Saving the Best for Last – Tandjung Sari | Around the World with Kids

As we drove toward what would be our last hotel in Bali, we were all a little sad knowing that the vacation was coming to an end. We pulled into the palm tree lined driveway and up to the welcoming reception pavilion of the Tandjung Sari. We didn’t know it at the time, but we were driving into what turned out to be the overall favorite resort for everyone in the family. Clearly, Audley Travel saved the best for last.

The Room

This was the first hotel we stayed in where we actually had two rooms. Generally, outside the US, hotel rooms hold two people, and have only a few family rooms available. So far, we had stayed in suites big enough to fit all four of us. But here we didn’t have a suite, instead two “normal” rooms. But each room was still generously sized and they were connected by a door. Our room had a king sized bed while the kids had two twins, Each room had a large bathroom with shower, large tub, and toilet room And the most exciting feature for the kids…each room had it’s own safe. The kids had been begging to set the code and use the safe which until now we had not allowed. Here, they had their own so they set a code and used it to store valuables like…two hats, a sarong, and a pencil. Their phones, those were left out on the side tables…

The room was a fantastic size and I loved the large bathroom

But the best part about the rooms…absolutely no issues. The WiFi worked perfectly. The air conditioning kept the rooms at a comfortable temperature. The water pressure was perfect and you could have a steaming hot or lukewarm shower. The bath allowed you to submerge your whole body. A big rack to dry the swimsuits. Good places to put your suitcase. They even had sarongs for you to use during your stay. You could purchase the, and I seriously regret not buying mine. The room was one we loved to spend time in.

The Resort Grounds

The resort was compact but carried a big punch. Entering the resort, there is a large pavilion filled with traditional Balinese artwork, and a gong welcoming visitors to the resort. Off the pavilion is a main path. The rooms were all off the main path, but each had what felt like a private pathway. With large flowering bushes as the fence, each had a great feeling of privacy.

The bushes between buildings made the place private*

As you take the main path to the back of the resort, you quickly reach the pool, restaurant and private beach. The pool was large, and went all the way from shallow to very deep. The pool was shaded so you never felt like you were baking in the sun. And it was surrounded by loungers, chairs, and sofas to lounge on while watching the kids swim.

The kids loved playing in the pool

The beach had several loungers with umbrellas to sit under. They were for hotel guests only, and had small tables to hold any food or drinks you ordered from the restaurant. The chairs were a bit of a distance from the actual water, but they were at the top of the hill, so you could see down as the kids ran into the surf. The water was cool, clear, and protected by a natural reef, so there were no big waves. You were able to go far out and not have to fear any waves or depth issues. The only small issue was were were warned that there were sea urchins. We never actually saw or stepped on on, but we were extremely careful.

There were plenty of comfy loungers and chairs

The water was clear and calm, and the kids could go out safely for quite some distance*

The resort also had a fitness center and a nice gift shop. While I never personally saw the gift shop, the kids did purchase a beautiful notebook and perfume for my birthday from the shop. None of us made it to the fitness center. We chose to walk and lounge on the beach as our exercise instead.

The Restaurant

The restaurant associated with the hotel is right on the beach. Our favorite feature were the couches and tables right on the sand. We were able to sit on the beach, watch the sun rise, and eat our breakfast. Always fruit, Balinese coffee, and an excellent selection of American and Indonesian favorites in the morning. The kids quickly figured out they could get hot chocolate in the mornings and indulged every morning. In the afternoons on the beach, we ordered lumpia’s and drinks, delivered right to our beach loungers. We didn’t had dinner there, just because there were so many additional options right outside the resort. But they do several events with music that we unfortunately, did not align with our stay.

The restaurant was between the pool and beach, and allowed for a beautiful views either way

Cons

Honestly, it’s hard to come up with cons. It hit all our needs and we didn’t have any complaints.

Just look at the attention they lavished on me on my birthday

The Verdict

It was a unanimous decision by our family: the Tandjung Sari was our overall favorite. It wasn’t the most luxurious. It didn’t have the best pool. But everything is had worked properly. Everything it did do, it did everything really well. The rooms were a great size. The beds were comfortable. The AC worked perfectly. The bathrooms were a nice size with good sized tubs and showers. The restaurant served excellent food. The pool was shaded and the right temperature. The beach loungers were plentiful. The staff was friendly and attentive to our every need. I could have spent my whole vacation here.

Staying at the Tandjung Sari was the best way to end our Bali adventure. If you are in Sanur, do yourself a favor and stay at the Tandjung Sari. You will not regret it.