Until this year, I was among the few Aussies who had been to Bali but had never been to Kuta. Why? I don’t really have an answer for that. “Full of Aussie bogans,” people would say. Yet that wasn’t it. I like to judge a place for myself. I’d just never really gotten around to it.
But Mamaka by Ovolo Bali is such a cool hotel that not only am I pleased to have visited Kuta, I would go back in a flash. What took us there? Well, we had just spent a wonderful month in Java, experiencing Indonesia at its most authentic, and as we were flying out of Denpasar, a short stay in Bali was needed to rest and relax at the tail end of our journey.
The traffic in Bali is often horrendous, so we wanted to be within a half-hour drive of the airport. It was time to finally see Kuta Beach. Mamaka by Ovolo has a prime waterfront location promising sunset views and cocktails by the rooftop pool that were speaking our name. Count us in!
The Location
Mamaka by Ovolo Bali is on Jalan Pantai Kuta at the northern end of Kuta Beach, almost where it becomes Legian. If you want to hit the waves or have a beach-side massage, it’s a short step across the road to the beach.
The hotel is a short walk to the Beach Walk shopping centre where you can enjoy a great coffee at rooftop café, Expat, and shop for many of the global brand names. And if you really want cheap souvenirs, you only need to go to the street stalls around the corner.
Ngurah Rai (Denpasar) International Airport is about half an hour away by car.
The Accommodation
If you’ve ever stayed in an Ovolo hotel – there are others in Australia and Hong Kong – you’ll know that they are quirky/chic and often have a rockstar theme. The promotional tagline for Mamaka by Ovolo Bali is Good Vibrations. It’s very apt.
First impressions are of a hip hotel, neatly fitting into Kuta’s beach culture and offering holidaymakers a fun experience. A range of accommodation options are available, from very affordable and stylish 25 sq m rooms, some with private garden terraces, to the impressive Swagger suites and 2-bedroom Top Gun suites with stunning beach views.
The suites come with perks like breakfast on the rooftop, and as for that view … I could have stretched out on the bed and looked at the ocean all day. (The curtains are controlled with a bedside switch.) I loved our amazing bathroom with walk-in shower and very deep tub with salts and candle provided.
The 191 playfully designed rooms and suites are decorated in cool blue hues, reflecting the beachside location, or in the case of our Swagger suite, deeper blues and mustard tones. There’s nothing minimalist about the décor in either the guest rooms or the public areas. In fact, it is quite the opposite, with bold geometric patterns, bright blue butterflies, bold colours and quirky paraphernalia.
Our room had drink coasters that were mini records, a mini electric guitar sporting an image of Freddie Mercury, and retro-looking sound equipment, among other bits and pieces. Displays in the foyer included dial telephones, old cameras and stereo gear.
There’s free access to a self-service laundry, a blessing in this beachside location, although the washing machines and dryers were getting such a workout it was a waiting game to find them free. Free parking is available for those who are brave enough to drive in Bali’s challenging traffic. All guests receive a welcome drink.
Hotel Facilities
Mamaka by Ovolo Bali is a great option for couples, singles, families, groups, foodies, surfers – anyone really! The hotel offers all the services you’d expect from an upmarket Bali hotel including a fitness centre, spa with traditional Bali massage treatments, and on-site surf school and shop.
The rooftop infinity pool has views all the way to Denpasar Airport and beyond. Four-poster daybeds, beanbags and sun lounges are provided for those who prefer lazing to swimming. With a great poolside drinks and snacks menu on offer, who wouldn’t want to laze? Frozen strawberry margaritas, accompanied by the most delicious lobster rolls, are perfect on a steamy afternoon.
The hotel’s street-side cafe, Street 32, offers an a-la-carte breakfast with choices ranging from Western (think smashed avocado, crab omelette and healthy bowls) to Indian, Chinese and traditional Indonesian breakfasts. A breakfast-time DJ sets the tone for fun, as you watch surfers, skateboarders and sunburnt tourists making their way across the road to the beach.
This is a place where you can sit all day if you choose, with artisanal coffee, a late afternoon Apéro Hour and an extensive and very affordable pan-Asian menu and drinks list.
The Food
If you prefer something a little more relaxed than the busy Kuta beachfront, Mamaka by Ovolo’s rooftop Kuta Social Club is the place to be.
