Hilton Bali Resort

Overall, we did not enjoy our stay. They were some great moments but they were overshadowed but poor service, poor facilities and poor maintenance. There were many issues that fell below the standard expected from a Hilton property... especially a property that is advertised as a five star property. 

The first issue was the air conditioning. The room temperature would not go below 18.5°C. I don't understand why guests are prevented from lowering the temperature further. For a resort in a tropical climate, guests should be able to control the room temperature to their comfort. We always went to sleep hot and woke up hot and stuffed up because it was too hot. I demanded something to change and they provided us a 2nd AC unit which also only went down to 18.5 but it did pump out alot of air from the fan so the temperature was at least tolerable after that. I don't go on vacation at a 5 star establishment to wake up hot and unrested every day. This was inexcusable and a thoughtless mistake to restrict the ACs to 18.5.

The slippers were also disappointing. We actually continued using the slippers we had received from our previous hotel in Malaysia because they were noticeably more comfortable. The bathrobes were equally underwhelming. Rather than being soft and plush, they felt rough and not particularly comfortable. One of the robes was also damaged, something that should have been identified during housekeeping inspections before the room was assigned to guests. We requested a replacement, but it took quite some time before a new robe was delivered. These repeated oversights gave the impression that the resort was struggling to provide consistent service. A five-star hotel should not accept more guests than it can properly accommodate. Every guest should receive the same high standard of service and attention expected from a Hilton property.

The window coverings are also misleading if they are intended to be blackout blinds. They do not block out the light effectively. They stop short of the floor and do not extend fully to the sides of the window, allowing a significant amount of light into the room in the early morning. As a result, the room becomes much brighter than expected, making it difficult to sleep in.

In our first room, the glass shower door was missing the plastic seal along the bottom. Because of this, water leaked all over the bathroom floor every time the shower was used. We reported the issue and were told it would be fixed, but no one ever came to install it. Both our first and second rooms also had problems with the shower water temperature. No matter how we adjusted it, we could only get lukewarm water rather than a properly hot shower. We reported this issue as well, but once again it took quite some time before it was addressed. We were on vacation and expected to relax, yet we found ourselves repeatedly contacting maintenance for issues that should have been identified before guests checked in. Instead of enjoying our stay, we became increasingly frustrated because it felt like something in the room was constantly malfunctioning, and the response times were consistently disappointing.

Another major disappointment was the overall level of service and communication across the resort. While this is marketed as a five-star property, the service often felt closer to a one-star experience. Many employees seemed poorly trained, inattentive, and inconsistent in how they handled basic guest needs. Most were polite, but politeness alone does not make up for a lack of competence or awareness.

A serious concern involved food labeling and allergies. At one point, chicken sausage was served and simply labeled as “sausage” without any clarification that it contained chicken. My fiancée is allergic to chicken and unknowingly ate it. Fortunately, I noticed the taste and was able to stop her from eating more, but she still had to take medication and developed a mild skin reaction. This could have been much worse. At other hotels such as Conrad, ingredients are clearly listed and staff proactively warn guests about allergens. That level of care was completely missing here, which is especially concerning given that guests with allergies are common. Had it been shrimp, she would have had trouble breathing. As someone with no food allergies, I can understand how other people's allergies can slip my mind... but I don't serve to the public. Hilton does however and they know there are people with food allergies and Hilton has a responsibility to list the ingredients in the food. 

Service in the executive lounge in general was inconsistent. Orders were frequently forgotten, particularly drink orders in the lounge and dining areas. On multiple occasions we had to remind staff more than once, and sometimes items never arrived at all. There was also a noticeable lack of coordination, with staff often standing around while guests waited. They would be chatting instead of working and paying attention to the customers. 

Communication was another major issue. Many staff members struggled with English, which created constant misunderstandings. While we understand this is Indonesia, this is also a large international resort catering heavily to English-speaking guests. Even having a few well-trained English-speaking staff who can clearly communicate guest concerns would significantly improve the experience.

Housekeeping was also inconsistent. While rooms were cleaned, toiletries such as shower gel were not always refilled, requiring us to request them multiple times.

We also experienced inconvenience with deliveries. A Grab delivery driver had to walk the entire way to the lobby and was not assisted by the hotel. He ultimately asked for an additional 50,000 rupiah because of the effort required. This created an awkward situation and could easily be improved with a simple system for handling guest deliveries more efficiently.

Additionally, there was very little information provided about on-site facilities. For example, we were not informed that the small shop near the entrance carried a range of essential items. Had staff communicated this properly, we would not have needed to place outside deliveries at all.

