Room Check: Club Med Bali Nusa Dua

Club Med Bali. Photo / Supplied

Getting there: Bali's notorious traffic was mostly tucked up neatly in bed after our night flight from Auckland and the driver seemed to be honking his horn only to keep himself company.

The arrival: Even the few short minutes in the humid heat between the air-conditioned car and the air-conditioned lobby meant a cup of iced lemon tea and an ice-cold flannel was the best thing we had seen all day.

The room: We were in ground floor room 4022. Two single beds and a roomy monsoon-head shower. Our small balcony overlooked the manicured lawn that led to the Zen pool and that quickly bore the path our feet made as we headed poolside every day.

The toiletries: Pump-action shower gel and conditioning shampoo. The toothbrush and toothpaste packets were not replaced after they disappeared into my suitcase, headed for charity.

The service: We'd go out and we'd come back and the room was made. A small army of gardeners and housekeepers were always ready with a smile and a good morning — and an extra big smile came if we tried the local greeting "salamat bagi".

In the neighbourhood: Every morning we'd greet Wartie, Monty and Lizzie, as we christened the water monitors that cruised and stalked the heron in the lily ponds. Then we'd collapse on a sunlounger by the pool. There's no need to go out the gates: there are pools, a well-equipped gym, a buffet that changes daily and an all-included cocktail bar. When we could rouse ourselves there was the always hilarious zorb soccer or giant twister or kite flying on the beach. Club Med emphasises family fun and evening entertainment introduced the local culture. We did of course leave the resort for the famous Bali shopping malls and markets.

The food: Club Med has two main restaurants. The buffet offers an array of choices from throughout Asia as well as traditional European options. The slightly more flash Deck restaurant had an a la carte menu.

Treats: We spent two hours in a spa being scrubbed with coffee and coconut respectively, soaking in a flower baths and getting our muscles soothed with a divine massage.

Facts and figures: Club Med Nusa Dua has nearly 400 rooms sprawling across 14ha. It is hugely popular with families but the acreage means you can be as close or as far away from others as you please. And there is something infinitely endearing about watching small children celebrating their success when a kite takes flight or their infectious joy when the poolside bubbles come out.

Bottom line: A great place to take the kids for a family break or as a couple for a veg-out-by-the-pool lazy holiday.