For those staying in the hotel’s luxury suites, this is where breakfast is served. We eased into the day here with a beautifully presented breakfast of delicious pastries, juices and a la carte dishes. I fell in love with the strawberry juice and the lobster and potato souffle, so much so that I had them two days in a row. Breakfast also included a dainty pitaya bowl with an exquisite blend of frozen banana and dragon fruit, coconut cream, blueberry jam, nuts, raisins and berries. Yum!
With generous sofas to lounge in, views to die for, and the rooftop pool one step away, you could pretty much spend the day hanging around Kuta Social Club. The wide-ranging menu includes woodfired pizzas, Western and Indonesian favourites. A special experience is the Sunset Dinner, with Bali’s glorious sunset as the backdrop to a delightful evening.
We kicked back with some great cocktails, inspired by the classics but drawing on local ingredients including Bali’s wonderful tropical fruits. Who could go past Mamaka’s signature Land of God cocktail, with ginger-infused spirit, lime, frangipani and orange bitter flavours? For non-drinkers, choices include mocktails and juices, dragonfruit and watermelon being some of the standouts. And of course, there’s Bintang beer.
We were treated to the Chef’s Choice menu, with sharing dishes that highlight the best of local produce and flavours. Head chef Ben Harrington hails from Essex in the UK and tells us he has enjoyed sourcing high-quality seafood, fruits and vegetables for a menu that is proving very popular with Mamaka’s guests. Working with Ovolo internationally, including a stint at Canberra’s Monster Kitchen and Bar, has also been inspirational for him.
Our meal started with hummus, Balinese-made burrata, and truffle-flavoured arancini. Melt-in-the-mouth tuna carpaccio was only bettered by the most delicious oven-baked scallops. For mains, we enjoyed spinach and ricotta ravioli, grilled prawns, perfectly seared tuna and crispy aubergine, with salads on the side. Tiramisu and strawberry vanilla crème brûlée with delicate shortbread were a fitting end to this special dinner.
On our final day, Kuta Social Club was a great place to while away the afternoon (and enjoy more cocktails!) while we waited for our evening flight home.
What Is There To Do?
Boot camp and yoga classes are on offer, but if that sounds like hard work, you can always hit the spa. A one-hour traditional Balinese massage in the hotel’s Kupu Kupu spa costs less than AUD $35. The spa has single treatment rooms only so if you book in for a couples massage, you’ll be escorted to a guest room on another level that has been fitted out with two massage tables. The treatments Maurie and I had were blissful, with long soothing strokes and gentle acupressure that left us feeling incredibly relaxed.
Take a surfing lesson! You’re in the best place to conquer the waves. Mamaka by Ovolo Bali is the world’s only hotel with an official Rip Curl School of Surf.
Step outside for shopping, galleries, laneways, restaurants and quaint indie cafés. One night we dined at Poppies, a Bali institution since it was established in 1973. Its courtyard dining still has a lovely ambience. Hire a driver or organize for a Bluebird taxi to drive you around the island, allowing plenty of time to get wherever you want to go.
The Final Word
The Lonely Planet guidebook to Bali has a potted history of how Bali’s tourism industry came to be. It tells of a time back in the 1930s when a couple of surfing enthusiasts opened a small guesthouse on a virtually deserted Kuta Beach. They must have thought they’d found paradise. We can only imagine what it looked like then.
Today, the traffic is unrelenting, the streets are lined with tattoo parlours and stalls selling t-shirts with tasteless slogans, and the beach is awash with vendors plying their trade. But you’ll also find awesome sunsets, respectful vendors, and a sandy beach that is clean and inviting.
An absence of tourists during the Covid pandemic meant that significant upgrades were able to be made, making it a very pleasant environment. There’s an extensive paved walking path, much of it shaded, and a free skateboard park, outdoor gym and playgrounds for children. The surf schools, massage beds and coconut juice vendors are still there, as are the squirrels that scamper about in the trees.
Going to Bali and not seeing Kuta is like visiting Hawaii and not seeing Waikiki. Now I can say I’ve been to Kuta and survived. Had a great time, in fact.
If you go:
Mamaka by Ovolo
Jalan Pantai Kuta No. 32
Kuta Beach, Bali
Indonesia
Tel: +62 361 8496 500
www.mamakabyovolo.com
With thanks to Mamaka by Ovolo for generously hosting us for two nights, including rooftop breakfast, sunset dinner and couple’s spa treatment. It was a pleasure and a privilege to experience this fun hotel.
We stayed in Swagger Suite room 502.
