Lovina is something of an undiscovered gem in Bali. It’s on the North Coast, and the big attraction in this area is dolphin watching.
Because it sees fewer visitors than the Southern Coast towns, there aren’t many 5-star hotels in this part of the island, but The Lovina is one of the few.
Our team went to Lovina recently to check out The Lovina and see if it was worth the fairly hefty price tag for this part of the island, and this is what they learned.
Our In-Depth Assessment Of The Lovina Bali Resort
Our review protocol remains constant across every visit, using the same set of benchmarks. This delivers fairness to the properties and provides you with a dependable comparison guide.
Hotel Type: Luxury
Area of Bali: Lovina
Star Rating: 5-Star
Typical Minimum Price per Night: 3,000,000 IDR (approx. $200 USD or $300 AUD) per night, with the understanding that room prices vary by season and the type of room
The Lovina Bali Resort Address: Lovina, Jl. Mas Lovina, Kalibukbuk, Kec. Buleleng, Kabupaten Buleleng, Bali 81119
The Lovina Bali Resort Website: The Lovina
Room Types: Deluxe Studio, One-Bedroom Suite with Sea View, Two-Bedroom Suite with Sea View, Two-Bedroom Terrace Beach Villa with Private Pool, Penthouse
Facilities: Heliconia, Sunset Bar, Parking, Terrace, Fitness Centre, Outdoor Swimming Pool, Airport Shuttle, Private Beach Area, BBQ Facilities, Patio, Garden, Bike Rental, Live Music, Cooking Classes, Cultural Tours, Kids’ Club, Water Sports, Snorkelling, Diving, Cycling, Canoeing, Children’s Playground, Fishing, Busines Centre, Beauty Salon, Shuttle Service, Kids’ Pool, Yoga Classes, Spa and Wellness Centre, and Babysitting Services (chargeable)
Note: The upper floors of this hotel can only be reached using stairs; that means if you have mobility issues, you should contact the hotel directly before making any booking.
Cleanliness and Maintenance
This resort is exceptionally clean, and we tried all our usual means of trying to catch them out, but it’s spotless.
And the maintenance team do an excellent job too, but there is signs of wear and tear in parts of the hotel which would require a lot of investment to resolve and given it won’t impact on the quality of your holiday, it’s not a big deal.
Sleep Quality
The thing about Lovina is that it’s very much divorced from the party culture of the South Coast. So, it’s quiet naturally and during our stay, there was no obvious noise in the room at any time.
And the beds were large and more than comfortable enough to ensure an excellent night’s sleep.
Staff Attitude And Service Culture
The staff here are excellent, for a more remote local-brand 5-star hotel, which is to say they have all that wonderful Balinese warmth and hospitality.
However, they’re not as polished as they are in the big brand-name resorts and sometimes, you may need to work with them a little to be fully understood. Once they do understand, things will be resolved immediately.
Check-in/Check-out Experience
At this moment in time, it’s unlikely that you will arrive at this hotel and find dozens of other people waiting to check in, so you’ll be in your room in no time.
They do provide luggage storage options for when you check out, and the process is equally painless. Do make sure to arrange ongoing transportation, though; there’s not much available in the local area.
Bathroom Quality & Functionality
We found the bathrooms to be very good at this hotel, and we enjoyed getting clean here. The water pressure and volumes of available hot water were good.
The supplied toiletries were OK, and we found the towels to be very good with lots of absorbency and comfort built in.
Value For Money
Your money goes further in North Bali, and it’s rare that you get pricing this good on a 5-star beachfront hotel anywhere in the world, so we’d say it’s excellent value for money.
This is doubly true when you consider how much they have for you to do here; many other resorts in Bali could learn some lessons from this place.
Food And Beverage Execution
While the on-site food cannot compete with the very best of Bali’s dining scene, it’s probably the best in Lovina or, at least, in contention for it.
Everything is fresh, tasty, prepared with love and presented beautifully. This is a place where you really won’t find eating in the hotel to be a hardship.
Location & Immediate Surroundings
Lovina is nice enough, and the snorkelling and dolphins are amazing. But there’s not that much more to do, and you will need to travel if you want to see it.
More to the point, it’s a long way from the most popular parts of Bali, which means a long drive in traffic even if you’re just heading to the airport on your way home.
Facilities & Amenities Vs Promise
We felt that the facilities at this hotel were best-in-class for the region and that they were all as advertised and in good condition.
They contributed strongly to the value proposition for staying in this resort.
Overall “Personality”
It’s a nice resort, but it’s not a stunning resort. You will be glad that you stayed here, take some nice pictures and tell your friends about it when you get home.
And then, we think it will slowly fade from memory over the following years.
Summary: Our Overview Of The Lovina Bali Resort
We were very impressed with The Lovina Bali Resort. It’s a place that shines with the promise of comfort and quality in a fairly out-of-the-way location.
And it delivered on that promise admirably. The Lovina Bali Resort would be our top choice of places to stay in Lovina on that basis.
Grading: Excellent
FAQs
Is The Lovina Bali Resort Family Friendly?
Yes, The Lovina Bali Resort is family-friendly, and you can bring children of any age as long as their parents and/or guardians are present.
However, they use a variable pricing strategy for kids, and that means it’s hard to know when you will have to pay extra for them – so check the booking details carefully before you confirm.
Cots are free, but extra beds are chargeable based on the age of the child, with kids up to 11 paying 200,000 IDR per child, per night, and kids over 11 paying 450,000 IDR per child, per night.
The good news is that they have plenty of children’s facilities available at this resort, including a free kids’ club and paid babysitting services.
Final Thoughts On The Lovina Bali Resort
The Lovina Bali Resort is a great example of a 5-star resort in a less-visited part of Bali. It may not quite have the polish of the big brand-name offerings in Nusa Dua, but it’s much less expensive, and there’s a lot to do at the hotel.
Our team very much enjoyed their stay at The Lovina Bali and would happily return; they’d also be pleased to recommend it to anyone interested in staying here; it’s probably the best hotel in Lovina.
