone carvings, and antique pieces. Back outside, the huge lagoon swimming pool is a popular gathering spot, and is bordered by a deck with thatched-roof bales (Balinese gazebos). The resort's white-sand beach is an inviting spot to take in a sunset. With its romantic setting and extensive wedding services, the Keraton is good for couples, but the lack of specific kids' facilities and activities means that it's not great for families.

Keraton Jimbaran Resort is on Jimbaran Bay, just off the Jalan Raya Uluwatu, which connects Jimbaran and Uluwatu. Many of the renowned Jimbaran seafood restaurants are a short walk away, as are many shops, cafes, and other restaurants. It's a five-minute drive to the bustling Jimbaran Fish Market. Garud Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park is a 15-minute drive from the resort. It features a 75-foot (23-meter) statue of the Hindu god Vishnu. New Kuta Green Park offers bungee jumping, paintball, and a water park -- it's a 25-minute drive. The center of Kuta is about a 20-minute drive from the resort -- head there for major nightlife opportunities, as that doesn't really exist in Jimbaran. Ngurah Rai International Airport is a little over a 10-minute drive from Keraton Jimbaran Resort. 

Keraton Jimbaran Resort has 102 rooms, suites, and one- and two-bedroom villas. The style is reasonably pleasant, with traditional Balinese details plus framed Balinese art and photos. Dark-wood furnishings and paneling with carved wood embellishments complement carved wooden doors in many rooms. The color palette is brown and white, with colors like rust-red and green in the decorative throws and bed rolls. While it's all well kept and clean, the look isn't exactly fresh, and decor will need an overhaul soon -- wear and tear on furniture isn't uncommon. 

Floor plans range from 388 square feet (36 square meters) to 2,153 square feet (200 square meters) in size, meaning there's plenty of space regardless of category. Rooms all come with balconies or terraces, minibars (with room for cold storage), electric kettles for instant coffee and tea, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs with international channels. Suites and villas have sitting areas. Each villa features a private plunge pool in an attractive patio area. 

Bathrooms are spacious and come with hairdryers, though they look dated and some only have showers. Villa bathrooms feature jetted tubs. Mosquitoes are occasionally an issue in rooms, but the beds have mosquito nets and staff sprays regularly.

Keraton Jimbaran Resort is located right on Jimbaran Bay, and has a white-sand beach with free towels and sun loungers. Beach volleyball is also available. The resort installs barriers so that sand from the beach doesn't blow into the resort grounds and pool area, as wind can blow sand around in December and January. The resort also has a huge outdoor lagoon swimming pool with a shallow section for children. There's also a spa providing a good range of treatments (for a fee). The coffee shop serves an adequate-quality breakfast (for a fee) with Indonesian fare, a cooked-to-order egg station, pancakes, and a range of cold items. The indoor open-air restaurant overlooks the grounds, and serves fairly good Indonesian and international cuisine with fresh and seasonal local ingredients. Room service is available. The lobby bar has a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The Keraton also has table tennis and billiards tables, a shelf of books, chess boards, free parking, and wedding services (including beach weddings). The staff can offer sightseeing assistance and arrange excursions like traditional Balinese market visits. Wi-Fi and parking are both free.