If you’re going to be dolphin watching on your Bali holiday, then there’s a good chance that you will end up in the seaside town of Lovina.
This area is much less travelled than the Southern Coast of the island, which has endless resorts to choose from, but there are still some good accommodation options here.
So, our team went out to discover if Le Chien Rouge would be among those accommodation options, and this is what they learned while in Lovina, Bali.
Our In-Depth Assessment Of Le Chien Rouge
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Hotel Type: Luxury
Area of Bali: Lovina
Star Rating: 4-Star
Typical Minimum Price per Night: 1,700,000 IDR (approx. $100 USD or $170 AUD) per night, with the proviso that rates vary by season and by room type
Le Chien Rouge Address: Jl. Mawar No.6, Anturan, Kalibukbuk, Kabupaten Buleleng, Bali 81119
Le Chien Rouge Website: Le Chien Rouge
Room Types: Family Room
Facilities: Breakfast Included, Restaurant, Parking, Sun Terrace, Garden, Cooking Class, Cultural Classes, Walking Tours, Badminton, Water Sports, Snorkelling, Diving, Hiking, Darts, Billiards, Games Room, Fishing, Shuttle Service, Mini Market, Airport Shuttle, Fully Wheelchair Accessible, Outdoor Pool, Spa Facilities
Cleanliness and Maintenance
This resort is kept impeccably clean by cleaning staff who really must be working around the clock to keep things so nice.
And as a newer resort, the maintenance team has an easier job, but they do it very well, and there’s no sign of wear and tear.
Sleep Quality
The joys of being in somewhere like Lovina include that it’s pretty quiet by nature, and that means no unwelcome noise in your room.
You’ll also find the beds are big and comfy and the rooms well aired, to ensure the perfect night of kip.
Staff Attitude And Service Culture
We found that the staff here were very good and that overall, though they didn’t quite have the polish of a big brand hotel, they were very friendly and welcoming.
However, there is clearly a little bit of hierarchy to negotiate when things go wrong, and we didn’t feel they were always empowered to resolve issues immediately.
Check-in/Check-out Experience
There’s nothing wrong with the check-in or check-out experience here, per se. Except when they say “pay in cash”, they really mean cash.
This is a minor irritation in Canggu, but it’s a much bigger pain to get your hands on cash in Lovina, and it’s something that ought to be easy to resolve, too.
Bathroom Quality & Functionality
The bathrooms here are very nice, and there’s plenty of hot water and good water pressure throughout.
However, the toiletries supplied could be a bit better, and the towels were only OK.
Value For Money
We felt that Le Chien Rouge was good value for money. It’s a nice place, and there’s a good amount of facilities, etc., but there are a few little touches that need to be honed before it breaks into the great value category.
However, we have no doubt that you won’t be unhappy with spending some money here, either.
Food And Beverage Execution
The food is actually pretty good at Le Chien Rouge; what’s not so good is the breakfast portions, which are, frankly, miserly.
Now, if you’re not a morning person, you probably won’t care, but if you are, this is not the best way to get set up for the day.
Location & Immediate Surroundings
Lovina is lovely, but it’s also pretty empty. Once you’ve been snorkelling and out to sea the dolphins at sea, there’s nothing else that doesn’t require transportation, really.
It’s also a long way from anywhere, which means that if you plan to make this the last stop of your time in Bali, it’s a very long drive in traffic to the airport.
Facilities & Amenities Vs Promise
We felt that not only does Le Chien Rouge deliver on its promise of facilities and amenities, but they also provide more than we’d expect for a four-star hotel in Lovina.
You won’t get bored here easily, which is a good thing, given you’re in Lovina.
Overall “Personality”
This is a pleasant and attractive hotel with a nice setting and plenty of things to do and see. It’s not going to end up engraved in memory, by any means, but you will talk about it when you get home and think of it fondly for a while.
Summary: Our Overview Of Le Chien Rouge
Le Chien Rouge is a solid four-star hotel in the North of Bali and we expect there to be some compromises to deliver a good experience, but they’re not noticeable and we felt that overall, this was a nice place to stay.
We’d be happy to recommend it to others looking for a base for their dolphin watching experiences.
Grading: Very Good
FAQs
Is Le Chien Rouge Family Friendly?
Yes, Le Chien Rouge is family-friendly, and it welcomes children of all ages to check in with their parents or guardians. However, it’s important to note that children over the age of 3 are treated as adults for billing purposes, which is not very generous and better deals can be had.
We’d also note that there are no cots or spare beds available, which can also be a problem for families that want to spend time with their children in comfort.
There are also no facilities available that are specifically for kids, though they may make use of all the available hotel amenities.
Final Thoughts On Le Chien Rouge
Le Chien Rouge is a very pleasant place, and if you want a nice, quiet hotel near Lovina Beach (so you can easily get to the dolphins in the morning), it will very much do the trick.
We should also note that despite being a four-star hotel, it offers a wider range of facilities and amenities than many 5-star hotels on the island.
Overall, we’d be happy to recommend this place to anybody who wants to explore Bali beyond the usual tourist trail.