Another major disappointment was how the resort and its surroundings are presented and communicated to guests. While there are plenty of events happening at the hotel, they are not properly explained. Staff mostly just mention the names of events, and unless you happen to see a sign, there is very little guidance. It would have been much more helpful if, upon arrival, guests were informed about what events were taking place and when. Even a simple pamphlet or a QR code like other resorts provide would have made a big difference, but this was not offered. This is certainly a resort issue because this was offered at Conrad. While there was a QR code for the adventures, it wasn't very descriptive and mostly useless. It also neglected to mention that you must survive hours and hours of terrible traffic to go to any of these places.

The resort’s description also gives the impression that outdoor excursions are easily accessible, but this is misleading. Many tours require long travel times through heavy traffic. For example, our elephant tour involved nearly an entire day of travel, and we only spent about an hour at the actual activity. Losing so much of the day to transportation significantly reduced our enjoyment, and this should be communicated more clearly in advance.

The resort is also marketed as a destination where you can easily enjoy snorkeling, scuba diving, and nearby adventures. That is false advertising. The water was not clear enough for good snorkeling, and the beach itself is relatively small. The available lounge chairs fill up quickly, making the area feel crowded for much of the day. We also found the beach condition disappointing, as there was visible seaweed and some trash that had washed ashore, which did not match the promotion of a pristine beach with clear water.

In addition, the seawall does not appear to be adequately designed to protect the beach from waves. It seems undersized by only a third of what it actually needs to be and not far enough out to sea, which results in rougher water conditions than expected. Because of this, we actually chose to go to a nearby resort and pay to use their beach instead because unlike Hilton they had a trash and seaweed clean up crew with water that was calm. We've been to St. Regis in Bali already and encountered none of these problems. Is Hilton too cheap to pay someone to clean the beach consistently?

A major area of concern was the executive lounge. Unfortunately, there is very little advantage to using it. The food quality was poor, and the service was inconsistent and often unprofessional for a five-star property. On multiple occasions, food placed under heat lamps was not kept hot, and despite repeated feedback, no adjustments were made to improve this. It felt as though feedback was acknowledged but never acted upon.

The lounge also suffered from frequent mistakes with orders. Drinks and food were often forgotten entirely or delayed significantly. In one instance, a drink was left sitting at the bar for several minutes before being brought out, and on another night we waited around 30 minutes for a drink that had simply been forgotten.

The overall impression was that many staff members were polite and kind, but lacked proper training for a five-star environment. There seemed to be a lack of awareness and coordination, with too many employees standing idle while guests waited for basic service. Even simple issues, such as food temperature and order accuracy, were repeatedly pointed out but never corrected.

On one occasion, a staff member did not properly clean our table, leaving visible streaks. Rather than escalate the situation at the time, I cleaned it myself afterward. Later, I politely asked for a rag and spray bottle to demonstrate a proper cleaning method. I showed how to clean the entire surface thoroughly and check for remaining marks. Instead of acknowledging the feedback constructively, the response was defensive, insisting the table had already been cleaned, even though it clearly had not been done properly. This reflected a broader issue with attitude and openness to feedback.

One positive exception was an intern named Ismal, who normally worked in valet but was assisting in the lounge. He demonstrated strong English skills and excellent customer service awareness. He was noticeably more attentive than many of the regular staff and I noticed hat ended up coaching others, which was surprising given his role. It is inexcusable that the intern performs better than the regular employees and has to coach employees on how to do their jobs. I honestly mentioned to him that outside of himself, we had not received good service during our stay. He apologized for the lackluster performance of the staff and admitted many things on location are not as they should be but his suggestions wouldn't be listened to. Someone should definitely listen to him because he was the only person on site who understood five star customer service at a five star establishment. 

On a positive note, we did enjoy the barbecue food and the fire show, which were well done and enjoyable experiences during our stay.

There were also several additional facility and amenity issues that added to our frustration and disappointment. The elevator windows were consistently dirty and rarely appeared to be cleaned, despite constant fingerprints from children. While it is understandable that children touch the glass, regularly cleaning it should be a basic expectation at a five-star resort.

The ground-level restrooms near the billiards area were particularly disappointing. The toilet cubicles were dirty, the toilets had not been flushed, there were used tissues scattered across the floor, and there was an unpleasant smell. Seeing the public restrooms in that condition was unacceptable and only reinforced our growing frustration with the lack of attention to cleanliness throughout the resort.

We also noticed that movie nights were primarily focused on children’s films, with no comparable entertainment offered for adults. The game room was another disappointment, with very few games available on the consoles, and the pool table cues were in poor condition and should have been replaced.

What made this even more frustrating was that we visited several neighboring five-star resorts during our stay and saw a clear difference in the attention to detail and overall standards. Many of the issues we experienced at Hilton Bali Resort were not major or expensive problems—they were basic things that could and should have been addressed. It was extremely disappointing to see that these simple standards were not consistently maintained by a hotel carrying the Hilton name.

