Grand Istana Rama

Our stay here was absolutely wonderful, and I can’t thank Manageress Maniez and her incredible team enough for everything they did for my children and me.

I was solo parenting two young children while staying in Bali during our family’s move from the UK to Australia, so this was already a stressful and emotional time. To make things even more challenging, we had to make a last-minute move from another nearby hotel. As we were staying in Bali for almost a month, it was so important to me that the place we called home felt clean, safe and welcoming while I was alone with my two children. I was exhausted and overwhelmed, but from the moment we arrived, Maniez did everything she could to make the transition as easy and stress-free as possible. She immediately put my mind at ease and made us feel like we truly belonged there.

She went above and beyond to make sure we had the best room for our needs, always checked in to see how we were getting on, and was incredibly kind and patient with both me and my children. Her English was excellent, making communication effortless, and she genuinely cared about making our stay special. She also recommended local supermarkets, nearby events and places to visit, which really helped us settle in and make the most of our time in Bali.

The entire team deserves recognition. Every member of staff greeted us with a smile, always said hello, and made such an effort with my children. They loved chatting to them, making them laugh, and making them feel so welcome. A special thank you to Degus from the restaurant, who was always so friendly with my boys and made every meal feel that little bit more special. The team also helped us arrange excursions, including Bali Safari and Waterbom, taking all the stress out of planning and making everything so easy.

A special mention also goes to Endras and the wonderful pool team. By the second day, they already knew our room number and even remembered exactly how many towels our family needed before we had to ask. It’s those little personal touches that make a stay unforgettable. We also watched him and the rest of the team happily move several sunbeds across the pool area for another family so they could enjoy the sunshine where they wanted. Nothing ever seemed too much trouble, and every member of the team genuinely wanted guests to have the best experience possible. Their friendliness, attentiveness and genuine care made every day by the pool a pleasure.

The location is fantastic, directly opposite the beach and right next to Beachwalk Shopping Centre, which was perfect for our family. The shopping centre has a great mix of international and high street brands, plenty of restaurants and cafés, children’s entertainment including dinosaur ride-on toys and Timezone arcade, a cinema, and even a beautiful rooftop bar where you can enjoy the sunset. We also really enjoyed eating at Pizza Express in the shopping centre, which had a delicious lunchtime menu, and Café Sardinia, located just to the right of the Beachwalk entrance, became another favourite thanks to its relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, tasty food and great value.

During our stay, there were government road and pavement improvement works taking place outside the front of the hotel as they were widening the walkway. Although this was completely outside the hotel’s control, the staff worked incredibly hard every day to keep the entrance and restaurant area looking as neat, clean and welcoming as possible despite the ongoing work. Their professionalism really stood out.

What impressed me even more was how much they cared about our safety. The security team would regularly stop the traffic to help me and my two children cross the road safely to reach the beach. It may seem like a small gesture, but when you’re travelling alone with young children, those thoughtful acts made an enormous difference and never went unnoticed.

The food was consistently delicious with plenty of choice, and breakfast quickly became one of our favourite parts of the day. A special thank you to Trisna, who cooked the eggs every morning. He would always play rock, paper, scissors with my children from across the restaurant, and they absolutely loved it. It became part of our morning routine and is one of those little memories we’ll treasure. Those genuine interactions are what set this hotel apart.

The pool itself was fantastic for families, with three different depths—shallow, medium and deep—making it ideal for children of different ages as well as adults. The pool bar was also a lovely place to relax while the children enjoyed swimming.

Like many places in Bali, the surrounding area occasionally had the typical smells you experience in some streets, but this certainly wasn’t a reflection of the hotel itself. In fact, the cleanliness throughout the property was exceptional. Our room was cleaned to a very high standard every day with regular fresh bedding and towels. The housekeeping and grounds teams worked tirelessly, constantly sweeping leaves, maintaining the gardens and keeping every area of the hotel spotless. It was clear that everyone took enormous pride in maintaining the hotel.

What could have been one of the most stressful parts of our family’s international move turned into one of our happiest memories, thanks to Maniez and her exceptional team. We arrived feeling overwhelmed but left feeling like we’d found a second home.

Thank you, Maniez, Indras, Trisna, Degus, and every single member of staff for making such a difficult chapter of our lives so much easier. Your kindness, warmth and genuine care will stay with us forever. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Bali, whether you’re travelling as a couple, with family, or on your own. We hope to return one day.

We had a wonderful 7 days at Grand Istana Hotel. The staff were amazing so friendly and helpful. The room is so comfortable and clean. We realy enjoyed our stay and would happily recommend this to others.