The Grand Mirage |Bali All-Inclusive Resort

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All-inclusive resort. I had never taken a proper stance on the matter, never was truly in the place to make a fair judgement on whether such resorts were really worth it. Part of me was hesitant at the thought of an all-inclusive stay, but I quickly learned that I was most definitely a fan. If I ever go away with my girlfriends (or maybe my travel-loving boyfriend), all-inclusive is definitely going to be something I vouch for.

Yet working as a travel writer has taught me that all-inclusive doesn’t always mean a good experience, so there is legwork and research needed to make sure it’s the package you want and it will deliver all that you’re after.

The Grand Mirage in Bali’s Nusa Dua is an all-inclusive resort that strikes a delicate balance between Spring Break and family holiday. Is it somewhere I’d go with my friends? Sure. Is it somewhere I’d bring my family? Definitely. Is it somewhere I’d go for a romantic getaway with my boyfriend? Probably not.

The resort is a massive spread of rooms perched on green grounds that run right onto the white sands of Indonesia. There are more than 301 rooms and suites at the Grand Mirage in Bali along with four food and beverage spots spread across the grounds. The property itself sits on about a quarter of a mile of beach.

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My room was a deluxe ocean view room that had gracious vista of the expansive aqua waters in the horizon. The room itself had an attached balcony and was a generous space that was welcoming, warm and made me excited to snuggle up in my robe come nightfall. It just felt like a breath of fresh air, and the ocean views made my heart happy.

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That being said, having spent a significant amount of time across many islands in Indonesia, I will say that this is not the most beautiful beach you will find; however, it is quiet and relaxing in a way that makes it a good retreat from the island’s more overcrowded beaches.

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I could tell almost immediately that this was a very family-friendly hotel. The lobby was beautiful, crisp and clean, but much of the remainder of the hotel seemed quite outdated and bland. The tiling in the hallways struck me as something I would see at a hotel in Florida, not necessarily one in Bali.

The hotel wasn’t exactly design-focused, but to be fair, I don’t think holiday goers come to the Grand Mirage because they are looking for some funky ingenuity. They are after an enjoyable holiday where the only thing they have to think about is whether they will spend the day by the beach or the pool.

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Whichever sunbathing spot you lay claim to for the day, you can count on exceptional service to bring you delicious poolside treats.

The food is probably the best part of the entire experience. For a backpacker who is always on a budget and whose bank account had diminished much sooner than expected, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed being able to order whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted and not have to worry about how much I was spending. I recently stayed at a resort in Ubud that wasn’t all-inclusive, which made me more consciousof how much and what kind of food I ordered, and only upon check out did I learn that the hotel had footed my bills through my stay. Such is the beauty of an all-inclusive experience; it takes the financial stresses away so that you can just enjoy your holiday.

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There resort has four restaurants, all of which are included in the all-inclusive package. Unfortunately because I had only one night at the resort, I wasn’t able to expand my stomach or freeze time so that I could dine at all four venues. I dined poolside at the Grand Cafe, which is open 24 hours and offers international cuisines, beautiful breakfast spreads, and lunch and dinner buffets.

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The resort’s three other restaurants were the Jukung Grill, which is a seafood destination; Chopstick, a Chinese restaurant located at their sister resort; and La Cascata, an italian restaurant. During my stay, I ate a buffet-style dinner outside under the stars and the lights that radiated around the Rama Stage, where i watched a traditional Balinese dance show and tried suckling pig for the first time, which is one of the most famous Balinese dishes.

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Had I been with my friends or a boyfriend, I am sure that I would have revelled in the all-inclusive drinks side to the stay. I did meet a couple of Canadians who were keen to keep sending pina coladas my way to match their all-day drinking session, but we all know that Americans and Canadians can’t really be friends. There are two bars at the resort: the Coconut Pool Bar, to which I found myself in a huddle of some Aussie mates on holiday, and the Panorama Lounge, which offered an extra element of sophistication to the alcohol scene.

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Yet outside of the food and drink (though really this is the best part to every holiday), the activities at the Grand Mirage were plentiful. Guests can participate in a heap of water sports and can even go sea walking, which had I not had a gaping open wound on my foot I would have done in a heartbeat.

In addition to the water sports, there is tennis, an entire games lounge, Harry Potter-sized chess boards, karaoke rooms, pool volleyball, and most importantly the spa. The Thalasso Spa at the Grand Mirage offers a variety of treatments, from couples massages to individual massages, wrap therapies, thalasso treatments and traditional Asian treatments. There is something that bothers me about the idea of someone I don’t know touching me, so I skipped the spa and parked my butt on the beach. I know, it is blasphemy, but one day I will face my fear of a massage. (Bungy jumping, anyone?)

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Overall, I really loved my stay at  the Grand Mirage and found it to be an exceptionally refreshing experience. It was a welcomed break from the life of a backpacker, and everything from my spacious room to the ever-present service was completely on point from check-in to check-out. I had the best night sleep that I had in a very long time, and waking up to the beach views made me wish I could spend the rest of my life in that room.

Though it isn’t necessarily my preferred form of travel, a stay at the Grand Mirage Resort will definitely be kept in mind for the future if I ever make it back to Indonesia with some friends of mine.

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I was a guest of Grand Mirage Resort in Bali. All-inclusive packages start at $223 USD per night.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

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