The spa and wellness facilities also had significant limitations. The sauna, jacuzzi, and cold tub all close at 9 p.m., and there are no clearly posted operating hours for these facilities or even for the main pool. At a five-star resort, guests do not expect to be told that key amenities are unavailable so early in the evening. After long days spent traveling—such as sitting in traffic for hours just to see local attractions—many guests return in the evening specifically hoping to relax. In our case, we returned late at night. and were disappointed to find everything would be closed by the time we ate dinner. At this price point and level of branding, guests expect flexibility and access, not restrictions that make it feel like they are being punished for spending their day outside the resort. 

These issues may seem small individually, but together they had a noticeable impact on our overall experience. We hope Hilton will improve communication about events, invest more in staff training and service consistency, ensure proper allergen labeling, and better align the guest experience with the expectations of a five-star resort.

Also, for good measure I have included a personal note from my fiance in  regards to her experience when I was not present, "One experience that was especially frustrating happened after I accidentally ate a chicken sausage. We knew the dish contained eggs, so we asked for it to be replaced because I am allergic to chicken, eggs, and shrimp. However, it was never communicated to us that the sausage itself was made from chicken, and it had also been cooked with bacon, which made it even less obvious.

Shortly afterward, my face started itching intensely, and he realized that the sausage must have been chicken. I knew I needed to get back to our room immediately to take my allergy medication before the reaction became worse. We have worked very hard to heal the marks left from previous allergic reactions, and I did not want to go through that again while we were on vacation.

At the time, there was no buggy available, and I couldn’t get the attention of any nearby staff because everyone appeared occupied and generally unaware of what was happening around them. I ended up running back to our room because I couldn’t risk waiting any longer. Later, when I returned and asked the transportation desk for a buggy to take me to the executive lounge, there were two staff members available, yet neither seemed eager to help. Instead, it felt like they were trying to pass the responsibility to one another rather than simply driving the buggy. The interaction came across as indifferent and unenthusiastic, and by the time someone finally assisted me, I could have reached the lounge sooner if I had simply walked.

This experience left me feeling genuinely uncomfortable. I couldn’t help but wonder if I was being treated differently because I am Asian and have brown skin. Whenever I was with my fiance, who is white, the service often seemed much quicker and more attentive when I was with him. When I was by myself, that same level of urgency and attentiveness often wasn’t there. I sincerely hope that wasn’t the case, but the difference was noticeable enough that it left me questioning why the experience felt so different. Regardless of the reason, every guest should receive the same prompt, attentive, and respectful service. No guest should leave a Hilton property wondering whether they were treated differently because of their race or appearance. I noticed this difference only occurred when I was alone and not when I was with him. I found this confusing because I look Indonesian so people thought I was Indonesian and would even try to speak to me in Indonesian. You would think Indonesians would want to treat Indonesians well and provide them great service but that did not seem to be the case. I received far better service with my fiancé."

I can vouch for the statement she made because I noticed once when she entered the lounge without me and nobody assisted her until I met her there. They had not even gotten her utensils. Even though the service was overall terrible no matter where I was, somehow it became even worse when I wasn't present. I found it unacceptable that she had sat there all by herself and nobody had even gotten her silverware yet.

To add to the poor service problem there were times we were not seen by a waiter until 15 minutes had passed. We ordered water and somehow that took 15 minutes as well. They somehow managed to forget ice almost every time we ordered water. They do not remember customer names, orders, preferences, seating preferences or anything else in any of those categories. Drinks have taken over 30 minutes to be served a few times and they even forget the lime wedge after all the time they had to prepare it. The lounge is not that busy. The employees are just bad at their jobs and the management is poor. There is zero benefit to being a diamond member or going to the lounge at this resort.

Once I observed a slammed packed drive with only one valet working while there were 3 other non valet employees who sat at the valet booth and did nothing to help him. I recorded it with my phone. As someone who used to work at a hotel, this was unbelievable to observe. I don't care if they weren't valet, they are part of valet personnel and they should have been helping their fellow staff member instead of texting and chatting as the drive filled up with cars.

This resort is supposed to be a five star resort and I judged it from what it claims to be. There is nothing five star about this place other than the awe inspiring grounds and architecture. That is all. Everything else is a disaster. This place needs a change in attitude and performance from the ground up. This was indubitively pathetic on every level from a five star establishment. The employees here have no concept or appreciation for the name and brand they represent. Hilton is a brand which has been synonymous with hotels and travel long before I was even born. They do nothing to live up to that name or reputation nor do they seem to care about either. This is a shame because the place really does look amazing. This place has so much potential that is being squandered, mostly due to poor service. 

Our experience was so bad we wished we'd stayed at Conrad or St. Regis just down the shoreline. So my advice for everyone is do not stay here. There are worse ways to waste 10 days of your life and 300,000 points I'm sure, but I can't think of any right now. Save yourself the disappointment and avoid this place at all costs.

Beautiful experience at the Hilton! Thank you Kariana for a great check in, very easy and friendly.

Many thanks to Nizar & staff in warm & welcoming experience!