27 July 2007
One of the two pool areas at the Jayakarta Hotel
The Jayakarta is a very typical big Bali beach hotel. It makes a good first impression, with low rise Balinese style guest wings laid out in a grassy garden and plenty of palm trees to sway in the wind. As you check in at the large open air lobby, you can see the large main double pool, with the restaurant to one side and the crashing surf of the beach beyond.
When you get the room, however, a bit of disappointment begins to set in. My deluxe room was on the ground floor of one of the two story guest wings. So although there was a small patio for sitting outside, anybody walking by could see into the room, if the drapes were left open. Even with the curtains open, the room was quite dark all day. The air conditioner had been recently replaced and the wall poorly patched with Styrofoam where the old one had been removed. The wall hadn't even been painted. Obviously, this is one of those hotels that only invests in maintenance when it becomes absolutely necessary, and isn't worried too much about appearances.
Breakfast was served in the large pool-side coffee shop. The selection was good and quality acceptable. In addition to the coffee shop there are two other beach-front restaurants.
While the room was quite a disappointment, bordering on depressing, let's face it, you're unlikely to be spending much time in your room on a Bali holiday. The location of the Jayakarta, right on Legian beach, is quite good. There are quite a few excellent restaurants just up the beach from the hotel, as well as along the road at the back. The touts and hawkers are not quite as bad here as they are further down in Kuta, yet you're very close to some of the more popular clubs around Jalan Double-Six.
Hotel facilities include three pools, hot tub, spa, fitness center, children's play area, tennis courts and several restaurants.
Rooms feature air conditioning, hot and cold water, mini-bars, complementary coffee and tea, color televisions (many channels) and IDD telephones (telephones are usually disabled if your room is pre-paid).
Pluses: Excellent location, near restaurants and shopping.
Minuses: Security is poor. Maintenance is very lackluster. Ground floor rooms lack much privacy.
Rooms at the Jayakarta Resort may be booked through Hotels Combined which compares rates for the resort from dozens of online booking sites.