Love F Hotel Kuta, Bali

As Love F Hotel Bali is not exactly a full fledged hotel like those owned by international groups like Starwood and IHC and has a rather confined and limited land space, it is not endowed with the full range of facilities that are provided in much larger hotels. It does however, have a swimming pool and jacuzzis that guests can enjoy.

The swimming pool is located on the ground floor of the hotel, and spans a decent 20 metres, making it suitable for those who wish to have a proper swim and not just a dip. Food lovers who enjoy Bali’s fried and sinful dishes will surely appreciate the use of the pool.  The area is generally clean and the water is well maintained. In fact, guests might even see the hotel staff carry out pool maintenance when it is not being used. There are also numerous sunbeds that guests can utilise and those who wish to get a tan without squeezing with throngs of other tourists at Kuta Beach can do so at the hotel. For a small hotel like Love F Hote Bali, I must admit that it is slightly surprising how clean the pool are and sunbeds are. Often times, smaller hotels might tend to neglect these areas due to manpower issues or just plan under use by guests but thankfully, guests of Love F Hotel Bali will get to enjoy the pool area comfortably. The only one thing that some guests might be bothered about is that the pool area is cordoned but the ground floor rooms. Perhaps some shy guests might feel a little awkward at the thought of other guests being able to watch them swim or tan but this is just a minor issue that will not bother most people.

Strangely, the two jacuzzi pools and the jacuzzi bar is located on the 5th floor of the hotel and not close to the pool. This means that guests who wish to take a dip and sip on drinks after a nice swim will have to dry themselves and head up via the elevators to the jacuzzi. This is an odd design and seems rather impractical but upon considering that Love F Hotel is serious space constraints, this turns out to be not so much of a design flaw.

The jacuzzi pools are diamond shaped pools that can comfortably fit around 7 people each. Over here, guests can order tropical drinks and tidbits from the adjacent bar and consume them while taking a relaxing dip into the pool. There are also more sunbeds available on this area and guests might just be able to be more sun and for longer period of time on this floor instead of at the pool. If you are lucky, you might even be able to witness fashion shows held at the jacuzzi area as Love F Hotel Bali does organize such events once in awhile. At night, however, the area is dimly lit and the bar is closed, leaving the underwater lights in the jacuzzi the only lights there. As such, the place seems rather uninviting and almost looks like it is closed and this can be an area of improvement on the hotel’s part.

Love F Hotel is also home to F Love Bar, a hip club that seeks to attract a young crowd. F Love Bar is located on the 6th floor of the hotel and is accessible either via the elevators or by stairs from the jacuzzi pools. At night, this area comes to live as a live DJ spins out thumping loud house music. Guests of the hotel get two free complementary entrance tickets per room and two free drinks each as Love F Hotel tries to encourage visitors to the club and I feel that this is a nice gesture. Indeed, it is a good place for young travellers to mingle and have fun, but the atmosphere is a lot less lively than what you can experience in more popular clubs such as Sky Garden Bali or Bounty Discotheque. In fact, the trend is that the younger guests of the hotel tend to head out to famous night clubs along the street while the older crowd shun F Love Bar due to the loud music it churns out. Often times, the club is rather sparse with few people inside and it is surly not the most happening place around Jalan Raya Legian. However, when the hotel hosts events, F Love Bar can get really crowded and it turns into an exciting place with a crowd of guests partying and enjoying themselves inside. When this happens, guests can have a very good time there as FashionTv is a company that has experience in running night clubs and I trust that with a good crowd, they can make the experience there a memorable one. Those who wish to join the happening events can check the dates with the hotel reception, or head to the hotel’s website to purchase entrance tickets.

As many readers will know, large branded hotels often have on-site boutiques selling designer products. Love F Hotel does not have these boutiques, nor is it linked to a mega mall but it does have its own fashion shop which it calls the Love Shop. The shop carries goods ranging from T-Shirts to shoes and umbrellas and it is an interesting place for guests to check out. However, do not expect to find designer goods at a bargain, as the shop is not so much of a luxury boutique, but more of a simple shop that sells the hotel’s own merchandise – somewhat like the shops you get in Hard Rock Hotels. Nonetheless, it is a nice addition to the hotel and purchasing a simple T-Shirt there can serve as a physical memory of the unique Love F Hotel.

Though there are no lack of dining options around the hotel, Love F Hotel does have its own restaurants and cafes that guests can grab a meal from.

Daily breakfast is provided with compliments and served in the Black Diamond restaurant on the ground floor of the hotel. Over there, guests can expect a simple but decent spread of local and international food items. Every morning, guests can have their fill of Indonesian rice and noodles such as Nasi Goreng and Mee Goreng, together with other dishes that can suit most palates. Not everything is local and those who prefer an international spread can head to the eggs station where chefs will cook up eggs the way you want them, or select from a range of breads, pastries, cakes and cereals. Though the overall selection is not bountiful, it is sufficient and those on a short trip will not be bored of the dishes. The cutlery used are also unique in shape, as the diamond emblem of the hotel adds some fun into the mood, though some practicality is sacrificed. The biggest downside of Black Diamond is that the restaurant is small in size. Thus, the seats are slightly cramped and during the peak period time from 8.30am to 9.30 am, some guests might not be able to get seats in the indoor seating area.

For those who prefer a more elegant setting and better tasting food, head to the White Diamond restaurant which serves up an Italian fare. The restaurant has a simplistic yet classy interior and overlooks the pool, creating a rather relaxed and nice mood especially in the evenings. The seats in White Diamond are also better spaced apart and those who choose to dine here are treated to a more luxurious setting.

For those who want to grab a quick bite before setting out, head to the F Love Cafe, which serves light fare such as healthy salads and sandwiches. The cafe has a vibrant and funky feel, with lounge chairs and couches that make it suitable for friends to mingle in. It also serves alcoholic drinks and refreshing cocktails and this actually makes it a great place for young crowds to hang out till its closing time at midnight daily.

Being a newly minted hotel, Love F Hotel Bali provides more than what you can expect from a hotel of this class in Bali. The rates are very affordable and for such a price, you actually get quite a lot, especially in terms of amenities and service standards. What really makes the hotel stand out is the level of service provided and how well trained the staff are. Don’t be surprised if you leave the hotel feeling that the staff are more friendly and polite than some 5 star hotels. The hotel is also based at an extremely convenient location, right in the middle of the exciting Bali night life zone. Should you be a young party-goer who wishes to offer the best that Kuta has to offer, Love F Hotel Bali will be a prime locational choice that you can consider. The trendy and funky design of the hotel will definitely appeal to the young and adventurous but not so much to the older travellers in Bali. Because of the loud music played along the streets and in the F Love Bar, I would say the hotel caters more towards guests who wish to spend late nights out having fun. Those who wish to have a more peaceful and relaxing trip should consider other hotels perhaps further away from the bustling Jalan Raya Legian but if you do end up at Love F Hotel, remember to request for rooms on the ground floor. Overall, the experience at Love F Hotel is not the best you can get, but the great service and chic design of the hotel sure makes a stay there an interesting and unique one.

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