(Accor) ALL the way to CGK and what the AFF community has shared with me

[Flyfrequently]

CGK-DPS flight was slightly delayed leaving 20 minutes late but still arriving into DPS on time.
Lunch on GA422 CGK - DPS J
For a 1 hour 33 minute flight, service was polite and brisk, 10 in a cabin of 12.

PDB of juice, and snack of nuts and chips

Beef Rendang for him

Chicken Curry for me

Coleslaw and Coffee Blancmange type dessert
Well presented and tasty, still glad we snacked in the Lounge first.
Never saw anyone attempt to go through the curtain.

I knew when booking there is no wifi, no alcohol, no IFE but you do get headphones.


Kudos to the crew when a cheeky Y dude, the last to board, opened my overhead bin and started to move our bags around.
Eye contact with her had him swiftly despatched to the back of the Bus with his bags.
On descent, Mt Agung

Was it worth the $ upgrade?
Probably not, but WTH(eck)

 

[Flyfrequently]

GA Cabin crew make sure all Business class passengers have disembarked before economy start and this gives us a head start for the baggage carousel, bypassing all the porter touts.
Near a blue roped off area, we are approached by 2 chaps in black and gold uniforms, similar to a Hotel Concierge, or St Peppers Lonely Hearts Club band.

"Are we off GA422" and Business Class?
Let me collect your bags, a service supplied by Garuda at selected airports.
They source the trolley, load our stuff and escort us outside.
Nice one!

Can feel the 30°warmth as we approach Grab, book our ride and off we go to Nusa Dua - with Ketut Verstappen in his EV🏎
17 minutes and we are here!

Sofitel Club Millésime check in awaits, it is just on 5.20 pm and folk appear in droves. Served a delightful coughtail, Zero Mile with Banda Spice Gin - 40% I believe!! Mr Flyfrequently had a mocktail.



Formalities done, quick trip to our ocean view room for the next 3 nights

A little something organised by our Fora Agent for my birthday

Before heading back to the very busy Club



We are now in "rinse and repeat" mode 🏖

Will do Accor review but briefly, 3 nights on Fora rate, free night ×1, plus USD100 F&B credit in ocean view room
This was cheaper than what I had booked in April via the App.

Then 2 nights booked via ACCOR + ALL Explorer using SNU's
The total for the 5 nights came out less than what I had originally booked.
Further posts will be in threads,View from my office, What I ate today and How does Accor treat an elite guest.

So far it has been very relaxing, walking, swimming, beach, pool and Missy is very pleased that I have read 150+ pages of her

 

[RooFlyer]

I had a terrible stay here last year where “everything went wrong”. I’m sure I would be looked after very well if I went back, and I’m tempted to, but I’ll be reading your experience with interest before deciding.

 

[Flyfrequently]

I had a terrible stay here last year where “everything went wrong”. I’m sure I would be looked after very well if I went back, and I’m tempted to, but I’ll be reading your experience with interest before deciding.

Did you post @RooFlyer ? Curious to know your issues

 

[Flyfrequently]

After 5 blissful days and 212 pages into Missy's book, on Saturday we moved over to Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa.
2 bookings, one via Qantas Hotels to meet $ TI spend criteria and 5 nights via Accor.

Check in at the Kintamani Lounge which is for returning guests and Accor Gold. As this was an Expedia booking, we fell into returning guests category in this instance.
Happy with that. (Platinum check in at Palace Club.)

I had emailed the hotel and they had kindly allocated the same room which also happened to be an upgrade to Palace Club as Platinum.
We were advised, rightly so, that we could not utilise the Palace until after 12md the next day.
Very happy with our digs, located in a quiet area away from passing guests overlooking the gardens


Palace Rooms are all on the ground floor

Staff very friendly and welcoming.
It is one of the oldest hotels in Nusa Dua, has a rustic Balinese charm. Will do a review in the Accor thread ........

