Swiss hospitality skills shine at Bali family resort

I am a big fan of the Movenpick hotel brand - as regular readers will probably be aware.

I have stayed in Movenpick properties in Melbourne, Hobart, Bangkok and in Europe, and always been impressed by the adult-but-fun vibe and the polished Swiss-inspired service.

My most recent Movenpick stay was at the Movenpick Resort and Spa Jimbaran Bay in Bali. 

There is a different feel here as this is first and foremost a family-friendly resort - but there is the same attention to detail with food and drink.

There is a wellness vibe, too, with the resort fewer than five minutes walk from Jimbaran Beach. and the choice of relaxing poolside in one of the swim-up hammocks, or perhaps unwinding with a massage at the Arkipela Spa.

When it comes to food think excellent buffet breakfasts, the same chocolate hour sweet treats you find each afternoon at every Movenpick, and a dinner menu with something for everyone whether your tastes extend to western dishes or Asian flavours. 

The casual Anarasa restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and guests can choose between eating indoors or al fresco.

Anarasa overlooks a tropical garden and pool and offers Asian dishes, artisanal Balinese specialities and international favourites.

Guests can choose between visiting live cooking stations, a la carte service or buffets depending on the time of day.

There is a dedicated children's dining zone - as well as a kid's club - which means parents can enjoy some "me time" while wining and dining.

Anarasa offers vegetarian, dairy free and gluten free menu options so there is something for everyone. So if you want wraps, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas or a range of deserts you are well catered for. 

I stayed Asian with a tasty wonton soup, kung pao chicken (above) and a non-alcoholic cocktail (below).

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There is an Indonesian buffet every Wednesday evening for guests to get a taste of local flavours like sizzling satay selections and tasty nasi goreng. A taste of the Indonesian street food scene without leaving the resort.

Each Monday, the Jejala Pool Bar and Anarasa Restaurant feature a "buy one get one free deal" on a range of cocktails made from the local arak rice spirit.



The reception-level bar also showcases cocktails that feature drinks made by the local East Indies distillery.

There is also a Movenpick Café in the adjacent shopping centre, providing tasty treats throughout the day, as well as tasty western breakfast options (below).

 

The shopping area also contains several other dining options; from ice cream to Korean fried chicken or Balinese spare ribs.

Open just five years ago and with a "new" feel, the hotel offers a range of different room and suite options, depending on how many there are in your party and what your priority is.

All rooms feature air conditioning, hair dryer, ironing board and iron, alarm clock, coffee/tea-making facilities, bottled water and hair dryer, as well as a fridge. The alarm clock is important as you don't want to sleep through the afternoon and miss your free chocolate treats (below).

Close to the airport, but unaffected by noise, the Movenpick overlooks local beaches (a shuttle buggy is a convenient option), with local fish markets and seafood beach eateries, Uluwatu temple and several surf beaches nearby.

The only glitch during my stay was when my room was not available for my on-time arrival. But the staff reacted with immediate concern - a tribute to their training. I spent a short time working at the complimentary computer kiosk in the lobby and I was soon installed.

I was also impressed by the efficiency of my post-stay transfer to the airport.

For full details see https://movenpick.accor.com/en/asia/indonesia/bali/jimbaran-bali.html

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# The writer was a guest of Movenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran Bay and flew to Bali as a guest of airasia Superapp.

How to win enough points to take a long, luxurious vacation

I am not much of a joiner.

 I have a couple of frequent flyer cards, a Woolworths Rewards card that I usually forget to scan and that's about it.

I'm not a huge fan of wine clubs - and I rarely use hotel memberships.

So was not 100% certain what the benefits of the global Accor hotel group's Accor Plus scheme are. It turns out it is a subscription loyalty platform that operates separately to the Accor ALL booking system.

Accor Plus apparently offers members up to 50% off dining at participating hotels, discounted accommodation and access to "exclusive experiences".

The program has just launched a referral campaign, where one lucky person could win 1 million reward points (which can be used to redeem free accommodation/upgrades/tickets to events).

As 1 million points is worth around $32,000, it is certainly a prize worth having. There are plenty of Accor hotel properties where I would be happy to spend up big.

From now until June 30, members who refer their friends and family to join Accor Plus and earn 2,000 Reward points for every successful referral as well as an entry to the grand draw.

"We are excited to be rewarding existing and new members with the chance to win big with Accor Plus and thrilled to be launching this campaign today," said Renae Trimble, CEO of Accor Plus.

“There is no limit to the number of successful referrals an Accor Plus member can make during the campaign period and we are excited at the prospect of welcoming many new members to the programme and showcasing all of the extra benefits and privileges they get as being part of Accor Plus.”

Referrals can be submitted through a dedicated landing page on accorplus.com, or via an Accor Plus Consultant or Member Services team member. Fine for online; the other options sound a hassle.

The big prize will be drawn on July 19.

"The campaign is now live and the clock is ticking! We encourage all our members to get onboard and take advantage of this great opportunity to share the ultimate travel, dining and lifestyle program with their family and friends,” says Trimble.

Accor Plus members can enjoy benefits including behind-the-scenes, money-can’t-buy experiences at venues like Accor Stadium and private dinners by Michelin-star chefs, as well as up to 50% off the best available public room rate at over 1,000 hotels, resorts and holiday apartments across 20 countries.

Members also qualify for a minimum of Elite Silver membership status in ALL - Accor Live Limitless, Accor’s global lifestyle loyalty program, and enjoy priority check-in, welcome drink, and late check-out upon request.

There are a range of membership levels, starting from $249 a year - which is attractive to the most frequent of frequent travellers.

To discover more visit www.accorplus.com

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