We spent a relaxing week in Candidasa staying at The Natia, a Seaside Hotel. Its beautiful ocean view, central location and reasonable price all contributed to us having a very enjoyable week of quiet relaxation. Hotels by the beach are rarely affordable so the Natia was a pleasant surprise.
Checking in was quick and efficient. The room we were shown to was surprisingly large with enough room to swing several cats. Although the decor is not fancy it is pleasant enough and suits the location by the beach.
Maintenance appears to be a bit haphazard so do not be surprised if things are rather worn. Also, there is no ocean view from most of the rooms. As a result we did not spend much time in our room. Really it was just a place to store our stuff and sleep.
The highlight of the hotel is undoubtedly the beachfront infinity pool and the deck beside it. The pool is ample and has a wonderful ocean view.
Breakfast is served on the deck beside the pool looking out over the ocean. Guests are free to use the deck throughout the day and evening. Being able to get some work done while looking out at the beautiful blue ocean certainly brightened up our days.
Actually swimming in the ocean however was not overly appealing to us. A few people certainly did swim in the ocean but we opted to stick to the hotel swimming pool. The beach itself is a stone beach and access is a bit limited. It was probably due to how nice the pool was but we did not feel the need to make the effort to head down to the ocean when we could go swimming ten seconds from our room and still have an ocean view.
Candidasa is built along a single coastal road. It is lined with hotels and restaurants offering a range of Indonesian and foreign food. Being one big long strip makes walking a little tiresome after a few days as you always have to pass the same set of stuff before encountering anything new. There are however plenty of tasty restaurants within a short walk of the hotel.
So, who should stay here? If you are only going to stay for a few days and you are specifically looking for a Candidasa beach hotel that will not break the bank The Natia Seaside Hotel could work for you. However if you want something a bit fancy and do not mind shelling out for one of the more expensive Bali beach resorts then it is probably a bit rough around the edges for you.