 

[RooFlyer]

Did you post @RooFlyer ? Curious to know your issues

Yes:

Post in thread 'Cruising from Bali to Irian Jaya and down to Cairns'
Cruising from Bali to Irian Jaya and down to Cairns

 

[Flyfrequently]

Yes:

Post in thread 'Cruising from Bali to Irian Jaya and down to Cairns'
Cruising from Bali to Irian Jaya and down to Cairns

Ah I remember now @RooFlyer
Think we were a tad more fortunate than you, don't expect you will be going back!

 

[RooFlyer]

Ah I remember now @RooFlyer
Think we were a tad more fortunate than you, don't expect you will be going back!

I probably will as I’m sure I will be looked after very very well if I take up the Hotel directors offer to let her know when I’m returning, especially since I’ll be Diamond by then

 

[Flyfrequently]

Didn't take us long to really get into the rhythm of doing not much at Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa- review in Accor thread.

A week of glorious weather, sunny skies, 30°, no humidity




I finished Missy's book and have started another.

Very pleased with our location on the ground floor with upgrade to the Palace Club.
It was never crowded in the Lounge, well presented afternoon tea with varied options each day

Evening canapes also varied nightly.
And very attentive staff, my go-to coughtail became the "Nusa Dua Explosion" - vodka and rum




Canapes were sufficient but we did venture out to two of our favourite restaurants.
Nusa Kitchen in Jalan Mengiat and Garlic Bali in Bali Collection owned by the same fellow.
Things have changed since our visit last September.
Prices have gone up and used to include taxes.
Food quality has declined considerably.

Hence, we decided to eat in at NDBH, with Accor Dining discount (albeit 30% now) better quality and value for money, ate at Maguro twice - Asian inspired



Love their Cholicate and Yuzu cake.

Another evening to Tamarind for Pasta

And Chicken Piccata

Restaurant was busy and service was quite slow there - very much Bali time!

Our girls had booked a 90 minute Balinese massage in the Spa for me as a birthday gift

Did the cheesy photo shoot

A very enjoyable 6 nights

and the planets aligned for my birthday

Off to Jakarta next

 

[Melburnian1]

Great TR. Very wise to have hard copies in a folder.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Great TR. Very wise to have hard copies in a folder.

Thanks @Melburnian1
I would get flustered if I couldn't locate something on my phone if challenged.

Thought you were going to tell me QF40 cancelled/delayed today

 

[Flyfrequently]

Early light breakfast in Palace Club, all packed and ready to wrap up this Indo jaunt for our aternoon flight on Garuda back to CGK - in Y.
Now there are 2 things my family hang it on me for, and that is
1. I don't do LCC
2. Avoid economy at (almost) all cost.

Well, had decided the GA online paid bid upgrade on the way over for ~AUD340 pp wasn't worth it and steeled myself to 98 minutes in Y

Until we found the Premium check-in (not entitled to it but pleaded "elderly ").

Lo and behold, there is a sign!
Special upgrade price 1,200,000 IDR pp to J ~ AUD100.
One look at Mr Flyfrequently and out comes the Mastercard
No lounge access but dumb enough to fork out ~AUD26 each for some peace and quiet.
(travel mistake - find out on the concourse Blue Sky Priority Lounge is ~AUD20)

Mr Flyfrequently availed himself of a very tasty made to order Spaghetti Carbonara

I snacked on some Dumplings.
F &B wise, their Lounge wasn't worth the $26 but it did give me the opportunity to stretch right out, relieving some pesky L5/S1 nerve root irritation that crops up occasionally.

The Staff come to get you when ready to board - ok, we were the only pax in there......

On board
Of the 12 seats up for grabs, 8 were occupied, leaving 4 vacant.

Prior to departure, PDB,snack and cool towel

Meal orders taken.
Pushback was on time, great views on ascent


2.30pm flight and lunch is served
Chicken


Beef


Proactively offered tea/coffee, more juice, extra blankets and another cushion, all on a 1 hour 38 minute domestic flight -Qantas take note!
J pax off first and again assisted by the Concierge in his black and gold uniform.
Nice touch.
Hooked in a Premium Grab for the 45 minute ride in Friday afternoon peak hour traffic, to arrive at Raffles Jakarta for the next 2 nights.