THE LOCATION

Close to the action but no smack bang in the middle of it, Mercure Bali Legian is surrounded by funky restaurants.

THE SPACE

Mercure Bali Legian owes its casually cool vibe to a neat and contemporary fit-out with bright pop of blue and green. For example, lush hanging gardens cascade down the façade of the interconnection buildings and tropical trees sprout in public garden spaces. The two poos (one on the ground floor and a rooftop-style pool on level four) add in another big dollop of aqua. Even the seats in the hotel restaurant – Ancak Restaurant and Lounge – come upholstered in soft shades of blue and green. The open-air lobby is bathed in natural light and the check-in counter ceiling is adorned with bronxe-coloured dangling lights in varying shapes and sizes. Guests gravitate towards the two pools. The ground floor pool has plenty of shave overhang but I favour the pool on level four because you can swim to the edge and watch holiday life unravel with immersed in the water.

THE ROOMS

There are 321 rooms split into five room categories, ranging from superior rooms at entry level to deluxe rooms with a private plunge pool at the top of the range. My room is a deluxe room with a balcony, suits me just fine. The brown and beige interior colour palette is nicely contrasted against the vivid blues and greens outside. All the mod cons are there – and in the right places. I’ve stayed in many hotels where power points are in hard to reach spots so thoughtful design is appreciated.

THE FOOD

In Legian, hotel restaurants don’t generally get packed out because there are so many options outside, and to entice diners at Ancak Restaurant and Lounge there’s entertainment on selected nights. While eating dinner I first watch a three-man band perform rock classics. Then, traditionally dressed Balinese dancers groove out to techno music. It’s highly entertaining and unexpected – the dancers execute conventional dance moves robotically and quickly to match the beat. The food is a bit like that, too. You read the description but the end product is a surprise – and this works in the restaurant’s favour. I order rending dagig bakar, chef’s signature dish, expecting a traditional curry. Instead, I receive these tender steaks, one on top of the other, doused in rich curry sauce crowned with fried onion shreds and served alongside steamed rice and sautéed veggies. It’s a modern reinterpretation of a local dish and everyone at the table give it rave reviews.

STEPPING OUT

There’s no such thing as boredom here. Kuta and Legian beaches are about a 10-minute walk away. Small shops are scattered all around. Beachwalk Shopping Centre and Kuta Square are close by. Mercure Bali Legian is close to all the night-time action too. Sky Garden, on of Bali’s biggest bight clubs is about a 10-minute walk away and there are bars everywhere. The only thing you might struggle to find is solitude.